By TiqIQ

Over the last week, the average price for Mariano Rivera’s final game has dropped on the secondary market from $238 on September 8th to $103 today.  It’s one of the few games the Yankees have sold out this season. Despite that fact, the average price is now only 10% above the Yankee’s regular season average.  That’s quite a contrast from opening day, when the game had an average price of $371. In April, Yankees fans envisioned a strong finish after an injury-slowed first half, and Mariano on the mound saving a game to put them into the playoffs for one final magical Mo postseason.  Instead, it’s been almost a week since he has pitched, and while a there have been a couple wins along the way, the last 10 days has been filled with a lot of lopsided losses.  Tonight, the Yankees will face Alex Cobb, whose 2.90 ERA is the best of any of the Rays starters this series.  Based on the first two games of the series, a save opportunity may be a long shot.

To the dismay of Yankees fans, Mo has not been trotting out for a ceremonially inning this series.  Not surprisingly, it’s been business as usual for the Mo, and last night was no exception.  With two outs in the bottom of the 8th, the Yankees, down 7-3, loaded the bases. When Curtis Granderson came to plate, one swing could have tied the game. Many managers feel that a tied game in the 9th at home is the equivalent to a save situation. Preserving the tie gives the home team a chance to win the game in the bottom half of the 9th, so goes the logic.  With that possibility, Mariano quickly stood, loosened his arm with a few bent-over windmills and stepped up the bullpen rubber.  The crowd cheered in anticipation of a miracle, and Mo threw two quick pitches at about three-quarters speed before Granderson grounded sharply into a shifted 4-2 putout.  With the threat over, Rivera returned to his seat and eventually watched the Yankees go out 1-2-3 in the ninth.

If the Yankees can’t make it close tonight, those could have been Mariano’s two last warmup pitches in Yankee Stadium.  Despite their elimination last night, and the final confirmation that there would be no world series tickets in the Bronx, the Yankees still have something to play for tonight: the chance to give their fans one last opportunity to see the great Mariano close a game.   It would be some version of a happy ending to a miserable and tortured season, and give Yankees fans a brief moment to reminiscence about the last 19 seasons before turning their attention to an uncertain future.

By Jesse Lawrence, TiqIQ

It’s been a challenging year for the Yankees, with more injuries and off-field drama than should be possible in a single year. While many expected September in the Bronx to be audition central, the Yankees are, improbably and amazingly, still in it. Yankee Stadium, new or old, is the largest stage in baseball and this is arguably the most drama-filled season there since Reggie Jackson and the Bronx is Burning days of the 70s.

As with any good drama, intriguing storylines sell. The 2013 Yankees are filled with heroes (Mariano Rivera), villains (Alex Rodriguez), the opportunity for redemption (A-Rod, Derek Jeter), and the realization of salvation (Mo). It is a producer’s dream and as a result, Yankees tickets for the next month of baseball in the Bronx have an average price of $125, or 52% higher than September 2012 and 31% more than 2011.

In addition to all the juicy storylines, there’s also some excellent baseball to been seen, including the World Champion San Francisco Giants’ first ever visit to the new Yankee Stadium. Amazingly, there’s also a pennant up for grabs, and if Joe Girardi can get this team across the October line, he would have to be a lock for Manager of the Year.

Of the remaining series this year, the Giants series is the most expensive, with an average price of $155. At $139, the Rays are second, and the Red Sox are third at $111. The Rays series average price is boosted significantly by the final game of the season — and possibly of Mariano Rivera’s career. It could also be a play-in game for the playoffs.

Just before A-Rod’s return, I joked in a Forbes article that all A-Rod really wanted was to bring the Yankees to playoff glory, after which he’d tell Bud Selig to stuff his 211-game suspension and retire forever. While he’s more likely to get off than walk away from his millions, for now he has the opportunity for playoff glory. If the Yankees can finish off the sweep of the ChiSox on Wednesday, the race begins in earnest against the Red Sox on Thursday night.

Below is some color on each Red Sox games and a couple deals that will get you into the middle of the drama for less.

Thursday night is the cheapest on the Red Sox Series, and we’d recommend spending more time in the primary market looking for deals than the secondary market. Our pick for the game is 1 row of Section 305, for $53.

