MLB’s Shrinking Stadiums… Whats going on?

[@kjorlaug1]

Kind of surprised no one had taken the Arthur Blank model and made concessions super affordable. Falcons saw their profits INCREASE after lowering prices.

[@InfinteIdeas]

It encourages repeat buyers

[@djtrankilo231]

Not only that. Concessions are cheap for every event and not just Falcons games. Same reason Mercedes-Benz Stadium hosts so many big events every year.

[@PCSPounder]

Are you paying a premium for Falcons games? I can tell pricing Atlanta United tickets that you seem to have a price point somewhat higher than Portland had pre-protest. Portland’s limited capacity puts seats on the high side.

[@forgottenplaces9780]

You would think

[@mikefagan6840]

Harry M Stevens 🤘

[@cryptochris9001]

20k attendance is still really good that's the same as an NBA game sell out. The coolest thing about MLB parks IMO is the summer atmosphere and really good food.

[@adanalyst6925]

That’s a good point, also worth considering that the NBA is shrinking their stadiums too

[@RichV20]

@@adanalyst6925 Are they? They share them with NHL teams.

[@adanalyst6925]

@@RichV20 not drastically, but besides the pistons there hasn’t been a stadium above 19k sknce 2005. New clippers will be 18k. It has to do with making the seats a premium I think vs declining interest

[@JOEYdaMUSH]

MLB is so backwards; instead of squeezing their shrinking fan base for more $, they should be expanding fan base by lowering ticket/food/parking costs.

[@PCSPounder]

That philosophy has actually failed at places the last 20 years. Believe it or not. You can only seat so many people close to the field or court or ice. Otherwise, in a debate between the upper levels of many of these places and your 60” screen at home, the screen wins.

[@adanalyst6925]

@@PCSPounder I’d be interesting to be part of an actual business discussion on this.

[@C-ROY57]

And also because of the parking prices, build more close by parking lots with open land close to the stadium so no having to walk forever to get from you car to the stadium

[@Oeyoeyoo]

Right 5 bucks for ticket and a dog I'd go

[@dennisfahlstrom2515]

Ball parks are shrinking in several ways. They are bringing in the fences to raise the teams offense. Bigger scoring games where the lead changes hands many times are far more exciting to the fans than watching a pitcher with a 1.60 ERA playing catch with his catcher in a 2 hit shutout and with a score of 1-0. Another factor is the greed of the owners. I quit going to games when parking went above $20, when general admission went above $20 and when a glass of beer and a hot dog went above $12. A night at the ballpark used to be a great and affordable outlet for a family of 4. The cost of everything was under $40. Now it’s around $250 which translates to reduced attendance except for teams in dense population areas and or where the home team wins a lot. Finally, TV is a big factor. TV dollars are huge for teams and TV doesn’t like to broadcast games showing only a hundred or so fans in the center field bleachers. It’s tough to fill a stadium with a capacity of 50,000 fans for 81 home games. It’s a lot easier for NFL stadiums when they only play 7 home games a season. These are a few points you didn’t mention or cover in depth.

[@joefitz531]

I remember as a kid my dad would get a program with the scorebook and the golf pencil and keep score. Now half the park has no clue whats going on.

[@johnnygalaxy9022]

I still have no idea how MLB player salaries are rising with the shrinking crowds and fan base revenue...

[@michaelholdowsky6386]

It's regional TV contracts that were footing the bill, that is until Bally went Chapter 11.

[@adanalyst6925]

@@michaelholdowsky6386 that’s such a big deal and I wonder why it’s not talked about as much. It could cause big implosion in NBA and especially MLB and NHL

[@PCSPounder]

@@adanalyst6925 NBA actually has a better national TV contract than MLB. For now. That should help. MLB has a TV production arm of real quality, and they’re talking about going direct to consumer, so that’ll be interesting… but I suspect a linear TV industry that is scared of the cord getting completely cut might try to finagle a bigger national contract. The NHL? Um…

[@johnnygalaxy9022]

@@PCSPounder with teams like Arizona and Anaheim i have no idea how the NHL even still exist..!

[@PCSPounder]

@@johnnygalaxy9022 If you saw the Coyotes claim- probably accurately- that they made more money in season tickets this season than at any point previously- you might reconsider assumptions about what teams actually need to compete. I’d rather invest in the Coyotes than the A’s right now. Though this must be said… the Original 6 + a couple other franchises keep a lot of the rest of the league employed.

[@billmcg1676]

Great video! So true about the changes to stadiums. Makes sense. A seat is only worth the ticket price but s bar at the ball park means a gathering-socialability. Who really wants to sit in a seat the entire game? That is old timey.

[@Landis_Grant]

Wrigley Field and Fenway Park won’t be demolished and replaced with brand new state of the art stadiums with an enlarged capacity because the owners know the games are sold out annually at exorbitantly high prices. It’s about a high demand and limited supply. If they were to build say a 60,000 capacity stadium, each game might only have 40,000 fans and the 20,000 seats don’t look good. The Las Vegas A’s are planning to only construct a 35,000 seat stadium.

[@nikolatesla5553]

I absolutely hate what has happened to the MLB. I used to go to games as a teenager and in my early twenties. I could afford tickets and even have enough money for a hot dog and peanuts. Sure, we sat in the outfield. But the game is totally unaffordable now. Instead, those seats are not even there. Every man's game has turned into another haven for the rich.

[@nixonhoover2]

You're just poor, now shut up!!

