WBC v. Spring Training

by craig on Jan 17, 2006 7:16 AM EST in News and Rumors

Since the rosters came out for many of the teams who will be (maybe) participating in the World Baseball Classic and given that one will have the choice this year to attend Spring Training or the WBC. It was time to do a little more research on the event.

First of all, what is the WBC suppose to accomplish? According the MLB's Official website it is:

The World Baseball Classic was created to provide a platform that will increase worldwide exposure of the game of baseball and further promote grassroots development in traditional and non-traditional baseball nations.

Fantastic, people around the baseball playing world will be able to cheer their fellow countrymen on and baseball will be able to reach out to the rank and file, or as they put it, grassroots, to showcase the sport.

So what will a ticket cost for the grassroots fans to see a game? If they are going to view it in Puerto Rico they will have to shell out:

Seat Type    Strip Pricing
Pricing (includes both Round 1 & Round 2)
Infield Box (Blue)    $1,146.00
Palco A    $966.00
Palco B $696.00
Preferencia A $516.00
Preferencia B    $456.00
Entrada General (12-17)    $318.00
Bleachers    $138.00

Yes, that is in US dollars. I'm guessing and it's just a guess, that maybe a little more than average grassroots fan is going to be willing to pay.

But that is in Puerto Rico, what about closer to home, in say, Orlando:

Seat Type    Strip Pricing
Lower Deck    $150.00
Upper Deck    $126.00
Bleachers    $126.00
General Admission Lawn    $84.00

I don't know about you, but that is a bit more than I am willing to spend to see Alois get lit up like a pinball machine.

Spring training is looking better all the time.

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If I could ask Bud one thing...

I'd ask "why don't we just crown a World Series champ right at the end of spring training?" I know that we don't because the games don't mean anything - the teams aren't even trying to win. But this WBC thing, as much as I want to like the idea, is glorified spring training. With pitch counts for pitchers and position players coming out after a few innings, it's not real baseball.

The prices are a joke. Although I'll admit that I was surprised when I saw spring training prices listed in the paper over the weekend. At most parks, box seats are more than $20 - and in many places they're $25. Now I'll sound old, but I remember (back in the mid to late 80s, before spring training got huge) when we had box seats (second row, right behind home plate) for $2.50 each.

by mike42 on Jan 17, 2006 8:34 AM EST reply actions