The Minnesota Twins took a few steps backward in 2018 and won seven fewer games (78) than they did in 2017 and their attendance reflected their play. Attendance dropped to the lowest it has been since 2004. The Twins have put a winning team on the field just twice in the last eight years. So let’s take a look at Minnesota Twins single game ticket prices for 2019.
For a number of years the Twins have had five tiers of tickets called extra value, value, select, premium and elite but in 2019 they have dropped the extra value (the lowest priced games) and elite (highest priced games) tiers and will go with just three ticket tiers (value, select, and premium). This year there will again be 81 home games in Target Field, 49 of the 81 games have been designated as “select” or middle of the road games while the “value” and “premium” tiers will each have 16 games.
The Twins continue to use demand-based ticket pricing that they implemented in 2012 and that means that ticket prices constantly go up or down to a floor price based on demand for tickets for that game. Some people call this variable or dynamic ticket pricing and is used by a number of teams but whatever you call it, it means digging deeper in your pocket for a ticket. Some folks look at it as scalping your own tickets. The floor price is based on the price of a season ticket for the same seat.
Normally the Twins put their single game tickets for the up-coming season on sale sometime after the new year begins. This year this Twins did it a little different and put their single game tickets for games in March-May on sale starting on December 18 and the best part was that they were discounting the tickets by 19% (excluding the home opener). The 19% discount only lasted until all single game tickets went on sale on January 22. This is the first time I can remember the Twins discounting their tickets and I applaud them for their effort although maybe they could have done more to advertise it and tie it in to Christmas gift giving. Twins Press Release
Average ticket prices for the various tiers in 2019
Twins ticket prices in the “select” tier stayed the same except for a $1 increase in the price of a Dugout Box infield ticket. Ticket prices in the “value” category went up anywhere from $2 to $5 for Dugout, Home Plate and Infield Box tickets and prices were lowered by $2 for Left Field Bleacher, Treasure Island Cove and Overlook tickets. Ticket prices in the “Premium” category went down anywhere from $2 to $4 for Dugout, Home Plate and Infield Box tickets and the price was raised by $2 in the Left Field Bleachers.
The 2019 average ticket price for a “value” game is $30.10 as compared to $29.71 last season. The average ticket for a “select” game will set you back $37.74 versus $37.71 in 2018. A “premium” game average ticket price this season is $45.55 as compared to $45.68 last year. If you attend a “premium” game you will pay considerably more for your seat than you would if you attended a “value” game. Same seat, same Twins players but the tier designation determines how much money stays in your wallet. By the way, if you are lucky enough to sit in the first row, you will have to pay a $5 or $10 premium depending on what section your seat is in.
The cheapest ticket at Target Field that I can find will cost you $10 in 2019 as compared to $7 last season for a seat in the Bob Uecker seats (Field View). The most expensive ticket is a “premium” game Dugout Infield box for $99, a savings of $20 from last year.
The average single-game ticket price for a Twins game at Target Field in 2019 according to my numbers is $37.80, up from $37.72 in 2018.
Keep in mind that if you order your tickets that you will be charged an additional $3.75 service charge per ticket plus a $4.00 handling fee for your order. For example if you want to get a pair of tickets for a game, you will need to pay for the tickets plus a $7.50 service charge and a $4.00 handling fee. This bugs the heck out of me, why should the Twins charge an extra $3.75 per ticket service charge and a $4.00 handling fee? Selling tickets to customers is part of the cost of doing business and should be absorbed by the team versus adding on the cost to the ticket buyer. And a $4.00 handling fee to boot? Ludicrous I say, how much can it cost to send out a couple of tickets? Certainly less than a buck for postage and envelope. Come on now Minnesota Twins, do right by your customers and eliminate these fees and just charge $1.00 for postage. Be a leader and show the rest of baseball how customers should be treated.