Friday night is the second most expensive game of the series, and we’d say the primary market has the better values. We particularly like the below 100 level deal for Friday night, which is $30-$40 less than what’s available in the secondary market in the same section.

Saturday’s game has very few Yankees vs Red Sox tickets left on the primary market. You’re probably better off in the secondary market, but if you’re reading this before Thursday, you might find some a hidden gem. Check out RAB Tickets above for secondary and primary.

By Jesse Lawrence, TiqIQ

At 8.5 games back, the Yankees play their first of 10 remaining games against the Red Sox tonight at Fenway Park. With a sweep of all 10, the Yankees would be back in first place, and the first five months of frustration would be forgotten. That’s a long shot; there’s a better chance that the Sox use these 10 games to bury the Yankees 2013 season. Based on prices for the three remaining series, it appears that Sox fans taste blood in the water and are looking to do everything they can do ensure the Yankees don’t see the light of postseason day. The six games at Fenway have an 88% premium above the Red Sox home average of $107. By contrast, the three Yankees games in early September only have an 18% premium above the Yankees season average of $89.

Fenway has 13,000 less seats than Yankee Stadium, which means that Red Sox tickets will always be more expensive than Yankees tickets. The premium, however, indicates that demand for the best rivalry in baseball has rebounded in Boston after last year’s disastrous Bobby Valentine experiment. As a point of comparison, the final series at Fenway last year on September 11th to 13th had an average price of $92, and you could get in for as little as $15. This year’s September series at Fenway has an average of $221 and the cheapest ticket is $51 to the Sunday night game and $88 to either of the other two games.

For tickets to any of the remaining home games at Yankee stadium, or Fenway, visit RAB Tickets.

For our friends at TiqIQ:

Since Derek Jeter was called up to Triple-A Scranton last week, speculation has been swirling about when he will return to the mothership in the Bronx. The latest news reports have Jeter pushing for a return before the All-Star break and GM Brian Cashman hedging. Amidst all the rumors and speculation, anyone who says they know the answer is just guessing and hoping. 

For a more dispassionate perspective, the ticket market may offer some insight. Prices for Yankees tickets over the next four home games suggest that the last game before the All Star Break is the most likely return date. As the below data shows, that Sunday afternoon game is the most expensive of the series, and also 48% higher than the last three Sunday afternoon games, which were against the Blue Jays, Rays and Orioles, all divisional rivals.

Date	Opponent	Average Price	Get-in Price
12-Jul	Vs. Minnesota	$65	$11
13-Jul	Vs. Minnesota	$70	$9
14-Jul	Vs. Minnesota	$95	$17
19-Jul	@ Boston	$247	$51
20-Jul	@ Boston	$269	$44
21-Jul	@ Boston	$200	$57
26-Jul	Vs. Tampa Bay	$91	$17

If Jeter doesn’t make it back before the All-Star game, his return would happen in Boston, and prices for that game on July 19th have the 2nd most expensive average price for Red Sox Tickets all year. His return in the Bronx would them come on July 26th vs. the Rays.

If you’re looking to get the best deal to Sunday’s game, check out the Yankees.com. In particular, section 206 has tickets available for $66.20, which is about $30 less than anything on the secondary market. Click here to get those or any other seats to the Sunday 1:05pm game.

If you’re looking for a good last-minute deal to tonight’s game, you can get a day-of deal from the Yanks in the 3rd row of section 136 for $91.

 

By Dan Groob, TiqIQ

After rattling off five consecutive wins on the road, the New York Yankees find themselves in familiar territory — first place in the AL East. The Yankees return to New York for a six-game homestand at Yankee Stadium to take them through the weekend. The Yankees will open the homestand with a three-game set against the Seattle Mariners, the third lowest scoring team in all of baseball. Runs will likely be scarce in Tuesday’s series opener, as Yankees ace CC Sabathia takes the hill against Felix Hernandez.

Aiding the cause for the Yankees will be the likely return of outfielder Curtis Granderson, who has been on the disabled list all season long due to a broken forearm suffered when he was hit by a pitch in Spring Training. Granderson will add some pop to a Yankees lineup that led all of Major League Baseball in home runs last year by a whopping 31 taters, but has slipped to fifth in his absence this season.

