The Australian baseball community is buzzing. For the first time ever, the big league is coming to our doorstep.
The Los Angeles Dodgers and the Arizona Diamondbacks will open the 2014 Major League Baseball season with two games on the hallowed turf of the Sydney Cricket Ground in March.
It’s the first time an MLB match will be staged in Australia and only the sixth time one has been taken outside of the United States.
Suffice to say, this is a pretty amazing coup. Having an MLB game in this country has long been a dream of the small but hardy Australian baseball clique that has stuck with the sport through decades of near-anonymity.
That this dream will finally come true should give the game a much-needed leg up. No doubt the chief purpose for the MLB’s bold gambit down under must be converting the uninitiated.
Trouble is, the obstacles are already starting to present themselves.
The attendance figures from the two games – on March 22 and 23 – will tell the true story, but if the social media reaction yesterday to the release of ticket prices is any indication, the coup has backfired.
The cheapest seats up in the outfield at the SCG will set you back $69. The home plate experience? A cool $499.
That’s just for a single game – so if you want to take in the whole series, as many purists do, then double those figures.
It’s great that we have the pull that makes MLB think we’re a country worth spending time in, but if that is the price we have to pay to bring this to our shores… maybe it isn’t worth it.
In comparison with other sporting events in Australia, that is simply obscene. For a sport that has so much ground to make up, it is suicidal. The outrage online was palpable.
It should have been good news – a walk, perhaps, in baseball parlance. Instead, I’m getting visions of Bill Buckner.
There are committed baseball fanatics – and I’m probably going to be one of them – that would be happy to spend that kind of money to experience an MLB game on home soil.
But this exercise is a waste of time if it is only going to preach to the converted.
It will only further the game in Australia if those with a passing interest or less in baseball come to the SCG and realise the game is worth their time and that the ABL might tickle their fancy.
It will be impossible to convince a large chunk of what should be the target market to part with $69 – at a bare minimum – for something they’re not even that sure they’re going to enjoy.
It would almost be cheaper for some fans outside of NSW to actually fly to LA and sit behind home plate at Dodgers Stadium than to do it in Sydney.
A half-empty SCG and a deserted game two is exactly what the Australian Baseball Federation and the ABL cannot afford – fiscally and figuratively.
If this fails, and the ABL doesn’t get a huge boost out of it, what happens to the ABF and MLB’s joint-venture?
This is high risk, moderate reward. It is a promotional vehicle that, if successful, should remind middle Australia that, yes, people play baseball here – and we’re actually not too bad at it.
Nobody expects baseball to catch on like football in Australia has post-Del Piero.
But on the flip side, if this doesn’t work out, it could be a disaster.
Ticket prices are already one of the big reasons why ABL crowds are no good, aside from general baseball apathy and almost zero promotion, advertising or media coverage.
The average attendance for the last ABL season was just 1096 – a steady decrease from the 2010-11 reboot season.
If baseball wants to make the leap from tier three niche curiosity to something Australians actually know and care about, it has to do things better than all the other sports in the country, and make greater gains.
The cold hard truth is that so far, that is not even close to happening. Early indications are it may stay that way for a while yet.
Brooklyn Dodger
Guest
Can you please publish your tip for the Melbourne Cup so we all eliminate at least one from the betting. Your ignorance is bliss. Try buying any ticket now to any of the games scheduled for the (then) newly configured Sydney Cricket Ground in over six months time. I do not follow Puig but would suggest you familiarise yourself with his offensive AND defensive statistics before making such an ass of yourself again. It's amazing that you put your ignorance above the professional judgement of the executives from one of the world's biggest sporting clubs in their decision to spend record monies to bring him to their organisation.
ausi
Guest
Was intrigued so I watched the same 2 clubs play tonight on Foxtel - PUIG was ridiculous at his one time to bat that I watched - swinging like a barn door and missed by miles - a big lump of a lad with no timing. We are spoiled for sport in this country - we dont need overweight lumps trying to ply a pretty bioring trade - my tip EMPTY STANDS and no return visit.
Brooklyn Dodger
Guest
Steve. I have information prepared by a baseball historian re that 1914 event. They were "exhibition games" between the NY Giants (now SF Giants) and Chicago White Sox. Played as part of a "world tour" prior to outbreak of WW1. It is also recorded that a team called the Chicago White Stockings was brought here in December 1888 by the famous Albert Spalding with a second team named All America. Reportedy thousands attended at the Moore Park Sydney venue. It should be noted that Spalding was the Manager of the forerunner of the Chicago Cubs at that time, hence the Stockings. The Sox officially started with the American League in 1903. Check their history at their web sites. Many would know of the rich history of the Dodgers from 1890 before their owner decided to move to LA in 1957. Sydney's Craig Shipley played in LA in mid 80's
Brooklyn Dodger
Guest
And Cespedes was just the new Omar Linares who I had the pleasure of seeing play twice in Sydney - 1999 Intercontinental Cup and 2000 Olympics.
