Tickets: Seat Types (Box, GA, SRO, etc.)

[Calleyoop]

I'm sure this has most likely been covered before, but I could not find a discussion regarding the topic.

From a ticket collecting point of view, if ticket condition is exactly the same, do tickets for a more desireable seat at a sporting event (e.g., box seat, suite, lower level, etc.) typically carry a premium over a less desireable seat location (e.g, upper level, general admission, or standing room only ticket)?

As a KC Royals fan, I know that the GA tickets from the 70's and 80's were completely different from those for seats elsewhere in the stadium (much smaller; almost like a movie ticket stub), so I could understand why they may not be as desireable. But I've also seen more recent World Series tickets where a box seat and an SRO ticket are identical in every signficant way. For the latter, would a $250 face value box seat ticket be more coveted than a $75 face value standing room only ticket? Or do most collectors not make that distinction unless they are trying to collect one of every type of seat at a particular sporting event?

[Scott Garner]

Originally Posted by Calleyoop

I'm sure this has most likely been covered before, but I could not find a discussion regarding the topic.

From a ticket collecting point of view, if ticket condition is exactly the same, do tickets for a more desireable seat at a sporting event (e.g., box seat, suite, lower level, etc.) typically carry a premium over a less desireable seat location (e.g, upper level, general admission, or standing room only ticket)?

As a KC Royals fan, I know that the GA tickets from the 70's and 80's were completely different from those for seats elsewhere in the stadium (much smaller; almost like a movie ticket stub), so I could understand why they may not be as desireable. But I've also seen more recent World Series tickets where a box seat and an SRO ticket are identical in every signficant way. For the latter, would a $250 face value box seat ticket be more coveted than a $75 face value standing room only ticket? Or do most collectors not make that distinction unless they are trying to collect one of every type of seat at a particular sporting event?

That's an interesting question, and I'll take a swing at fielding this one for you...

FYI, I have collected baseball tickets for over 50 years.
From my observation, the majority of all baseball ticket collectors do not seem to have a preference of collecting a ticket from one stadium section over another.
There does seem to be a bias for collecting the nicer "season ticket" vs. the computer "Ticketmaster" style ticket when both are available.

That being said, as a collector and given a choice, I definitely prefer collecting a field box or suite ticket over say a grandstand or SRO ticket.
Call it a collecting quirk, but that's how I view things, FWIW.

I hope this helps.

[Snapolit1]

To me it's all about the date and the quality of the ticket, zero preference on seat location.

If anything, would probably prefer Grandstand tix that some working stiff sat in with his last $2 to a more expensive seat that some banker sat in. Maybe just my commie-pinko sympathizer leanings.

[Ulidia]

An interesting example could be Babe Ruth's Called Shot game.

As I understand, tickets from that '32 Series game still command good money but are not particularly rare. So, conceivably, could a ticket for the (vague) location he pointed to have a premium?

[Shoeless Moe]

Originally Posted by Ulidia

An interesting example could be Babe Ruth's Called Shot game.

As I understand, tickets from that '32 Series game still command good money but are not particularly rare. So, conceivably, could a ticket for the (vague) location he pointed to have a premium?

Unfortnately he never pointed. So not sure it would really matter.

Most vintage tickets (say Pre-1970) there are like maybe 2 or 3 to say 20 or 30, obviously not a hard fast rule but for the most part they are limited to just finding one as they come up only a few times a year.

Some may go for a Box Seat over a Standing Room Only, if tickets come up often enough, but for the most part it's just getting the ticket stub from the game where something significant/unique happened.

[71buc]

My scope is much more narrow. 95% of focus is dedicated to home and away stub for the 1971 Pirates. I’m at a point in my efforts where I will settle for any ticket no matter the seat location or format especially from 1971 Pirate games played in Houston, Montreal, and San Diego. I have no idea why those tickets are so scarce. Right now on eBay there is 1 only one ticket from ANY 1971 baseball game played in those three cities combined. I had hoped the uptick in ticket collecting interest would result in more availability. That hasn’t been the case. I’m the past 10 years I only managed to find tickets to 7 of the 21 Pirate games played in those cities. When considering such scarcity I know I can’t afford to be picky.

[steve B]

It depends if the number of them existing matters.

I went to several games trying to see Yaz 3000th hit. First couple were reserved grand stand, then a bleacher seat or two, then SRO. Fenway sold thousands of tickets to those games, sellouts or near sellouts. I only switchd because I was running out of money. But I'd be surprised if there were more than 50 SRO tickets sold. And those were throwbacks, like 30's -50's tickets. Not as good looking as the regular ones.


Same for my first Mets game in Shea. Cousins got tickets from a local dairy promotion with the dairy name and I think log printed on them. Hardly anyone was there. Seats were supposed to be in the last 5 rows of the upper deck BUT...The Usher said that day it was reserved for firefighters. For $x per seat he'd find us a spot in the next deck down.... Fun times. The next game was totally different. Lower box seats dad got from someone he knew through work. Asked where they were and got the star treatment....

Like right this ways sir, guided to the seats, not allowed to sit until the seat was wiped off... Plaque bolted to the railing says "this box property of the Coca Cola Corporation. " Oh, that explains a lot. I don't remember if it was on the tickets. Someday I'll find them. I do know that fenway season tickets in the late 70's early 80's had the ticket holders name on them.