Author Topic: Nats ticket prices for a sub-standard product  (Read 4917 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline HalfSmokes

  • Posts: 21603
If the Lerners hadn't had a high payroll for a decade, the constant griping about how the Nats are now a small market team would hold some water.  Guys, Kansas City, Pittsburgh, Cincy and a few others a small market teams because they don't have a massive population pool - a literal small market of eyeballs to watch games in person or on TV.

That isn't the DC market.  At all.  Is the payroll currently small?  Yeah, but it isn't a permanent position caused by being in a small market.

Wasn't the payroll like the 8th highest just a season and a half ago?

I'm trying to think of the last large market team to voluntarily bottom out this low and then immediately bounce back. The teams that I can think of who bottomed out stayed there for a while

Offline JCA-CrystalCity

  • Global Moderator
  • ****
  • Posts: 39371
  • Platoon - not just a movie, a baseball obsession
I'm trying to think of the last large market team to voluntarily bottom out this low and then immediately bounce back. The teams that I can think of who bottomed out stayed there for a while
Cubs and Houston.  Cubs and Houston will always be mentioned any time there's a discussion of tanking, regardless of their unique situations. But I suppose only the Cubs tanked, won, and tanked again out of big market teams.

Actually, I find the Nats approach most interesting to contrast to the 2018 world champs.  They have kept spending up in the post-Mookie, lame Sale era.  Decided to pay for Devers rather than deal either him or Xander for a reboot.  They did manage to make a good run in 2021 by hanging on and adding.  They did not bottom as hard as we did, but they are getting high draft picks due to bad finishes. They are closer to .500 with J. Turner and the new LF from Japan.  It will be interesting to see whether their patch and spend approach allows them to rebuild without being as unwatchable and pathetic as the Nats will be.

Offline imref

  • Posts: 42504
  • Re-contending in 202...5?
I'm trying to think of the last large market team to voluntarily bottom out this low and then immediately bounce back. The teams that I can think of who bottomed out stayed there for a while

The Cubs had 4 awful seasons before their early 2010's run. The Royals went from awful in 2011 to playoff contenders in 2013.

Offline JCA-CrystalCity

  • Global Moderator
  • ****
  • Posts: 39371
  • Platoon - not just a movie, a baseball obsession
The Cubs had 4 awful seasons before their early 2010's run. The Royals went from awful in 2011 to playoff contenders in 2013.
I think HS's point is tanking after winning. Cubs are maybe a few years ahead of the Nats on this. 

Offline Natsinpwc

  • Posts: 25666
Phillies bottomed out in 2013-17. 66 wins in 2017. World Series in 2022. They have a few home grown players but mostly by signing free agents and trades (Segura and Realmuto who then signed as a free agent).

I think the Royals show you can get to the top with home grown talent but need to spend to stay there.

Offline Smithian

  • Posts: 11497
  • Sunshine Squad 2022
As pointed out, I think they know they’re at an attendance floor. That’s why concession and ticket prices are some of the highest in baseball, even before you count for team success.

They’re just gouging baseball diehards and corporate clients.

Online IanRubbish

  • Posts: 549
Deferring close to $200 million of the Stras, Max, and Corbin contracts was also a buy now pay later approach you don’t see other large market teams doing.  Crazy that the ‘25 Nats will pay those three close to $50 million combined to not pitch or to pitch against the team.

My other issue with Lerner cheapness is coaches:  Kevin Long wouldn’t allow a team to be this impatient but he got a little too pricey for them  though he was well worth every dollar.  Not to mention underfunding minor league development and analytics.  Large market teams have down years but they don’t tank like the Lerners have. 

Offline HondoKillebrew

  • Posts: 828
Deferring close to $200 million of the Stras, Max, and Corbin contracts was also a buy now pay later approach you don’t see other large market teams doing.  Crazy that the ‘25 Nats will pay those three close to $50 million combined to not pitch or to pitch against the team.

My other issue with Lerner cheapness is coaches:  Kevin Long wouldn’t allow a team to be this impatient but he got a little too pricey for them  though he was well worth every dollar.  Not to mention underfunding minor league development and analytics.  Large market teams have down years but they don’t tank like the Lerners have.

Why did they not make a push to retain Mike Maddux?

Online IanRubbish

  • Posts: 549
Why did they not make a push to retain Mike Maddux?