[@jdspreest]

The problem isn’t that the game is boring or that people only go there to socialize. The problem is the ridiculous pricing. If you go with your family, say of four people, you’ll easily drop over $100… on just the four tickets and the parking. You’re not even talking about concessions here. Once you do go to the concessions, who wants to pay $10 for a soggy ass hot dog that you know you can buy about five packs of franks with outside the stadium, or $12 for a coke, $15 for stale nachos, or eeek $17 for a beer?? Those are the real problems that the team owners need to consider. They forget that the true loyal fan base is your average middle class family, not the giant faceless corporations that don’t give a single damn about the game. The owners are short-sighted, not realizing that they’re killing the game. Lower prices, limit the luxury BS, cater to what makes the game our pastime, and they’ll see an increase in attendance and of course, revenue.

[@bazzer124]

Cubs fan here. Seating capacity at Wrigley Field has increased in the 50 years since I became a fan in 1963 from ~36,700 to ~41,700. The Cubs are usually not a very good team but the seats are filled at or near-capacity every single game. The Cubs average 10,000 more fans a game than their South Side neighbors even though both stadiums seat nearly the same number of fans. Convenient location with ample public transportation and a national fan base insure high attendance pretty much every year. Wrigley Field by itself is a major draw. Plus, let's face it, it's the Cubbies! Cheers....

[@turkeybowlwinkle4440]

This is the sign of a business whose customer base is shrinking so they're left trying to squeeze more money out of what's left. It is working short term but long term it will fail.

[@Son-Of-David1990]

1:40 idk the past decade here in cleveland has been sold out for a big Portion of the seasons

[@fan4life345]

Cleveland sold out 455 straight games in the mid to late 90's!! That is absolutely incredible considering cold/rainy nights there in april/May and 81 home games...kids in school etc

[@joeblow9657]

I think the big issue is that teams are now trying to maximize the money they get from each individual purchase at the ball park and it's ruining the experience which lowers attendance so the only people left are those willing to spend the money. Plus, why show up to the game when a good TV/steaming package can get you a lot of games your local team isn't playing.

[@coolezum]

Well, when the price of the game and refreshments is ridiculous, so goes the crowd.

[@jordanking6939]

More teams trying to enhance the fan experience with more open spaces which is the newest trend. Execptions of Yankee Stadium, Fenway Park, Dodgers stadium, teams aren't going to have sellouts all the time. A game ticket has a bigger demand at Dodgers stadium than at the Oakland Coliseum because of the overall product and market.

[@kevinbergin9971]

3:00 1000 fans who sit far away and let's be honest, they probably sneak in their own food.

[@TheMrPeteChannel]

Assuming you have outfield seats & keeping stadiums around the 35,000 mark it's pointless to build any future tripple decked stadiums

[@matthewtramp1148]

We need you down here in Las Vegas to educate our county commissioners Well, they’re in the process of approving a new baseball stadium for the A’s to move to Las Vegas

[@erichowell3386]

Living in the northeast and being a fan of the NY Mets and just a fan in general, going to other stadiums to see a game. It's too expensive, period. Tolls on GW bridge, Whitestone bridge(2x)....parking....food, drink, souvenir for the little ones. Even on a mid week game, especially with the ridiculous spending of the team. Your still looking at $100 just to get to/from the game and a other $200 inside the stadium. That's a car payment for one night of entertainment.

[@MattSezer]

Good, you shouldn’t be driving in NYC when there are plenty of public transit options. I spent $6 total going to the Mets game last Friday. I rode my bicycle to the stadium from my midtown Manhattan office and got upper-deck tickets from a no-fee ticket resale website. I’ve been to 4 games so far this year and have spent less than $40 on everything, which is less than what parking for even a single game costs. This sounds more like a you being insistent on driving a car in a city that doesn’t have space for them problem.

[@erichowell3386]

@@MattSezer You realize people live outside NYC right? Perhaps I'll hop on the "free" public transportation provided after driving into NJ to grab train for a fee after parking for a fee, only to transfer over to a subway train for a fee. While paying only $6 for a ticket?! GTFOH

[@scarpfish]

Baseball needs to bring back $5 upper deck seats for weekday games and even weeknight games once the home team is out of contention.

[@kevintees6075]

Bottom line, literally? The average sports fan has been priced out of not only baseball but football, hockey and basketball as well. The focus now is on the smaller portion of the population that can afford the ridiculously priced PSL's, tickets, and concessions, hence the smaller venues.

[@chrisbacos]

As time has passed new generations of Americans and Canadians take up new interests and baseball has not kept pace IMO. Also, ticket prices, parking prices, and concession prices are so high now that many families can't afford to go see a game. Growing up in Los Angeles in the 1970s you could see a game at Dodger Stadium with your ticket and food for less than $10.00. That won't even cover parking in some ballparks. So many teams in all professional sports have patterns of mediocrity that for some it's not worth the price of admission.

[@emesssea]

Its so true that baseball games are now a social event, hence why I dont like to go, I cant watch a game in peace. With that said I went to Coors for a day game once, bought the ticket off of stub hub for ~10 bucks, and my seat ended up being by their upper deck bar. It was pretty good expeirence, premium craft beers being sold at normal bar prices instead of stadium prices, since it was a day game it wasnt too crowded, and because its a social event most of the people in my area stayed at the bar. Kind of wish I lived in Denver, I'd take most of their weekday day games off if I did

[@ChasetheG]

When you’re on your phone, you miss the moment, unless you’re the cameraman.

