2014 MLB Tickets: Average Price By Team

March 28, 2014

by Jesse Lawrence

Opening day of the MLB season are just days away. For many teams, ticket prices on opening day will be one of the most expensive games of the season and well over the season average.

Over the course of the season thousands of MLB tickets are available on the secondary market for each team daily, some more expensive than others. The secondary market averages for the 2014 MLB season don’t just have the best teams with the most expensive prices. The American League has the top five teams with the most expensive season average and the most expensive National League team isn’t expected to compete for its own division title for a few years.

The team with the least expensive season average is one of the favorites to make a playoff appearance at the end of the season. After the addition of the second wild card team, more teams stay in playoff contention late in the season, making many late season games more competitive than they have been in the past. This keeps boosting ticket prices on the secondary market as fans will keep coming to the ballpark to see a team with a shot at the playoffs.

Still, for teams with playoff hopes or not there’s no better way to spend a summer day than at the ballpark. This year’s season averages show the popularity of baseball isn’t dying and fans are more than willing to go to a game.

Winning the World Series usually helps increase the price and demand of tickets the following season. Boston Red Sox tickets have seen both of those effects so far leading up to the start of the season. Prices for games at Fenway Park have the highest average price in baseball. Boston’s spot at the top is actually aided by the Yankees, with their most expensive game coming with an average price of $523.76 for the regular season finale against New York.

New York Yankees tickets are always expensive, but the retirement announcement of Derek Jeter has boosted the prices for this season even more. There is not a Yankees game in the Bronx this season with an average price lower than $72, higher than the season average for 11 other MLB teams. The Yankees missed the playoffs last season and if that is set to happen again, the prices of Yankees tickets would go up with a finite date for Jeter’s last game, which is currently September 25 with an average price of $555.91.

The Tigers trail just the Red Sox and Yankees in average ticket price across the majors. The Tigers made some major moves for a team at the top of their division, trading first baseman Prince Fielder and starting pitcher Doug Fister. They did acquire second baseman Ian Kinsler and the trade of Fielder allows Miguel Cabrera to move to first and opens a spot for top prospect Nick Castellanos at third base. Even with the high average price for the season, seven games at Comerica Park have Detroit Tigers tickets with an average price of $40 or less.

Toronto Blue Jays tickets have the fourth highest average price in the American League and the majors. Toronto will hope they can match the high ticket prices with a high total of wins, turning around from the disappointment last season. Last season’s acquisitions of Jose Reyes and R.A. Dickey need to match the production of their pre-Toronto seasons. The Blue Jays benefit with ticket prices by being the only major league team in Canada.

The Cubs haven’t had a winning season since 2009 and 2014 won’t likely change that. The history inside Wrigley Field still brings Chicago Cubs tickets as the most expensive average price in the National League this season. Chicago is the only NL team to have an average price over $100. With a strong farm system, the Cubs are expected to be playoff contenders again soon, but this year might be a time to see a glimpse of some of the future talent. Javier Baez, the possible shortstop of the future in Chicago, could be in the majors by late 2014.

The Giants followed up winning the World Series in 2012 by falling below .500 last season. San Francisco locked up Hunter Pence and signed Michael Morse in the outfield and brought in Tim Hudson to sure up the backend of what could be one of the top pitching rotations in the National League. The six most expensive San Francisco Giants tickets at AT&T Park this season, by average price, are against the Los Angeles Dodgers, spread between two series in July and September. San Francisco’s top games not against an NL West opponent are during the July series against Bay Area neighbors, the Oakland A’s.

Houston is admittedly in a rebuilding phase, with not a lot of talent on the major league roster, but plenty of young talent in the farm system. Part of the high average for Houston Astros tickets is the majority of tickets available on the secondary market are on the lower level of Minute Maid Park. Soon enough there could be more demand more Astros tickets with top prospects George Springer and Jonathan Singleton expected to see time in the majors this season.

Rebuilding is in progress on the South Side of Chicago, finishing last in the division in 2013, but that hasn’t decreased the amount of demand for Chicago White Sox tickets. The White Sox also don’t have the amount of cheap games the Tigers do this season with only one game with an average price below $40, the second game of the year on April 2 against the Twins.

Over in Queens, New York Mets tickets at Citi Field continue to sell well with the highest average in the NL East. The Mets haven’t had a winning season since 2008 and haven’t been to the playoffs since 2006. Still, 30 games in 2014 have an average price over $100 with the two most expensive games of the season coming against the New York Yankees.