Despite the series opening pitching matchup of aces and the presumed return of Granderson to the Yankees lineup, ticket prices for the Mariners series are among the lowest priced tickets at Yankee Stadium this season. According to TiqIQ, the Yankees tickets for this series carries an average price of $84, 27% below the season home average of $115.

All three games of the Mariners series check in at average prices between $82 and $86, with Wednesday evening’s contest being the highest priced, and Thursday’s the lowest. Tickets to get in the Stadium on Tuesday or Wednesday are available for as little as $3, while Thursday carries a get-in price of just $4.

• Home Avg: $115
• 5/14 vs Mariners: $85/$3
• 5/15 vs Mariners: $82/$3
• 5/16 vs Mariners: $86/$4
• Series Avg: $84 (27% below season avg)

Following the three game set against the Mariners, the Toronto Blue Jays come to town for a three-game set of their own. The Blue Jays also visited Yankee Stadium for a four-game series back in April, which the Yankees swept. With the Blue Jays struggling a bit in the early going, and playing well-below expectations, all three games of these series also check in with average ticket prices below the Yankees home season average.

Friday night is the least expensive ticket of the bunch, averaging just $83 with a get-in price of $13. Saturday and Sunday are both 1:05pmET matinees, and carry slightly higher average ticket prices of $107 and $111, with get-in prices of $17 and $16, respectively. The series as a whole checks in with an average ticket price of $98 dollars, 15% below the Yankees home season average.

• 5/17 vs Blue Jays: $83/$13
• 5/18 vs Blue Jays: $107/$17
• 5/19 vs Blue Jays: $111/$16
• Series Avg: $98 (15% below season avg)

Following the six-game homestand, the Yankees will hit the road for eight games before returning home to close out May against the New York Mets and Boston Red Sox.

As is to be expected against these two teams, the next homestand will carry a ticket price premium to the season average. The Mets set checks in at an average ticket price of $130, a 13% premium to the season average, while the Red Sox series holds an average ticket price of $141, a 23% premium to the season average. It’s a good bet to check out and buy Yankees tickets from the official Yankees Ticket Exchange for the homestand.

• 5/29 vs Mets: $132/$31
• 5/30 vs Mets $129/$30
• Series Avg: $130 (13% above season avg)

• 5/31 vs Red Sox: $143/$33
• 6/1 vs Red Sox: $140/$30
• 62 vs Red Sox: $139/$29
• Series Avg: $141 (23% above season avg)

By Dan Groob, TiqIQ

Given the Yankees’ large market and devoted fan base, it is always expensive to procure New York Yankees tickets. Although this season seemed to begin a bit unenthusiastically, the Yankees fast start still has them right among the league leaders in average attendance and as April comes to a close, the New York Yankees appear to have silenced their critics by surging to the third best record in all of baseball. Despite playing the first month of the season without arguably their three best power hitters in Curtis Granderson, Mark Teixeira, and Alex Rodriguez, the Yankees have done significant damage with the long ball. Paced by Robinson Cano (7), Vernon Wells (6), and Travis Hafner (6), the Bronx Bombers’ have smacked 33 home runs so far, good for first in the American League.

Coming off a four game sweep of the Toronto Blue Jays, the preseason favorites to capture the AL East crown, the Yankees look to keep things rolling through a three game set with the Houston Astros. With the worst record in baseball at 7-18, the Astros essentially represent a polar opposite team from the Yankees. Much has been made of the Yankees possessing four players—Alex Rodriguez, Mark Teixeira, CC Sabathia, and Vernon Wells—who will make more than the entire Astros 25-man roster this season. Additionally, the Yankees are Major League Baseball’s oldest team, with an average age of 30.9, while the Astros are the youngest at 27.2. Those Astros come to town this week, with their lack of star power, are one of the lesser road draws this season. That creates an opportunity for cheaper tickets in major markets such as New York, even as the team heats up into the summer months.

According to TiqIQ, the three game set with the Astros that kicks off tonight is the least expensive series of the season at Yankee Stadium. Games 1 and 2 of the series are the two cheapest individual games of the season. While the Yankees carry an average home ticket price of $110 dollars, the average ticket price for tonight’s game checks in at just $40 dollars—a 64% discount to the season average.