[@InfinteIdeas]

You say that, but phones are great for pulling up stats and shit. It has enhanced my in ballpark experience to be able to look stuff up like that.

[@cameronsatterfield14]

As a former camera operator at an indoor arena, I assure you: we "miss the moment" too. There were plenty of times that someone would ask me, "Who won the game?" and I would tell them, "I don't know - I was working!"

[@bobconder3163]

Missing the moment on their phone and the games have no flow anymore. 4 hours to watch a pitcher and hitter take a solid minute between pitches . It’s takes even the best of us out of the ball game !!

[@CJK-bt4ll]

The last time I was at a M's game, it felt like I was the only one paying attention to the game. Everyone else was busy eating, looking at their phones and looking around. The owners don't need the gate revenue, they now have gambling and TV.

[@cameronsatterfield14]

In my experience, Mariners games have always been like that - people showing up in the third inning, leaving after the seventh inning stretch, and generally not paying any attention to the game. (I suppose it doesn't help too that the M's have been terrible for decades.) That was not the case for the many Cardinals and Cubs games I've been to at Busch and Wrigley - fans in both cities are at the stadium early, they pay attention to the game, and they do not leave early.

[@CJK-bt4ll]

@@cameronsatterfield14 Hi Cameron, it's been a while since I've seen a game in another city. You're right about Chicago and STL. I'm sure Yankee Stadium and Citi Park are just the same as Shea and the old stadium were. Fenway too. Maybe this year will be different for the M's. Wildcard is expected this year at the very least. That might help the attention spans.

[@adanalyst6925]

@@CJK-bt4ll SF giants game I went to wasn’t super packed, but everyone there was definitely there to root for the team, especially in the 6-9th innings

[@CJK-bt4ll]

@@adanalyst6925 My in-laws are big Giants fans (season ticket holders) and they constantly tell me about how great the games are, and the crowds are fantastic (into it). I will have to go and check it out. Thx.

[@SaucebossUSA]

Nowadays people can get so many things from the comfort of their own home, so in order to get people out and about, you need to focus on providing an experience for the customer. Thats what all those renovations have typically focused on. Adding social spaces, interesting new bars, concessions, etc. Because that's more attractive than just another section of nosebleed seats.

[@djtrankilo231]

That explains why Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas has a night club

[@ghostdukevladamir5101]

A packed stadium with fans invested in the game isn't an experience? The crack of the bat, the roar of the crowd etc... when did that become not enough?

[@SaucebossUSA]

@@ghostdukevladamir5101 I'm in agreement with you. I love the game of baseball, but it's not as interesting to newer generations who may not have as long of attention spans due to a number of different factors.

[@PCSPounder]

I have found that, being a bit larger, I’ve come to appreciate the view bars, “eating areas…” not really to eat (I count on the food being average at best), but for the elbow room. Certainly people near me appreciate that. Same with beer rails (when my legs are up for it).

[@adanalyst6925]

@@ghostdukevladamir5101 I’m 23 and agree with this, though I’ve heard Coors Field is one of the best “clubs” in Denver haha. I need to go there and pick up some chicks 😅

[@elterrifico9522]

You forgot Toronto’s revamp of Rogers Centre

[@nixonhoover2]

Didn't forget anything in canada is not relevant.

[@jasondickstein71]

It’s the people who have the money to spend that go to these games. The average fan can’t afford to attend a major league game anymore.

[@captaincanada1525]

No mention of Rogers Centre?

[@roytofilovski9530]

Smaller stadiums are cheaper to maintain on the long term. What is the point if having seats that get sold only maybe five or ten percent of the time? Those seats over the course of a season probably LOSE money for the stadium owner. You probably want a stadium that, on average, is 70 percent ful/sold.

[@ericklamotte617]

It’s so that they can keep the prices high, basic economics, less seats.

[@garyolsen3409]

We don't have to worry about shrinking attendance any more because we have the new gimmick called "the pitch clock," designed to fill stadiums with new fans that have ants in their pants and can't just sit back and enjoy a baseball game.

[@michaeldriscoll8537]

Is Fenway Park the example you want to go with for crowds? It’s the 4th smallest park by capacity in MLB at 37,000.

[@avgGamer662]

Baseball for Grandpas, Soccer for Young people

[@bobconder3163]

The game itself is the root of it. Games being dragged out for 4 hours because there is zero flow to the game. Pitchers still taking forever to pitch. Hitters stepping out to adjust their gear. Go look at a World Series game from 1970 played in 2 1/2 hours . That game today is 4 hours

[@728huey]

That's why they implemented a pitch clock. At least for the first month of season it has shortened the game by half an hour on average. However it remains to be seen how effective it will be in mid-July or August when pitchers' arms are more tired and whether this will lead to more home runs by the offense.

[@vitalymaliarov696]

My Brewers did this too, they took out sections 237 and 238 in left field (which were some of the best seats) and replaced it with the Miller Light Landing

[@ronruelle7520]

The Colorado Rockies have been surprisingly kind to the taxpayers with their stadium upgrades. When they started converting most of the right field upper deck, they dipped into a slush fund they already had in hand. Same with the massive new scoreboard a few years ago. The Rox even allow you to bring in your own food with reasonable restrictions. And tickets are really cheap. Concessions are reasonable and the food is pretty good at some locations. So they don't gouge the taxpayers, they don't gouge the fans... and they don't win. But still, a fun time at an MLB game

[@Jake-yx7ct]

MLB is making progress toward streaming their games. They have taken back the game from local TV and cable distributions. 35K stadiums will be the norm . It'll be interesting what the A's build in Vegas. The Raiders have yet to have back to back sellouts. The trend toward more bars and food and drink concessions with field views will continue Im sure.

