By Maxine Shapiro, KERA 90.1 business commentator
Dallas, TX – It was this day in 1876 when the first National League Baseball game took place. That might not interest some, seeing this is an American League region, but oh, how the business of baseball has changed. I'm Maxine Shapiro with KERA Marketplace Midday.
Not much hoopla for the opening day of the major league baseball season. This time, I wish it were because a bunch of rich guys sitting out complaining they needed to be richer. So let's start with just how rich the players have become. And in honor of the Rangers opening day of Friday, we'll start with them. We'll only go back to 1991. The median salary was a tad over $280,000. That made the Rangers just the 20th highest paying team in major league baseball. In 2002, we moved up the ranks to the 8th highest paying team with a median salary of $2 million. Now remember, median means 50% of the players make more and 50% less.
Comparing the same years, what about ticket prices? A fan in 1991 paid an average of $8.40 to see the Rangers play. That same average ticket price in 2002 rose less than $10 to just over $18. And according to Team Marketing Reports, this year the average ticket price went down to about $16. Ooohh, deflation at the ballpark. A winning season and prices go right back up. In fact, number one-ranked Boston can charge an average $42 a ticket. And who said New York is expensive? The Yankees ranking number two only charge half of that. Even so, the MLB's average ticket rose only 2.8% to $18.70. Who can complain about that when the average seat for the NFL is $50 and just under $44 for the NBA? If you're a hockey fan, you're paying an average of $41.50.
So if ticket prices aren't rising, salaries must come out of the owners' pockets. Hmmm - they've a right to complain. For KERA Marketplace Midday, I'm Maxine Shapiro.
Marketplace Midday Reports air on KERA 90.1 Monday - Friday at 1:04 p.m. To contact Maxine Shapiro, please send emails to mshapiro@kera.org.
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