I love it!
http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news;_ylt=AkVcPqUr0q6bxQAQXpatFEwRvLYF?slug=jp-passan_10_degrees_attendance_042511
Not really surprising. I find myself going to less and less games as the years go by. Part of it is less free time to make the 5-6 hour commitment (40 minute commute each way to the Cell and the actual game time) to view a game in person. Another may be that I was fortunate to be a Bulls season ticket holder for 16 years (the entire Jordan era plus the year after), a Blackhawk season 'reservation' holder (as Bill Wirtz referred to us) for 8 years, a Bears season ticket holder for 5 years as well as attending 10-25 baseball games a year. So I saw more than my fare share of games in person.
When the new Comiskey opened in '91, the lower deck bleacher seats in left & right center field were priced at $6.
Now the bleacher area has been cut in half and face value for tickets in the bleachers have eight different price points: $31, $38, $42, $49, $52, $74 and $77 which are all determined by the month, day of the week and the opponent. The nine 'Half price Monday' games cost $19 for bleacher seats.
Even before the bad economy and the mortgage and financial crises, the lower and middle class Joe Sixpack hasn't had an significant rise in disposal income in the 20 year period, let alone cover the 600+% price rise the 'normal' bleacher seats cost.
Now many people just go to a sports bar or a Buffalo Wild Wings to watch a game with friends and colleagues. That $38 ticket price you save pays for plenty of the food and drinks you might end up spending at the sports bar and there's no $23 charge to park. Or they invest in a 40"-65" HDTV coupled with digital cable or satellite service and you're all set to watch in the convenience and comfort of your own home. No crowds, no lines and you can pause the live action with your TiVo if you need to pick up a call or make a trip to the restroom.
The best part is you can quickly change the channel when they're playing like crap.