[@johnharris6655]

Football has 8 or 9 home games in which to generate a lot of revenue, So their stadiums are bigger. Baseball has 82 home games, many during the week so having a big stadium makes no financial sense.

[@tonyclements]

The game has changed so much that us old timers simply can't watch it anymore. Add in the COST and it is no surprise.

[@davidbrown4540]

LA, Boston, Chicago, NY -- those teams can still draw based on the sheer size of those cities. Everyone else? Sorry, it's not the 50s anymore.

[@ronpeacock9939]

Sadly, MLB is seeing what happens when prices outpace demand. Rather than lowering prices, they are lowering availability to try to make 2/3rds the # of tickets worth more... sadly, that's not happening. Hell, the regional sports network that show their games are filing for bankruptcy. So people are not sitting home watching the game either. Sadly, Baseball is not alone in this happening... all major sports are seeing it happen.. Maybe they need to start thinking about lowering ticket prices and concession and other ways they try to suck every dollar out of the fans and go back to being the social event. Yeah, players will get less because owners aren't making as much.. but that's how it goes..

[@incarnateTheGreat]

The Blue Jays are doing this. They're renovating the SkyDome to make the outfield more of a social gathering location. Hope it helps!

[@DebitAdams]

Some are making them public but most are turning into private party areas for more money

[@incarnateTheGreat]

@@DebitAdams whatever the case, the baseball experience is changing everywhere. It's not selling out stadiums like it used to. Improving the experience from the outfield might bring in more fans. There's something called the Flight Deck out in straightaway Centre field. Lots of people buy a cheap seat and go stand there with a beer. Perhaps that's what they're branching their ideas from.

[@racingphotographer8251]

@@incarnateTheGreat The upper deck cheap seats needed to go because they were never used except during the playoffs. Essentially what they're doing is building extra "flight deck" bars for the upper deck fans to walk over to. The days of 55,000+ capacity MLB parks is gone other than in big markets like NY... when you have 81 home dates there's no novelty in it. Even when the Jays are contenders they can't fill the dome every night like they used to.

[@incarnateTheGreat]

@@racingphotographer8251 those 500 seats have been there since day one. A bit sad to see them go, but they needed to be replaced. Tight fit for most. I'm kinda excited for a more modern look that brings fans closer to the action, like where the bullpens will be. The Jays have sold out games this past year, usually on weekends or against big opponents. Still I agree that that era is over and we don't need so many seats.

[@a18yearoldonyoutubeluigi]

Good job calling Skydome by its real name and not the other one. I’m excited to see the social spaces there as well, hoping they enhance the experience at this slightly outdated park.

[@roberttuss5349]

Back in the early sixties the my old man would take me to a Red Sox game now and then. Attendance would be 3, 4, 5 maybe 6 thousand. The Red Sox stunk then even into the early 70's me and my buds would go to Red Sox games all the time. It was a cheap ticket, a buck for the bleachers, and two bucks for unreserved grandstands.Rarely was attendance over 20k. Being there was relaxing with plenty of room to move around and people not going insane over routine plays, and most of the time the ushers didn't care if you moved down into the box seats. This kind of attendance is where MLB is headed, even for teams like the Red Sox and Yankees, and I'm glad. Maybe I'll be able to go to a few games in my old age.

[@SacTownLions0]

this is exactly what I remember for A's and Giants games in the early 80's. Just a fun, cheap ticket to get outside the house.

[@conpop6924]

This is not the kind of attendance the Yankees are heading to. Not even close. Yankee stadium is one of the few stadiums that has at least 35k every night

[@RichV20]

Yankees will be the one team to still sell 35k+ every night because of international recognition. Tourist from all over the world go to say the saw the Yankees and stadium, more of a tourist attraction. They are kind of the Manchester United would be for Americans. No one from Dusseldorf or Katowice or Pisa are traveling to see the Cincinnati Reds or Texas Rangers.

[@PCSPounder]

@@RichV20 I’m the one fool who, when given a choice between Yankee Stadium and PNC Park in Pittsburgh in a couple months, am going to Pittsburgh. And that’s as much for the backdrop as the baseball.

[@samuelmoulds1016]

yeah, I never forget my 1st game in Fenway! it was 1965 and in the ticket office we asked a tall man, "Excuse me, sir. We are new here. Can you tell us how to get to the Boston Subway?" he smiled and looked at his shoes and said, "I'm kinda a stranger myself." and looking up, he said, "But I believe if you go two blocks up and one block over, it'll be right there." we thanked him and went on our way. It was "Jimmy Fund Night" and can you imagine our surprise when Ted Williams walked out on to the field and it was the same gentleman who gave us directions!!!

[@willkorslick8126]

Love ur videos man. Very interesting content always

[@luisrosales9349]

All small market teams

[@Minny_Paul]

I agree, going to a baseball game is more of a social event now. Probably because games are getting slower and boring. And the fans that are into it are the Die-Hards like myself.

[@Michael-sb8jf]

I remember back in the day I would rush to the concessions/bathrooms at the end of a side. Now I don;t have too because well I might miss like 4 pitches

[@Minny_Paul]

Same. I always stay in my seat so I don’t let any college kids steal it, as well.

