Spring has Sprung
40” by 20” / acrylic on Canvas, $499
I don’t know who wrote this version of Spring has Sprung but I remember it well from childhood.
Spring has Sprung, The grass is Riz, I wonder where my jacket is?

Take Me Out to the Ball Game

When I was a child I lived in Philadelphia where baseball was king. After work, Dad would gather my sister, brothers, and me, for a game of catch on the side lawn. Family picnics and summer camps always included a baseball game. And though I threw like a girl, which isn’t saying much,I was not a bad batter and was a middle pick when captains selected players.

On weekends Dad took us the see the winning Phillies and the declining Philadelphia Athletics (As). Dad had grown up with the Athletics, one of baseball’s two original teams, and was loyal to them until they moved. Men like Yogi Berra, Stan the Man Musial, Mickey Mantle, and Jacki Robinson were household names. When Robin Roberts helped the Phillies win the pennant in 1950 my friends and I were glued to the radio.

I remember ball park excursions and how dozens of kids were gathered outside to see if a home run ball would come whizzing over the wall so they could trade it in for admittance. Once inside the park we sang the national anthem and shouted with mounting excitement the moment, the announcer said “play ball.” A bag of peanuts, cracker jacks with its hidden toy, the taste of a hot dog smothered with mustard, a soft drink, and an occasional stomach ache adds to my memories. I also think of the time we forgot where we parked the car and took an hour to walk up and and down nearby streets before it was located.

In those days, attending major league games was in the reach of everyone. It was not, as it is today, a pastime of the wealthy. Two weeks ago, I found it difficult to believe a friend who told me he thought of going to the opening game in Seattle and paying $300 for a ticket. How many people have that much disposable income?

I decided to explore the cost of attending a typical game and find out if the price is still within the reach of most people. I learned that the average cost for bleacher seats for two people across all 30 major league teams is $ 77.92. If you add parking $16-$ 25, two hot dogs, $8.73, and $11.89 for two beers or drinks, it will cost a minimum of $ 114.54. Most fans consume more than one hot dog and buy a program and occasional souvenir. Attending games in older stadiums such as Fenway Park in Boston or Wrigley Field in Chicago may add $110 to the bill.
In 1950,Dad paid $ 1.59 for a ticket to the Phillies and even taking into account inflation, the price was reasonable. Over the years much has changed to make the average family unable to attend and cheer their heroes. No longer is baseball a way to escape misery as many did during the depression.

In order to understand how the game has changed, let’s consider the how the cost of financing a team escalated. The New York Knickerbockers was given the first hurdle in 1885 when asked to pay rent. It wasn’t long before franchise owners started paying good players “under the table” in order to keep them loyal. Revenue to pay expenses was primarily generated from tickets sales, but that changed over time because of radio, television, and print media.

My father told me that in the1940s his entire family sat in the living room listening to radio sports casters stirring imaginations with lively accountings. When television and print media took over, fans could see for themselves what was occurring and it want to attend live games. And as they came, so did licensed memorabilia. Money wise owners granted rights to show games on television and received money from advertisers to use their team brand.

Until the early 1950s Major Baseball League (MLB ) was composed of 16 teams in 10 cities, none west of St. Louis. Beginning in the late 60s, 14 franchises were added until the American and National leagues reached15 teams each (one is Canadian). With growth, new stadiums were constructed, and again attendance soared by 44%. Teams were bought and sold, and some business savvy owners moved their purchases to markets with a larger population. As the game continued to gain in popularity, players become more expensive to recruit and keep. In 2016, Clayton Kershaw of the Los Angeles Dodgers was paid $34.5 million. The best athletes were turned into heroes by the media which attracted more fans willing to pay higher prices for admission.

The cost of owning a team appears to have no end as expenses continue to rise. In 2010, the Yankees generated $325 million in ticket revenues, giving them a profit of over $ 100 million. But, since teams now engage in revenue sharing as a way of improving competitiveness, the Yankees had to pay out $75 million for distribution to teams in smaller markets. Stadium expenses, staffing, and pre-game entertainment add to the expenses that owners pass on to fans.

Though ticket prices have escalated, it is the add-ons that have really made a difference to the wallets of the average attendee. Fans eventually got used to paying for everything sold in the park. They pay to watch batting practice in the spring, for pre game entertainment, and $11 for a beer. Those watching at home, pay an average of $ 67 per month for cable TV.