A change in stadium name, now Globe Life Park, hasn’t shifted any demand for Texas Rangers tickets as they’re still one of the highest priced in the American League. After missing out on the playoffs last season, the Rangers made some big changes, signing Shin-Soo Choo as a free agent to play left field and trading Ian Kinsler to Detroit for first baseman Prince Fielder. The hot summer air in Arlington tends to help home runs leave the ballpark, which could lead for an exciting game day experience with some of the new additions to the lineup.

The Phillies have seen a bit of a decline since their last playoff appearance in 2011. Still, Citizens Bank Park remains one of the better ballparks in the National League and the price of Philadelphia Phillies tickets remain at a high average price compared to the rest of the league. The Phillies help maintain their high average by not having an average price under $50 for any home game this season.

Tampa Bay hasn’t won less than 84 games since 2007. Even with all the success, the lackluster stadium and undesirable location keep Tampa Bay Rays tickets at a relatively low average. Because of that low price and the production on the field, Rays tickets end up being one of the best values in baseball for those who want to attend games at Tropicana Field. Tampa Bay was last in the American League for total attendance last season while they were winning 92 games. With a great pitching staff featuring David Price, Alex Cobb, Matt Moore and Chris Archer, the Rays are likely to be playoff contenders again in 2014.

Milwaukee had a down year last season, but will hope veteran pitching can help turn the team around in 2014. After signing Kyle Lohse last year, the Brewers signed Matt Garza this offseason. The team still has some youth in the lineup with only Ryan Braun and Aramis Ramirez scheduled to be regulars in the lineup over the age of 30. Only three of Milwaukee’s top ten highest priced games are against NL Central opponents. Milwaukee Brewers tickets have an average price over $100 for 15 games this season.

Opening Day will be the most expensive game for the Cardinals after reaching the World Series last season. The $206.44 average price for the games is the only game in St. Louis all season with an average price above $200. Usually after reaching the World Series, many teams don’t have many places to improve, but the Cardinals were able to do that this offseason. Jhonny Peralta fills their biggest hole at shortstop, while a trade for Peter Bourjos and promotion of Kolten Wong make the lineup better and younger. The Many St. Louis Cardinals tickets for single games this season have an average price above $100.

Even after winning the division two years in a row, Oakland A’s tickets still have an average price below $80 across the entire season. Scott Kazmir was the only major free agent addition and may be relied on more now with the spring injuries of A.J. Griffin and Jarrod Parker. The success of the team can be hindered sometimes by playing in the vast space of O.co Coliseum with a high quantity of tickets available for most games.

After a surprising finish to the regular season ending in a loss in the Wild Card game to Tampa Bay, the Indians made some big changes to their roster. Starting pitchers Ubaldo Jimenez and Scott Kazmir were lost to free agency and last year’s catcher, Carlos Santana, will switch to third base. These aren’t bad moves for Cleveland as they open up rotation spots for Danny Salazar and Zach McAllister and the catcher spot for Yan Gomes. Another successful season could bring Cleveland Indians tickets closer to the prices of the peak popularity of the 90’s.

For most of the offseason the Orioles sat quiet, but made two moves before spring training started that should help their chances of hopping back into contending for the division title this season. Signing Nelson Cruz and Ubaldo Jimenez should be much needed improvements to a lineup and starting rotation that needed a boost from last season. It should also lead to another year of competitive baseball in Baltimore, which features one of the best ballparks in the majors. Baltimore Orioles tickets are another bargain for fans heading to Camden Yards at any time during the 2014 season.

The Pirates made a surprise trip to the playoffs last year, though the boost in the standings haven’t made Pittsburgh Pirates tickets too much more expensive. That could be good for Pirates fans, though, who have access to one of the nicest views in all of baseball in the upper levels behind home plate at PNC Park. There are still 28 games for the 2014 season with an average price over $100. Two of the Pirates most expensive games have post game concerts featuring Gavin DeGraw and Lynyrd Skynyrd.

Atlanta won the NL East by ten games last season, but have run into some problems at the start of spring training this year. Starting pitchers Mike Minor, Brandon Beachy and Kris Medlen have all have battled injuries with the possibility of Medlen having to have Tommy John surgery. The Braves then signed Ervin Santana to take a spot in the rotation, but even the Santana addition along with position players like Freddie Freeman and Jason Heyward can’t raise the price of Atlanta Braves tickets. The Braves could also have just three years left in Turner Field before moving to a recently announced new location in Cobb County, Georgia.

