April 17, 2009

One, two, three strikes you're out at the ol' ball game


“I literally can’t afford to keep warm at this game. Can I just tell you, David, this is a sin. I’m freaking freezing, and there’s no way I’m spending $125 on a freaking sweatshirt, because that’s how this country got into this mess.”

- Yankee fan, freezing and in search of something warm to wear at their new $1.5 billion ballpark, there to watch millionaires play a child's game, when presented with an overpriced sweatshirt for $125 likely made in China, April 16, 2009

22 comments:

yoski said...

Yes, the professional sports bubble is still fully inflated. I wonder why so many pay so much to see some idiots play a game.
I went to many games in my life (soccer, hockey & football) but it was either free (college) or around $10 to get in. Before 9/11 it was easy to sneak in a 6-pack. I mean $20 for parking, $70 for the ticket and $10 a beer is ridiculous but obviously there are enough suckers willing to pay it.

Mitesh Damania said...

They only need [fill in max capacity] suckers out of the whole city. It's like an auction. The20,000 or 50,000 people to bid the highest get the tickets.

Paul E. Math said...

I agree with Yoski, there is a bubble in athletic talent that shows no signs of abating. But I would invite comparison between the Yankees and my beloved redsox.

Yes, we still overpay for talent. But we've maintained our traditional homefield, the smallest in the league.

I was freezing at a playoff game a couple years ago and got a special edition sweatshirt for $60 or $70 - still wildly overpriced but it's a collector's item now based not on the opening of a ballpark (an accomplishment of management) but on an accomplishment of the players.

Anyway, there needs to be more profit sharing because otherwise the Yankees will just buy all the talent in the league.

Mad As H*** said...

At the ballpark in Cincinnati, they now have three "discount" concession stands where you can get a $1 Hotdog, $1 popcorn or $3 beer.
Problem is, to get from the cheap seats to any of these three stands and back takes a good 20 minutes. They put them in the most out-of-the-way parts of the stadium and the lines are a mile long.

Anonymous said...

Ever since the strike some years ago, they'll never get another NICKEL from me.

never_forget_y2k said...

The hilarious fact though, is that as much as the Yankees/Redsox/etc seem to "overcharge" for seats, they could easily charge more, as evidenced by the huge markups on tickets sold through stubhub, ace ticket, scalpers on the street, etc. I make it a point to catch one redsox game (with tickets acquired at face value only) per year and thats basically my sporting event spending for the year. I dread the inevitable day I find myself covering tickets and fenway-priced refreshments for an entire family of four or more. Ugh

Mammoth said...

Sports will not get hit too hard by this economic slump.

Just like chocolate, hookers, alcohol, junk food, and gambling, some industries do okay during these times.

People will always find the money to pay for some enjoyment out of life.

-Mammoth

yoggi said...

I haven't been to a baseball game in 20 years.What a joke it has become.I would rather watch wrestling for free.
all those players are jacked up on roids.I wouldn't go to a baseball game for free.glad there are still suckers out there to pay for overpriced tickets.

Anonymous said...

I wouldn't pay $125 for season tickets,

Make that box seats!

No Way

No How!

Anonymous said...

Good, I hope more Americans just say no to this bullshit.

On a much smaller scale but still a stupid non-sensical charge, I went to get wiper blades for my car the other day. I take the wiper off the blade and go into Pep Boys to match it up. All they have are complete blades starting at $8 each for the shitty (last for two months) version up to $25 bucks EACH for the blades with good wipers.

WTF happened to good $4 refills? Why aren't the enviro people freaking out at this waste of resources? Its like replacing a whole engine because the oil needs changing.

Went to Kragen and Wall Mart and the same thing there.

I'll find re-fills on-line. Sure its not much money and sure running around cost me time but I look at it as principal matter. None of those places get my money....F'em!

Companies have to realize that the crap they got away with during the bubble years won't fly now.

Larry said...

I take my kids to minor league games. Cheap seats, cheap food, and the kids get to run around the bases at the end of the game. I went to a Staten Island Yankees game last year and had a great time; Beautiful view of Manhattan, nice ride over on the SI ferry, and I still didn't need a car.

Lady Di said...

So true. The only time we go to a professional baseball (or basketball) game is when my husband's client comps us tickets. Don't get me started on places like Disneyland, etc. Frickin rip off.

Besides, we have just as much fun at my son's little league games.

les said...

Professional sports is fueled by punks and gangsters buying stupid jerseys and jackets that coincide with their gang colors.

Anonymous said...

"But I would invite comparison between the Yankees and my beloved redsox."

lol...the sox have the highest average ticket price. even higher than the yankees (before this new stadium).

keith...baseball is a great game whether it's played by children or grown-ups. there are much better ways to watch a game than a $ 2,500 front row tick at the new yankee stadium. go watch the pirates play...you could probably walk up and get a homeplate ticket for 50 bucks...or go see a minor or farm league game.

gutless and lazy said...

Welcome to Scamerica.
This ain't your grand dad's USA anymore.

Anonymous said...

It's a darn shame that too many of our countrymen will waste so much money for professional sports related activities. Just look at the stadium full of people; and all of the money they spent for their family for tickets, baseball caps, food, beer, etc...

Miss Goldbug said...

Overpriced just as everything else made in china.

Watch out Williams Sonoma, Macy's, Nordstroms, Pottery Barn, etc...your hay days are over.

Are people finally getting it that the Corporations gave away our production base for higher profits to enrich themselves and their officers?

mimi said...

I wish the masses would just boycot baseball. On top of how much they charge for a ticket and the premiums they now charge for season seats - the Yankees STOLE 4 acres of parkland from the kids whose park they took to build their new stadium that normal people can no longer afford to go to. There are already not enough safe places for kids in the Bronx to play. But it's good that the guys making $19M/year have a place to play for the 100 days of the year that they work.

Anonymous said...

Dumbass should have brought a coat/sweater/whatever.

Anonymous said...

I thought about taking my kid to his first game. $350 for an okay seat. No fucking way.

i've had it said...

i was at the old yankee stadium last year for the first time and i have to say that it was a lousy stadium. and i'm not saying that just because i'm a life-long red sox fan. truly, the house that ruth built (renovated) simply sucked. they had to build a new ballpark (these comments are for the poster who whined about the yankees stealing 4 acres of land from little kids).

now, having said all of this in support of the yanks building a new stadium, i hope steinbrenner, a-rod, and the entire yankees organization go straight to hell!

Go Red Sox!

randall666flagg said...

Stupid-ass people do stupid-ass things. And this is the property trade-mark that is reserved for the Americano only. $125.00 sweatshirt, that's nothing. How about a 2009's Cadillac Escalade = $69,000 MSRP before Tax, Title, and License ? And you wonder why the rest of the world just laugh at the Americano like a parent laughing at a silly child ?

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