Tips to Save Money on the Ticket to Your Next Sporting Event

Making the pilgrimage to see your favorite team continues to get more and more expensive. According to ESPN, the average price for a baseball ticket rose over ten percent prior to the 2008 season, clocking in at $25.40 per seat, and other sports may have even higher prices. This means a family of four can expect to spend over $100 to even enter the stadium, not to mention the additional cost of food, drinks, and souvenirs. The expense of attending a game can turn some off from going in the first place, but there are potential deals to be had in one of the costliest parts of the process: buying the tickets. Here are some tips to save the most money possible when choosing and buying your ticket to the big game.

Ways to Cut the Cost of a Sporting Event #1- Consider Making a Premium-Seat Sacrifice

When buying tickets for a sporting event, the general sentiment is that sitting closer to the action is worth the money. However, getting that great seat will probably leave you with a big hole in your wallet. Teams realize the premium fans are willing to pay for proximity to the action and adjust their prices accordingly. At Orioles Park in Baltimore, for example, sitting in a "Club Box" seat will cost you $35 more than sitting in an "Upper Box" seat just one level up. Purchasing tickets in cheaper sections can lead to a tremendous savings, especially with larger families or groups. As mentioned below, the difference in view between the two sections might be less than you imagined.

Ways to Spend Less on your Ticket to a Sporting Event: Tip #2-Preview Your Seat Before You Buy

This goes hand in hand with the first tip. Many modern arenas are specially constructed to allow for great views from any seat in the stadium, and even from the concession areas. Almost all team websites provide a seating chart that allows you to virtually preview your seat selection before the game. Use this to help decide where you want to sit-is the view from the "Club Box" really worth $35 more than the "Upper Box"? Also, you can do some in-person research next time you go to a game. If you go to a ballpark that you intend to visit again, take a trip up to the cheaper seats during a break in play to see if the views are as bad as you might think-you'll probably be surprised!

Ways to Spend Less on your Ticket to a Sporting Event: Tip #3- Buy Your Tickets at the Stadium

Many of the services that teams use to sell their tickets online, including Ticketmaster and Tickets.com, charge high convenience and service fees for purchasing the tickets in advance-sometimes as high as $10 per ticket. If the stadium is not prone to sell-outs, consider waiting until you arrive there to purchase your tickets. In this way, you'll be able to avoid the high fees charged by the online ticket brokers. For example, at Nationals Park in Washington, D.C., buying the ticket at the ballpark results in a issuance fee of just $1, as opposed to over $7.50 when buying online through Tickets.com. You may even end up with better seats. I've found that the seats available at the arena are often more desirable and closer to the action than those available online.

Ways to Spend Less on your Ticket to a Sporting Event: Tip #4- Come on a Reduced Price Night

Depending on the league and the popularity of the event, teams often offer reduced prices or specials depending on several factors. Often, tickets for weekday games or games against weaker teams will command smaller prices. Check the website to see if there are any student specials or family nights that will allow you to pick up tickets at the ballpark at a reduced price. Some specials can save you and your family up to $10 per ticket.

Ways to Spend Less on your Ticket to a Sporting Event: Tip #5- Use StubHub or Craigslist to Buy Your Ticket

Sometimes people end up with tickets for games that they can't attend for one reason or another. One possible solution to get rid of these tickets is to post them on a site such as Stubhub.com or Craigslist.org, where others can purchase the ticket from them easily. If you're looking for tickets yourself, make sure to check out these websites to see if you can take advantage of a deal from someone who really needs to get rid of some tickets. Just don't forget about service fees- StubHub charges 10% per transaction plus a hefty FedEx Express shipping charge, so make sure that adding those fees doesn't cause you to lose any potential savings over simply buying the tickets from the team.

These suggestions can help the budget-conscious sports fan save a good deal of money, yet still enjoy the fun and excitement of attending a professional sporting event. The cheaper your ticket is, the more games you can afford to go to, so try out some of these tips next time you shop for seats, and get more out of your hard-earned dollars.