[@PCSPounder]

Judging from what I’ve heard about the effects of the new pitch clock rules this year, brace yourself. And don’t blink.

[@blakebillmanmasks2292]

This may be a trend, and I do completely agree with you, but I think MLBs biggest attendance problem stends from tanking, and a 3rd of the leagues fans know their team has 0 shot at the postseason so why show up? Not to mention, fans of some of those teams are tired of owners refusing to spend money and always trading every talent piece.

[@Stretch501st]

162 game season, so every team has 81 home games. March and April can have very bad weather (rain and cold). People have more choices then ever in terms of entertainment options, and sports tickets like baseball aren’t cheap. Beer prices are ridiculous. Broadcasts on big HDTVs in your living room or local bar can be just as or even more enjoyable.

[@DANGMOE]

The MLB did this to themselves, priced out everyone that would actually wanna go see a game

[@wmw3629]

@@DANGMOE You’re exactly right. It’s gotten ridiculous.

[@adanalyst6925]

@@DANGMOE to get more specific, they’ve priced out families, a.k.a. fathers who bring their kids, who can grow up to be fans. So stupid on the owners’ part.

[@DANGMOE]

@@adanalyst6925 Spot on! It’s such a shame too because I’m they could easily survive off merchandise/ads alone. Sad stuff

[@adanalyst6925]

@@DANGMOE I’m only a fan cuz my dad took me to dbacks games and then giants games when we moved. (Coincidentally, was there for both teams WS runs)

[@benschwartz6565]

It reminds me of when Veterans Stadium (65K) in Philadelphia was replaced with Citizens Bank Park (43K) for the Phillies and Lincoln Financial Field (67K) for the Eagles. I always wondered why CBP was so much smaller since a lot of Phillies games do sell out, depending on the year

[@Hakuna65Matata]

I mean going from a Cookie Cutter Stadium to individual respective stadiums can make a difference

[@davidlafleche1142]

The ideal size for a baseball stadium is about 45,000.

[@michaellicavoli3921]

I was a big fan until I discovered girls!

[@benschwartz6565]

@michaellicavoli3921 Wdym? I enjoy scoring home runs with my girlfriend, if ya know what I mean, haha

[@mamaluigi2064]

Fun fact. Did you know that you can still bring food into Anaheim Stadium

[@adanalyst6925]

Really?! I’m going to Disneyland this summer and I want to watch Shohei and Trout play so bad

[@richiemartinez103]

-Create more of a demand with less seating, you can increase prices also, another way to price fans out, baseball doesn’t want to address low attendance during April with the common sense reaction, stop beginning the season in late March, most teams play in regions where it’s still cold in March and April, so you’re wasting you’re time starting the season on March,26th than bitching about attendance, the season should begin around April,5-April,9th and there should be no night games on Saturday to increase potential attendance, fans would much rather go to a day game on a Saturday than freeze you’re ass off at a night game,all Saturday games before Mid May should begin between 1-4 PM. In the 60’s the Mets wouldn’t play a single night game until Mid May because it made no sense to make fans sit in cold weather and winds off the Flushing Bay making it unbearable. At the end of the day the American financial picture looks increasingly bleak, these premium seating areas won’t reap as much benefit when more families can’t afford the game tickets let alone concessions, than you’ve already shrunk capacity to the stadium so the cheap seats in which you could once score tickets for 7-15 dollars don’t exist at venues which used to seat 50k now you’re stuck in a 33K capacity stadium paying more for seats because the cheap seats have been removed and you’re suffering through April terrible weather in Markets like Pittsburgh and Cleveland which don’t have favorable weather in those months.

[@MM-fe9mz]

Instead of shrinking the stadiums they could lower the ticket and refreshments prices what a concept. Actually make it an affordable father/son activity. Use to go as a kid to a minor league park with my little league team.

[@jpavlvs]

Who wants to pay a hundred bucks to go watch a ballgame? Ticks, parking, food, drinks....

[@szlava3641]

A good example is Oakland Coliseum. They're probably losing a ton of money per game with the rather low attendance at each game

[@JD200_]

That's a whhhholeeee other story

[@antr7493]

Brits have it right with the "stands" at their fields for Football(soccer).

[@Schneltor]

Baseball **used** to be a social event. Now with the pitch clock, you have to be heads-up the entire time lest you lose that head to a batted ball. I think a good plan would be to give away upper deck seats for free. They can then get people in the stadium to spend money on concessions.

[@dogcowrph]

The Oakland Athletics are considering a 26,000 seat ballpark in Howard Terminal. It has increased to 34,000 but the initial plan called for fewer, rather than more seats.

[@adanalyst6925]

That makes sense, with TV being such an easy and convenient option. But stinks for postseason games.

[@swamistevie4711]

T “A’s” are going to Vegas! 😮

[@PCSPounder]

@@swamistevie4711 Are they, though? In the RSN model, Vegas had no earthly chance of competing. If the next model depends a bit on regional coverage, Vegas has no chance at being competitive, while the San Andreas Fault has yet to significantly isolate Oakland from the rest of the Bay Area. The talk in Vegas seems to have been “the A’s like site E (after saying the same about sites A-D), but Vegas won’t say anything about committing funds. The A’s already get that in Oakland.

[@MarloSoBalJr]

​@@PCSPounder Well, Salt Lake City has now joined the conversation

[@karnubawax]

@@PCSPounder Yes. They are.

