Comments on: Other Alternatives to Top Seats at Yankee Stadium http://www.oscargamblesociety.com/other-alternatives-to-top-seats-at-yankee-stadium/ People don't think it be like it is, but it do. Thu, 09 Feb 2012 03:11:24 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.0.7 by: Tank http://www.oscargamblesociety.com/other-alternatives-to-top-seats-at-yankee-stadium/#comment-1695 Tue, 19 May 2009 18:10:15 +0000 http://www.oscargamblesociety.com/other-alternatives-to-top-seats-at-yankee-stadium/#comment-1695 Well, I think they should be free to charge what the market will bear, and shouldn't have to share those fruits equally with the Kansas Cities of the world. Many if not all top-quality seats will ultimately be priced at a market rate anyway, so the team creating the value might as well claim the value instead of leaving it for ticket scalpers to pick up. And I think the empirical evidence of the past decade (or the entire free agent era, if you like) pretty unambiguously tells us that financial advantages are dwarfed by other factors well within the control of any team in any market. I also think there should be much more stringent restrictions on how much taxpayers should subsidize teams; I don't think entities like Yankee Stadium should be eligible for funding with munis, and I don't think $2500 seats should be deductible business expenses. (Incidentally, I wonder how much of he economics of the $2500 seats is dictated by luxury suites, which IIRC are deductible only at the cost of the most expensive non-suite seat). If JP Morgan feels its a sound investment, by all means they should make it, but the full freight should come out of shareholders' pockets. And without being too judgmental, on some level I admit I question the priorities of someone who would spend $2,500 on a seat at a ballgame for a non-business purpose. Well, I think they should be free to charge what the market will bear, and shouldn’t have to share those fruits equally with the Kansas Cities of the world. Many if not all top-quality seats will ultimately be priced at a market rate anyway, so the team creating the value might as well claim the value instead of leaving it for ticket scalpers to pick up. And I think the empirical evidence of the past decade (or the entire free agent era, if you like) pretty unambiguously tells us that financial advantages are dwarfed by other factors well within the control of any team in any market.

I also think there should be much more stringent restrictions on how much taxpayers should subsidize teams; I don’t think entities like Yankee Stadium should be eligible for funding with munis, and I don’t think $2500 seats should be deductible business expenses. (Incidentally, I wonder how much of he economics of the $2500 seats is dictated by luxury suites, which IIRC are deductible only at the cost of the most expensive non-suite seat). If JP Morgan feels its a sound investment, by all means they should make it, but the full freight should come out of shareholders’ pockets.

And without being too judgmental, on some level I admit I question the priorities of someone who would spend $2,500 on a seat at a ballgame for a non-business purpose.

]]> by: Cliffy http://www.oscargamblesociety.com/other-alternatives-to-top-seats-at-yankee-stadium/#comment-1692 Tue, 19 May 2009 01:51:01 +0000 http://www.oscargamblesociety.com/other-alternatives-to-top-seats-at-yankee-stadium/#comment-1692 Now just wait a minute right there, mister... you're starting to sound like a Yankee fan with a conscience. Isn't the lack of conscience one of the primary prerequisites for Yankee fandom? The team itself virtually flaunts that it can not only spend 35% more than it's closest payroll competitor (also from NY, fwiw) - but it can at *least* double the payroll of no less than twenty-two of the thirty MLB teams. Heck... the payroll of the Yankees starting *infield* is more than the *entire* payrolls of four ML teams (Nationals, Pirates, Padres, Marlins... if you're scoring at home). Yet as a fan... you're now concerned with fiscal appearances? I'm befuddled. The Yankees (under Steinbrenner especially) are the very manifestation of largesse, my friend. It was only a matter of time before it extended to the fandom. And for the record, it's only a matter of time before the Sox get there. I can't speak for (old) Yankee Stadium or any other baseball venue, but it sure seems like all the good seats behind home plate... heck, between the dugouts... or season tickets owned by corporations (who then dole them out to the eager peasants as the mood strikes them). I'm hopeful "Fan Friendly Fenway" maintains a modecum of "regular fan" feel... but I'd be naive to believe the corporate (i.e. high-priced/exclusive) influence is going to do anything but expand. Now just wait a minute right there, mister… you’re starting to sound like a Yankee fan with a conscience. Isn’t the lack of conscience one of the primary prerequisites for Yankee fandom? The team itself virtually flaunts that it can not only spend 35% more than it’s closest payroll competitor (also from NY, fwiw) - but it can at *least* double the payroll of no less than twenty-two of the thirty MLB teams. Heck… the payroll of the Yankees starting *infield* is more than the *entire* payrolls of four ML teams (Nationals, Pirates, Padres, Marlins… if you’re scoring at home).

Yet as a fan… you’re now concerned with fiscal appearances? I’m befuddled.

The Yankees (under Steinbrenner especially) are the very manifestation of largesse, my friend. It was only a matter of time before it extended to the fandom.

And for the record, it’s only a matter of time before the Sox get there. I can’t speak for (old) Yankee Stadium or any other baseball venue, but it sure seems like all the good seats behind home plate… heck, between the dugouts… or season tickets owned by corporations (who then dole them out to the eager peasants as the mood strikes them). I’m hopeful “Fan Friendly Fenway” maintains a modecum of “regular fan” feel… but I’d be naive to believe the corporate (i.e. high-priced/exclusive) influence is going to do anything but expand.

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