If you haven’t been to a major sporting event of late, you might be shocked to learn how expensive things have become. Previously cheap bleacher seats and other “get in the door” tickets are no longer pennies on the dollar, replaced today by astronomically priced tickets that quickly weed out many would-be attendees. It wasn’t that long ago that a family of four could purchase decent tickets, pay for parking, and enjoy food and drink at the game for about the same price as other similar one-day family vacation experiences — but that’s hardly the case today. Instead, tickets to common games are regularly $100+ or more, and if you want to go to a game between good teams you can quickly spend over $1,000 — at minimum. It’s understandable that teams want to maximize profit margins, but when die hard, middle class fans can no longer afford to go to games, it changes the feel, fan support (or lack thereof), and enthusiasm for the team. Modern pricing strategies now commonly used in all major sports include variable pricing, dynamic pricing, and slow ticketing, allowing those with the means to attend big games, while others are being priced out. Sure, this may allow teams to make more money, but it’s also squeezing out a segment of fan who is dedicated, passionate, and deeply invested emotionally — is this a net positive for sports?
The impact of squeezing fans out of games
Critics may argue that it’s simple — if you don’t have the means, you can’t buy the goods. Ordinarily in a capitalistic society that is easy to understand — if you don’t have the money to buy an expensive car, you will not be able to buy it. But sports are different, and most sport teams have not only accommodated people with affordable seats (i.e. bleachers), but also appreciated devoted fans whether they had a lot of money or not. The reason these middle-class fans were treated as such was, in large part, their undying commitment to the team seen by ticket purchases, apparel, and other team-related purchases. In fact, many teams were propped up by average fans because of their enthusiasm, which often led to attracting other fans, thereby building the brand and cultivating a larger fan base. Today, however, none of that seems to matter at all — those without the means are left out, while others with resources (who may not be fans, or even know a game is going on in the background as they fine dine) are given the red carpet.
Sure, “Business 101” teaches business owners to make as much money as you can, do as much as you can with the least resources, and widen margins as much as possible. This model may work for many businesses, but it remains to be seen what the effects will be in sports. When the average fan is left out, and the team falls on hard times when they are not winning, will the privileged fan base still be buy expensive tickets? Or will arenas and stadiums face new challenges attracting average fans back to games? Will the family of four who previously saved some money for a few modestly priced games come back after being squeezed by exorbitant prices? And if the average fans don’t come back, how will players from home teams feel playing in front of sparse crowds with little enthusiasm?
Final thoughts
Sports fans love attending live games, but these days it’s much tougher for the average fan to afford it. Die hard fans buy all the apparel and are enthusiastic in the stands, but they are being replaced increasingly more by “fans” who attend games for fine dinners and drinks, not the game on the field. With ticket prices spiraling out of control, previously enthusiastic and loyal fans are being shut out, while new, less invested fans (but with money to spend) are being catered to at stadiums and arenas across the country. Sport franchises may be making big bucks, but will there be a price to pay when the tide turns and teams need dedicated fans back?
drstankovich.com
