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Monday, May 07, 2012

Star-Tribune: Twins no bargain, but tickets are

Minnesota scalpers increasingly need to learn how to pitch to contact.

It’s a fierce environment on the streets surrounding Target Field just a year after back-to-back seasons of record-breaking attendance. With interest in the last-place Minnesota Twins fading quickly, scalpers fight for the fans’ dollars by not only fluctuating their volume, but also their ticket prices.

The team’s lack of success, poor weather and dwindling excitement over a new stadium have led the secondary-ticket market to its bottom as scalpers are desperate to sell.

Casual fans are now in the driver’s seat.

Greg Franklin Posted: May 07, 2012 at 09:59 PM | 16 comment(s) Login to Bookmark
Tags: business, twins

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1. The George Sherrill Selection Posted: May 08, 2012 at 02:31 AM (#4126142)

dwindling excitement over a new stadium

Time to build another new stadium!

2. bigglou115 Posted: May 08, 2012 at 02:59 AM (#4126143)

When I see a topic like this I can never wait until I see what it randomly evolves into. I'm thinking Global Warming.

But seriously, what good is it that the casual fans are in the driver's seat now? If the casual fans were going to the games then they wouldn't be in the driver's seat.

3. Gamingboy Posted: May 08, 2012 at 10:12 AM (#4126229)

Terry Ryan left for a few years and this happened, now he has to build it up again so the Twins fill the stadium up again.

4. Craig in MN Posted: May 08, 2012 at 10:17 AM (#4126235)

dwindling excitement over a new stadium

Time to build another new stadium!

The legislature is working on it. After all the amazing success the Twins have had in their new stadium, the obvious choice is to do the same for the Vikings.

5. Xander Posted: May 08, 2012 at 10:48 AM (#4126261)

Most of the Twins' home games will involve an AL counterpart. AL teams are really talented and fun to watch this season. At least there's some value in those tickets. Now a down-and-out NL team...you'll see more talent at your closest Triple-A stadium.

6. McCoy Wilfong for Money Posted: May 08, 2012 at 11:11 AM (#4126281)

7. Xander Posted: May 08, 2012 at 11:25 AM (#4126308)

list wars!

8. A triple short of the cycle

Posted: May 08, 2012 at 02:25 PM (#4126532)

Being a fan of a very unpopular team does have its benefits. Namely, very cheap tickets and no lines for beer or restroom. The scalpers at the Oakland Coliseum may make some money from selling Raiders and Warriors tickets, but they are practically giving away A's tickets. I like to take BART down there and show up just after the game starts, then get a ticket for $5 from one of the scalpers on the aerial walkway.

9. Jolly Old St. Nick Done Jumped The Ship

Posted: May 08, 2012 at 02:48 PM (#4126562)

A sampling of talent of the current last place NL teams:

Roy Halladay
Cliff Lee
Cole Hamels
Joe Blanton
Jimmy Rollins
Hunter Pence
Jonathon Papelbon
Ryan Braun
Corey Hart
Zach Greinke
Shaun Marcum
Aramis Ramirez
Rickie Weeks
Huston Street
Starlin Castro
Matt Garza
Ryan Dempster

A sampling of the talent on the last place teams when I was 10 years old:

Philadelphia A's (51-103, 60 GB)
Ticket prices (2012 dollars): $6.40 - $23.45
Vic Power
Gus Zernial
Arnie Portocarrero
Elmer Valo
Spook Jacobs
Alex Kellner

Pittsburgh Pirates (53-101, 44 GB)
Ticket Prices (2012 dollars): $8.53 - $23.45
Frank Thomas
Sid Gordon
Bob Skinner
Toby Atwell
Bob Friend
Max Surkont

I'd say count your blessings and pound that StubHub.

10. just plain joe Posted: May 08, 2012 at 03:29 PM (#4126612)

Spook Jacobs

Can you imagine a player called "Spook" today? The PC police would have a collective meltdown.

11. Jolly Old St. Nick Done Jumped The Ship

Posted: May 08, 2012 at 03:46 PM (#4126642)

Can you imagine a player called "Spook" today? The PC police would have a collective meltdown.

Except that he was white, and kind of looked the part. OTOH I'm not so sure that the casual Kiss Camera fan would understand the origin of Bill "Swish" Nicholson's moniker.

12. just plain joe Posted: May 08, 2012 at 05:07 PM (#4126736)

Except that he was white, and kind of looked the part. OTOH I'm not so sure that the casual Kiss Camera fan would understand the origin of Bill "Swish" Nicholson's moniker.

Ah, the lost innocence of yesteryear.

13. Greg Franklin Posted: May 08, 2012 at 06:46 PM (#4126795)

After reading Andy's post, I'm now wondering what the Comerica Park ticket prices were for the 2003 Tigers disaster. Sure, you saw All-Star Dmitri Young and Brandon Inge, but what else were you getting for your non-scalped $20?

14. AJM Posted: May 08, 2012 at 08:25 PM (#4126848)

I had no idea Spook was a derogatory term.

15. Howie Menckel Posted: May 08, 2012 at 08:47 PM (#4126858)

If you have a 6-yr-old kid in Minnesota who actually likes baseball and wishes he could go to a game, and you don't make much money, I would say this works out well.

The kid is excited to be at a game, I doubt he analyzes the standings that closely, and how hard is it to catch a foul ball in these circumstances?

16. WillYoung Posted: May 08, 2012 at 08:55 PM (#4126868)

My parents brought me to a lot of Twins games a year during the mid-80s and, like Howie said, it definitely got me hooked (the two World Series didn't hurt).

I'm definitely "part of the problem" as I went to 15+ games the last couple of years and have yet to go to Target Field this year (although I'm going for free on Friday). The crappy performance is bad enough, but there's no way I'm financially supporting something as stupid as a 13-man pitching staff.

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Monday, May 07, 2012

Star-Tribune: Twins no bargain, but tickets are

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