[@Penfold497]

Baseball is so boring to watch that people willingly pay $12 for a warm cup of beer to dull their senses. A game so onerous to play that they have to put a wall around the field to keep the players from escaping.

[@robantlo227]

The future is more standing room with less seats. Dodger Stadium is 56,000 but even if they reduce capacity by 6,000 to 50,000 they will just add more standing room. Rockies Coors Field is currently 50,000, Yankee Stadium is probably not the same as old Yankee Stadium with at least 57,000. Even if you have a 30,000 capacity like Loan Mart Field in Miami crowds are NOT coming unless it's a team like the Dodger fans

[@stevensuarez4843]

*loan MART field?

[@jetfan925]

*LoanDepot Park

[@davidwesley2525]

The Original Yankee Stadium had a seating capacity of 67,000 .

[@AbrahamG.99]

​@@stevensuarez4843 loan whatever field

[@LockeDemosthenes2]

I've even noticed this is the NBA to a lesser extent. The Jazz for example recently reduced seating capacity by about 1,600 seats and renovated their arena to be more focused on luxury suites and club areas. They also added several standing room only areas to cater to more value seeking fans, but generally only use them in the playoffs or if they're playing a marquee team like the Lakers or Warriors.

[@adamsmith583]

Detroit definitely needs to do something. Last few years I haven't seen more than 7k there at a time.

[@wmw3629]

Maybe because they have been so terrible the last few years!

[@area.man.]

Are they still doing fireworks shows after Friday night games?

[@jmwmotorsporthobbies4498]

Because tickets are too expensive...the parks will keep getting smaller as they aren't drawing the 90's and 2000's attendance.

[@daymoe130]

Seems like the NFL is doing the same thing

[@bandit1blue01079]

I actually hate what they are doing to progressive field. Has priced me out of going to ballgames

[@forgottenplaces9780]

The new rennovations seem so unecessary to me it wasnt that long ago they did the last ones 7-8 years? Just the team using it as a bargaining chip for a lease ext…

[@bandit1blue01079]

Yes and Cleveland is not exactly a rich city. I would have to save a couple months just to attend one game.

[@nixonhoover2]

@@bandit1blue01079 Get a better paying job or work more than one job.

[@flamingfrancis]

The first team you mention in Cleveland once had a stadium with capacity of 78K and there were others 60K+. I visited a number of MLB stadia from Australia over 30 years ago and was told the trend then was to go to around 50K and create a situation of having many more pre and early season sales to get the money rolling. Nothing wrong with this as these teams have very hefty salaries to get organised for the season.

[@YOUNGPADAWON]

As someone who regularly sits in the upper decks I usually spend around 200-300 on concession on cheap seats

[@JZekis]

I think there's a limit to how far sports teams can get by selling premium experiences. It plugs a short term budgetary hole while creating a long term sustainability issue. Baseball has 3 issues killing the sport. 1. Live sports is growing increasingly unaffordable for anybody without an expense account 2. The onfield product has grown incredibly stale through slow play, homogeneous tactics, and increased tanking. 3. The reliance on cable television for broadcast has resulted in siloing off the sport from casual fans. It's going the way of horse racing.

[@forgottenplaces9780]

And now ballys is broke, i wonder why…

[@JZekis]

@@forgottenplaces9780 I think the NFL is showing everybody that if you want your sport to stay relevant in this tv environment you need to make the games easily available to TV viewers.

[@moparman5058]

Good points man. I do agree and it will become the norm. For new ballparks with these social centre areas etc. With that said the prices on jerseys etc. Need to come down. Everythjng is nuts right now and wayyyyy overpriced. Its a huge turn off on sports in general nowadays. Its become too commercial. Days of sponsors on jerseys and segments presented by or even with hockey for example electric sponsorship boards on the rink distracting you. This past mlb off season the players got ridiculous salaries. When will they smarten up? All these bad contracts. That will age terrible and be stuck on the fans for years to come. The owners and players should hit the reset button and scale back on ticket prices and get back to the basics of the game. Otherwise i hope fans smarten up and just stop showing up.

[@forgottenplaces9780]

I guess as long as these tv networks keep paying theyl keep getting the dough, but i feel like thats gotta slow bc less ppl are watching

[@PCSPounder]

@@forgottenplaces9780 Will the decline of RSNs reduce income or change the formula? I’m seeing a little chatter about MLB considering a direct-to-customer streaming platform. They have the technology for it already.

[@johnharris6655]

Which is why with the Raiders moving to Las Vegas, every MLB team plays in a baseball only stadium

[@iplayfhorn]

Could part of it still be the departure from the multipurpose “concrete doughnut” concept that would seat upwards of 60,000, which baseball teams had trouble selling out on a regular basis, because they were built to the standards of the NFL as far as capacity?

[@Bebegamer]

Try a 20 dollar small foundation drink at dodger stadium

[@michaelholdowsky6386]

No thank you. I'm holding out for a beer at Fenway Park once my Home Equity Loan comes through....

[@Bebegamer]

@@michaelholdowsky6386 ouch dude wtf going on at Fenway

[@inconnu4961]

@@Bebegamer High way robbery! and what he didnt mention is home prices START at $600,000 in metro Boston!

[@PaisaSteve]

When the Giants moved from Candlestick to (then) Pac Bell Park they went from a stadium with almost 79k capacity to a smaller stadium with a 40k capacity. I believe that’s even reduced now with the bullpens being relocated to CF. I was at the last game at Candlestick and the first game at Pac Bell Park and yes, it’s louder when you have 75k people but the views were trash in the upper bowl in the outfield and it was literally never sold out except marquee matchups. It makes sense and it’s easier to maintain a smaller park.