Strange as it sounds talented athletes have negatively affected the excitement fans get from watching them play. Strikeouts have increased, base and home runs decreased, and scores are lower, making the game less lively for many. Playoffs stretch into late fall, with the World Series starting in October. The 162 games played throughout the spring and summer have less meaning for those waiting for the final competition.

Attendees are older and overwhelmingly composed of white men (70% —the TV audience is older than that of any other major sport. To the concern of many, the number of kids playing baseball has steadily declined over the past two decades.
One problem is that attending a game has increased from two to a six hour commitment which does not attract busy millennials. The game is longer, in part, because pitchers are changed more frequently and because of extensive pre-game activities. For example, the St Louis Cardinals have a Pregame Party that starts 2 1/2 hours before the game and features a DJ or live music that lasts until the first pitch. A full buffet and bar are included, requiring an additional fee.

One reason MLB attendance has been relatively steady over the years is that our country’s population continues to increase. There were 180 million people in the United States in 1960 and this month, April, 2017, there are over 326 million.

Though baseball attendance peaked in 2007, it has not yet recovered, producing inklings of concern for the faithful. In 2016, MLB it was again down slightly from the previous year, the third decline of the last three years. Attendance continues to fall at Little League and College World Series events. Optimists, believe expansion is inevitable but say that it will occur internationally rather than locally.

I wonder what will happen if ticket prices continue to climb, making them unaffordable to the average fan? Will it die does not attract more young people? A friend complained that the expansion to 30 franchises in the 70s and 80s diluted the talent pool, but others discount his opinion as players are recruited from Asia and Latin America. I am not sure that fans have the same passion for foreign born players as they did for home grown ones.

What do fans do who want to keep the sport alive? Dads who grew up with the game, face problems of whether to attend with their family. Since the average cost for four is $305, should Dad go alone or save so the family can attend one game a year? Should he take the children to a B team instead? Baseball is not as much fun to watch on television when you are by yourself. Do you think Dads will get their children to turn off the computer and bond by joining them for the game? Given two parent workers, is it possible to allocate time for a daily catch?

Some children do become involved in little league. However, that is a financial burden for low income families, for they need to purchase bats, gloves, helmets, shoes and perhaps private lessons. I can imagine how astronomical the costs are for my neighbor whose son travels with a team. Kids from single family homes have an especially difficult time joining a team. According to a recent study at the University of Nebraska, “95 percent of all college baseball players come from two parent homes.”

Baseball is still considered the nation’s national sport despite the fact that football games have higher TV ratings, stronger attendance, and revenue. Baseball maintains its position as America’s pastime because it has a broader reach into society. It manages to keep a local following while football’s is national. I hope it stays that way. Paying $700 for a ticket to Hamilton or $500 for the opera is just plain over the top. Let’s hope that baseball doesn’t become equally insensitive. Shouldn’t the average family be able to rally around at least one professional sport with ticket prices within their reach?

References:
Aumack, Ray The Economics of Baseball, 2012, http://newyork.cbslocal.com/2012/05/21/by-the-numbers-the-economics-of-baseball/

Tuttle, Brad, 9 Reasons It’s Hard to be a Baseball Fan Today, Money Magazine, 2015,
http://time.com/money/3772690/baseball-losing-fan-interest/

Hudgens, Laura Hanby, The decline of Baseball and Why it Matters, Huffpost, 2016,http://www.huffingtonpost.com/laura-hanby-hudgens/the-decline-of-baseball-a_b_9630782.html

Dodd, Mike, MLB expansion effects still felt 50 years later around the leagues, USA Today, 2011, https://usatoday30.usatoday.com/sports/baseball/2011-04-07-angels-baseball-expansion_N.htm

Lindholm, Scott, Major League attendance trends, past, present, and future, SB nation, 2014, http://www.beyondtheboxscore.com/2014/2/10/5390172/major-league-attendance-trends-1950-2013

Barra, Allen, Sorry, NFL: Baseball is Still America’s Pastime, The Atlantic, 2013, https://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2013/10/sorry-nfl-baseball-is-still-americas-pastime/280985/

Official site of the St. Louis Cardinals – Pre Game show, 2017, http://m.mlb.com/cardinals/tickets/info/pregame
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I look forward to you comments.

Art is always for sale. Contact me at marilynne@eichingerfineart.com