About Evan

I once held the world record for youngest person alive. Content specialist at TicketCity.

Sportstown, USA

May 10, 2013 By Leave a Comment

Top5sportsCities (3)
Sports fandom is often scoffed at by those not involved, but it’s in the same vein as one who doesn’t care about art glancing at a Monet and wondering what the big deal is. A game-winning touchdown for your team gives you a sense of happiness because something you can’t control went right. Better yet, if your team is local, it’s giving the people around you that very same feeling. There’s nothing else that brings you and your neighbor together like that and people are proud of their sports communities.

There’s a lot of back and forth on what is and isn’t a “good sports town.” It’s been debated ad nauseam. Even athletes are getting into the act, with former Texas slugger Josh Hamilton giving his own thoughts on the subject after a move to the division-rival Angels — “Texas, especially Dallas, has always been a football town,” he said, and added “it’s not a true baseball town.” It feels like a personal jab at every one of the Rangers fans in the Metroplex, and you can bet Rangers fans will never let him forget it.

So, with apologies to Josh, that’s an easy thing say, but can he prove it? We tried. We’ve taken various data points that come out of our industry (the secondary ticket market) and some attendance/capacity figures to try to determine what city really does get behind its sports teams. Since it’s an overall city ranking, we picked the 15 cities/metro areas that have each of an NFL, MLB and NBA team (we wanted to add NHL as well, but it would have cut the list down to 11) and went from there.

After indexing all the ticketing and attendance numbers from the last regular season in each league (2012 MLB, 2012 NFL, 2012-13 NBA) we got a clear winner, and one you might have expected: New York City. Ranking 4th in football, 1st in basketball and 3rd in baseball, the Big Apple was one of only two cities that ranked in the top 5 in every sport.

Here are the Top 5 and their scores:

100 – New York City

97.9 – Boston

97.7 – Dallas

90.2 – Chicago

82.0 – Philadelphia

 

We can go a bit deeper and look at the top 5 in each league that we looked at as well:

NBA

100 – New York City

91.6 – Miami

83.6 – Chicago

80.9 – Boston

75.5 – Oakland

NFL

100 – Dallas

87.9 – Chicago

81.8 – Boston

81.6 – New York City

77.6 – Washington D.C.

MLB

100 – Boston

86.9 – Dallas

86.7 – New York City

86.6 – Philadelphia

81.5 – Detroit

 

What to take from this

-  While Dallas would still be #1 with all NFL cities involved, many teams that would be ranked high on this list (see Lakers, SF Giants) aren’t included because the cities don’t have all three of the major sports we used.

-  The #1 indicator of support will always be success. Cities that were closer to the bottom of this list (Phoenix, Cleveland) haven’t seen too much success recently and the support will therefore wane over the years.

-  Big markets dominate. It’s hard to say any city that has 3-4 major professional sports teams isn’t a big market, but NYC and Chicago are definitely bigger than Denver and Cleveland and it shows.

Interesting facts

NFL: The Bears had the highest ticket price in the NFL last season and were one of seven teams in this group to have attendance over its official capacity. The Dolphins were last in attendance of these 15 teams by a longshot.

NBA: The biggest difference between 1st place and 2nd was the Knicks over the rest of the NBA. Attendance was quite low in Detroit but fans are packed into the arena in Chicago and Dallas. Tickets were really, really cheap in Philadelphia and Minnesota last season.

MLB: The Yankees have a TON of tickets sold on the secondary market, but only had about 87% capacity last season (it’s much lower this season as well). The Red Sox had over 100% capacity last season but have since seen their sell-out streak come to an end. Dallas was 3rd in baseball, so Josh Hamilton doesn’t know what he’s talking about.

Filed Under: Uncategorized

The Cross-Country Round Up (April 12-14)

April 10, 2013 By Leave a Comment

We’ll be finding all the best games, concerts and shows throughout the upcoming weekend in various cities across the U.S., including NYC, Chicago, Dallas, Houston, and Los Angeles — and bringing them to you. It’ll be a combination of must-see and bang for your buck so if you’re interested in seeing a live event in your area keep your eyes on the TicketCity blog every week.

