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May 11, 2004 Ticket Price SurveyNL EastAL EastAL Central AL West If you've read the first three installments of this series, you know the routine. Division by division, I'm shopping for tickets at MLB.com to see (a) how much fans can reasonably expect to pay for tickets at each ballpark, and (b) how many discounts and promotions are available for those who plan ahead. Now up: the NL East. Atlanta Braves Average ticket price: $17.51 (18th in majors). 2003 attendance: 60.7% of capacity (14th in majors). Tickets available on May 6 for Wednesday, May 19 night game against Arizona:
Four "casual fan" seats: Section 401L, Row 12, Seats 111-14: Upper Box behind home plate, $12 each (note family package below: $1 more buys hot dogs, Cokes, caps and parking for all) Ongoing promotions:
12 Tuesdays: Buy one Upper Reserved ticket for regular price of $8, get a second free Overview: With the "family pack" discount available for two-thirds of Braves home games, a night at the Ted is cheaper than Team Marketing Report would suggest. For the best deals, and the cheapest seats, go during mid-week. Florida Marlins Average ticket price: $12.78 (29th in majors). 2003 attendance: 44.8% of capacity (25th in majors). Tickets available on May 6 for Wednesday, May 19 night game against Houston:
Four "casual fan" seats: Section 141, Row 16, Seats 6-9: Terrace Box seats in right field, $18 ($12 Upper Deck seats not available --the upper deck is closed for this game.) Ongoing promotions:
Saturdays: Buy four tickets in the Box, Terrace Box, Outfield Reserved or Fish Tank sections, receive vouchers for four sodas, four hot dogs, one program and two caps Overview: Don't believe the stated "average ticket price" at Pro Player Stadium. As the seating chart shows, by closing the upper deck for many games, including the one I selected, the Marlins eliminate all the cheap seats except those behind the right field wall. Thousands more seats are never sold except during the postseason. Montreal Expos Average ticket price: $10.82 (30th in majors). 2003 attendance: 32.2% of capacity (29th in majors). Tickets available on May 6 for May 29 night game against Atlanta:
Four "casual fan" seats: Section 101, Row P, Seats 3-6: Terrace seats behind home plate, CDN $20/seat Ongoing promotions: 7 games: All tickets (except V.I.P. seats) $5, hot dogs $1 each Overview: The seven "$5 games" are the best buys in baseball. For the rest, why would you even think of ordering tickets in advance? Baseball fans in New England, take note: Drive to Montreal and you can buy field box seats behind the plate for less than you'd pay Fenway scalpers for tickets in the back of the bleachers. The food, especially in the lower level, is better too. New York Mets Average ticket price: $23.92 (6th in majors). 2003 attendance: 49.1% of capacity (23rd in majors). Tickets available on May 6 for May 19 night game against St. Louis (a "Bronze" game in the Mets' variable-pricing scheme):
Four "casual fan" seats: Section 001, Box 701B, Seats 9-12: Upper Boxes behind home plate, $23/seat Variable pricing:
17 Gold games: tickets $16-$53, Upper Reserved seats $16
Ongoing promotions:
18 games: Four Upper Level Box or Mezzanine Reserved tickets plus $20 in concession vouchers for $66; four Upper Level Reserved tickets plus $20 in vouchers for $44.
Overview: Watch out for Shea's tricky pricing. The "Mezzanine Box" and "Upper Box" seats are just a few rows in front of the "Mezzanine Reserved" and "Upper Reserved," but cost at least $10 more. Seats in the back of the Loge and Mezzanine sections cost the same as the Upper Reserved. Moreover, the Mets charge the same for every seat in these decks, whether it's behind the plate or behind the foul pole.
Philadelphia Phillies
Average ticket price: $26.08 (3rd in majors). 2003 attendance: 46.9% of capacity (24th in majors).
Tickets available on May 6 for May 19 night game against Los Angeles:
Four "casual fan" seats: Section 420V, Row 9, Seats A-D: Terrace Deck seats behind home plate, $20 each
Ongoing promotions:
All season: "We're Finally Out Of The Vet." No discounts, but plenty of reasons to celebrate.
Overview: By mid-April, the Phillies had already sold more tickets for their first season at Citizens Bank Park than their total 2003 home attendance. All the good seats are taken, and don't look for any bargains this season. 0 comments have been left for this article.
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