In a new Associated Press-Knowledge Networks poll of fans showed that the rising price of games would be the main problem in the upcoming Major League Baseball. Soaring salaries and steroids dominated news were the main worries in past surveys. But in recent poll the nation’s recession period is the big blow to MLB whose opening day is less than a week away.

New York Yankees star Mark Teixeira, who signed an eight-year, $180 million contract in the offseason said, “Like every election, it’s the economy and in tough times, disposable income may not be there.”

In other poll about 60% fans said no Hall of Fame honor to players, who were involved in steroids usage or other performance-enhancing drugs issues. Nearly 85 percent people said that the names of all players, who were in the list of positive tests for drugs in 2003, should be made public. Till so far, only Alex Rodriguez has been identified. Besides these percentages, over 50% people said that they were not at all interested in the World Baseball Classic, the preseason tournament that involves major teams.

However, the rising cost of tickets, concessions, parking and other expenditures were the fans’ main concerns. “It’s gone up like everything else. The last game we went to, we paid $50 for a seat. That’s pretty steep,” said Robert Neel, a retired director of admissions at the University of Cincinnati.

According to the Team Marketing Report, the average ticket price for majors was around $25.43 last year. Although the cost for 2009 has not been decided yet, but there wll be an increase that outplace the inflation rate.

To attract fans to the games, Major League Baseball said that from all 30 teams about two-thirds agreed to lower either their average ticket price or some level of seats. In this regard, The Toronto Blue Jays went a step further by offering a season ticket in the upper deck for $76.

Tags: Alex Rodriguez, Major League Baseball, Mark Teixeira, Performance enhancing drugs, steroids, World Baseball Classics

Posted in steroid nation, Steroids and Anabolic Steroids, Steroids in Baseball, Steroids in Sports

Fans are singing a different tune as tickets for watching a ballgame soars high. This is now the main concern of fans after a survey was conducted on March 26-29 by the Associated Press-Knowledge Networks. Survey results reflected that other concerns of fans were players getting into steroids and their salaries. As the opening day looms, fans are concerned that the recession has affected their disposable income and they may not be able to afford the cost of the tickets. And it’s not just the tickets. Concession stands and parking lots have increased their rates too. Even souvenirs like t-shirts cost $55 a piece.

Some of the fans express their disappointment over the fact that players are earning millions despite the recession that the country is going through. Salaries of players like Texeira and Sabathia have signing bonuses of $180 million and $161 million respectively are also becoming so too much. Other fans are still enraged over major league players getting into steroids. Some say that they shouldn’t be recognized or given a chance to the Hall of Fame regardless of their baseball statistics.

Tags: baseball, CC Sabathia, fans, Hall of Fame, Mark Teixeira, MLB opening, steroids

Posted in steroid nation, Steroids and Anabolic Steroids, Steroids in Baseball, Steroids in Sports