Baseball fans, rejoice! Opening Day is nearly here, the slate is clean, and the MLB’s 30 teams are ready to kick off the 2018 season. It’s perhaps the most exciting day in baseball, so if you’re eager to catch a game, don’t strike out swinging. We’ve compiled and analyzed everything regarding MLB Opening Day ticket prices so you don’t have to.
March 29 marks the beginning of the 2018 baseball season and the first league-wide Opening Day in 50 years. While there’s plenty of action to go around, there are certain teams that tend to draw in big audiences and big money.
Opening Day Ticket Prices – Most Expensive Markets*
| Home Team | Venue | City | Average Ticket Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Houston Astros | Minute Maid Park | Houston, TX | $252 |
| Cleveland Indians | Progressive Field | Cleveland, OH | $219 |
| Los Angeles Dodgers | Dodger Stadium | Los Angeles, CA | $217 |
| New York Yankees | Yankee Stadium | Bronx, NY | $191 |
| Texas Rangers | Globe Life Park | Arlington, TX | $175 |
Currently sitting among the league’s most expensive markets for Opening Day tickets are Houston and Los Angeles. This comes as no surprise given the Astros and Dodgers appearances at the World Series in October, a trend that has been apparent in years past. After winning the World Series in 2011, the St. Louis Cardinals began the following season with the highest home opener price in the league. San Francisco followed suit after the Giants won in 2012 and 2014; Kansas City continued this trend once more in 2016 after becoming 2015 World Champions.
The Rangers are in the mix as well, and their high price of $175 per ticket has plenty of value to it, given that their home opener is against local rival (and World Series Champs) Houston Astros.
The Yankees’ position as the fifth-highest is also unsurprising. The Bronx Bombers have seen average Opening Day ticket prices hover over $100 since 2013, though they never crossed the $140 mark. This year’s notable spike is largely attributed to the Yanks’ strong playoff performance last year led by American League Rookie of the Year Aaron Judge. He slugged his way into the record books as the highest-scoring rookie in both team and MLB history with a remarkable 52 homers. Judge also surpassed all-time great Babe Ruth for hitting the most runs in a season at Yankee Stadium. 2017 National League MVP Giancarlo Stanton is set to make his debut in the pinstripes this season, fueling the fan fire, and thus Opening Day ticket prices, in New York.
While blockbuster baseball is great, it also comes at a steep price. For fans looking to keep more money in their pocket (before heading to the ballpark concession stand, that is), there are far more affordable markets.
Opening Day Ticket Prices – Most Affordable Markets*
| Home Team | Venue | City | Average Ticket Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Atlanta Braves | SunTrust Park | Atlanta, GA | $49 |
| Oakland Athletics | Oakland Coliseum | Oakland, CA | $62 |
| Minnesota Twins | Target Field | Minneapolis, MN | $64 |
| Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim | Angel Stadium | Anaheim, CA | $69 |
| Philadelphia Phillies | Citizens Bank Park | Philadelphia, PA | $70 |
Like the previous table, the most affordable markets in baseball’s inaugural day have been fairly predictable based on recent data. Twins fans have been able to score some of the cheapest Opening Day tickets for the past three seasons, and once again are in luck with average prices hovering around $65. Atlanta’s home opener fares well with prices averaging less than $50, a grand slam deal considering fans will be enjoying the game at the newly-constructed SunTrust Park. Now in their second season at the venue, the Braves’ new home boasts state-of-the-art amenities and a memorial garden featuring statues of the game’s greatest players.
Los Angeles-based fans appear to get the best of both worlds with their pick between the Dodgers and Angels, who cover both ends of the ticket pricing spectrum. Similar trends are found in other regions with competing teams, including New York and Chicago. While those price gaps are not as large as the Dodgers-Angels difference, buyers can expect to save over $50 by opting to see the Mets and White Sox over the Yankees and Cubs, respectively.
We will continue to monitor and update all prices and trends in the days leading up to Opening Day. Find your tickets here.
Opening Day Ticket Prices – League-wide
| Home Team | Venue | City | Average Ticket Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arizona Diamondbacks | Chase Field | Phoenix, AZ | $71 |
| Atlanta Braves | SunTrust Park | Atlanta, GA | $49 |
| Baltimore Orioles | Oriole Park at Camden Yards | Baltimore, MD | $128 |
| Boston Red Sox | Fenway Park | Boston, MA | $153 |
| Chicago Cubs | Wrigley Field | Chicago, IL | $156 |
| Chicago White Sox | Guaranteed Rate Field | Chicago, IL | $89 |
| Cincinnati Reds | Great American Ball Park | Cincinnati, OH | $109 |
| Cleveland Indians | Progressive Field | Cleveland, OH | $219 |
| Colorado Rockies | Coors Field | Denver, CO | $171 |
| Detroit Tigers | Comerica Park | Detroit, MI | $82 |
| Houston Astros | Minute Maid Park | Houston, TX | $252 |
| Kansas City Royals | Kauffman Stadium | Kansas City, MO | $111 |
| Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim | Angel Stadium | Los Angeles, CA | $69 |
| Los Angeles Dodgers | Dodger Stadium | Los Angeles, CA | $217 |
| Miami Marlins | Marlins Ballpark | Miami, FL | $127 |
| Milwaukee Brewers | Miller Park | Milwaukee, WI | $86 |
| Minnesota Twins | Target Field | Minneapolis, MN | $64 |
| New York Mets | Citi Field | Flushing, NY | $141 |
| New York Yankees | Yankee Stadium | Bronx, NY | $191 |
| Oakland Athletics | Oakland Coliseum | Oakland, CA | $62 |
| Philadelphia Phillies | Citizens Bank Park | Philadelphia, PA | $70 |
| Pittsburgh Pirates | PNC Park | Pittsburgh, PA | $71 |
| San Diego Padres | Petco Park | San Diego, CA | $86 |
| San Francisco Giants | AT&T Park | San Francisco, CA | $171 |
| Seattle Mariners | Safeco Field | Seattle, WA | $88 |
| St. Louis Cardinals | Busch Stadium | St. Louis, MO | $141 |
| Tampa Bay Rays | Tropicana Field | St. Petersburg, FL | $82 |
| Texas Rangers | Globe Life Park | Arlington, TX | $175 |
| Toronto Blue Jays | Rogers Centre | Toronto, ON | $121 |
| Washington Nationals | Nationals Park | Washington, DC | $109 |
*prices based on team’s home opener, which may or may not be held on league-wide Opening Day