Average Cost to Attend Cardinals Game Down Slightly in 2019

photo: Getty Images

As the St. Louis Cardinals passed two million in home attendance again during the last homestand, it seems a good time to re-visit the annual Fan Cost Index (FCI)*, which compares the price for a family of four to attend a Major League Baseball game across the 30 franchises. The data is compiled and published by Team Marketing Report, with the 2019 version released in March.

While the St. Louis Cardinals had ranged between the 10th and 15th-highest payroll in the game since moving into Busch Stadium III in 2006, they crept back into the top 10 in 2019 for the first time since 2005. Correspondingly, the cost to a family to attend a Cardinals game has consistently ranked in the top 10 compared to their MLB peers.

For 2019, St. Louis fans pay the ninth-most across MLB to see the team with the ninth-highest player payroll as the season opened. This is the first time since 2004 that the Cardinals’ ranking in these two vastly-different measures are the same.

Adam Wainwright and Busch Stadium fans (Jeff Curry/USA TODAY Sports)

The Cardinals’ 2019 FCI of $254.46 represents decline of 1.0 percent compared to last year. It breaks the team’s nine-year streak of annual increases and is only the second decrease in the 17 years that I have been tracking it.

This 1.0 percent FCI decline for 2019 basically reverses the 0.9 percent increase last year and is the only decline for St. Louis since a 1.2 percent slide in 2009.

St. Louis looks even better this year when considering the average FCI increase of 1.8 percent across MLB.

In the table below, comparative data is presented back to 2003. First is the Cardinals Opening Day player payroll and rank of 30. Next is St. Louis’ FCI, change from prior year and rank. Next are the FCI averages across MLB. At the far right are the most and least expensive teams in FCI.

StL
Open
Payroll MLB MLB MLB
Year ($ MM) Rk StL FCI YTY Rk avg FCI YTY #1 FCI Tm #30 FCI Tm
2019 165.3 9 $254.46 -1.0% 9 $234.38 1.8% $370.12 ChC $142.42 Ari
2018 146.9 13 $257.16 0.9% 8 $230.64 2.4% $368.28 ChC $145.58 Ari
2017 131.7 15 $254.96 4.5% 5 $225.34 2.7% $368.44 Bos $136.62 Ari
2016 123.1 14 $243.96 3.0% 6 $219.54 3.7% $360.66 Bos $132.10 Ari
2015 120.3 12 $236.81 3.5% 6 $211.68 2.5% $350.86 Bos $126.89 Ari
2014 112.3 10 $233.86 1.3% 6 $212.46 2.3% $350.78 Bos $126.89 Ari
2013 112.3 11 $230.94 2.7% 9 $210.46 1.2% $336.99 Bos $151.55 Ari
2012 105.4 10 $224.76 0.7% 9 $207.68 2.4% $336.99 Bos $145.94 Ari
2011 105.4 12 $223.18 3.1% 8 $197.35 2.0% $339.01 Bos $120.96 Ari
2010 93.5 12 $216.56 0.9% 9 $194.98 -0.7% $334.78 Bos $115.24 Ari
2009 88.5 13 $214.72 -1.2% 10 $196.89 3.2% $410.88 NYY $114.24 Ari
2008 99.6 11 $217.28 3.8% 7 $191.75 8.3% $320.71 Bos $136.91 TB
Busch III 2007 90.3 11 $209.23 0.8% 7 $176.55 3.8% $313.83 Bos $123.42 KC
Busch II 2006 88.9 11 $207.21 10.6% 4 $171.19 4.1% $287.84 Bos $120.35 KC
2005 92.1 5 $177.66 4.2% 9 $164.43 5.6% $276.34 Bos $119.85 KC
2004 83.2 9 $170.45 0.9% 9 $155.52 2.0% $263.09 Bos $108.83 Mon
2003 83.8 8 $164.04 6.6% 8 $148.66 3.3% $248.44 Bos $94.62 Mon

Note: The source of annual club season-opening player payrolls is USA TODAY.

For Cardinals general admission tickets, this year’s average price of $35.54 is the same as last season, but is approaching $6.00 higher than the team’s average ticket price of $29.78 when the new ballpark opened in 2006.

Across MLB, the average ticket price increase this year is 1.7 percent, to $32.99.

The Chicago Cubs rank first in MLB in average ticket price at $59.49 and lead in the FCI for the second consecutive season, at $370.12. The Cubs had unseated the long-time expense leader, the Boston Red Sox, a club that remains a close second in FCI.

AP/Richard Lui

As mentioned above, the average FCI across MLB of $234.38 represents a 1.8 percent increase over last year. The best value in the game is the $142.42 it takes for a family to see the Arizona Diamondbacks, lowest of the 30 teams for the 11th year in a row.

The other teams in the NL Central firmly reside in the lower third of MLB clubs in FCI: Milwaukee Brewers (22nd), Cincinnati Reds (23rd) and Pittsburgh Pirates (27th).

* The FCI, developed by Team Marketing Report, is made up of the prices of four adult average-price tickets, two small draft beers, four small soft drinks, four regular-size hot dogs, parking for one car and two least expensive, adult-size adjustable caps.

2019 Gen. ticket Prem. ticket Beer Soft drink Hot dog Parking Cap FCI
St. Louis $35.54 $87.56 $5.00 $6.25 $5.00 $17.30 $20.00 $254.46
MLB avg. $32.99 $119.03 $5.97 $4.60 $4.95 $14.80 $18.74 $234.38

In these measurements, the Cardinals are above the MLB average in general seating ticket prices, soft drinks, hot dog (barely), parking and baseball cap prices but below average in premium seating and beer pricing.

Not every group of four would spend this much money, and of course, these are averages, not absolutes. However, the FCI provides a consistent point of comparison across the 30 teams over time.


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Brian Walton can be reached via email at brian@thecardinalnation.com. Follow Brian on Twitter.

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