AL Franchise Notes: Cost Of Attending MLB Game Up 8%
In DC, Tim Lemke noted the cost of attending an MLB game has "risen more than 8[%] this season, with ticket prices alone costing nearly 12[%] more than" in '07. Team Marketing Report revealed that the average cost this season to attend a game, known as the Fan Cost Index (FCI), will be $191.75, up from $176.24 in '07. The FCI includes the "cost of four tickets, two small beers, four small sodas, four hot dogs, parking for one car, two game programs and two adult-sized caps." The Red Sox "top the list of the most expensive" MLB teams, with a FCI of $320.71 (WASHINGTONTIMES.com, 3/28).
 |
Yankees Expecting To Top Last Year's
Record Of 4.271 Million Tickets Sold |
RECORD SALES: In Newark, Jenny Vrentas reported the Yankees and Mets both are on record ticket sales paces, having sold 3.84 million and 2.7 million tickets, respectively, as of last week. Mets Exec VP/Business Operations Dave Howard projected that by the end of the season the Mets will have sold "more than 4 million tickets for the first time ever." Vrentas noted the Mets in '07 sold 3.85 million tickets. Yankees sales also have been the "fastest ever," but COO Lonn Trost "expects to top out at last year's level, 4.271 million" (Newark STAR-LEDGER, 3/31). Meanwhile, Royals VP/Sales & Marketing Mark Tilson said sales this year for "things like group tickets and season tickets ranged from [10-15%] (up) from where we were last year." Tilson: "Compared to 2006, we're almost 26[%] higher so far this year" (K.C. STAR, 3/29).
AIMING HIGH: Japanese League Chiba Lotte Marines Manager Bobby Valentine indicated that his team and the Red Sox, which last season entered into a formal three-year working agreement, can "partner to radically transform the way [MLB] and Japanese baseball do business." Valentine: "We're doing some minor things now. Things like sharing information between our medical staffs and training staffs, sending people from the business side to exchange ideas, but that's only the beginning. We're all over the place, trying everything we can. We've talked about cooperative things, like a winter-league team on the Australian Gold Coast or our southern islands, something together in the Dominican, both of us sending coaches and players. We've talked about having an independent league team here" (BOSTON GLOBE, 3/30).
FAN CLAN: The Indians in the next few weeks will launch a new online fan club on Indians.com called "The Tribe." Membership for the club will cost $19.95 and include the following: a membership card and letter, 15% discount on select dates at Indians Team Shop or Indians.com, member e-newsletter, '08 Gameday Audio subscription, special offers, a tour of Progressive Field, exclusive member CIC auctions, an exclusive section on Indians.com and an exclusive message board (Indians).
 |
Large Number Of Empty Seats At Orioles'
Season-Opener At Camden Yards |
CLIPPED WINGS? In Baltimore, Peter Schmuck reports while the Orioles announced a sellout for yesterday's regular-season opener, a 6-2 loss to the Rays at Camden Yards, the "huge number of no-shows ... raises a question the Orioles probably would rather not ponder: If thousands of people are going to buy tickets for Opening Day and not use them, how does that [augur] for the dog days of August?" (Baltimore SUN, 4/1). Meanwhile, Childs Walker noted the Orioles, who have had 10 straight losing seasons and have seen "attendance dwindle with the club's on-field fortunes," will focus on Camden Yards in their '08 marketing campaign, "This is Birdland." While the Orioles will compete with the new Nationals Park in DC, the team "feels they'll give fans a better live experience with a larger, sharper video screen and new scoreboards around the park" (Baltimore SUN, 3/31).
|
Related Stories By Company
|
Related Stories By Sport
|
Boras, Manfred Talk About Finances Escalate
November 20, 2009 :
SportsBusiness Daily
Selig: Concerns Around Economy Still Exist
November 20, 2009 :
SportsBusiness Daily
Hicks Hopes To Remain Rangers Majority Owner
November 19, 2009 :
SportsBusiness Daily
Selig Committed To Condensing Playoffs
November 19, 2009 :
SportsBusiness Daily
MLB Free Agent Market Expected To Be Slow
November 19, 2009 :
SportsBusiness Daily
|
Boras, Manfred Talk About Finances Escalate
November 20, 2009 :
SportsBusiness Daily
Selig: Concerns Around Economy Still Exist
November 20, 2009 :
SportsBusiness Daily
MasterCard Present At WS DVD Premiere
November 20, 2009 :
SportsBusiness Daily
Hicks Hopes To Remain Rangers Majority Owner
November 19, 2009 :
SportsBusiness Daily
Selig Committed To Condensing Playoffs
November 19, 2009 :
SportsBusiness Daily
|
|
