The All Star game used to be played just for fun, but that has recently changed. On the surface, the All Star game is significant because it decides who gets home field advantage in the World Series. On a deeper level, fans just enjoy seeing the best of the best play in a game between the leagues.
However, the All Star game and the things that go along with it have been receiving a lot of heat due to pricing. The ticket costs a lot of money and it isn’t appealing to the average fan anymore, it is appealing to the celebrities and to those Americans who have a lot of money. Sure everyone would like to go the All Star game, but only a select few have the money to go to one. You have to factor in gas, refreshments, ticket pricing, parking, etc.
There are so many advertising promotions and TV revenue, that one would have to wonder why are tickets so high, there is already so much money to be made. I mean ESPN makes so much money just from hosting the Home Run Derby. FOX makes a lot of money just from hosting the All Star game. The ballpark itself makes a lot of money from hosting all of the festivities. When everything is said and done, there is a pretty penny to be made.
You know I love the All Star game and everything with it, and I would love to go there especially today since it’s at Yankee Stadium. However, I don’t have the money to be able to go to it. After all, isn’t the All Star game supposed to be totally for the fans? It doesn’t seem that way anymore. To me, it seems like the All Star game is a time where tons of money could be made, and that’s exactly what’s happening. There is so much history with the All Star game and Yankee stadium, and it’s a shame all the loyal baseball fans can’t enjoy the game because of costs.
I feel that, yes, people care about the All Star game, but it’s not as important as it used to be. Many people, I agree with them, feel that it’s just a marketing and advertising event now, no one cares for the fans. Another thing, baseball ticket prices in general are just so high that it’s hard for many people to go to games anymore, let alone the All Star game. Even playoff tickets are just so expensive.
My goal for baseball is for ticket prices to be slashed down, and make everything more fan friendly. Yes, new baseball parks are nice, but I would be just as happy with cheaper pricing, and the All Star game to be played for the fans without all this advertising going on.
So that’s just my feelings about everything, feel free to comment about what you think regarding the All Star game.
Completely Agree
I had been asking my dad since last year to get us tickets to the All Star Game, because I do want to see Yankee Stadium before it gets torn down, but it’s just to expensive and the tickets aren’t available to the public.
Everything is about advertisement and making money.
The State Farm Home Run Derby, what a joke.
Well here’s the matter of fact. I agree with you that prices are no longer tolerable, but it is part of the plan for the people who host the events. It is not about the event itself, but more about tourism and the money it brings in for the CITY, not as much for the team/league that is hosting the event. While I disagree with the rule of home-field advantage, I do believe it adds an extra edge to the game that had never been experienced prior. You say the All-Star Game has turned into all advertisements, but the same can be said about all networks and sports as well. Is the Home Run Derby necessary? Absolutely not. But they are doing exactly what you said they weren’t doing, being fan friendly. While the prices are extremely high, they are attempting to provide the best possible fan experience. As someone who went to FanFest this year, I think Major League Baseball has done a fantastic job overall. Not a bad article though.
totally agree. tickets are too much money in general anyway. bleacher tickets are 8 dollars and there you can’t even have alcohol (not that i care) but its ridiculous. i understand that the really good seats need to be more money than the crappy ones, and i’m ok with that. but upper deck seats are still like 30 dollars, which is way to much. and btw the new “yankee stadium” is gonna have less seating than the real yankee stadium, so ticket prices are gonna be even more money. sorry i went kinda off topic. but yeah, all star tickets are too much money, the whole thing is for the fans, so tickets should be affordable. and they shouldn’t let red sox fans in the stadium : )
Yes but they should make tickets more widely available. There will be no true fans at the All Star Game.
It is an invention of corporate America, and the people there have no interest in being there except to be at the All Star Game.
True fans are being bought out by rich people everywhere.
If you don’t have connections, or a fat wallet, you have no chance of attending the All Star Game, or any of its festivities besides FanFest.
FanFest is designed to please the fans, but I would much rather have the opportunity to go to the All Star Game.
To Pam: It’s mainly Yankee Stadium they don’t sell alcohol in the bleachers, mostly because of the Bleacher Creatures lol.
To Alex: While the intention of the festivities is to provide a better fan experience, the fact is they don’t care what type of fan it is. From a moral standpoint, we can all say the true fans are being cheated out of this. But the main point of this game is to attract other markets, not just the local one where the real fans already exist. It is true that they are also doing it for coporate pleasure, but they will do it in anyway possible to make it seem like they are helping the true fans while they are in reality not.
omg i totally agree with alex! all the good seats are owned by companies and at most games the seats are empty anyway. in my opinion there shouldn’t be assigned seats. every ticket should be like 15 dollars, first come-first serve. if you get to the game at 1 o’clock then you can sit right next to the dugout. if you show up to the game late, screw you you’re in the upper deck. there should be special needs seats for handicapped and stuff and maybe a reserved section for like the mayor or w/e but i think things would be soooo much better if everything was the same price.
once again i know i’m going off topic, i’m supposed to be talking about the all star game but w/e. i’m tired of telling natesh all of my insane seating arrangement ideas.
Socialistic seating…interesting.
“It is not about the event itself, but more about tourism and the money it brings in for the CITY”
I think the city shouldn’t rely on the All Star game as a source of tourism and revenue. I think last year or so a concert called Ozzfest which includes many popular bands had a free concert last year. I’m not saying the All Star game should sell free tickets, but it definitely should be priced equally as other normal game tickets.
I mean advertising has gotten so far out of hand, the home run derby is now called the State Farm Home Run Derby, I mean please, keep it just as the home run derby. Next thing you know its going to be like the Coca Cola All Star game.
I don’t even think the home run derby is totally for the fans, there’s still a lot of advertising going on and they are still doing it not for the fans but to keep with tradition.
While watching the derby i felt like it’s purpose was a social event for the players. In between Hamilton’s swings his little buddies would pester him. Ok that’s nice, he has friends, can we get back to the game? That just annoyed me
I don’t particularly care what baseball’s job is, I care that true fans are getting bought out by people who want to say “I was there.” On ESPN they always show those 2 20-year-old girls who are texting their friends telling them to watch the game so they can be seen on TV. They have either money or connections and don’t care about the game.
That annoys me. ALOT
Yeah i get what you’re saying. it’s annoying, but we can’t really stop it. Rich people will always have more power, so the solution is to do well in school and get a good job, or start buying lottery tickets. : )