MLS Ticket Prices

As an avid soccer fan, I have been trying to figure out why I still have not been to the Chicago Fire's new stadium in Bridgeview. In the past I could lay blame on not wanting to fight traffic going downtown to Soldier Field, but with the stadium now southwest of the City, I don't seem to have a lot of excuses until I looked at the price of tickets.

The cheapest ticket for Fire match is $20. On top of that, parking is $15. That is $35 for me to go to a match alone. Let alone bringing my wife along would cost another $20. That is $55 for an MLS match.

This led me to do some researching on ticket prices around MLS and came up with the following numbers of what the other teams are charging for single-game tickets:

Chicago Fire - $20.00
Columbus Crew - $15.00 (not exactly sure on this one, but this is my guess based on season ticket prices. Can you verify this Pettyfog?)
Real Salt Lake - $16.00
FC Dallas - $10.00
DC United - $16.00
New England - $18.00
Colorado - $10.00
KC - $14.00
Chivas - $14.00
LA Galaxy - $20.00
New York Red Bulls - $20.00
Houston Dynamo - $15.00

What is interesting is that the three biggest cities charge the most money, $20.00 per ticket. I guess I am not surprised by that. Although I do find it strange that the Galaxy's cheapest ticket is $20 and Chivas USA's cheapest is $14.00 when the two play in the same stadium. Can someone explain that?

What I do find interesting is that I would assume that those teams with their own stadiums like Dallas and Columbus would charge more, but in fact these two teams have some of the cheapest single-game prices in the league. Why is that?

I guess the whole point of this little research project was to figure out why there are attendance problems in MLS. I understand it is a business and money needs to be made, but when the Fire is pulling in just between 10,000 and 13,000 a match, if they are lucky, why not lower the prices of both tickets and parking and allow more people to come?

I can afford the ticket price I just do not want to pay it as I do not see the value in it for me. I would like to go to some MLS matches in Chicago a few times a season, but when tickets are overpriced and parking is a joke, I do not think it is worth it.

MLS needs and specifically, the Fire need to re-examine their ticket prices if they want to maximize their fanbase and get good crowds most every game. Until they do this, places like Toyota Park and other stadiums around MLS will have half-full stadiums.

 

Yep. A good follow up would be the attendance for each stadium. Let's get to the bottom of which team in which city is maximizing their potential.

 

Never, ever going to happen, but would fun to see DC have one season in the Coca Cola League.

 

Eh... I had thought Crew Tix were 12.50.. but maybe that was last year. Parking at Fairgrounds {they control that} is 10

I'm thinking the important comparison is to Hockey Tix, or baseball: Dayton Dynamo Class A is 10 {attendance about 9000!!!}, Columbus Clippers, Triple A is 10.

Or how about Championship Tix prices?

 

Crystal Palace sells tickets for 25-50 pounds for matches. That is the only CCC outfit I checked.

 

Well, then...... or do you think you're gonna be seeing better footy at Palace?


And the cheapest CBJ hockey tix for the upcoming Canucks game is 23 plus 5.25. Yes, you can imagine where.
And did you ever try to just walk around and watch from the Mezz at a Blackhawks game? They dont let you do that at Cols or Raleigh, I know for a fact.

then there's parking

 

The difference between comparing MLS to NHL, MLB, NFL and NBA is that MLS does not feature the best players in the world as these other leagues do. I think you hit the nail on the head in trying to fairly compare minor league tickets to MLS. Unfortunately, the Fire charge much more than the local minor league hockey team and the suburban minor league baseball teams.

I am not saying MLS is not a professional league, but as an average fan, could honestly justify spending $20 for a ticket and $15 to park to see a single MLS match? I sure as hell can't.

 

The difference between minor league American teams and MLS is that minor league teams here aren't really trying to win--they are in the business of developing players for a parent club who can just take the team's best player if they need another bench warmer on the parent club. They're almost like exhibition games between a bunch of players who'd rather be somewhere else (the majors) and are playingin the minors for low pay for just that reason. The marketing of minor league teams is almost always towards the fun that one can have at the ballpark/arena, things like carousels and face painting, and the chance to see future big leaguers, but not the game itself. Therefore, minor league teams cannot be comapred to the MLS.

MLS is a league that the teams are trying to win a real championship, and there are good players who can make a whole career out of playing in the MLS (unlike American minor league sports). It might not be the best in the world, but it's not a chump league either. I'd compare it in terms of setup to be more towards lower-level Division 1 football (like the MAC or the Big Sky Conference). The teams are not the best in the country but they are good and the level of play is reasonable, and they're trying to win. (In fact, when people ask me to explain the structure of English football, I compare it most often to college basketball.)

