Professional sports are becoming more unaffordable for just
about everyone but a privileged few.
These days, the average American can’t even afford the parking fees for
most pro teams. This leads to a very
unusual option many simply don’t think about, minor league teams.
While there are not many appealing options for minor league
football (high school and small college football are considered the preferred
option for budget-minded fans), minor league baseball, basketball and hockey
provide highly affordable and entertaining options for the cash-strapped fan
who is looking for a fun night out with maximum bang for the buck. Here are a few examples of why minor league
sports are often the more attractive option:
Free Parking: Many
teams offer free parking as an amenity and, for those which don’t, fees are
typically quite low. Season ticket
packages often offer preferred parking closer to the stadium or arena and, in
many cases, local businesses provide free parking for tailgating fans who
purchase food and drink from their establishments.
Lower Ticket Prices:
on average, a minor league team will cost approximately 40 percent less
than the top-tier pro teams. Many teams
off “Dollar Nights” in which general admission tickets are dirt cheap, and
concessions are also usually reasonably prices for stadium food. Savings tip:
look at group ticket packages if you have over six people – many teams
offer food and beverage vouchers as part of the price.
Faster paced games:
minor leagues usually have quicker games for a simple reason – little to
no television coverage. Certain teams do
have “television timeouts,” but most teams only broadcast on the web or via
radio. For this reason, the need for
constant commercial stoppage for advertisers is lessened.
Family friendly: most
minor league teams have a family-friendly atmosphere, meaning that security is
geared towards created an atmosphere (mostly) free of poor behavior by both
fans and players. In many cases, kids
are encouraged to stay after the game to meet with their favorite players, and
can even play on the court, field or ice with players who come out for meet and
greets.
Player attitudes are better:
Many minor league players are very grateful just to be getting paid to
play a game they loved as children. For
this reason, most players are willing to stay after the game to play with the
kids and interact with fans.
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