Pricey Game or Home Entertainment? Essay -- Sports, Venues, Base Ball

Throughout the United States sports has taken the consumer captive, by providing them with entertainment and pleasure. Sporting venues continues to rob their loyal fans by boosting the prices of tickets, merchandise, food, and beverages. Recently over the summer, I went to see a baseball game being held at Dodgers Stadium and was horrified at the prices that I saw. My ticket alone was $40, at this price that put me just below the nosebleed section of the stadium. During the game I went to one of the vendors and was flabbergasted to see the price for a hot dog was $6.50 dollars, a drink was $3.75 and a side of fries for $4.25. Once I made my purchase I stood back and found myself feeling as if I had been cheated. The Dodgers made over $240 million in revenue in 2010, why would they want to raise the prices of the franchise? Dodger stadium can hold over fifty thousand people, but they are continuing to rob fans with these head scratching prices. With these increasing prices more and mo re people have begun to stay at their dwellings to enjoy the game on their HD TV. Most people would choose to stay home near their refrigerator and watch the next game seeing as they have a great view, comfortable seats, and free food. These prices are not only seen in baseball but also in other professional sport institutions. With the staggering decrease of the current economy, sports franchises need to realize the value of a dollar to its loyal fans, and the practicality to the average family looking for entertainment. Today the average cost of a baseball ticket is $19.85; compared to back in the 1950’s being that the average ticket price was $1.54. This price fluctuation is due to the demand of the sport as well as, â€Å"[media] focus, player salary ... ...g events, the impoverished and lower class will be left out of the running. With the lowering of the economic stand point the all American traditions are failing to keep up with these desperate times. In my opinion all sporting events have become commercial and media oriented, rather than just going to a game to have fun and to bond. In the past families would go every Sunday to a game because it was affordable, but at this day in time they cannot even attend one game. It makes one wonder what the future of the sporting world beholds for the future generations. Will sporting events become underground or will they slowly disappear? Will the world stop revolving around the constant money symbol? Being such an avid sports fan, as I am, I perceive the future of sports becoming business or corporate orientated rather than the all American pass time it was meant to be.