Boom Goes the Astros' Dynamic Pricing Model: Get Ready to Shell Out the Big Bucks

By John Royal Fri., Mar. 1 2013 at 10:00 AM

The new Astros logo

Are you an Astros fan? Do you love going to Opening Day? Do you have a good credit score? Well, if you want to attend this Opening Day against the Texas Rangers, you better have a fantastic credit score because you're going to need to get a bank loan to buy a ticket.

The Astros have more than doubled prices for Opening Day, with the price of dugout seats, normally $56, going for $130. And you better get used to higher-than-face-value prices, because the prices for games this season against the New York Yankees, Boston Red Sox and Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim will also be higher than normal.

The Astros are able to do this, they claim, because of a tremendous demand for tickets to Astros baseball games, especially that Opening Day game. And because there's supposedly a huge demand for tickets, the Astros state that they can raise the cost of the ticket to whatever in the hell they want to charge because you, the fan, are a sucker who will pay anything they demand you pay for the right to watch the worst team in baseball get its ass kicked.

Here's what was said in yesterday's Houston Chronicle (stuck behind a paywall):

But Astros president George Postolos said Thursday prices for the Astros-Rangers opener on March 31 are simply a reflection of demand and the club's increased emphasis on dynamic pricing, which will be used more often in 2013 and in all areas of the stadium for the first time. The Astros' 2013 home-opener and AL debut is also MLB's season-opener. Thus, the March 31 high ticket costs are an anomaly.

Here's a note for Brian T. Smith at the Chronicle: If the prices are going to be hiked due to so-called dynamic pricing multiple times, and if the team's telling you in advance when the prices will be hiked, then the high ticket costs aren't an anomaly. Something can't be a departure from the normal if it's a common occurrence, and this season, it's going to be a common occurrence.

And here's a note for George Postolos and the Houston Astros: Dynamic pricing is supposed to be driven by the demand for tickets. The more demand there is, the more the tickets should cost. The less the demand, the cheaper the ticket. But single-game tickets for the Astros have yet to go on sale, so how can there be a market-priced demand when there's not yet a market to set the price?

Location Info

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Minute Maid Park

501 Crawford, Houston, TX

Category: General

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reafam3

Pay double to watch third rate shit? I wouldn't piss on this team if they were on fire.

Motherscratcher

Take thirty minutes and price out teams across the league. The Astros prices are extremely competetive. Especially if you have season tickets. Try taking a look at the team in Arlington first in that Godawful roofless building. Tickets are nearly double what they are here and our ballpark is miles ahead of theirs. In a couple of years our baseball team will be, too.

Stevan Ilan Trujillo

for cheap btw

Stevan Ilan Trujillo

why would you pay so much to see a losing team, when you can go 3 blocks east and watch the Houston Dynamo WIN...just sayin.

JaxSolo

Yeah, but what isn't around here? A plain bbq sandwich and a glass of tea costs $11. Gum is $2. And gas... well. We decide where and how to spend our money, however much or little we have. I prefer to buy an overpriced Astos ticket than an overpriced drink or trendy overpriced dinner. We spend money on what brings us joy. Bottom line. Get over it or just don't go. I love baseball and I love the Astros, win or lose. It's about the game and it's entertainment. Hell, have you been to the movies lately??? Maybe it's just me.

Pete Johnson

austin is looking for a baseball team.go astros.......

Rodney Barnes

Always has.

Jimmy Davis

Yes, opening day is now a no show. It's called price gauging, not value pricing, don't 4get 40$ to park instead of 15$ .. Throw us in the American lge, charge us 100$ 4 opening day, absolutely Classless, Disrespectful to fans .. Crane Sucks !!!

Keith Blackketter

have kept me away the past 5 yrs..that and the crappy ass record

Kevin Sayre

I read this earlier today...Completely ridiculous. They say some games are worth more? In that case; if you're paying what it's worth; then the tickets ought to range from $2.00- $4.00!!!!! GO Sugar Land Skeeters!!!!-now that's Baseball!!!

Jerise Harris-Henson

We go at least three times a season. It's fun. Yeah they suck but baseball is only fun when you can watch it live.

David Rozycki

I only went when someone gave me free tickets.

Michele Price

stopped going years ago

Nathan Hudgins

who would pay to see them anyways?

Jere Douglas

Yes it will! Disabled Vet here and very limited income.

Rebecca Ellen

1 Like

This pisses me off. I was once a season ticket holder (in the old days -- field box seats were $8.00 LOL). I gave up on baseball about the time of the second strike. I've been to one game at Minute Maid and although I had sticker shock at the cost of a sea, I did go to the game. I haven't been back but I was actually looking forward to returning this season -- I was apparently mistaken in the thinking Jim Crane might have made some positive changes. What a freaking joke this guy is! $130 f'n' dollars for a field box seat. He is nuts. Clearly living on another planet. Baseball, I may have forgiven you, but I will never, ever attend another game. That's biggest load of bull crap I have ever heard. And at this time in our lives when everyone is fighting for every nickel they can and this guy.. this f'n' guy wants us to pay $130 for a seat? I am outraged.