[@chriszablocki2460]

They might have killed all the happy people in Oakland. It's not that far fetched.

[@carrie5123]

The Tampa Bay Rays have reduced seating capacity at Tropicana Field by 20,000 over the years and the upper deck has been closed. They have done nothing to improve fan experience. The overall experience is poor. No wonder they rank toward the bottom in attendance each year.

[@bigkahunaburger5185]

The Trop is really not a very nice stadium and I think they would have better attendance if it was in Tampa. Downtown St. Pete is being revitalized though, so I hope some of that excitement will trickle over to the Rays games.

[@cardphins68]

I just don't think the MLB is as relevant as it it was say 30 years ago. I think the NFL is King right now folks, they pretty much own 1 day out of the week in the Fall. You make really awesome points about it now being about a "Social Event" and the "Drink Rails". I mean, have you seen what they charge for Food and Drink? Maybe the idea is that it would be more lucrative to have 5,000 less Seats but entice the other say 30,000 to spend more cash at the Concession Stands? Great Video as always and thanks!

[@adanalyst6925]

NFL has scarcity which works well for them. MLB has a lot of games and I think that causes it to get lost in the noise among video games and higher quality scripted entertainment (Netflix) than we’ve ever had before.

[@RichV20]

The NFL owns every week in the fall. They'll even have a Thursday night stinker game between Jaguars vs Texans have more viewers than an MLB postseason or World Series game. The 94 Strike did kill the league. Up until that point, the NFl was still #1, but MLB was always top sports news alongside NFL. Now its kind of forgotten, even behind NBA.

[@cardphins68]

@@RichV20 The NFL is The King of this country without a doubt and I would have to put the NBA a distant 2nd. I know ⚽ is #1 Globally but I bet the NBA makes a fistful of wampum from around the Globe! Has anybody else noticed recently that NBA franchises are now billions of dollars? And I'm not talking Lakers, Celtics, etc. folks.

[@Embargoman]

Hold on to your butt man, because the MLS will give the NFL the silver medal and the MLS will take the gold, yet is going to be in a similar situation as what will happen to Japan with baseball when Elon Musk moves to Japan. The NFL will not have the number one spot for long to say in Super Bowl 53 vs the MLS Cup Final that showed signs that the NFL is going for number 2. Just to say the NFL will be a top league just as the NFL over took baseball, than means the MLB goes to number 4 and the NFL goes for number 2 and the MLS takes the number 1 spot away from the NFL that means in 10 years the MLS Championship game will be bigger than the Super Bowl, that means that the MLS will give the NFL the silver medal.

[@cardphins68]

MLS = Minor League Soccer! Were you the Child left behind? LOL!

[@SacTownLions0]

I remember in the 90's, the huge attendances for Toronto and Colorado. Huge! 3 and 4 million per year. Even the Oakland A's had 2.8 million in 1989. But, tickets are too expensive. Beers are too expensive. Games are NOW slow and boring. I hate all the pitching changes. Remember when Jack Morris threw 10 innings in the World Series? I hate sabermetrics. I just saw in WAR Scott Roland is a better player than Tony Gwynn. That's BS!! Ripken, Kirby Puckett, Gwynn used to all play for the same team. Who am I supposed to root for if I'm a Pirates or A's fan??

[@joshuabidgood2915]

I think all sporting events are turning into this. The cowboys stadium is like this. There are seats where you can't even see the field but you get to say you drank a beer at the game.

[@adanalyst6925]

The rise of “HD” in the past 12 years has directly correlated to deflated stadium attendance

[@matthewmspace]

Baseball is definitely a social event for our family. We go with friends we haven't seen in awhile or we go on a night where there's something interesting after, like a fireworks or drone show. My dad and brother are bigger baseball fans than I am, but we still only go to maybe 10 games a year. Especially since work keeps us all busy. In the summers when my brother and I were kids, dad would occasionally take off from work to take us to a day game during the week. Now we only go to either event games or when the visiting team is one we care about.

[@davidnelson1134]

Baseball and other sports are going rule them self out Ove exaton

[@jasonfire3434]

Baseball isn’t #1 anymore, heck it isn’t even #2 (the NBA is bigger). Combined with the fact there are just too many games, I don’t think most teams can justify having more than say 35K seats (and even that might be too many).

[@adanalyst6925]

The NBA thing isn’t doing amazing tho, the WS and NBA finals are about tied in ratings and they also have been shrinking their stadiums. I think with TV it just doesn’t make sense to have bad seats anymore. Though with my generation (18-35), NBA is definitely more popular.

[@RichV20]

@@adanalyst6925 NBA hasn't had a fall from grace like MLB has, which was #1 and the national pasttime. NBA was a struggling league until the 80s, and since then it's been gravy. NBA has dozens of stars that non-NBA fans know. MLB really doesn't have any household name stars outside the game. NFL and NBA is all the talk from under-40 at work or friends. Only people I hear talking about baseball are my 50-60 something coworkers and my 80 y/o dad.

[@adanalyst6925]

@@RichV20 yeah the 94 strike killed baseball as a national sport. NBA who knows. They could be a Lebron and Steph retirement away retirement away from a decline, not to mention the rest controversy or political stuff.

[@Embargoman]

I think is going to number soon as the MLS grows, then ballparks are going to be smaller than ever to reach the Guiness World Record of the smallest baseball park.

