Why are Lakers' tickets still more expensive than Clippers' tickets?

[Scholar]

So both LAL & LAC play their last preseason home games on Friday night. I am a Lakers fan-- always have been, always will be-- and I figured I'd buy 2 tickets to watch them play the Jazz in Anaheim. The game is nearly sold out (as expected) and the only seats I could find sub-$100 were all the way at the top near the back rows.
I decided to see how the Clippers' prices are. I thought it would be foolish to look since they are going to be playing the Sac Kings in Staples Center. I found near court side seats going for a little over $100 each. The seats identical to where I'd be sitting if I bought the Lakers' tickets were as low as $6 a piece! The thing that amazed me, though, is that practically every seat in every row is still available. Don't believe me? Check it out on stubhub.com right now (they should pay me for advertising for them.)
After a long time of contemplating, I bought tickets to the Clippers' game.
I'm a Lakers fan, sure, but I want to enjoy my night with my wife. With the Clippers' tix, we'll have great seats and a bunch of money left over for food + drinks. With those Lakers' tickets, I'd be sitting up high in a shitty row, most likely having to stare at the big screen in order to see the action, which means I'd have spent $120+ to watch a game among a bunch of (usually quiet) "fans" who are more interested in their phones than the game, all of which I could do at home for free.

Anyway, my point is that this shows how much LAL is still beloved over the Clips. Check out seating for both games. Lakers' game is nearly sold out; Clippers' game has most of the arena still empty.
The Clipperes are the overall better team, though. A part of me is pissed at the Lakers for even making preseason games nearly unaffordable for fans on a budget.

[It's A VC3!!!]

It's business 101...

The Clippers, a new success story are trying to attain fans and have a following. If they have ridiculous ticket prices, they won't accomplish that goal, which is why their ticket prices are cheaper than a multi-decade successful team such as the Lakers.

Same thing with the Nets. The Nets are not going to charge $20,000 for court side seats just because they got Paul and Kevin. They need to earn that respect by being a great team for a much longer time than one or two years.

[longtime lurker]

Damn 100 for a preseason game?!!

[Nuff Said]

Is this a serious question? Why the Lakers tickets costs more than clippers??

[Scholar]

It's business 101...

The Clippers, a new success story are trying to attain fans and have a following. If they have ridiculous ticket prices, they won't accomplish that goal, which is why their ticket prices are cheaper than a multi-decade successful team such as the Lakers.

Same thing with the Nets. The Nets are not going to charge $20,000 for court side seats just because they got Paul and Kevin. They need to earn that respect by being a great team for a much longer time than one or two years.

No, I get that. I'm just a bit disgusted because even a Lakers home game against the lowly Bucks will be $100+ to sit at the top sections.
I feel like I'm being robbed for being a diehard fan. :facepalm
I get it, though. They can charges those prices and get away with it because people still buy the tickets just to sit in silence and look at their phones. I've been to 3 LAL games from last season and it seemed like that was all anyone did there.

[DuMa]

Kobe needs gas for his helicopter rides yo

[It's A VC3!!!]

No, I get that. I'm just a bit disgusted because even a Lakers home game against the lowly Bucks will be $100+ to sit at the top sections.
I feel like I'm being robbed for being a diehard fan. :facepalm
I get it, though. They can charges those prices and get away with it because people still buy the tickets just to sit in silence and look at their phones. I've been to 3 LAL games from last season and it seemed like that was all anyone did there.
yeah. put $100 every month into a separate checking account and after one year the $1,200 you saved can get you a decent seat for one game. :lol

[I<3NBA]

however is Kobe gonna feed his family if you don't pony up?

[talkingconch]

people still care more about the lakers lol

[DDensity]

No, I get that. I'm just a bit disgusted because even a Lakers home game against the lowly Bucks will be $100+ to sit at the top sections.
I feel like I'm being robbed for being a diehard fan. :facepalm
I get it, though. They can charges those prices and get away with it because people still buy the tickets just to sit in silence and look at their phones. I've been to 3 LAL games from last season and it seemed like that was all anyone did there.

