Team Marketing Report • April 2013 team marketing report Avg. Pct. Avg. Premium Soft Hot Pct. Team Ticket Change Ticket Beer1 Drink1 Dog Parking Program Cap FCI Change

Boston Red Sox $53.38 0.0% $172.51 $7.2512 $4.0020 $4.50 $27.00 $5.00 $18.99 $336.99 0.0% New York Yankees 51.55 0.0% 305.11 6.0012 3.0012 3.00 35.00 5.00 25.00 324.30 0.0%

Chicago Cubs 44.55 -3.8% 106.88 7.2516 3.5015 4.50 25.00 5.00 20.00 298.20 -0.7% 37.42 0.0% 79.82 7.7521 4.0020 3.75 15.00 5.00 17.99 257.16 0.0%

Toronto Blue Jays2 32.98 29.6% 83.33 7.3714 5.0824 5.59 15.25 4.49 20.32 254.21 14.4% San Francisco Giants 30.09 10.6% 86.63 6.7516 4.5016 5.00 20.00 5.00 18.00 237.87 7.8%

Washington Nationals 35.24 15.4% 192.89 8.2516 4.7524 5.00 10.00 0.00 15.00 236.46 19.3% 26.05 -10.2% 86.94 6.5016 4.7524 3.75 20.00 4.00 25.99 231.18 3.7%

St. Louis Cardinals 33.11 3.7% 77.26 6.7512 5.2521 4.25 10.00 2.50 16.00 230.94 2.7% Miami Marlins* 29.27 -4.0% 116.18 8.0020 4.5016 6.00 15.00 0.00 19.99 230.05 -5.1%

Houston Astros 30.09 0.0% 51.24 5.0014 4.5021 4.75 15.00 4.00 16.99 224.33 0.0% New York Mets 25.30 -7.1% 83.78 5.7512 5.0016 6.25 20.00 5.00 18.00 223.70 -2.9%

Minnesota Twins 32.59 -1.4% 74.18 7.5020 4.5020 4.00 6.00 3.00 15.00 221.36 -1.7%

MLB LEAGUE AVERAGE 27.73 2.7% 90.92 6.1215 3.7717 4.14 13.88 2.97 17.92 210.46 1.2%

Detroit Tigers* 26.36 12.0% 70.65 6.7516 4.2520 5.50 5.00 5.00 20.99 207.42 11.2% 22.37 -3.3% 222.38 6.2516 5.2516 5.00 10.00 5.00 20.99 204.95 -3.9%

Seattle Mariners 28.45 7.8% 126.82 5.5012 2.5012 3.50 17.00 3.00 15.99 203.78 4.2% Colorado Rockies3 23.65 0.1% 46.86 6.0016 3.2518 4.75 8.00 5.00 20.00 196.60 0.1%

Los Angeles Angels 27.54 23.4% 76.47 4.5016 2.7512 4.50 10.00 3.00 16.00 196.16 34.9% Texas Rangers 22.54 10.0% 58.16 5.0016 4.5020 5.00 12.00 5.00 17.99 196.13 6.6%

Oakland Athletics 22.12 2.2% 46.64 5.0014 2.7512 3.50 17.00 5.00 15.00 180.48 -3.3% Milwaukee Brewers 24.95 3.9% 43.22 6.0016 2.5012 3.50 9.00 0.00 16.00 176.80 3.1%

Kansas City Royals 19.83 -10.1% 79.06 6.5016 5.0022 5.00 10.00 0.00 15.00 172.32 -7.0% Atlanta Braves 17.32 3.8% 46.74 7.2516 4.5020 4.50 15.00 0.00 18.00 170.78 -4.6%

Baltimore Orioles 23.89 0.0% 43.90 6.7518 1.5012 1.50 8.00 5.00 15.00 169.06 -4.0% 21.35 3.6% 57.94 5.5012 1.0012 1.00 17.00 4.00 18.00 165.39 -0.3%

Pittsburgh Pirates 17.21 6.8% 57.30 5.5016 3.2516 3.25 15.00 0.00 22.00 164.84 8.2% 19.59 -4.1% 56.17 4.0012 3.0012 3.00 12.00 1.00 16.50 157.36 -9.4%

Tampa Bay Rays 20.39 2.8% 83.98 5.0012 2.0012 5.00 0.00 0.00 17.99 155.54 1.5% Padres 15.99 3.5% 39.11 5.0014 4.0022 4.00 8.00 0.00 18.99 151.94 0.8%

Arizona Diamondbacks 16.89 7.3% 51.59 4.0014 4.2524 2.75 10.00 0.00 19.00 151.55 3.8%

Average ticket price represents a weighted average of season ticket prices for general seating categories, determined by factoring the tickets in each price range as a percentage of the total number of seats in each venue. Premium seating (tickets that come with at least one added amenity or is classified by team as premium) are not included in the survey to calculate average ticket price. Luxury suites are also excluded from the survey. Season ticket pricing is used for any team that offers some or all tickets at lower prices for customers who buy season seats. Teams have a say in what seats are considered general or premium.

The Fan Cost Index™ comprises the prices of four (4) adult average-price tickets, two (2) small draft beers, four (4) small soft drinks, four (4) regular-size hot dogs, parking for one (1) car, two (2) game programs and two (2) least expensive, adult-size adjustable caps. Costs were determined by telephone calls with representatives of the teams, venues and concessionaires. Identical questions were asked in all interviews. Superscript numbers next to Beer and Soft Drink prices denote smallest available size in ounces.