Was the same time they refused to pay Dusty after they won 97 games.   When Davey was hired in 2018, he was one of just a few managers making under $1 million. 



Offline Smithian

  • Posts: 11497
  • Sunshine Squad 2022
Position coaches are overrated. They exist to be fired when things get bad. Steve McCatty looked like a gift from Heaven for a few years and now he is in Low A somewhere.

Offline CowherPower

  • Posts: 255
Getting back to the over-priced/sub-standard subject, I'm really OK with the Nats doing a full rebuild at this time.  It makes sense since the Phillies and Mets are going bonkers on their salaries to win now and the Nats have the burden of the Strasburg and Corbin contracts, not to mention still getting virtually nothing out of the MASN debacle.  Might as well pump the brakes for a few years while we reload and plan our attack once those teams reach their luxury tax hell.  But my biggest problem with all of this is that they have the nerve to charge up to 20% more for tickets now (and lower perks to plan holders) compared to what we had during the 2019 World Series season.  It just makes no sense, and it has driven me out after 18 years as a full-plan holder.  Just sad.

Online IanRubbish

  • Posts: 549
But my biggest problem with all of this is that they have the nerve to charge up to 20% more for tickets now

The think fans are commercial real estate tenants, where leases typically come with 3% annual increases regardless of market conditions.  The Lerners have never run a business that requires ongoing, active marketing and it shows.

Offline imref

  • Posts: 42504
  • Re-contending in 202...5?
I saw on Talknats that the team is offering a season standing-room only pass for $405, with a 10% concessions and merchandise credit all season long.

That's not a bad deal considering SRO tickets for opening day are going for around $60 now.

https://www.mlb.com/nationals/tickets/season-tickets/plan-options/ballpark-access

Offline CowherPower

  • Posts: 255
I saw on Talknats that the team is offering a season standing-room only pass for $405, with a 10% concessions and merchandise credit all season long.

That's not a bad deal considering SRO tickets for opening day are going for around $60 now.

https://www.mlb.com/nationals/tickets/season-tickets/plan-options/ballpark-access

If I still worked downtown I would be all over that.  It's the only thing that I've seen the Nats ticket office do recently that makes sense.  Given my expectations on the attendance figures this year, you could get into the ballpark for $5 and then basically sit almost anywhere you want.  And the 10% discount on concessions is a nice perk as well.  Too bad I live 25 miles from the stadium or else I'd consider it.

Offline catocony

  • Posts: 739
Do ushers in the 400 level ever look at tix?  Are there ushers in the 400 level?

Offline PowerBoater69

  • Posts: 14264
    • Twitter
Do ushers in the 400 level ever look at tix?  Are there ushers in the 400 level?

Often ushers in the upper levels pay more attention than ushers in the lower levels. Which can be really annoying in a mostly empty ballpark when you want to stop by and visit friends just to end up getting harassed.

Online IanRubbish

  • Posts: 549
Often ushers in the upper levels pay more attention than ushers in the lower levels. Which can be really annoying in a mostly empty ballpark when you want to stop by and visit friends just to end up getting harassed.

This SRO plan could also make them enforce this more.

Offline HalfSmokes

  • Posts: 21603
This SRO plan could also make them enforce this more.

I doubt it. Chasing people away costs them concessions revenue

Offline Natsinpwc

  • Posts: 25666
If the stadium is as empty as we expect and especially early in the year can they really afford so many ushers in those upper levels?

Offline bluestreak

  • Global Moderator
  • ****
  • Posts: 11259

Offline PowerBoater69

  • Posts: 14264
    • Twitter
This SRO plan could also make them enforce this more.

That's not new this year and they've always had super cheap gameday seats.

Offline Natsinpwc

  • Posts: 25666
(Image removed from quote.)
Is that Costco?  They did that in a Cincinnati a few years ago.  Sweet deal. They also do in Orlando for the Magic.

Offline bluestreak

  • Global Moderator
  • ****
  • Posts: 11259
Is that Costco?  They did that in a Cincinnati a few years ago.  Sweet deal. They also do in Orlando for the Magic.

It is indeed Costco

Offline Natsinpwc

  • Posts: 25666
It is indeed Costco
Heading up this week.  Might have to buy one of those for a summer trip to Nats Park.