Monday, April 15, 2013

TAXES!!! - ticket Tax that is or "Convenience Fee"?


Ok Convenience Fees and Order Charges are not Taxes, but they feel like Taxes.

This is easily noticed when you pick up tix from your favorite team, the prices never seem to be what they was originally advertised.  I did a little research to find out what these hidden fees amount to and how they can affect the consumer.  Here is what I found.

PHILLIESFace Final CostHidden FeesHid Fee %Conv FeePer Order ChargeNotes
SRO $17/Tix Single$17.00$24.00$7.0041%$2.50$4.504/10 v Mets Cheapest
SRO $17/Tix x 2$34.00$43.50$9.5028%$5.00$4.504/10 v Mets
section 421 Row 2 - $30/tix$60.00$72.50$12.5021%$8.00$4.504/10 v Mets Upper Plate
Sec 130 r 9 - $70/Tix x 2  $140.00$154.50$14.5010%$10.00$4.504/10 v Mets Lower Plate
ORIOLESFacefinalhiddenhid %convordernotes
Sec 336 r 19 Up $9 Single$9.00$14.75$5.7564%$1.75$4.004/16 v Rays Cheapest Tix
Sec 336 r 19 Up $9 2 tix$18.00$25.50$7.5042%$3.50$4.004/16 v Rays Cheapest Tix
Sec 54 r 12 $60 $120.00$139.50$19.5016%$15.50$4.004/16 v Rays Lower 
NATIONALSFacefinalhiddenhid %convordernotes
Sec 403 r L single tix$10.00$15.75$5.7558%$1.75$4.004.22 v Cardinals 
Sec 404 r M x 2 tix$20.00$27.50$7.5038%$3.50$4.004.22 v Cardinals
Sec 312 r G x 2tix$48.00$60.50$12.5026%$8.50$4.004.22 v Cardinals
Sec 116 r C x 2tix$130.00$151.50$21.5017%$17.50$4.004.22 v Cardinals
BRAVESFacefinalhiddenhid %convordernotes
SRO single$6.00$9.60$3.6060%$1.50$2.104/16 v Royals
SRO two tix$12.00$17.10$5.1043%$3.00$2.104/16 v Royals
sec 402 r 16 x2$24.00$30.60$6.6028%$4.50$2.104/16 v Royals
sec 104R r19$136.00$151.60$15.6011%$13.50$2.104/16 v Royals
METSFacefinalhiddenhid %convordernotes
Sec 534 r 3 x2 $13.00$20.75$7.7560%$1.75$6.004/23 v Dodgers
Sec 534 r 3 x2 $26.00$35.50$9.5037%$3.50$6.004/23 v Dodgers
sec 114 r9 x 2 $170.00$194.50$24.5014%$18.50$6.004/23 v Dodgers
YANKEESFacefinalhiddenhid %convordernotes
Sec 420B r11 single $6 $6.00$9.30$3.3055%$0.00$3.30Special $5 for MasterCard Tickest for selected Tues 
Sec 425 r8  two tix $6 $12.00$15.30$3.3028%$0.00$3.30$5 Master card offer as above 
Sec 225 r3 two tix 155.00$310.00$328.10$18.106%$18.10$0.004/15 v Diamondbacks 
sec 20 r 7 two tix 700$1,400.00$1,439.40$39.403%$39.40$0.004/15 v Diamondbacks 
Wilmington Blue RocksFacefinalhiddenhid %convordernotes
Reserved Seat single$9.00$10.50$1.5017%$1.504/15 v Carolina
Reserved Seat X2 $18.00$21.00$3.0017%$3.00
Reading PhilliesFacefinalhiddenhid %convordernotes
Boxed Seat$11.00$14.00$3.0027%1$2.004/15 v Harrisburg
Boxed Seat x2$22.00$26.00$4.0018%2$2.00

I took a look at The Phillies and their brethren NL East as well as Yankees and Orioles largely because they are within reasonable commuting distance. I also included some local minor league teams.

For each team I looked into the cheapest ticket, an Upper level behind the plate ticket and a pricy lower level ticket. All games are for weeknights - generally the teams next home game on a school night.

I don't think anything here will shock fans. The ticket fees are generally the same regardless of the base cost of the ticket.  If there is one thing that is surprising it is how much extra one pays on a convenience fees for a "budget:" ticket vs swanky seats behind the dugouts.

The Phillies have $7 in ticket fees on a $17 SRO tix.  That bumps up the cost of the original ticket by 41% to a cost of $24.  If you have the funds to purchase two tix in the lower level your fees on a pair of $70 tix are $14.50.  The hidden fee pct is only 10%. So yes in this case the 1% due fair better than us schlubs that are just happy to get into a game.

The Orioles had the most egregious markup - there $9 upper level tickets actually cost close to $15 on line. The hidden fees amount to 64% of the original price.

Just for fun I looked into some Yankees Legends seats.  The ticket fees themselves were $39.40!!!!

Of course those cost $1400 for a pair, therefore the ticket fees are only 3%

There are some other ticket fees that varied on how you wanted the tix delivered.  The Braves were the first team that had an upcharge for Will-Call tix.  The Yankees had several different ticket delivery options and prices.  It is interesting to note that the Yankees offer a $6 ticket on Tuesday Nights if your a Mastercard holder. 

I should also note that these ticket fees can likely be saved by purchasing tickets at the stadium, although this may not be possible day of the game if there is the prospect of a sellout.

I honestly don't mind the hidden fees, but I wish the teams would be more up front about the fees.  Rather than nickel and diming a fan like an airline I would prefer they just tell me the tix price up front.  Stubhub has moved to this format - right away you know what your spending as opposed to navigating through several screens to find out your $15 tix is really going to be $25. 

2 comments:

P-town Tom said...

I like your post. It furthers my desire to not purchase tickets on-line anymore. Walk-up on game day is the way to go OR hit up a scalper right around game time.

deal said...

I agree - Walk Up isn't always possible for Phillies game. In the past the team hasn't been very transparent about giving out tix availability info. I think during 2013 weekday games will be pretty ez to get into at least until school gets out.

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