The weather in San Diego especially makes any day a perfect one to visit the ballpark in the summer and a great companion for San Diego Padres tickets. The vast space in Petco Park could be the perfect match for the pitching rotation set up with the additions of Ian Kennedy at the trade deadline last year and Josh Johnson as a free agent this offseason. Games against the Dodgers and Giants in San Diego are 13 of the 15 highest priced home games at Petco this season. With the addition of the second Wild Card, this season could be the best chance to make the playoffs for the first time since 2006.

The low season average for Cincinnati Reds tickets comes from 16 games with an average price of $35 or less during the season. The Reds will still have some expensive games on the schedule, including opening day against the Cardinals with an average price of $187.65. During the offseason, the Reds didn’t improve so much as they made an effort to keep the current roster together. Cincinnati signed Homer Bailey to a large extension. New centerfielder Billy Hamilton could be very exciting with his speed on the bases if he finds a way to get on base.

Seattle made a big splash in the offseason signing second baseman Robinson Cano to a massive ten-year contract. Cano brings the Mariners closer to contending in the division, but a single player can’t bring up a season’s worth of ticket prices higher. Seattle Mariners tickets are one of three averages in the American League below $70. With star players like Cano and Felix Hernandez, ticket prices could start to increase if the Mariners start the season playing well.

This season will likely see the Royals all in for a playoff spot. With James Shields in the final year of his contract after the big trade from Tampa Bay last season, Kansas City could be in a position for another big move during the season. The Royals already brought in Norichika Aoki and Omar Infante to improve the lineup at right field and second base. Kansas City Royals tickets, though, remain on the low side of the American League, but could rise if the team starts to play well.

With offseason moves like trading for Mark Trumbo and signing Bronson Arroyo, Arizona will hope they can avoid finishing 81-81 for the third season in a row. No Arizona Diamondbacks tickets at Chase Field this season have an average price exceeding $100. Opening Day tickets against the Giants have an average price of just $82.89 with a get-in price of $11. The most expensive game of the season on September 26 against the Cardinals has just a $93.09 average price.

It’s surprising a team with Mike Trout, Josh Hamilton and Albert Pujols could have some of the cheapest tickets in the league, but that’s the case with Los Angeles Angels tickets this season. After a disappointing season finishing under .500 in 2013, the Angels will hope 2014 can see a turnaround. Even as the team did not live up to expectations, the Angels were still fourth in the American League for total attendance last year. The Angels made some moves in the offseason to try to set the turnaround in action by trading for third baseman David Freese and starting pitcher Tyler Skaggs.

It’s really no surprise Miami Marlins tickets are some of the cheapest in baseball. Even with a brand new stadium, the Marlins finished last in attendance in 2013 drawing barely over 1.5 million people all season. Miami changed more than half their starting lineup through free agency and trades, but nothing to spark the fan base. A young pitching staff led by ace Jose Fernandez will likely remain one of the hidden gems in baseball this season.

Even as the Dodgers became the hottest team in baseball during the second half of last season, ticket prices remained relatively cheap at Dodger Stadium. When comparing the level of play on the field to ticket prices, Los Angeles Dodgers tickets represent one of the best deals in Major League Baseball. Only three games in Los Angeles this season have an average price above $100. On the other side, six games have an average price below $30 this season. For a team with the potential to win 100 and having a player like Clayton Kershaw every five days, there’s not many deals better than a Dodgers game.

Minnesota has the least amount of talent on the major league roster entering the season, but has the best group of prospects in the division hoping to make an impact soon. While new veterans like Ricky Nolasco and Phil Hughes and the move of Joe Mauer to first will help stabilize the roster, the real boost will come from Byron Buxton and Miguel Sano. Those two might not debut until 2015, but when they do the price of Minnesota Twins tickets will see an increase on the secondary market.

Four games at Coors Field have an average price above $100 and those games will likely be the most popular Colorado Rockies tickets this season. Two of those games, July 3 and 4 against the Dodgers, feature postgame fireworks. August 17’s game against the Cincinnati Reds has an average price of $107.82 and could be the most in demand ticket of 2014. During that game, the Rockies will hold a retirement ceremony for former first baseman Todd Helton. Helton will become the first player in franchise history to have his number retired.

The Nationals surprisingly have the lowest secondary market average price in the majors. With young stars like Bryce Harper and Stephen Strasburg, Washington has the potential to win the division while still having some of the lowest priced tickets in the league. Washington Nationals tickets have this low average price due to 16 regular season games that feature an average price of $30 or below. There’s also just one game all season, Opening Day against the Braves, with an average price over $100.

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