Week of May 31, 2012
| Seat prices at Miami Marlins games in free fall By Scott BlakeSince opening day, Miami Marlins ticket prices have done a complete reversal, going from highest to lowest in Major League Baseball, data shows. While some decrease in ticket prices can be expected following the highly-anticipated first game of the season in their new ballpark, sports economists say the steady decline in Marlins ticket prices since then reflects something more. "They don't have much of a market," said Phil Miller, an associate professor of economics at Minnesota State University and a contributor to The Sport Economist, a website about the business of sports. Miami "is not really a good baseball market." The Marlins did not respond to a request from Miami Today to discuss ticket prices. However, data provided by SeatGeek, a website that aggregates listings from more than 60 secondary ticket markets, shows how have far Marlins ticket prices have fallen. For the April 4 home opener with the St. Louis Cardinals, the Marlins posted a league-high average ticket price of $211.75. After that, prices fell dramatically to average between $50 and $59. Since then, average prices have dropped with each home game to a low of $15.92 for a recent game with the Colorado Rockies, SeatGeek data shows. Meanwhile, secondary market ticket prices for upcoming Marlins home games start at as little as $3 to $6, according to SeatGeek. "One factor that's likely a driver in all of this is simply that the Marlins got out of the gate a bit slow, dampening some of the enthusiasm that surrounded the stadium opening," said SeatGeek spokesman Will Flaherty. "That said, they've played well of late, so it will be interesting to see if ticket prices rebound somewhat as the summer progresses." To read the entire issue of Miami Today online, subscribe to e -Miami Today, an exact digital replica of the printed edition. |
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