You couldn’t afford to attend the World Series. You couldn’t get tickets to the Dodgers’ championship celebration.
You may have already stocked up on championship merchandise, but you and your family would like to see the Dodgers in person.
The good news: spring training is three short months away, and tickets for the Dodgers’ exhibition games at Camelback Ranch went on sale Monday. The bad news: even the cheap seats are not exactly affordable.
The romance of spring training — relaxing on the lawn behind the outfield, with a chance to see your favorite players up close — has given way to the opportunity for major league teams to maximize their revenue.
The Dodgers share Camelback Ranch with the Chicago White Sox. As you might imagine, ticket demand is higher for the defending World Series champions than for the team that lost 121 games, the most of any major league team since 1899.
The price of lawn seats for Dodgers home games at Camelback Ranch range from $40 to $53 on weekends, $25 to $42 on weekdays.
For all but one game, the price of lawn seats for White Sox home games at Camelback Ranch range from $12 to $22. The exception: the White Sox home game against the Dodgers, when lawn seats cost $41.
Teams reserve the right to adjust ticket prices based on demand, so prices could be higher or lower come spring training. At Camelback Ranch, tickets bought on game day are subject to a surcharge.
Here’s our recommendation for budget-minded Dodger fan families: Your favorite players seldom play every day in spring training and, when they do, they usually play just a few innings.
Go to the daily morning workouts at Camelback Ranch. They’re free, and it often is easier to meet players and get autographs there.
You can get the stadium experience at a White Sox home game, or try one of the nine other Cactus League ballparks. The one with the best view: Tempe Diablo Stadium, home of the Angels.