Wendy
Guest
I agree what should have been for the promotion of the game has turned out to be a money grab. Having lived in Canada and been to the Skydome in Toronto a few times the most I paid was $75 for a premium seat behind third base dugout and the outfield bleaches above the bullpen was around $25 from memory. So whilst I am excited that LA Dodgers and Phoenix Diamondbacks are coming for me to travel to Sydney from Lismore and tickets accom etc it would cost nearly as much as flying to LA.
Steve Aussie Baseball Guru
Guest
Vince, next time please research the topic more. I haven't read every comment but this isn't the first time MLB has played a series at the SCG and even Sydney newspapers didn't miss that in 1914 a series was played there. So no marks for research! I suggest you read the book "Aussies in the Majors" as it will be of assistance to you. The success or failure of the series won't be decided by people moaning about ticket prices.
cliffclavin
Guest
I think they have the same "real" country status as New Zealand does ...hehe
David
Guest
I was so excited to hear they were coming out (Having grown up in the USA, I haven't seen a MLB baseball game for 20 years)....but having seen those prices, there is no way I'm going to bother. Bronze seating was where I wanted to sit. And if I wanted to drive to Sydney, see both games in Bronze and pay for a hotel, food and fuel - it would almost be cheaper for me to fly to the USA and see a couple games. It's not worth the money.
Alex weekes
Guest
is network ten going to broadcast it knowing its shown on ONE HD MLB
Michael Smith
Guest
You're right Cugel, if II lived in Sydney I'd pay the $69 and squint to try to figure out what's happening 120 meters away, no doubt. But I'm not travelling all the way to Sydney to pay double what they charged the baseball mad Japanese fans in 2011. Their behind home plate prices were $259 as opposed to $500 here. They want $259 in Sydney for the top of the grandstand behind home plate(???) Outfield seats are lame in purpose built US baseball stadiums but but will be even worse in the SCG. To pay 5 times what I'd pay at Citi field in New York for the same seats ($12) is not reasonable. It looks like others are more than willing to plunk down that kind of money , more power to them. I'll save my money and when I go to the US next year I will buy way better seats for a fraction of these prices.
Cugel
Roar Rookie
$69? Why that's only $0.0001 per spit. Who wouldn't pay that?
Nigel
Guest
I stream the Major league Baseball via MLBTV and can watch any game live. I enjoy watching my Baseball EVERY day. When I heard that they were playing in Sydney I was excited, even more so when I got $10 dollar tickets with Jetstar for the trip down...that was, until I heard about these LUDICROUS prices that are being charged. There are NO concession prices either. Outfield price of $99 per ticket times 4 (for the two of us) for the two games plus accommodation and transfers equals... well just too much! I saw the Yankees at Yankee Stadium in 2010 for $25each! Seems I will bin the air flight tickets and cut my losses at $40. MLB, you have lost me.
Michael
Guest
I promise you, sitting in the outfield without a really great pair of binoculars is not going to be a once in a lifetime experience. But the prices they are asking are not even remotely reasonable. These prices are easily double what they should be and Major League Baseball should be ashamed. A baseball game should not be priced in such a way that a family can't afford to bring their kids, I don't care where it's held. This is a money grab plain and simple.
HayleyS
Guest
My partner and I have travelled to the States every year for the past few years. We always plan our stay around the DBacks playing at Chase Field. We are so excited they are coming to Oz and the DBacks are the 'home' team!!!!! We would pay $1000 to see them here. Baseball is cheap to watch over there because it's their national game - just as AFL is affordable here. Go Dbacks!!!!!! Beat LA! Beat LA!
Milz
Guest
Yep and a game at Dodgers stadium doesn't gave to fly 120 blokes half way around the world ; accommodating these blokes and hiring the SCG.
Milz
Guest
Mate, this is a once in a life time experience for some people. Surely people can spare $70 for this. That's a meal at a half decent restaurant. And please show me the airline which goes to La return (including accomodation and tickets) for under $500.
Vince Rugari
Expert
Please David, we all know Canada isn't a real country.
josh
Roar Rookie
Nice A's reference.
Matt
Guest
Aww that's cute the writer think football will catch on after Del pierro.
David
Guest
Well said, but can we please correct this "only the sixth time" a MLB game has been played outside the US? There have been thousands of MLB games played in Canada since the 1960s!