Let’s go see a football game!

Just kidding, can’t afford it.  Turns out, few can.  Know what it costs to get a pair of season tickets for a Giants game next year in the new stadium?  $23,000

I can’t explain the math, but it’s valid.  Read the source piece here.  I don’t even go to single games.  The actual tickets are generally about $80 for ok seats.  Parking anywhere within half mile of the stadium is $40 to $60.  Water is $4.  Beers are $8.  Plus, it is usually unpleasantly cold.  In addition, the replays suck (and are few) on the jumbotron.  The announcing is more of a distraction than compliment.

So, I watch the games at home.  Have the high def TV (the cost of going to two games).  Have free parking.  I have an unobstructed view of every play.  Plus, is always 72 degrees in my family room.  I get to have the dogs (a big no no at the stadium since the incident last year) with me too.  Beers are cheap as shit, like $1 a piece.   To get a beer, I am not gone for 15 minutes.  With the DVR, I make my own replays, and can pause the game to use the bathroom.  I don’t worry about drinking and driving, nor do I worry about traffic.

I guess this has occurred, finally, to people other than me.

“I think it’s disgusting,” says McNally, who adds that he feels worse for longtime fans who have been season-ticket buyers through the good and the bad. “A lot of dedicated fans are asking, ‘When is enough enough?’ People are saying to themselves, ‘How do I justify $23,000 on Giants tickets?’

This reminds me of the concert industry, which I have written about for years.  While minimum wage went from $3.35 to $5.65, tickets to see the Police live went from $12 to $250.  Some deal, eh?  Even my beloved Pearl Jam f’d me.  They went to Congress to fight Ticketmaster (rightfully so) so that they could sell their concert tickets for $10 each.  This was back when minimum wage was $5.65

The last time I saw Pearl Jam, I got tickets straight from the band (skipping Ticketmaster).  Know now much those seats were?  $100 each.  Know how much minimum wage was?  $5.65

I don’t much to go to see concerts anymore for that reason.  We can only vote with our dollars.

* post script.  It’s about a week later when I read this.  Personal something Licences for the Jets hit $65,000 at auction.  That doesn’t include tickets, those are $700 each.  For the Jets.  The fucking Jets.  Before the Favre euphoria, rememer that this team has always sucked.  Their qb was 44 (Testeverde).  The replaced him with the rookie youngblood, who is 39 (Favre).