Ohio sports teams costs fall below national prices, ranking mostly affordable
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Ohio sports teams costs fall below national prices
Cleveland and Cincinnati teams aim to keep costs affordable for their fans. For a family of four to attend games, all three Cleveland teams rank at or below league average for prices. The Cincinnati Reds pride themselves on having some of the lowest ticket prices in the MLB. Season ticket deposits start at $28 for the inaugural season of the WNBA in Cleveland. in the NFL, MLB and MLS, there are nine professional sports teams in Ohio. The Bengals do not have a team in the MLS, but will have a Super Bowl team in 2021. The Cleveland Cavaliers are the 10th least expensive NBA team, and the Browns rank right in the middle of the NFL. The Browns will move to a new domed stadium in Brook Park in 2028. The Reds have 3-2-1 Tuesdays, which includes $1 beers, $2 hot dogs and $1 ice cream cups for the youngest fans. They also have a concession stand with priority access for each game, so fans can get the most for their money.
When it comes to sporting events, the Cleveland and Cincinnati teams aim to keep prices affordable for their fans.
What You Need To Know Ohio has nine professional sports teams across six sports
The Cleveland and Cincinnati teams aim to keep costs affordable for their fans
While most teams fall below national costs, the Cincinnati Bengals do not following their Super Bowl run in 2021
“Cleveland is a great sports town,” Cleveland State University’s Sport and Entertainment Management program director Jim Kahler said. “If you look at the number of professional teams we have, and our market size, we’re lucky to have what we have.”
In Cleveland alone, fans can cheer for the Cleveland Browns, Cleveland Guardians and Cleveland Cavaliers.
According to the Team Marketing Report’s FanCostIndex, for a family of four to attend games, which includes tickets, drinks, parking and hot dogs, all three Cleveland teams rank at or below league average for prices. The Guardians rank as the ninth most affordable team in the MLB, the Cavaliers are the 10th least expensive NBA team, and the Browns rank right in the middle of the NFL, coming in at 16th.
“If you look at the prices in Cleveland, I think they’re priced accordingly,” said Kahler. “I think the teams are trying to deliver a better experience with fan engagement and do everything they can because tickets are going to go up at an inflationary blip.”
Kahler said tickets to Cleveland Browns games will increase if they move to the new domed stadium in Brook Park.
“It’s the money the ownership group is taking out of their pockets to try and recoup those expenses, and it’s the increase in salaries that keep going up,” he said. “To remain competitive, you’re going to have to try and bring in as much local revenue as you can, and in the NFL, local revenue equals ticket sales.”
Cleveland fans can get the most bang for their buck at Progressive Field.
“We want that extra value to drive people to come and support the team,” said Guardians VP of communications and community engagement Curtis Danburg.
Danburg said ticket deals like the Ballpark Pass are positively affecting attendance.
“For $54 you can come in and you’re standing room for every game in a month. We sell out every month,” he said.
Danburg said the team tries hard to find the balance of creating revenue through ticket sales and not pricing out loyal fans.
“It’s about striking that balance,” said Danburg. “The biggest thing we’re always thinking about is the fans. Every decision we make it’s about the fan and keeping the fan in mind.”
Kahler said that keeping season ticket holders also plays a significant role in pricing sporting events.
“The name of the game is retention,” said Kahler. “We’ve got an abundance of product. We’re fortunate to be a great sports city.”
In the end, Kahler said he hopes fans in Cleveland continue to enjoy supporting all the teams in the city.
Cleveland will get a fourth professional team in 2028 as the WNBA returns to the city. Season ticket deposits start at $28 for the inaugural season.
Heading down I-71 to Cincinnati, there’s no shortage of professional teams to root for from FC Cincinnati, the Cincinnati Bengals and the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ballpark, where they pride themselves on having some of the lowest ticket prices in the MLB.
The Reds attempt to keep things affordable for fans.
“We want our fans to feel like the ballpark is accessible to them,” said Kristen Meyers, the VP of Marketing and Communications for the Reds.
Deals like 3-2-1 Tuesdays have become a staple the last four seasons, which includes $3 beers, $2 hot dogs and $1 ice cream cups. The Reds Heads and Reds Rookies fan clubs give the youngest fans access to swag and tickets.
An all-you-can eat concession stand also helps keep feeding the whole family affordable. Not to mention, getting through the door isn’t so bad either.
“The Reds rank year over year towards the top of the list for affordability across all MLB teams, something we’re really proud of,” Meyers said.
Meyers said it’s a priority each year, and for most games, fans can get in with tickets as low as $15.
“It’s one of our goals to give fans a lot of value, not only with the baseball game but also some other added experiences as well,” Meyers said. “So we have giveaways for fans every Saturday. We have fireworks on Fridays, and additionally we have a couple of really fun post-game concerts that are included with the price of your ticket coming up.”
While it’s inexpensive to get in at the ballpark, not so much down the way at Paycor Stadium.
Since the Bengals’ Super Bowl run in 2021, ticket prices for games have risen, making it difficult to get in for even less than $150.