Kobe Bryant is trying to take his Lakers into the postseason.

Kobe Bryant is trying to take his Lakers into the postseason.

 

This week’s picks:

New York City — Muse at Madison Square Garden, 4/15 (starting at $32)

Okay so this is on Monday and not the weekend, but it’s hard to pass up on Muse at MSG for a price like that. One of the best bands in the world playing in Manhattan. Get some.

Los Angeles - San Antonio Spurs vs. L.A. Lakers, Staples Center 4/14 (starting at $124)

The Lakers are battling for their playoff lives late in the season and the top-seeded Spurs are coming to the Staples Center. San Antonio would love nothing more then to kick Kobe and the Lakers when they’re down.

Chicago - San Francisco Giants vs. Chicago Cubs, Wrigley Field 4/14 (starting at $9)

The Giants have won two of the last three World Series trophies and they’re visiting the most famous baseball field on the planet. Cy Young winner Tim Lincecum is slated to start for the Giants.

Dallas - San Jose Sharks vs. Dallas Stars, American Airlines Center 4/13 (starting at $20)

The Stars are trying to make a comeback late in the season to secure that 8th playoff spot even after the trade of Jaromir Jagr. Hockey is always better live and NHL games at $20 are almost unheard of.

Houston – Chicago Fire vs. Houston Dyanmo, BBVA Compass Stadium 4/14 (starting at $23)

The Dynamo have still not lost a match at BBVA since it opened last season — a streak that has lasted 34 games thus far. Cheer on the orange as they try to make their third consecutive MLS Cup in 2013.

Bonus city: Boston - Tampa Bay Rays vs. Boston Red Sox, Fenway Park 4/13 (starting at $22)

Filed Under: The Cross-Country Rundown

2013 Houston Astros — The Sacrifice Bunt

April 5, 2013 By Leave a Comment
Jose Altuve is only 23 but looks to be the Astros second baseman of the future.

Jose Altuve is only 23 but looks to be the Astros second baseman of the future.

The Houston Astros are a bad baseball team. Historically bad, even. From ESPN’s top baseball guys like Peter Gammons and Buster Olney to the average fan on the street, there’s been a large amount of disdain for the way Astros owner Jim Crane is doing business. Houston has a payroll of $27.3 million, the lowest since the Marlins in 2008. Bud Norris is the highest paid player at $3 million and there are a handful of other MLB players that make just about what the entire Houston club does.  This is, however, a necessary evil. You can’t be shortsighted if you want to turn around a bad team and don’t have a $2 billion club worth to do it with.

The lack of “trying” to compete this season is what most of the criticism centers around, and the argument doesn’t hold water if you look at it from the club’s perspective. The Astros are not going to the playoffs this season. They could have signed the biggest free agent on the market this off-season and they still wouldn’t sniff October baseball…. so what’s the point?

Why spend $33 million on someone like Kyle Lohse to go from 60 wins to 64 wins (he was worth 4.3 wins to the Cards in 2013 according to WAR)  in 2013? Lohse was #11 on mlbtraderumors.com’s top 50 free agents in 2013 and signing him would have been an absolute waste of money equal to the bad Astros deals of the past that put them in the position they are now (Kazuo Matsui, Woody Williams) . The Astros signed Carlos Lee to a $100 million contract in 2007 and haven’t sniffed the playoffs since he put pen to paper. You don’t spend your entire budget on a team that has no chance at the playoffs — you save, rebuild from the ground up and when you’re within striking distance you pull the trigger to get that guy that might give you that little bit extra. The jump from 87 to 92 wins is why you sign a big free agent, not to try cracking 70 wins. Being relevant in the playoff chase boosts attendance, not signing a FA like Dan Haren to a bad team.