That all being said, are MLS prices too high? They aren't cheap, that's for sure, but what high-level live entertainment is? They're still losing money, so it isn't like the league is making a ton of money with those high ticket prices. I'm guessing the ownership has decided that lowering ticket prices will not draw enough additional people to make it work the lost money. Living in the DC area with a first-class organization, I've decided to shell out the $24 per ticket (plus $10 parking) for about 3 games a year. It's a lot less than the $45 per ticket I pay for the Nats (those are better seats, though).

I understand the prices are not cheap, but if we want to build soccer in this country, we're going to have to pay for it. I'm not saying that we all owe MLS our money (again, I'm in DC with a top product) but I don't think the prices are too high.

 

Real Salt Lake has one of the highest attendance averages in the league. The cheapest seats are $16 but if you go to Kentucky Fried Chicken you can get them for $12. The parking is free as well, so fans don't have to give an arm and a leg to go to a match.

 

Re: RE: MLS Ticket Prices

I probably sound like I am jumping on the FFCinPCB bandwagon here, but it is NOT high-level. It is like a minor league organization in the fact that they should try to get people in through entertainment and unique times and features at the stadium.

I agree they are gunning for a championship, but I think $35 for a ticket and parking is a joke. We all have our priorities with our hard-earned dollars and spending $35 to me to go to a match is something I can't really justify.

We don't owe MLS anything. It is not my job to make the league bigger and better. It is up to the suits and brass of MLS and the respective teams to draw me in. Whether it be pricing, promotions, etc, they need to do something to lure me in and all I can see right now are expensive tickets. That does not cut it for me.

 

RE: Re: RE: MLS Ticket Prices

But they DO promotions..

I'll put this in... this argument has been going on since the inception of MLS. It's a non-starter, Tom.
You ACTUALLY expect someone to come in and bankroll clubs to the level that they can ransom the best players in from all over the world... to play at clubs they might never have heard of?

Do you REALLY think that all the best college football players signed up with the NFL in the thirties? Not on your life!
So there were some outstanding stars and a bunch of steelworkers!

Nope... the MLS is a first division League paying less than first division wages.

The cost of attending the game is also minor league. You wont be convinced, that's fine, but any other way, and we'll be back to the NASL and the Cosmos. With the same results. Because it was REALLY the Harlem Globetrotters of Soccer.

BTW: what's it cost you to go to a first run movie? What's it cost you to have a night out at a decent bar?

 

RE: Re: RE: MLS Ticket Prices

Here is the thing Petty, I don't expect to see the best players, but I also don't expect to pay prices like $20 for a ticket and $15 to park for a minor league team.

If the prices were a bit cheaper. Say $15 with $10 parking I would likely go to a few matches a season.

As for your questions, I can't tell you the last time I went to the theater for a movie. Once again, too expensive and a complete rip-off in my book.

In terms of a bar, since I rarely drink any more it costs me little to nothing to go to a bar. I am into saving money to buy a place and such. Thus, I question more things like ticket prices for MLS games more than I used to.

 

RE: Re: RE: MLS Ticket Prices

This discussion underscores the problem. Even at relatively cheaper prices, MSL games are not worth it to most. Back to my mantra. Quit trying to promote the Middle School League as equal to the quality European Footy everyone in the world loves. This is one of those instances that thinking small is not such a bad idea.

 

This frustrates me.. WHO is doing that?
I dont see it.... why do I get the feeling that ANY marketing/promotion of MLS games or Teams brings up that association for some?

I think there's a tad of euro-elitist in there...

 

RE: Re: RE: MLS Ticket Prices

MSL is up against an outstanding product build over 125 years or refining. The European leagues play in historic competitions and venues where footballers imagine themselves as kids and for some it inspires them to achieve.

I never met anyone who drempt of playing in Boston or Chicago (not this game anyhow), but loads grow up and want to play at Wemberly or the Bernabeu.

Also the top competion in Euroupe sees Man U play Barceloan against PSG etc. Geographically Europe is dense in population with massive leagues, not even the amzing South American leagues have the same pull, even if the football is better (one for anther forum).

For the big stars in the world to gravitate to the MSL before they are 35 and looking for a pension MSL need to affiliate themselves with massive international domestic competition like the Champions League, although I can't imagin top European clubs welcoming the competition.

 

Read the domestic soccer rags and you will see who is doing it. How about ESPN? Granted, the original football seems quite foreign to them, but they hardly have anyone on their payroll who knows anything about European Football. Listen to their commentary during an MSL game and they will try to convince you that every player on each team CHOSE to play in MSL, and that Becks can't wait to semi-retire so he can come play in the MSL too! It is called denial, and the MSL will not be able to move forward until they go see a first class shrink and come to grips with it.

 

Well, I dont get that at all... we'll just agree to disagree on that.

I already KNOW where you started out on the issue... MSL, indeed. Here's an idea... totally ignore the MLS AND this forum.