The Daily News is reporting that attendance at the new Yankee Stadium was down 13% this year after selling out most of the games last season. They drew 3.7 million fans and sold out just seven games at the new place this year. This is likely due to a lower seating capacity and higher prices for some of the lower level seating. I doubt very much that this is hurting the Yankees at all, because with the addition of many luxury boxes, added concessions, and higher priced seating, I'm sure they did very well money wise.
Here's some more information on this year's ticket sales from Ken Belson of the NY Times Bats blog.
It's the greed that kept the stadium from being filled. When they cut the price of the moat seats to $1200, they ended up filling about half of them. Half went empty every game. The Yanks could have further reduced the price to bring the seat closer to what the market will bear, but they chose not to. Their logic must have run something like; "if we reduce the moat seats to $600, we'll fill them up, but we won't make any more money and we'll make the idiots who paid $1200 mad at us." I hope the seats are filled for the playoffs and for the WS. Can you imagine the comments from Fox broadcasters about empty seats at a playoff game in NY?
ReplyDeleteOh my gosh, I bet Hal is dancing in his office! They are even with the Dodgers in leading the majors in attendance and with the extra revenue streams you mention, plus the prospect of football filling in a few offseason dates, the Yankees are making money faster than they could have printed it. I believe the Yankees have sold out a ton of games this season-- I don't think anyone really knows what a 'capacity crowd' is in YS right now.
ReplyDeleteInteresting points. Perhaps lowering some prices will help them out a little next year. But I'm sure they ain't hurting!
ReplyDeleteMike
Good. Everyone hates the Yankees.
ReplyDeleteJust because I'm a Yankee fan doesn't mean that I have to condone everything they do. Baseball is the family sport, but it's being priced out of the reach of many, not just in NY.
ReplyDeleteI think people are blowing the pricing out of proportion. I'm a full-time student, I rent an apartment and work 25 hours a week, If I wanted to go to a game, I was able to. Some people just need something to bitch about.
ReplyDeleteDidnt the Yanks have the best attendance? I didn't fint the prices outrageous at all, I was able to go to about 15 games this year.
ReplyDeleteThe new stadium holds less people per game than than the old stadium. They were going to drop a little in attendance reguardless.
ReplyDeleteThere is a more detailed article in the NY Times on line regarding attendace, percentage of seats sold, number of available seats and that the reported sellouts never reached the total number of available seats. Greg, you should also link that article to this site.
ReplyDeleteAdded RPB.
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