Major League Baseball Needs to Look at The Cost For Fans
Major League Baseball needs to take a good hard look at their future and they need to do it now.Last week my son-in-law took my three oldest grandsons to see the St. Louis Cardinals play the New York Mets at Busch Stadium. The four of them enjoyed the day together at a Major League Baseball game. Oh, they have been to Minor League games before watching the Peoria Chiefs play, but going to Busch Stadium is different. It was Major League Baseball with thousands more fans than they were used to.
What they did Saturday many people simply can't do anymore because of the cost involved and it took a chunk of change for them to attend the game. Taking your kids to a Major League game is cost-prohibitive for many when you add up the travel, parking, tickets and concessions charges. It's not cheap! Somehow, MLB needs to address this issue.
I am a baseball fan because my Dad took my brother and me to see the Yankees at Yankees Stadium when we were kids growing up in Brooklyn and we grew to love the game as a result. If parents can't afford to do the same in 2019, then the future fandom will be significantly diminished.
Baseball makes its money from TV, concessions and souvenir sales not just from ticket sales. If MLB loses its fan base, they will lose their TV viewership as well. When that happens, their TV ratings will diminish along with the advertising that goes hand in hand with it.
Fannies in the seats is more important than you would think and MLB better not forget it or the future of the game will be in trouble. Make it affordable and this great game will be even better for years to come.