There aren’t many sports experiences that can beat an evening at an MLB ballpark. Each stadium is unique in its own way. And while other sports do have more raucous atmospheres, baseball is the national pastime for a reason.
But going to a game — especially with a family of four — is not a cheap undertaking. You have to take ticket prices (with fees!), parking, food and beverages into consideration. And when all that is done, you’re looking at an expensive night out. Cost is a roadblock MLB should really consider as it struggles to grow the game.
Even the affordability studies out there seem to be underselling just how expensive a single MLB game can be. The Hustle released a graphic this week that ranked each stadium’s average cost for families using data Fan Cost Index. And let’s just say it’s pretty wrong.
$204.76: average cost for a family of 4 to attend a MLB game, via @TheHustle: pic.twitter.com/w7ehdW6DqO
— Mark J. Burns (@markjburns88) July 20, 2022
There was just one problem: Very few fans could find any of the cheap prices listed in the graphic.
Dodger Stadium, for example, has domestic beers for $16 — not the $6.75 listed above. The Rockies’ $3 beer offer is only valid at the rooftop deck for the two hours before first pitch. You have to essentially hunt to find that deal, and it’s not during the actual game. There doesn’t seem to be any evidence of $6 beer at Yankee Stadium as it was $8 for a pint as recently as 2018.
MLB Twitter was basically wishing they could pay the prices shown in the graphic because the reality is much pricier.