Yankees home avg: $110

• Game 1: $40/$4
• Game 2: $43/$5
• Game 3: $56/$5
• Series Avg: $46

Game 2 of the series doesn’t command much of a premium to game 1, pricing at an average of just $43 dollars. Prices receive a slight bump for Wednesday night’s game, the first game of May, but only to $56 dollars—still roughly half the season average. With tickets available for as little as $4 or $5 dollars depending on the night, this Houston series represents a tremendous opportunity for fans to catch some action at Yankee Stadium on the cheap.

A guest post from Dan Groob at TiqIQ.

It’s no secret the New York Yankees have struggled to fill the new Yankee Stadium since it opened its doors for the 2009 season. What many folks on the couch don’t realize however is that the Yankees haven’t had a problem selling tickets in the slightest — they’ve just had a really big problem selling the extremely high-priced seats you see while watching a game on television.

Many of the empty seats behind home plate at Yankee Stadium carry face values of over $2,000 dollars. Generally speaking, such seats tend to belong to season ticket holders who typically do not attend every game.  However, in the post-2008 economy, it has been near impossible for anyone to resell these tickets on the secondary market at anything close to what was paid for them. As a result, fans have begun to give up their season tickets to those seats while nobody has stepped in to replace them. Thus they remain vacant.

Though the Yankees have always sold out the rest of the stadium, the higher-priced ticket sales are largely responsible for driving the team’s average ticket price figure. This is particularly true on the secondary market. Because more fans have given up these seats every year, fewer have hit the secondary market, while fewer still have sold. As a result, the Yankees average ticket price has declined steadily in each of the past three years. According to TiqIQ, the average seat at Yankee Stadium in 2010 came in at $85 dollars on the secondary market. In 2011, this declined to $81 dollars. Last year, you could find a ticket on the secondary market at an average price of just $75 dollars.

Currently, New York Yankees tickets in the Bronx for the 2013 season run about $114 dollars on average. While this figure seems promising on the surface and indicative of a rebound in demand for Yankees tickets, the underlying details actually seem to suggest a further decline in Yankees ticket prices. Typically, the market exhibits some downward pressure on ticket prices between the beginning of Spring Training and the start of the season. At this time last year, the average ticket ran about $135 dollars — an 18% premium to where they are now — before settling at the average of $75 dollars once the season began.

Of course these are still the Yankees, and certain games will carry elevated demand for any and all seats. Most notably, three of the top five highest-priced series of the season include a common opponent — the Boston Red Sox. Although this could be one of those rare seasons when the AL East does not come down to New York and Boston in the final month, the September 5-8 series against the Sox is the most expensive of the season, with an average ticket price of $171 dollars and a get-in price of $39. The Red Sox are also responsible for the season’s second highest priced series on May 31-June 2, also at an average of $171.

The third most expensive series of the season will be the Subway Series against the New York Mets on May 29-30. These tickets are going for an average of $157 dollars, and $41 bucks just to get in the stadium. Following the Mets, the fourth most expensive series will be another interleague matchup, this one against the defending World Series Champion San Francisco Giants. This September 20-22 series against a Giants team, which formerly resided a subway ride away from Yankee Stadium, holds an average ticket price of $149, with a get-in price of $29 dollars.

Rounding out the top five most expensive series of the 2013 season will be the opening series against the Boston Red Sox on April 1-4. While this series checks in at an average price of $144 dollars, it actually contains the single highest-priced individual game of the season. This is of course the Opening Day afternoon game, which currently prices at a whopping $279 dollars serving well to exemplify how high a game average can go at Yankee Stadium when the home plate seats are selling.

Just missing the cut for the top five most expensive Yankees series? A two-game interleague series against the Los Angeles Dodgers on June 18 and 19. These two teams have met in the World Series a ridiculous eleven times, more than any two teams in baseball history.

However, this certainly isn’t your grandfather’s skip school to snag an Ebbets Field bleacher seat for a nickel game — a ticket to this series will put a little dent into grandpa’s pension at an average cost of $142 dollars. If your grandpa is an old Dodgers fan, do right by the man and take him to the ballgame. Just don’t tell him how much the tickets cost if you don’t feel like getting an earful on inflation and the good old days.

Remember, for the best deals on MLB tickets throughout the season, visit TiqIQ.com. TiqIQ has also teamed up with SeatCrunch to bring you additional options for New York Yankees Tickets.