MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred has raised eyebrows with his latest comments about the high cost of attending Los Angeles Dodgers games.
When asked about affordability concerns, Manfred suggested that if Dodgers fans can’t manage the steep prices, they should consider switching allegiances to the Los Angeles Angels.
“One of the leaders in terms of thinking about affordability has been the other Los Angeles team,” Manfred told the Los Angeles Times’ Bill Shaikin.
This suggestion overlooks a significant practical challenge: the Angels play in Anaheim, approximately an hour’s drive from Dodger Stadium.
The financial difference between the two ballparks is substantial. According to Bookies.com, a family of four will spend an average of $399.68 for tickets, refreshments, and parking at a Dodgers game, compared to just $161.26 for an Angels game.
Despite these figures, Manfred dismissed concerns about baseball’s overall affordability. He pointed to MLB’s ticket sales of 71 million last year and increasing attendance since the pandemic as evidence.
“If we had an affordability problem, I think you would see it in terms of those numbers,” Manfred explained to the LA Times. “Those numbers tell you the opposite.”
He further emphasized the price spectrum available: “If you want to sit next to Mary Hart, it’s expensive. I think it’s really important to think about that from an access perspective.”
Currently, the cheapest tickets for Dodgers games range between $38 and $156, according to the LA Times.