Royals Announce Full Schedule, Tix Will Cost More

by Cleveland on Oct 24, 2007 3:47 PM EDT

The full schedule is out and the Royals have announced price increases on tickets next year, averaging a total 15% increase from last year (KC Star).

We'll go positive, then negative. The Royals schedule looks pretty fair upon first glance. We play 80 games against opponents over .500 in 2007 and 82 under. However, we play every team that made their league's championship series. With the exception of a brief 3 game Oakland stint in late July (in the middle of two home stands), we play our entire west coast road trip schedule in April and in 8 days.

We don't play the White Sox till June, which I find interesting. May will be a hard month with only one scheduled day off on May 15, splitting two sets of 17 games. We only play LAA five times, the fewest of any AL team. Outside of our division opponents(which we play 18 times), we play Oakland 10 times, the Yankees 9, Seattle 9, and Boston, Baltimore, Texas, and Tampa Bay 8 times. Returning the favor from earlier in June, we'll get St. Louis for a rollicking, stadium packing, and ticket price raising weekend at home in late June.

Which brings us to the negative - ticket prices are going up. I remarked to a friend recently that the Royals are getting better, which I like, but it will mean a more expensive trip to the ballpark, which is definitely negative. However, being drawn to free market economics, I can totally understand why this is being done, and it will probably not effect my behavior. I wouldn't be surprised if the Royals saw a bump in attendance this year regardless of the price. On the whole, it is still the cheapest ticket in town for a professional sporting event (Should I include Wizards soccer? No chance).

Loyal2 will want to know that her Outfield Plaza tickets will go up to $17 this year (from $14), and Dick Cheney will want to know that his tinted-window club box seat will go up to $33. Last year the Royals had 4 premium dates (if I remember correctly) that they charged $7 more than regular price for tickets (Opening Day, Cardinals series). Following the growing trend in baseball, the Royals will have 10 premium dates this year (Yankees, BoSox, and Cardinals) charging $7 extra for the lower bowl and club sections, and $5 for the upper deck. Kevin Uhlich, VP of business operations says that the increases should generate $3 million in additional revenue.

In related news, Uhlich announced that because of the Royals' penchant for perking-up prices, Dodge Buck Night would now become Chrysler Two Buck night, generating an additional $1 million in cold hot dog and dixie cup pepsi revenue. </parody>

The graphic below is pilfered from the KC Star.

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Ticket prices

"However, being drawn to free market economics, I can totally understand why this is being done"

There is nothing free market about it. MLB is a monopoly. If we don't like ticket prices, but still want to watch baseball live, we don't have many options.

I find it a bit absurd they're jacking up prices after taxpayers just approved fronting the cost of 80% of their stadium renovation costs and they just came off another 90 loss season. I know they're still a great value, but that's because they've been an awful team - of course they're a great value.

Relive Royals History at royalsretro.blogspot.com

by RoyalsRetro on Oct 24, 2007 3:51 PM EDT reply actions

exactly

greed reigns

Anyone but Terry

by FireBell on Oct 24, 2007 4:06 PM EDT up reply actions

From the KC Star Story:

Only the Rangers, Diamondbacks and Rockies had lower prices in 2007 (than the new Royals prices). I'll almost guarantee Diamondbacks and Rockies tickets will go up.

I understand that there is only one MLB, and it is a monopoly. However, if you view the MLB as entertainment, then there are definitely other options to partake in. The market will dictate prices to go up if the entertainment product is in demand. If the price is too high (which for some families, maybe even a lot of families, it is) to go to a ball game, then they'll choose something else (go to the park, zoo, cable tv, rent a movie, etc.) Then, baseball teams will be forced to lower prices in order to recapture the fan.

The MLB is on the rise, and I believe they are now firmly in second place in the American professional sports marketplace (first in my heart!). I believe the NFL is starting to find that their ticket prices are too high (the Chiefs have not automatically sold out at all this year). Once more games start getting blacked out on TV due to lack of ticket sales, the effect will snowball. Then, the MLB, with cheap(er) seats still available, will step in to take the torch away. That is, unless, the NFL steps in to fix the situation, which I don't think the bunch of dumb laceheads will be able to do.

