World Series Ticket Prices On Secondary Market Up 30% From Average In '11

Ticket prices for the Giants-Tigers World Series have shown a resurgence on the secondary compared to the '11 Cardinals-Rangers World Series. Average resale listings on ticket aggregator TiqIQ were $943 per ticket as of last night, up 30% from $724 per ticket last year. However, the '12 total remains less than the $1,291 average listing for the '10 Giants-Rangers World Series. The Giants are responsible for much of the current average, with the AT&T Park games carrying an average list price of $1,113, compared to $773 per set for the games at Comerica Park. Lower end get-in pricing has hovered around $300 for standing-room tickets, up from less than $250 for similar tickets last year. Despite this year's resurgent numbers, secondary market inventories remain high for tonight's Game 1 in S.F. Ticket metasearch engine FanSnap last night showed more than 8,500 tickets for sale, including more than 6,000 on StubHub alone. That number represents about 20% of AT&T Park's full capacity (Eric Fisher, SportsBusiness Journal). In Sacramento, Joe Davidson notes tickets for World Series Games 1 and 2 on the secondary ticket market “going from $325 for nosebleed seats or standing room only to $10,000 for prime seating near the field.” Various reports said that this World Series will “represent the priciest tickets for any Bay Area public event since the 2010 World Series.” Several sites listed $797 as the "average ticket price" for a potential Game 6 on Halloween night at AT&T Park.” Game 7 tickets are “going for an average of $887,” compared to tickets for Game 1 of the ‘10 World Series which “averaged $940” (SACRAMENTO BEE, 10/24).

TIGHT SQUEEZE: Preparations for tonight's World Series Game 1 were frenetic yesterday at AT&T Park, as MLB was significantly compromised by a time crunch of less than 48 hours between the end of the NLCS and the start of the World Series. That is a tight turnaround by historical standards. Further complicating the issue was the NL's home-field advantage, as the NLCS went to a full seven games. As a result, many league staffers did not arrive in S.F. until late yesterday, and several efforts such as credentialing for more than 2,000 reporters and photographers extended well into last night. The Giants last night hosted a World Series gala for more than 2,000 guests at the sprawling, historic Fairmont hotel in downtown S.F. Finalizing plans for the event, similarly, was a last-minute affair given the Giants clinched the pennant less than 24 hours pior. The Fairmont was previously owned by A's Owner Lew Wolff, with whom the Giants are sparring over the A's desire to move to San Jose. Wolff and several business partners sold the property earlier this year for $200M (Eric Fisher, SportsBusiness Journal).