I really wanted to get two things out today – hence the unusually forced title. Unless you’ve been asleep over the last 3 days, you know that Denny’s is giving out free breakfast today. Like in most cases, you get what you pay for. Last year Denny’s ran a similar promotion. I went by to see if I could grab some free breakfast. The line was around the block. I realized it would have been a better value to go spend my own money rather than just waste two hours of my time in line. From the news this morning, it seems that’s true this year as well. [Note: Sorry, but by the time I’m publishing this, the deal is over on the east coast, and winding up on the west coast.]
The other news that I’m touching on is that my wife and I spent around $1000 on Red Sox tickets for this upcoming year. At least that ticked to 9 games (6 in Oakland against the A’s, and 3 in San Francisco against the Giants). On one hand, it kind of hurts to spent nearly $1000 like that. On the other hand, when we moved from Boston to San Francisco, we knew there would be some pluses and some negatives. I’d put the price of seeing a Red Sox game as one of the positives. In Boston, a single ticket comparable to what we got for each the Oakland games would probably be $250 per game. Viewing it through that looking-glass makes it seem like a much, much better value.
I know much of you are probably saying that spending $1000 on baseball games probably isn’t too bad if it’s budgeted for. However, we don’t have a formal budget. It’s more of a “live your life frugally, so that when things like this come up, they aren’t an issue” type of thing. It’s made me think, that perhaps it’s because I’ve thought about personal finance years ago that I didn’t have to think too much about it now.
Well, I’m from Oakland and the Giants are my favorite team, so I hope the Sox lose ALL of the games, but I’d love to sit next to you and yell at each other for the entire time. You were able to pay for the expense, now just enjoy the games :D.
“However, we don’t have a formal budget. It’s more of a “live your life frugally, so that when things like this come up, they aren’t an issue” type of thing.”
I really like that kind of outlook.
For $50 a seat in Oakland, I assume that they’re letting you play third base? :)
Back in ’03, my wife and I went to Coors Field on a trip to Colorado. We got seats that were about 5 rows back of third base (field level) for something like $26 each. For a lifelong (life of the franchise, that is) Rockies fan attending my first home game, totally awesome.
And Todd Helton picked that day to hit 3 homers.
I actually get to coach third base. I’m not that good of player. Jokes aside, the A’s tickets for some games (Yankees, Red Sox, etc.) have an additional surcharge. It’s actually around $60 when you count in ticketing fees and such.
The ticketing fees are a post in their own right as we still paid for the privilege to print them out at home.
I think you should go to the Rockies and tell them that Todd Helton story, perhaps they’ll relocate you and give you a job being their good luck charm.
$0 for watching that on TV.
… and the beer is cheaper.
I think there’s a difference between going to the concert and listening to the radio. One could compare the cost of renting the video of Phantom of the Opera vs. going to the play as well. There are times it’s worth the splurge. For me about going to the 5% of the games that I have an option to is worth it.
Going through some old posts and just had to comment on this one. I buy season tickets for my team every year, we actually downgraded our tickets to a different section of the ballpark and went from $29 to $16 per seat. Significant savings considering we buy all 81 games sell some and go to about 45-50 per year.
I actually end up selling most of my Boston and NY tickets to Boston and NY fans who come in from out of town or are displaced and currently living in my city. One thing I have noticed is that when Boston fans come into our park they are pretty rude and obnoxious. A lot of them, whole sections of them.
I have a couple of friends who have gone to Boston for games and have found that Boston Fans in their own park tend to treat out of towners pretty respectfully. Any clue as to why this occurs. I know our team has been the suck the past couple of years but that does not seem like an excuse to me for acting that way.
Anyway, my seat mate and I also make an effort to go to 1-2 out of town games every year. I have been to Oakland and SF and had a blast. You will have a great time I’m sure.
I couldn’t tell you why Boston fans act badly in your area. I really don’t think we (Red Sox fans) care much about anyone else other than the Yankees.
In Oakland we saw a (likely drunk) Red Sox fan pick a fight with an A’s fan. I heard another Red Sox fan yell, “Don’t fight, but if you are, at least save it for the Yankees!”