[@harrymaciolek9629]

They could try lowering ticket prices and make attendance a regular thing instead of a special occasion. Then people could afford to take their kids and the kids could develop a live of baseball.

[@TheMrSuge]

Baseball is already the cheapest of the major sports to attend in person.

[@PCSPounder]

There’s a theory I’ve heard, really at a minor league level, but I’m darn sure a version of this applies at the major league level. (1) TV/media contracts pay player salaries BEFORE ONE SEAT IS SOLD. Full stop. We’ll see if this holds if the regional sports networks go away (Sinclair/Bally is declaring bankruptcy). (2) High end season tickets are the next priority; the ticket sales staff give them the most personal service. These people pay for all sorts of value-added stuff. (3) If the brokers are buying season tickets, that’s also money in the bank. I bought a Mariners ticket for a Saturday July game last year, the place was 15% full, BUT only half the seats were available for sale through the Mariners. Announced attendance was half of T-Mobile Park. Online brokers can make all their money back on 1-6 nights where there’s real demand. (4) Then, especially with baseball, the clubs prefer a lot more people visit once a year, rather than have regular customers. The regulars know what they’re not buying every night. The once-a-year folks are the ones buying souvenirs, extra food and drink, really making a night of it. So it is quite possible that they don’t want to appeal to cheap-minded regular customers.

[@C-mac_in_the_6ix]

You knocked out of the park with this! 😜😜I think there will be a couple of markets like LA and NY that won't shrink, but the rest will.

[@nixonhoover2]

My penis shrinks after it gets wet.

[@barryhogue571]

Maybe people don't have the spare money that they used to. Try some bargain nights to see if it's a money issue.

[@inconnu4961]

We are in an UNANNOUNCED recession. Of course there are money issues! If we didnt have a democrat in the white House, the Recession would have been announced 3 yrs ago! LOL

[@VictorRodriguez-qn1kz]

Laughs in Citi field lol

[@wildlandcam]

Liking this video because you’re a Clevelander. Cheers

[@JeffRiyasat]

Baseball is dying in many markets

[@stevemcc1842]

It would be great if stadiums had a little bigger seats and more room between rows.

[@PCSPounder]

Some of the newer venues do that. Some don’t. The main crooked (cough, ahem) ticket selling service would be wise to differentiate between what are stadium seats, what are barstools, beer rails, etc., and in some places they do, and some they don’t. Baseball venues seem to do better in this regard than others.

[@theawesomer8587]

Less seats = less traffic when leaving the game.

[@kokobwild2413]

People can't afford it.

[@TheMrSuge]

The "trend" has been going on for quite awhile. ALL sports are seeing that the gate is not that important, and are shrinking their stadium capacities. In CLE, recent renovations to both First Energy Stadium (Browns) and Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse (Cavaliers) reduced capacity to to both. Not sure its fair or accurate to claim that this is just a "baseball thing".

[@Marylandbrony]

Cleveland is also a relatively shrinking city but even SoFI in Los Angeles and the Rangers new stadium is very modest in their capacity.

[@adanalyst6925]

It’s related to the rise of HD sports broadcasting. Teams realize there’s no point in having nosebleed seats anymore. Lots of the new NBA stadiums are like this, not a bad seat in the house. But boy are the seats expensive 😂

[@MercenaryTX]

Rangers stadium is more stacked so upper balcony is directly above lower seats. This means upper deck still has good views.

[@yell0wberry]

You should’ve spoke about all those empty seats behind home plate during games at Yankee Stadium, the Steinbrenner‘s will not lower the price of those seats, they are 5K and higher. you should have also spoke about when the Tampa Bay rays are in the playoffs and they can’t even sell out the stadium, when they were in the World Series, I’m almost certain that 2/3 of the crowd weren’t even fans of Tampa Bay. if it were size, manageable, MLB games should be held inside of NBA arenas., lol

[@OceanSoul1969]

They play so many games, I just can’t care

[@popmusic244]

Depending on the contract, the company that operates the concession stands at stadiums or arenas gets anywhere from 20% to 33% of all concession revenue. Typical concession companies get 25% off of concession revenue.

[@stevenvitte]

MLB is delusional and refuses to admit that they themselves are to blame for the dramatic reduction in attendance across the board. Prices for pretty much everything at the ballpark are unaffordable for the average fan, and yet MLB expects them to keep shelling out money? Baseball as a game itself has lost its credibility and most of its original purpose. It's too slow in pace and doesn't do enough to keep fans interested. Collectively, we really just need to realize and accept the fact that MLB is going to sink like the Titanic one day, that the greedy and narcissistic team owners would rather fall on their own swords with the help of gambling and corporate sponsorships and never care about what real baseball fans think or want. Reducing seating capacity and introducing social spaces will only be a temporary cosmetic fix and does absolutely NOTHING to address the core issues baseball faces.

[@antin8093]

Baseball is a sport of a bygone era. No matter what changes they make it will never bring the crowds back. Too many alternative entertainment options now. Spending lazy summer days or warm evenings at the ball park is a cultural pastime that is dying with the babyboomers. Even the more popular NFL and NBA are losing fans to other forms of entertainment. But unlike baseball, those are not falling off a cliff

[@ClassicJukeboxBand]

These stadiums need bigger seats for fatter people...

[@michaeldelgado5212]

Makes no sense to take away seats. Need to add seats

[@KazeShikamaru]

It is different. I hope they don't change Wrigley.