The Astros wanted to get younger and cheaper and they’ve gotten there. They traded Hunter Pence and got back Jonathan Singleton and Jarred Cosart who are both top 5 prospects in the organization and Singleton was recently ranked a top 30 prospect in all of baseball.  That bad season last year netted the #1 overall pick in the draft in Carlos Correa who might be the next best major league shortstop, pushing ESPN’s Keith Law to name the Astros the #4 farm system in MLB — the highest I’ve ever seen it.

The Rays have seen tremendous success recently and it’s not because they went out and signed huge free agents. The Rays built a #1 farm system and then let some affordable free agents compliment a team that had the talent to get them to that next level. The Astros have gone from a 70-win team with one of the worst organizational prospects in baseball to a team that is loaded with young talent and no payroll committed to any over-the-hill, under-performing players. That’s an incoming General Manager’s dream.

The path may be rocky for the Astros and their fans, but sticking with the team as they turn over a new leaf from mismanagement to playoff contention will make it so much better when they’re giving the rest of the AL West a run for their money with a cheaper, younger and more exciting team. And in the mean time, why not snap up some cheaper Astros tickets before the bandwagon fills up again and love your team in person?

Filed Under: MLB Tagged With:

The Cross-Country Rundown (April 1-6)

April 1, 2013 By Leave a Comment

We’ll be finding all the best games, concerts and shows throughout the upcoming week in various cities across the U.S., including NYC, Chicago, Dallas, Houston, and Los Angeles — and bringing them to you. It’ll be a combination of must-see and bang for your buck so if you’re interested in seeing a live event in your area keep your eyes on the TicketCity blog every Monday.

Knicks game at MSG

Knicks game at MSG

 

This week’s picks:

NYC-  New York Knicks vs. Milwaukee Bucks, Madison Square Garden 4/5 (starting at $113)

Let’s be frank, going to a Knicks game these days isn’t cheap, but a matchup against a mid-level team like the Bucks gives your wallet a break if you want to get in to see Carmelo and the gang at historic MSG.

Los Angeles - The Dan Band, Nokia Theatre 4/5 (starting at $57)

You may know them as the foul-mouthed cover band from The Hangover and Old School and they are just as entertaining in person. Covering everything from Christina Aguilera to Bonnie Tyler, you’ll have a good time singing along to every single song.

Dallas - Texas Rangers vs. LA Angels, Rangers Ballpark 4/5 (starting at $55)

It’s the Rangers home opener and it’s priced extremely well for being so at a $55 get-in price. Check out the Rangers as they begin their much-anticipated 2013 season.

Houston - AMA Supercross, Reliant Stadium 4/6 (starting at $12)

Off-road motorcycles, dirt tracks, big jumps and fast times. It’s Supercross at Reliant Stadium on Saturday and extreme sports fans will be excited. Don’t know what it’s all about? At a $12 get-in price, find out in person.

Chicago - McDonald’s All-American Game, United Center 4/3 (starting at $22)

The best high school basketball players in the country will convene to ball in Chi-town and this is your chance to see them before they head off to play at schools like Duke and North Carolina. It’s the future of basketball and it’s all under one roof.

And this weeks wildcard city:

Denver - Cold War Kids, Gothic Theater (starting at $75)

The band is touring in support of its album releasing tomorrow and continues to put on a good show wherever they are. The Gothic Theater is a great Denver venue so check out the Cold War Kids this Wednesday.

Filed Under: The Cross-Country Rundown Tagged With:

Saint Mary’s and the Glass Slipper — The Secret to Their Success

March 18, 2013 By Leave a Comment
vcu123

Virginia Commonwealth shocks #1 Kansas in 2011

The NCAA tournament bracket has been unveiled and we’re a few days from the first games tipping off. Casual observers and fervent basketball fans alike will be watching the tournament early on to catch what could be the next Cinderella team that makes a run and knocks off one of the big programs. Rooting for the underdog, the little guy, the unknown – it’s intrinsic in all of us. A large part of the March Madness draw is the exuberant joy you see that comes from the players, coaches and fans when they win a big game. Feeling like a part of the excitement is what sports fandom is all about and the NCAA tournament gives you a level of real emotion and key moments that is unmatched anywhere else.

