The Most Expensive Tickets in Sports

The Most Expensive Tickets in Major League Baseball

5. New York Mets
> Avg. ticket price: $63.56
> W-L past 10 years: 49.1% (14th lowest)
> Championships past 10 years: none
> Avg. home attendance: 30,108

Though New York Mets secondary-market tickets are among the most expensive in baseball, the team simply has not had the same on-the-field success as many of the other teams on this list. It costs fans buying resales an average of just over $63 per ticket to attend a game at Citi Field, the fifth most in the MLB. Though demand is still high, the team’s play has been subpar in recent years. The Mets won only 795 games between 2002 and 2011 — among the bottom half of all MLB teams. Only once during that period did the Mets make the playoffs — in 2006. The Mets have had their off-field woes too. Several Mets owners — including Fred Wilpon and brother-in-law Saul Katz — were sued in connection with their dealings with famous Ponzi schemer Bernie Madoff and settled in early 2012 for $162 million.

4. Chicago Cubs
> Avg. ticket price: $65.24
> W-L past 10 years: 49.4% (15th highest)
> Championships past 10 years: none
> Avg. home attendance: 37,258

The Chicago Cubs are the fourth-most valuable team in baseball, with an estimated value of $879 million. Despite not winning a single World Series Championship in the past 103 years, the team retains a loyal fan base. An average of 37,258 fans came to Wrigley Field each game in 2011 and secondary-market buyers paid over $65 a ticket, more than all but three of the 30 major league fan bases. Even more impressive is the fact that the Cubs draw such a huge crowd while being the only major league team to play the majority of their home games during the day, when many fans are at work.

3. New York Yankees
> Avg. ticket price: $70.81
> W-L past 10 years: 60.2% (highest)
> Championships past 10 years: 1
> Avg. home attendance: 45,107

In 2009, the Yankees moved out of the “House That Ruth Built” and into a new ballpark. The team’s new digs hold 6,599 fewer fans than the old park, and the average face-value ticket price rose significantly after the move. Even with a smaller park and more expensive seats, the Yanks still managed to increase their attendance by 4.2% between 2002 and 2011. The team averaged 45,107 fans in 2011, and those buying on the secondary market paid an average $70.81 to attend games at Yankee Stadium. These figures could be a product of the team’s loyal fan base, or just its continued success. The Bronx Bombers boasted a league-leading 975 wins between 2002 and 2011 and won the World Series in 2009, their first year in the new ballpark. The Yankees are now valued by Forbes at $1.85 billion, tied with the Cowboys for the highest among all sports franchises.

2. Toronto Blue Jays
> Avg. ticket price: $71.89
> W-L past 10 years: 49.9% (13th highest)
> Championships past 10 years: none
> Avg. home attendance: 22,445

The Toronto Blue Jays are a curious addition to this list. The only MLB team to play outside of the U.S., the Jays lofty secondary prices do not seem to be consistent with their play on the field, or the demand for Rogers Centre tickets. At an average cost of $71.89, Toronto has the second-most expensive resale ticket in baseball, this despite their averaging of 22,445 fans per game, the sixth lowest in the MLB. Further confusing matters is their 808-811 record over the past decade and their $413 million valuation, sixth worst in the MLB. The Blue Jays do however, have the ninth-highest operating income in baseball.

1. Boston Red Sox
> Avg. ticket price:$88.26
> W-L past 10 years: 57.5% (2nd highest)
> Championships past 10 years: 2
> Avg. home attendance: 37,703

The Boston Red Sox have the priciest secondary ticket among MLB teams. Attending a game at Boston’s famed Fenway Park costs fans buying outside the box office about $88 on average. Unlike some teams on the list, the Red Sox have had a great deal of success in recent years, winning the World Series twice in the past 10 seasons. During that time, the Sox tallied 932 victories, second only to their bitter rivals, the Yankees. All that success on the field has translated to greater demand for tickets and ultimately, increased revenue. Since 2003, the team’s revenue has increased every year but one, and Fenway has seen a 15% bump in attendance between 2002 and 2011.