Major League Baseball Rivalries Cause Ticket Price Surge

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exclusive to 24/7 Wall St. From TiqIQ

Prices For Yankees-Red Sox Tickets at Fenway Is MLB’s Biggest Rivalry Premium

With a long baseball season featuring 81 regular season home games for each team, nothing helps get fans to the ballpark like a good rivalry game. Whether it’s an old division foe or a city rivalry, these games always seem to attract the most passionate home crowds. This season that certainly looks to be the case with many of the top rivalries in the league seeing a premium price above the regular season average.

Below are the secondary market averages, according to TiqIQ, ranked by premium, along with the amount of remaining regular season games for six of the biggest rivalries in MLB.

1. Red Sox Avg. Price: $146.27 vs. New York Yankees: $295.23 | Premium: 101.83% (6 games remaining)

The Red Sox and Yankees might have the most storied rivalry in sports, and the teams have six games left at Fenway Park. Red Sox tickets have a huge premium for Yankees games. Red Sox tickets average $146.27, but jump to $295.23 for the six games the Yankees are on the Red Sox schedule. That’s a premium of 102%, which is the largest premium on this list.

2. Angels Avg. Price: $59.38 vs. Los Angeles Dodgers: $108.14 | Premium: 82.11% (2 games remaining)

On the other side of the country we get out next highest premium. The Los Angeles Dodgers and Los Angeles Angels play a four game series between the two ballparks, and the two games at Angels Stadium have a big premium. In fact, the Dodgers series is one of the most expensive games on the Angels schedule. Angels tickets are $108.14 for the series for a premium of 82%.

3. Giants Avg. Price: $105.21 vs Los Angeles Dodgers: $178.53 | Premium: 69.68% (6 games remaining)

The Dodgers prove to be a big sell as the away team, drawing the third largest premium on this list as well. The premium of 67% led to an average Giants ticket price of $178.53 for the six games at AT&T Park, which is the second highest price on this list. Tickets average $105.21 for all other games on the Giants schedule.

4. Mets Avg. Price: $97.85 vs. New York Yankees: $137.50 | Premium: 40.52% (2 games remaining)

The Subway Series is always one of the more expensive games on the Mets schedule and that’s certainly the case again this year. Mets tickets have a premium of 41% for the two games the Yankees are at Citi Field. Mets tickets are averaging $137.50 for the two games. Mets fans are certainly hoping the team can come close to the four-game sweep they had against the Yankees last season.

5. Dodgers Avg. Price: $65.90 vs. Los Angeles Angels: $86.15 | Premium: 32.35% (2 games remaining)

The Angels and Dodgers series proves to be good for both teams, with a sizable premium for the two games at Dodgers stadium as well. Dodgers tickets have a 32% premium for a $86.15 average. The average for all other games on the Dodgers schedule is $65.90.

6. Cubs Avg. Price: $100.11 vs. St. Louis Cardinals: $121.25 | Premium: 21.11% (6 games remaining)

The NL Central rivals split their first six games, but have 13 games left to play. Six of those games are at Wrigley Field, and Cubs tickets are averaging $121.25 for the series. The season average for the Cubs is $100.11 for a premium of 21% when the Cardinals are on the Cubs schedule.

7. Nationals Avg. Price: $55.80 vs. Baltimore Orioles: $66.81 | Premium: 19.73% (2 games remaining)

The Washington Nationals are one of the most talented teams in the league and the Nationals schedule features plenty of competitive games. That hasn’t stopped Nationals tickets from being one of the cheapest on average. Even with a 20% premium for their games with the Baltimore Orioles, prices are still just $66.81, which is cheaper than the average for Orioles game. It wouldn’t be shocking for Orioles fans to flock to Nationals Park from Baltimore for the two games, helping raise prices.

8. Dodgers Avg. Price: $65.09 vs San Francisco Giants: $68.72 | Premium: 5.57% (7 games remaining)

The Dodgers and San Francisco Giants are both contenders for the NL West crown, and even a World Series title. They’re close in the standings, but that hasn’t led to a big price hike for this rivalry series. There are seven games at Dodgers Stadium against the Giants remaining on the Dodgers schedule, and there is only a six% premium. Dodgers tickets are $68.72 for the series, up from the season average of $65.09.

9. Cardinals Avg. Price: $77.12 vs. Chicago Cubs: $79.34 | Premium: 2.87% (7 games remaining)

The other seven games in the Cubs and Cardinals series are being played at Busch Stadium, and there isn’t as big a premium. The Cardinals schedule has posed some early problems for the team, but they still lead the Cubs by 4.5 games. There is only a three% premium for this series, making Cardinals tickets $79.34 while the average price for tickets during the regular season is $77.12.

10. Yankees Avg. Price: $136.09 vs. Boston Red Sox: $138.71 | Premium: 1.92% (6 games remaining)

In the six games the Red Sox are on the Yankees schedule there isn’t much of a premium. Tickets cost $138.71 for the six games at Yankees Stadium, only a premium of 2% over the regular season average.

Two instances in these rivalries see a secondary market price below the season average, when the Nationals visit the Orioles and when the Mets visit the Yankees. With both of those home teams playing in the AL East, games against each other and the Boston Red Sox bring the higher value to ticket prices than against cross-town interleague rivals.

From TiqIQ