Are the Los Angeles Dodgers pricing out the fans?

With the 2018 MLB season looming in the shadows, the Los Angeles Dodgers released ticket prices. Yet again, they are pricier than before.

Despite losing the 2017 World Series in a heartbreaking game seven, the Los Angeles Dodgers rewarded their fans with many great memories and moments. With the emergence of young stars Cody Bellinger and Corey Seager, coupled with veterans Justin Turner and Clayton Kershaw, the Dodgers are poised to contend for many years.

The fans have rewarded the Dodgers as well, fans have packed Dodger Stadium yearly at an average of over 3.7 million a year going back to 2013. Not surprising that the Dodgers have lead the National League in attendance ever year since then.

How have the Dodgers rewarded their fans loyalty, by gouging the crap out them when it comes to ticket prices.

When season ticket holders were asked to renew their tickets many were surprised by the increase in price for their tickets.

This was from a story that Los Angeles Times sports reporter Bill Shaikin wrote in December:

"“The bills arrived late last week, with price increases above 20% in certain sections in the loge, reserve, top deck and pavilion and above 30% in other sections, according to two dozen fans who provided information to The Times.”"

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Price increases like this mean seats that cost $30 dollars last year were now between $36-$39 dollars at 81 home games in a season the price of your tickets went up from approximately $2,400 to $3100. For some a $700 dollar increase might not be a big deal, but few fans just own one ticket, that means multiple tickets increases the price even more.

Throw in parking and concessions for a family of four and those season ticket prices look even steeper when trying to visit the stadium. What justifies a team that is valued at $2.75 billion in 2017 (an increase of 10% since 2016) hurting their most loyal customers like that.

This is after losing the World Series too, imagine if the Dodgers had won the World Series who know how high tickets would have been then.

If the Los Angeles Dodgers are asking this much of their season ticket holders, I was given an indication of what they are asking of their fans who aren’t willing to make season commitments. When Guggenheim Baseball Management took control as owners of the team in 2012, they created a new system for ticket sales.

Individual tickets for all 81 home games are based on tier system primary must-see games like Opening Day are five-star tickets and random August games might be one-star games.

In a mailed flyer the Dodgers boast at having tickets as low as $10 dollars in the top deck, while that is relatively cheap there are only seven games at that price in that section. Whereas they have 52 games in the same section where the prices range from $25-$35 dollars. For those who know the top deck of Dodger Stadium, watching a game from there qualifies you to be part of the NASA space program.

That is just your cheapest ticket if you want decent sight lines or to feel like you’re watching the game in the same county as other fans then be prepared to cough up hundreds of dollars.

Next: A cinematic take on the Dodgers' 2017 season

Bottom line, Los Angeles Dodgers fans are some of the most loyal fanbases in all of sports. By pricing out the average fan they run the risk of alienating a large contingent of those fans. Doing this will mean fair weathered moneyed fans will dull the atmosphere at Dodger Stadium.