As we hit the final weekend of the MLB season, many teams find themselves with little to play for but pride after being eliminated from playoff contention. Alternatively, other teams' final few games won't have much meaning because they have already secured division titles and playoff berths. Demand for tickets usually drops for these teams, leading to a decline in prices. The problem is, parking prices are much less elastic than ticket prices, leading to a late-season dilemma for fans hoping to score an affordable trip to the ballpark.
Let's take a look at each team hosting a series this weekend and identify those that could have higher parking costs than ticket prices for the stretch run.
New York Mets
The Mets have tickets as cheap as $18 on MLB.com for their final series of the season against the Phillies, and disappointed fans reselling their tickets on the secondary market through platforms such as SeatGeek are giving away tickets for as little as $1 before fees. As if the Mets finishing below .500 after last year's 101-win season wasn't enough of a letdown, fans who drive to the game after acquiring cheap tickets will be faced with one of the league's highest parking fees: $40. Parking passes can be purchased only at the gate, and finding street parking in Queens is a tall order, so the only reliable way to avoid the exorbitant parking fee is to take alternative transit. Luckily, the 7 train offers a convenient and affordable alternative for getting to Citi Field.
Kansas City Royals
Even with the vaunted Yankees in town, tickets for the Royals' final series can be had for under $20 for each game. Perhaps New York fans would have pushed those prices up if the Yankees weren't locked into joining the Royals as non-playoff teams in 2023. Kansas City's fans who get the cheapest seats will have to pay more for parking than the tickets themselves. General parking costs $20 for Royals games at the Truman Sports Complex, which houses both Kauffman Stadium and Arrowhead Stadium, while premium spots run $30. With little ability to access the venue by public transit, Kansas City's fans are pretty much locked into paying for parking. Given the state of their respective teams, Chiefs fans going to Arrowhead have a much easier time justifying ponying up the cash to park at the Truman Sports Complex. At least Royals fans can buy pre-paid parking passes online to save themselves the hassle at the gate.
Colorado Rockies
With the Rockies sporting the worst record in the NL, there isn't much excitement for a series against the AL Central champion twins. Tickets start at $9 while parking can be purchased for $18-23 on the team's website, so Colorado fans who buy the nosebleeds in the Coors Field altitude will be paying more for parking than tickets.
Los Angeles Angels
The Angels aren't much of a draw in their final home series. Superstars Mike Trout (wrist) and Shohei Ohtani (elbow) are both injured and the last-place Athletics are in town while the home team is well under .500. Tickets can be had as cheap as $13, while parking costs $20 for general parking or $30 for preferred parking.
St. Louis Cardinals
The Rockies' awful season will keep the Cardinals from finishing last in the NL for the first time since 1918, but this season has still been a major disappointment for a St. Louis team that had made the playoffs in nine of the previous 12 years. Fans can get tickets to the Cardinals' remaining home games against the Reds for as little as $10, while parking at both garages near Busch Stadium costs $25.
Chicago White Sox
Finishing up a forgettable season with a home series against the Padres, the White Sox predictably aren't drawing much interest, with tickets starting at $10. A series against a non-playoff NL team from the west coast doesn't give the fans much to get excited about, but diehards who drive to Guaranteed Rate Field anyway are guaranteed to pay at least $27 for parking near the stadium. The parking fees can be avoided by taking public transportation to the stadium through the Chicago Transit Authority.
Milwaukee Brewers
Parking is more expensive for Brewers games on weekends or when the Cubs are in town. Both conditions are true for the final series of the regular season, so fans who buy tickets for as little as $24 will have to pony up $20-$40 for parking. Rather than pay as much for parking as they do to go for the game, Milwaukee fans have the option of saving their money for postseason tickets at American Family Field, as the Brewers have clinched the NL Central Division.
Teams Without End-Season Ticket vs. Parking Dilemmas
Baltimore Orioles fans can watch their first-place's team final series of the regular season against the Red Sox for less than $30 per game, but Orioles fans will still enjoy a strong ticket to parking price ratio, as parking costs only $10-15. Light rail and subway options are also available for getting to the game. Atlanta Braves fans are in a similar situation for their series against the Nationals. Those who want to partake in the Braves' victory lap for securing the top seed in the NL can attend for as little as $25, park for $10-20, or take a bus to avoid the parking fees.
Toronto Blue Jays tickets easily outpace parking, as Toronto will be fighting for a playoff berth against the AL East rival Rays, who have already clinched a postseason spot. The Seattle Mariners are in the same boat as the Blue Jays, with Seattle's playoff hopes hanging on the outcome of their home series against the AL West-leading Rangers. Fans hoping to see the Arizona Diamondbacks clinch a wild card spot at home against the Astros can get in for under $30, but that's still more than parking costs, plus there's a light rail stop near Chase Field.
Given the markets in play, tickets to the San Francisco Giants' home series against the rival Dodgers still cost a pretty penny, even with San Francisco out of playoff contention. A plethora of cheap parking and public transit options will allow Pittsburgh Pirates fans to incur minimal expenses besides tickets that start at $25 for Pittsburgh's last series against the Marlins. With tickets under $30, going to a Detroit Tigers game costs just a bit more than the $22 parking, but it won't be close Sunday, when the Tigers honor 12-time All Star and two-time MVP Miguel Cabrera. To get into Comerica Park for Miggy's final game, fans will have to pony up over $100 for tickets.
