TFD: Interesting piece on ticket fees at MLB games

Hardball Times delves into an often-frustrating but not always quantified subject: ticket surcharges at events. The site looks specifically at MLB: It's one of the most frustrating aspects of fandom, the knowledge that teams use your interest to rip you off.

Five years ago, this was brought to my attention dramatically when an attempt to buy a $17 ticket to Wrigley Field cost me $25. No, I didn't go through Stub-Hub or any ticket broker. I bought directly from the Cubs—it's just that they're "convenience charges" and "processing fees" mean it cost $8 for the right to pay for a $17 ticket. And the Cubs are hardly alone in this matter. Every team has them, some more than others.

So let's get it. I checked all 30 teams, looking at what the add-on fees are for a ticket to a September game in the cheap seats. I look at cheap seats first of all because these are, by definition, the places where the most budget-minded fans buy their tickets and thus would be the most rankled by the add-on fees. (Alternately, if you're buying the most expensive tickets in the park, you're clearly willing to spend a few extra bucks, so the add-ons matter less).

Here's how it shapes out, from largest to smallest overall add-on fees:

The post then tracks the fees for each of the past five seasons for virtually every team/year. The Twins check in at 12th-highest, according to their math, with $6.75 in total fees per ticket.

It's an interesting read with good research. Do have a look.