Tuesday's Daily Boil: Are Tickets Really a Steal?

I was a bit surprised yesterday when I came across this headline in regard to the Houston Astros:

"Astros games are a steal this year."

Um...okay. Did the guy who wrote it try to get decent seats to the opening series against the New York Yankees? Dynamic pricing, indeed. Last year, the team lost 111 games, placing them dead last in baseball for the third straight year. You'd think that ticket prices would be some reflection of the product on the field, but in reality, that's not true.

According to the article from the Houston Business Journal we should all be thankful for the price drop. I'm not sure I'm completely sold yet.

The Fan Cost Index, which is created by Team Marketing Report of Chicago, calculates the cost in each ball park for a family of four to attend a game by combining the price of 4 tickets (non premium seats), 4 hotdogs, 4 soft drinks, 2 beers, parking, 2 programs or scorecards, and 2 adult baseball caps (hopefully for the home team). Last year, the cost for the Houston Astros was $224.33 and this year it's dropped to $215.90 - thus producing the title of the article.

For those wondering, Houston ranks 13th in cost this season, down from last year's #10 spot. The most expensive place to watch a game is Fenway in Boston where that same family of four will pay $350.78 and the least expensive in Chase Field in Phoenix where the total bill is $126.89.

What do you think? Is the price of $215.90 for a family of four at Minute Maid Park a steal?