Unless prices get so high that they impact our microeconomic decision to go to a game, we'll keep forking over the extra dollar to get in.

by Cleveland on Oct 24, 2007 4:36 PM EDT up reply actions

"the increases should generate $3 million

Oh great, that should be enough to extend Angel Berroa's contract in perpetuity, right?

by mazoboom on Oct 24, 2007 4:28 PM EDT reply actions

Oh well... cheap was fun while it lasted.

I will still make it down to see a couple of series during the season. So, I will supporting the team and the beer vendor at the same time.

by grudz69 on Oct 24, 2007 8:32 PM EDT reply actions

Hmmmm...

The last time I went to a Royals game at the K, the cheapest seats weren't $9 or $13, they were $3. They also weren't sponsered by Hy-vee. What is that shit? They don't do that at Safeco. Also, I think it wasn't the K yet, but still Royals Stadium.

I am actually impressed at the sponsorship move by the Royals, with Hy-vee... It helps keep ticket prices down, after all, or pay for our next mistake at SS.

-- Royals Delegate to the land of the Salmon and Moose (Seattle)

by RoyalsFanInMarinerTown on Oct 25, 2007 12:47 AM EDT up reply actions

Everything upstairs

Either stayed the same or only went up a buck--not the end of the world. Of course, I'm one of the only people I know who prefer a View level box to the field level seats (I think the sightlines are better). Plus, if the point made in the article is true--the extra money is needed because the team is spending more system-wide for scouting and development as well as for payroll--then it's worth it.

by CentralChamps2009 on Oct 25, 2007 2:37 AM EDT reply actions

View Level

Definitely the best value seat in the house.

Relive Royals History at royalsretro.blogspot.com

by RoyalsRetro on Oct 25, 2007 10:03 AM EDT up reply actions

You all can guess my take on this

I'm sorta biased, since I directly benefit from the K and do not have to pay to attend, but...

I have to point out the Royals have habitually been among the lowest in MLB both in terms of ticket prices and concession prices.

Yes, the team has been bad, and maybe one could argue that because of the performance, the team SHOULD be among the lowest, but to my way of thinking this is just a small part of the necessary process to improve the performance, which, after all, is what we all want, right?

The change in the pricing STRUCTURE; i.e., virtually holding the line on the upper deck and increasing the lower deck, and differentiating between opponents, makes PERFECT BUSINESS SENSE to me. This is merely following the national trend towards more price options, and also following the trend seen in other industries, such as airline tickets, etc.

BOTTOM LINE: It's the job of the marketing and sales departments to not only fill the stadium and make the experience desireable enough for fans to warrant their return, but also TO MAXIMIZE REVENUE, just like any other business.
If they have misjudged in their attempt to do so, the fans ultimately have that final say.

by loyal2s dad on Oct 25, 2007 11:50 AM EDT reply actions

Excellent comment

You hit the nail on the head. The team needs to maximize revenue. They are doing it the way most teams are doing it. And good values still remain.

I probably disagree with you.

by Scott McKinney on Oct 25, 2007 12:57 PM EDT up reply actions

Schedule error corrected

KANSAS CITY -- Just in case you got picked off by an erroneous 2008 schedule released by the Royals, a corrected version is now available.

When the club announced ticket-price increases last Tuesday, the attached schedule was actually a previous draft. So if you're about to order tickets or make plans for an out-of-town trip, you might want to double-check the revised grid under "Schedule" on this Web site.

There was a switch of dates for the St. Louis portion of the I-70 rivalry. That three-game series starts on Tuesday, June 17, not on Monday, and runs through Thursday, June 19, at Busch Stadium.

http://kansascity.royals.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20071026&content_id=2283359&vkey=news_ kc&fext=.jsp&c_id=kc

I probably disagree with you.

by Scott McKinney on Oct 26, 2007 6:01 PM EDT reply actions