Oakland Athletics Owner: Bye Bye, $1 Hot Dogs

Speaking of the Oakland A’s, their owner, Lew Wolff, gave an interview in the WSJ about ownership and particularly their new stadium.

Part 1: The Stadium

I was apparently wrong in assuming they were making a bigger stadium. In fact, the plan is to have a 32,000-person stadium, which would be the smallest stadium in the MLB today by over 6,000 seats.

I find it intriguing that while a lot of other owners are trying to maximize seats, Wolff is concerned with the economic efficiency of seats. Billy Beane’s reach knows no bounds! While I’m no economist (actually, what does an undergrad degree in economics get you?), I think that this move could potentially backfire harder than a Britney Spears photo-op.

Considering that even an NHL team does well in ticket sales in San Jose, the demand for A’s tickets is going to increase fast and considerably. When demand goes up and supply has nowhere to go, ticket prices are going to increase.

Although Fenway is now the 3rd smallest behind Tropicana and PNC, it’s the only big market team with that small of a stadium: at 39,928. PNC, the smallest, has only 38,496. I’m curious what having 6,500 less seats than the next smallest ballpark would do to the ticket prices of a large market team.

Considering tickets off the Boston website for a Red Sox vs. Yankees match up are already sold out and have probably been sold out since the schedule was announced / when baby Jesus was born, I’d say pretty damn high. Oh and I searched craigslist and I could only find tickets for the series at Yankee Stadium and those were 100$ a pop. I’m sure some ‘back seat’ bartering could also be made.

I’ve heard from reputable sources that the cost of a beer and a hot dog is your first-born child.

This doesn't even factor in the price increase for the new stadium, which management will obviously pass on the the consumer. Then, you’ve got to take into account that when they get more revenue from the initial increase in demand, they’re going to be able to spend more on players. The better the players, the better the team, the more fans, the higher the ticket prices.

What are the ramifications of this eventual price increase? Could it possibly disenfranchise lifelong A’s fans? Will Frank Thomas be able to demand more money the next time he gets signed by another team, and then dropped by them a year later, and then picked up again by the A’s?

These are all important questions to consider especially in regard to the current fan base that can currently pay around $10 for a ticket and sometimes $4 with a student ID, $1 hot dog Wednesdays and being able to park for free in the BART (transit) parking lot next door. And these were all during an economic boom! What happens while we’re in a monetary ass reaming courtesy of George Bush’s recession?

As a baseball fan, I’m a little concerned. What do all you A’s fans think?

Check back tomorrow for Part II: Selig and Wolf, Frat Bros for life.

- Burns at ChatterBalks.com