Basketball game tickets are a luxury item and follow the same supply and demand economics as everything else in this world. Just because one person is "die hard" and another casually follows doesn't change who is more "deserving" to attend. The whole suggestion that "real fans" somehow get screwed is downright silly.

You are being robbed. Not by the Lakers, by yourself. Work harder, make more money and stop whining about how people who have more success in life can afford to pay for something you can't.

[KyleKong]

Rule #1 about sports marketing

Never lower the price on your tickets.

[red1]

if the demand is there then why not? :confusedshrug:

[Scholar]

if the demand is there then why not? :confusedshrug:

I know, I know.

I already mentioned that I get that people still buy them. I won't lie. I've already got $ set to the side to buy some tickets for when they play either Houston or the Nets. Not sure which one I'll be attending yet.
I guess this thread was made pointlessly. I was just shocked at first about the Clippers' preseason game costing cheaper to sit anywhere than the Lakers' preseason game's seats at the back rows of the top decks. I suppose I just forgot everything I learned in Economics classes in my fit of rage/disappointment. :oldlol:

[ispin69]

Had the same feeling, they are putting out an inferior product yet they won't lower the prices. Mainly because guys like Kobe are still raking in 30 mil almost half the cap, Pau 20 mil...they're still way over the cap and into luxury tax. With no young future franchise talent either. Gotta pay for your past mistakes. :lol

[beastmode]

Laker fans are so stupid. Lakers pay huge luxury taxes every year. It has to come from somewhere. Most Laker fans have no idea.

[Rooster]

Had the same feeling, they are putting out an inferior product yet they won't lower the prices. Mainly because guys like Kobe are still raking in 30 mil almost half the cap, Pau 20 mil...they're still way over the cap and into luxury tax. With no young future franchise talent either. Gotta pay for your past mistakes. :lol

If winning 2 rings and going to 3 NBA finals is a mistake then I take that mistake everytime. Yes the contract look ridiculous now but thats after the fact. Lakers will never lower the price because the demand is high. There's a waiting list just to be a season ticket holder.

[senelcoolidge]

lakers fans getting ripped off. Overpaying to watch a crappy team. Oh well and dummies will still pay for that, so why change it.

[kobeef24]

Basketball game tickets are a luxury item and follow the same supply and demand economics as everything else in this world. Just because one person is "die hard" and another casually follows doesn't change who is more "deserving" to attend. The whole suggestion that "real fans" somehow get screwed is downright silly.

You are being robbed. Not by the Lakers, by yourself. Work harder, make more money and stop whining about how people who have more success in life can afford to pay for something you can't.

No one needs some life lesson on a basketball forum. It's generally accepted that the tickets are overpriced. You think someone young is able to just save up hundreds to go to these games?

[DukeDelonte13]

Rule #1 about sports marketing

Never lower the price on your tickets.


this is true. There was some article on this last season with the Bobcats essentially giving away tickets.

[KyleKong]

this is true. There was some article on this last season with the Bobcats essentially giving away tickets.

Yep.

You never want to drop the price of a ticket or any product for that matter because you can never bring it back up again.

[ispin69]

I don't go to any live sporting events. It's dumb, bunch of drunks creating drama/violence anyways. You get a better view at home. I know people who don't have that much money but do save for 1-2 games a year in the semi-nose bleeds. Sometimes a guy will want to impress a girl who is a diehard fan of a team to a game and pay for it (stupid and beta tendencies). Just so the girl can instagram and take selfies of herself at the game to gloat and make others feel jealous. :facepalm Even the ones that go to the nosebleeds just want to say they went to the game.

[wakencdukest]

lakers fans getting ripped off. Overpaying to watch a crappy team. Oh well and dummies will still pay for that, so why change it.



Brilliant post. The Lakers have a big and loyal fan base going back 50 years, and they have won multiple championships in different eras. They have proven that they can rebuild successfully. The Clippers on the other hand, have just proven they could reach the playoffs 2 years in a row. I love what the Clippers are doing right now, but until they string together some deep playoff runs or a finals appearance, they are not gonna command the same ticket prices as the Lakers ever.