Freddie Freeman #5 of the Los Angeles Dodgers celebrates as he walks to first base after hitting a grand slam home run in the 10th inning during Game 1 of the 2024 World Series presented by Capital One between the New York Yankees and the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium on Friday, October 25, 2024 in Los Angeles, California.
Tickets for the 2024 World Series between the New York Yankees and Los Angeles Dodgers are among the most expensive in Major League Baseball history – and fans are willing to pay up.
Leading up to Game 1 in Los Angeles, the average price for a World Series ticket in the secondary market was $3,887, according to ticket reseller TicketIQ. That's the second-most expensive average since it started tracking the data in 2010.
This year's tournament is on track to be the best-selling World Series in history, StubHub reports.
CNBC Make It asked Dodgers fans ahead of Game 1 in Los Angeles and Yankees fans ahead of Game 3 in New York how much they spent to see their team play in the World Series — and if they thought it was worth the money. Here's what they said.
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'Whatever the going rate for my kidney, it's going on the table'
LA resident Lisa Altuve, 27, said she's been excitedly waiting to see the Dodgers play in the World Series. She and her family have always loved their home team, and seeing them play in the World Series is extra meaningful this year following death of Fernando Valenzuela, the Mexican-born star pitcher who started his career with the Dodgers in the 1980s and died Oct. 22.
Money Report
She and her game-day partner, Josh Trujillo, 28, paid $2,500 total for their two seats.
Calvin Stovall, 71, flew into LA from Florida for the weekend to attend Games 1 and 2.
"I'm like a little boy at Christmas," he said. He spent a small fortune but is happy with his choice: "I can't tell you how much I spent on tickets because [then] my wife will know," he said with a laugh.
Stovall bought tickets to sit just to the right of home plate close to the field. "It will be worth it," he said. "It's why I worked and saved my money, and I deserve it."
Riley Reese, 35, spent about $1,200 for his ticket the Sunday before the Dodgers secured their spot in the post-season. He's happy with what he paid and would go higher if the Dodgers and Yankees make it to an elimination game.
How much would he give to see a Game 6 or 7 back in LA? "A kidney," he said. "Whatever the going rate for my kidney, it's going on the table."
Chris Garcia, 44, and Del Posadas, 43, each paid $2,500 for their tickets. Being at the game "means everything" to Garcia, noting that the last time the Dodgers won the World Series was in 2020 after a shortened season during the Covid-19 pandemic. "It's just money," he said of the expense.
"The last time these two teams played in the World Series was the year that I was born, 1981," Posadas added. "So it's special."
'As a true Yankees fan, I'm willing to spend anything'
Dan Schwartz has been planning — and saving for — a Yankees World Series since 2016, around the same time superstar outfielder Aaron Judge made his MLB debut.
Schwartz and a friend flew in from San Francisco for Monday night's game. They spent close to $2,000 each to sit in section 109 at Yankee Stadium and get a clear view of the Yankee dugout, purchasing the tickets one week before the game.
"It's been 15 years since the Yankees' last World Series, so that's worth it to me," Schwartz, 39, said. "Even more worth it if they win."
With the Yankees trailing the Dodgers 3-0 in the series, starting prices for Game 4 have fallen to $500 on StubHub — a nearly 20% drop from Monday.
Most of the fans CNBC Make It spoke with spent at least $1,000 to attend Game 3, regardless of where they were sitting.
Ashley Gallagher, 25, purchased her ticket as soon as the schedule was announced, spending about $1,300 to watch from section 427, sitting high up behind third base — and she said she would have spent more.
"Going to a World Series game has been on my bucket list forever, so checking that item off the bucket list is pretty cool," she said. "If it was a game where the Yankees could win it all, I think I'd spend thousands more."
James Bordes, 22, purchased his ticket the morning of the game, hoping he'd snag a cheaper price but ended up paying $1,200 to sit in section 419, similar to Gallagher.
"It was 100% worth it," he said. "I don't know when we're going to see the Yankees in a World Series again, so I really wanted to be here to support [the team]. Ultimately, as a true Yankees fan, I'm willing to spend anything."
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