The first thing fans will do when the bracket comes out is look for their team. What seed? Against who? Where? Then after those questions are out of the way its “OK, now where do I go to fill out my bracket?” and “Who is going to be this year’s George Mason? This year’s VCU.” Taking a look at every team you could classify as a Cinderella team makes one realize there might be no formula. It’s like trying to guess who fits into the glass slipper by just looking at everyone’s feet. You have to play the games (have everyone try the slipper on) before you see who your emotions will go with.

I tried to figure it out anyway. Over the last 10 years, there have been 22 teams that were seeded #9 or lower that reached the Sweet Sixteen and it has fluctuated greatly. In each of the 2010 and 2011 tournaments, four lower seeds made it. In 2007, none did.

First, what lower seed produced the most Sweet Sixteen teams?

#9: 2 teams (UAB, Northern Iowa)

#10: 7 teams (Auburn, Nevada, NC State, Davidson, Saint Mary’s, Florida State, Xavier)

#11: 4 teams (George Mason, Washington, Marquette, VCU)

#12: 7 teams (Butler, UW-Milwaukee, Western Kentucky, Villanova, Arizona, Cornell, Richmond)

#13: 2 teams (Bradley, Ohio)

#14-16: None

So 10 and 12 seeds have had more luck reaching the Sweet Sixteen then a #9 seed has. Might seem strange, but #9 seeds have to play #1 seeds in the second round, so that becomes a bit more difficult. Of all those teams, only three won their Sweet Sixteen games (Davidson, George Mason and VCU). Of those, two made it to the Final Four and not a single lower seed advanced to the National Championship game. So 10-11-12 seeds make up most Cinderella teams with the median being an 11 seed (which both Final Four teams were).

Where did all these successful lower-seeded teams come from? Is there one conference that continues to deliver when it comes to underdogs? The short answer is no. The 22 teams came from 15 different conferences and no conference had more than two.

What about the type of school? Of the 22, the split is pretty even with 12 teams being public while 10 were private. Not too telling. However, what about the general idea of the underdog and Cinderella? It seems as the ones most classified like that aren’t from a big public school with other large sports programs. While Arizona might be classified as a Cinderella school for this purpose, we certainly can’t call them that even with the low seed. Let’s restrict it to schools you’d actually consider for that type of title.

When you take all the components of these lower-seeded teams that made it to the Sweet Sixteen and beyond over the last decade, there’s only one school in 2013 that matches the description when it comes to seed, conference, and that Cinderella feel: Saint Mary’s.

The Gaels are a #11 seed, the same as Final Four participants George Mason and VCU. Saint Mary’s comes from a conference that has seen a lower seed reach the Sweet Sixteen (the Gaels did it themselves in 2010) and it’s a small private school with less than 3,000 undergrads. While it has the right formula, Saint Mary’s will also be playing in a First Four game against Middle Tennessee. A win over the Blue Raiders and then #6 Memphis would likely set up a match up with #3 Michigan State. Yikes.

You might have the right components to be Cinderella in 2013, Saint Mary’s, but good luck.

Post script: After writing this I started wondering where the usage of the “Cinderella” term came from. After a little research I found a Pat Forde excerpt in the ESPN College Basketball Encyclopedia on the subject. While it seems to have been used as early as the late 1930s, it gained popularity when City College of New York became the first and only school to win both the NIT and NCAA tournament in 1950. Disney’s “Cinderella” premiered that same year.

SEE ALSO: TicketCity’s NCAA Tournament Bracket Contest and tickets for all NCAA Tournament games

Filed Under: College Basketball
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