August 27, 2008 – Being a Twins partial season ticket holder, I received my 2008 post season ticket invoice in the mail this past Saturday. In our case we have the “Gold Glove” season ticket holder package which gives us ¼ of the games in our seats and someone else owns the other ¼ and yet another buyer owns ½ of the games. We like our seats which are in the first row right next to the visitor’s bullpen and our row only has two seats, which means we never have to get up to let someone in or out and you can’t beat that. What is frustrating is that with our seats split between three parties as they are, we have no assurance of getting our normal seats for the playoffs because the first choice obviously goes to the party that has the tickets for the ½ season ticket plan. If they choose not to order the tickets then it comes down to the other ¼ season ticket holder or us, depending on who gets their payment in first. It is always a nice to attend playoff baseball games but the prices today are getting up there and with the economy the way it is, it really makes one think before they write that check for the big bucks that it takes, in our case $2,500+. First thing on Monday I went down to the Ridgedale Twins Pro Shop and ordered my tickets but it is anyone’s guess at this point where our seats will be. I am not sure there is a better way to do this but never the less it is frustrating not to sit in your normal season ticket seats.
It seems like the post season ticket invoices go out earlier and earlier each year. I can’t help but wonder, who benefits from all that post season ticket money sitting in those coffers, is it MLB or is it the individual teams? That is a lot of money that can be invested for a month or more before monies start to get returned when teams get eliminated from possible post season play and or when playoff teams get eliminated. What about the $35 non refundable processing and handling fee? That seems kind of steep to me particularly since they have had my money for an extended period of time earning interest.
But we are talking playoff baseball here, what Twins fan wants to pass on seeing his team play in a Division or League Championship game at the Dome? What if they get to the World Series and you didn’t get tickets, how would you feel then? But that day will surely come for some of us in the near future as the 2008 prices for a single ticket for a World Series game go for $200 in the lower reserved sections.
Are the Twins going to get in the playoffs? My heart says yes and my mind says no. So why did I order post season tickets? Because this team is just damn fun to watch and I LOVE baseball.