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Outraged Taxpayers Not Going Out to Ball Game

By Kevin Spak,  Newser Staff

Posted May 11, 2009 9:23 AM CDT
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(Newser) – New Yorkers would like to go out to the ball game, but the Wipons and Steinbrenners “have let their unfettered greed keep the fans at bay,” writes Allen Barra in the Wall Street Journal. Fans are outraged that their tax dollars have gone to fund stadiums they can’t afford to visit, with the cost for a family of four to take in a Yankee game jumping 49% this year, to $410, while the Arizona Diamondbacks, for instance, dropped 29%, to $114.

The Yankees and Mets justified this with an OPEC-like supply strategy, purposely building smaller stadiums to justify price increases. But baseball isn’t oil. Fans, still mourning the now defunct stadiums, have grudgingly decided to stay home and watch the luxe new parks on TV. “We can’t justify buying a ticket,” says one. And Barra quotes a local pol on efforts to fill empty seats by dropping top prices: "Only the Yankees would think a $1,200 ticket is affordable and a $2,500 ticket isn't."

Empty seats are seen behind home plate during a Yankees/Angels game, April 30, 2009. The game took place after the Yankees slashed prices of some premium seats.
Empty seats are seen behind home plate during a Yankees/Angels game, April 30, 2009. The game took place after the Yankees slashed prices of some premium seats.   (AP Photo/Julie Jacobson)
New York Yankees' Derek Jeter watches a foul ball in the first inning as Los Angeles Angels pitcher Anthony Ortega, April 30, 2009, at Yankee Stadium in New York.
New York Yankees' Derek Jeter watches a foul ball in the first inning as Los Angeles Angels pitcher Anthony Ortega, April 30, 2009, at Yankee Stadium in New York.   (AP Photo/Julie Jacobson)
New York Yankees' Jorge Posada warms up on deck as fans in the Legends seats watch the first inning of the Yankees' game against the Los Angeles Angels, April 30, 2009, at Yankee Stadium.
New York Yankees' Jorge Posada warms up on deck as fans in the Legends seats watch the first inning of the Yankees' game against the Los Angeles Angels, April 30, 2009, at Yankee Stadium.   (AP Photo/Julie Jacobson)
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COMMENTS
Showing 3 of 4 comments
BeatBlaster
May 12, 2009 2:19 AM CDT
A family of four for $419?? DAMN! I thought we had the highest county taxes in the country here in Chicago. You can go to a White Sox game on the South Side of Chicago for about $150 with parking for the same family of four and that's with seats right along either the 1st or 3rd base line right up close with all of the action right in your face :) What the hell are they smoking in New York?
Robert_Dada
May 11, 2009 9:59 AM CDT
Yep and when Texas needs potential help with swine flu vaccine, Gov Perry gratefully sucks the teat of the federal government.
Derni
May 11, 2009 5:57 AM CDT
I don't attend any sports games-I watch them on TV. The cost is out of line with reqlity-its just a business and the players continue to abuse steriods-so why take part in the sham?

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Hey, not all the seats are expensive
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