1 Superscript numbers next to Beer and Soft Drink prices denote smallest available size in ounces.

2 Prices for the Blue Jays are converted to US dollars and comparison prices were converted using the current exchange rate. *The Detroit Tigers retroactively changed last year’s average ticket price of $31, lowering it to $23.54. 3 The Rockies provided seat scaling corrections from previous seasons.

© 2013 Team Marketing Report, Chicago, IL The Source For Sports Marketing Ideas

2013 mlb fan cost index AVERAGE TICKET PRICE UP 2.7 PERCENT AT $27.73; TOTAL FCI UP 1.2 PERCENT TO $210.46

The average Major League Baseball ticket is up 2.7 percent for the The still have the top ticket price ($53.38) and 2013 season, at $27.73, according to the Team Marketing Report Fan Cost Index price ($336.99) and the Yankees ($51.55, $324.30) Fan Cost Index™. and Cubs ($44.55, $298.20) remain second and third in both cat- Fifteen teams showed percentage increases of more than one egories. percent, while nine teams showed overall percentage decreases and The Red Sox and Yankees kept ticket prices flat, while the Cubs six kept prices flat. lowered ticket prices by 3.8 percent after dropping prices by 1.3 While the percentage change is small, it’s the biggest since 2009 percent last season. The Red Sox and Cubs had miserable 2012 and equal to the toal percentage increases of the last three seasons seasons, while the Yankees rallied to make the playoffs. combined. The Los Angeles Dodgers keep spending money but they didn’t The average ticket price (which doesn’t include premium seats) pass those costs along to ticket buyers - just cable subscribers. The was flat last season, for the first time in FCI history, after going up Dodgers dropped prices for a second straight year, this time 3.3 1.2 and 1.5 percent in previous seasons. percent to $22.37. The Fan Cost Index average is $210.46, a 1.2 percent increase. The Yankees still have the most-expensive “premium” ticket at The FCI is created by combining four non-premium tickets, two $305.11. Premium tickets are defined by having extra amenties beers, four soft drinks, four hot dogs, parking, two programs and unavailable to general ticketholders, like club access. The average two adult-size hats. premium ticket is $90.92. Of the top eight teams ranked by FCI prices in 2012, one raised Interestingly enough, of the NL Central teams, the Cubs, which ticket prices and four lowered them. lost 101 games and finished just ahead of Houston (departed to the The biggest increases this season didn’t come from the teams at AL West) last year, were the only team to lower prices. the top of the FCI, but rather teams that have newfound World Series The Cardinals ($33.11, up 3.7 percent), the Milwaukee Brewers expectations. ($24.95, up 3.9 percent), the Cincinnati Reds ($21.35, up 3.6 per- The Toronto Blue Jays raised prices by 29.6 percent to move their cent), the Pittsburgh Pirates ($17.21, up 6.8 percent) all increased average ticket price up to $32.98. The big-spending Los Angeles prices, while the Astros kept prices flat for their move to the Ameri- Angels raised prices by 23.4 percent for an average ticket price of can League. $27.54. The Washington Nationals raised prices by 15.4 percent Meanwhile, in the AL Central, every team lowered ticket prices to $35.24, though that average is for plans purchased starting on except the Tigers. April 1. The Chicago White Sox and Kansas City Royals showed the “In reality, 100 percent of season plan holders paid 2012 pric- second- and third- biggest percentage decreases at 10.2 and 10.1 ing (no increase), with many opting for a 3-year plan with no in- percent, respectively. creases through 2015,” Nationals vice president Chris Gargani The White Sox, with an average ticket of $26.05, have cut prices wrote in an email to Team Marketing Report. by 38.9 percent the last two seasons after years of declining atten- The Nationals are also one of two Major League Baseball teams dance. The Sox averaged nearly a million more tickets sold in 2006, changing the way they classify and manage season ticket holders the year after their World Series victory, then they did last season. by adopting a European soccer-style “club membership.” The NBA The Arizona Diamondbacks keep their spot at the bottom of the Cleveland Cavaliers are also doing this season ticket makeover. FCI list at $151.55. The Diamondbacks raised ticket prices by 7.3 The Nationals’ “Season Plan Holders” now receive special cards percent to $16.89. encoded with ticket information, which is managed through a se- The remain the cheapest average ticket at cure micro-site accessible through the team’s website. This program $15.99 and second-cheapest FCI at $151.94. is called “Ultimate Ballpark Access” and allows users to share tick- EDITOR’S NOTE: TMR reserves the right to retroactively ets, earn rewards and load cash onto the card for purchases in the change data, which is usually provided by the team, to make accu- ballpark. rate comparisons between seasons. The San Diego Padres are doing a similar plan, “the San Diego Some numbers do not completely correspond with past FCIs. Padres Baseball Club Membership.” Please read the notes at the bottom of the chart (left) for more ex- Last year’s World Series participants have similar pricing strat- planations on how TMR comes to its calculations. egies. The defending champion San Francisco Giants raised prices by 10.6 percent to $30.09. The runner-up Detroit Tigers’ average ticket increased by 12 percent this season to $26.36.

© 2013 Team Marketing Report, Chicago, IL