Baseball fans are rejoicing the return of Major League Baseball, while NFL fans are looking forward to next week's draft.
Whichever sport you're into, paying to see a game in person is not cheap, especially when you factor in stadium food or souvenirs.
Insider tips for cheaper seats
Diehard Cincinnati Reds fan Lisa Manning said she’ll often attend weekday games as one way to save on ticket prices.
“Really depends on who's playing and who's pitching. That also factors in my decision,” she said.
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Ram Silverman, owner and director of operations for the ticketing company Golden Tickets, agrees that early, midweek games come with the best odds of saving money.
“Go to the April games, go to a May game,” he suggested. “Kids are still in school. There's not a huge, huge demand for tickets.”
If a game isn't sold out, he advises buyers to be patient, saying teams often lower prices to fill the stands.
“Whether you're buying a $5 bleacher seat, or maybe even buying a lower-level seat between the bases, you usually are going to be able to get a good deal at the last minute, especially for some of these early-season games,” he said.
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If you're attending a game with a larger group, try splitting up into sections near one another, rather than finding eight or more seats in a row, which could cost you a lot more.
Watch a ticket insider share tips for finding cheaper sporting tickets:
Looking forward to football?
Silverman noted you can save by attending an NFL preseason game over a regular-season matchup.
As fun as it is to cheer up close, you’ll also save more by sitting further away from the action.
“There are really no bad seats,” Manning said. “You can have a crummy seat and still have a good time.”
Where to buy tickets
Silverman's advice is to check the primary seller first, then compare prices on the secondary market.
“A lot of times, there are better deals, where tickets are sold below face value on the secondary market. So, there are deals to be had,” he said.
Tickets sold on Golden Tickets have a baked-in markup, but for other ticketing services, Silverman said to watch for big fees tacked on during checkout.
“Essentially, when you're looking on our site, that is the all-in price,” he said.
At the end of the day, you may find similar prices across multiple ticketing platforms. When that is the case, consider customer service and how well the company responds to issues, based on its Better Business Bureau profile.
“If you're going to spend the same amount of money, whether it be with StubHub or with us, and you know that you can speak to somebody, I think it means something,” Silverman said.
And that way, you don't waste your money.
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