NLDS Ticket Price Preview: Dodgers vs Cardinals

Finishing the regular season just two games behind the National-league leading Nationals at 94-68, the Los Angeles Dodgers will kick off their much-awaited National League Divisional Series on Friday at home against the St. Louis Cardinals. The Dodgers will look to ward off their second consecutive playoff series defeat at the hands of the Cardinals, who beat the team in six games in the NLCS last season. With its dominant pitching staff and extensive list of offensive power, Los Angeles is slated to serve as difficult opposition to the ever-consistent Cardinals, however, as they have steadily become a domineering force in the National League. In addition to the team’s success over the course of the regular season this year also comes the high price premium that Dodgers tickets will see for the Games 1, 2 and, if necessary, Game 5 at Dodger Stadium.

According to TicketIQ, the average price for tickets at Dodgers Stadium over the NLDS is currently $202.66 on the secondary market, 447% above the team’s season average of $37 for home tickets this year. Game 1 on Friday will be the only game on the Dodgers schedule below $100, with average secondary price currently listed at $96.81 and get-in price starting at $33.=

The second game of the series, set to be held on Saturday, owns an average price of $132.46 while a potential Game 5 back in Los Angeles has raised secondary ticket average to $278.64. Despite the increasing ticket price with each game, Games 2 and 5 see relatively equal get-in prices, with Game 2’s cheapest seat currently just $38 and Game 5’s listed at $41.

With a series win over the Cardinals, the Dodgers would enter their second consecutive NLCS and would potentially see ticket price premium more than double over their Divisional Series average at home. NLCS tickets for Dodgers home games currently average at $405.50 on the secondary market, over 995% above the team’s season average.

However, the Dodgers will have to first get through the perpetually resilient Cardinals first before secondary prices continue to flourish along with the team’s World Series hopes. It will be a long and harrowing battle through the month of October but if the secondary ticket market is any consolation, the Dodgers will likely make a deep postseason push in hopes of reaching their first World Series since 1988.

NLDS Ticket Price Preview: Dodgers vs Braves

The Atlanta Braves did all they could this season to avoid the Wild Card game, which they lost last year, and finished 10 games above the second place Washington Nationals in the National League East. Atlanta Braves tickets for the NLDS are selling at a $117 average, a 125 percent increase over the regular season average of $52.

Atlanta will have a solid pitching rotation to throw out with 25-year-old Mike Minor, 27-year-old Kris Medlen and 22-year-old Julio Tehran. All three started at least 30 games during the regular season and all three finished with an ERA of 3.21 or lower. Tehran and Minor both averaged over eight strikeouts per nine innings. The Braves will face the Los Angeles Dodgers in the National League Divisional Series. In seven games against the Dodgers during the regular season, the Braves were 52, outscoring Los Angeles by 10 runs in those games.

Speaking of those Dodgers, Don Mattingly have them back in the postseason for the first time in four years. Los Angeles rode a post All-Star break surge to 92 wins and first place in the National League West. The Dodgers were just a .500 team at the time of the All-Star game only had one player represented on the National League roster. A 42-12 record in July and August allowed the Dodgers to jump ahead of the other teams in the division and never look back. Los Angeles Dodgers tickets for home games against the Braves are selling for a $173 average, 223 percent over the $53.61 price of an average regular season home game.

The Dodgers were a completely different team once outfielder Yasiel Puig was called up from AAA. In 104 games, Puig hit 19 home runs and 21 doubles with a .319 batting average and .925 OPS. Puig also ranked fifth in the National league with eight outfield assists. the 22-year-old will also become more important as Matt Kemp will miss the entire postseason with an injury.

On the mound the Dodgers are led by Clayton Kershaw and Zack Greinke, who could possibly be the best 1-2 combination of any starting rotation the playoffs. Kershaw had a sub-2 ERA, a sub-1 WHIP and struck out 8.8 batters per nine innings during the regular season, which should make him the favorite for the National League CY Young. Greinke struck out 7.5 batters per nine innings over his 177.2 regular season innings.

Los Angeles has not been in the World Series since 1988. If they make it back this year World Series tickets are currently averaging $1451 on the secondary market for potential Fall Classic home games. Should the Braves make it, they have an average price of $846 on the secondary market.