5 Ways To See Live Sports On The Cheap!

Watching live sports is one of the best things to do during the Summer. What’s not to love? The fresh air, a cold drink, sunshine on your face, and the thrill of victory as you watch one group of people throw a ball better than another. Live sports are truly a joy, whether or not you’re a die-hard fan. Here are a few ways you can catch live sporting events without breaking your bank!

1. MLB Games

Baseball is historically known as America’s pastime, and even if you don’t fully understand the rules (wait, I thought he hit it into the stands, why is he not running?), watching a baseball game is still a delightful experience. Because there are so many baseball games in a season, the demand for each game is considerably lower than other sporting events. For this reason, you can come by baseball tickets relatively cheap, especially if it is a weekday game. Check your local team’s official website for available tickets, as well as resale sites like Seatgeek and Gametime. These sites often have cheaper prices because people are trying to sell their tickets and will go lower than normal. Be wary of fees, as they will be added on at the end, but you should be able to find MLB games for less than $15 total!

2. NFL Pre-Season

Football games are popular. They are loads of fun, and they only happen once a week. For this reason, tickets to NFL games can be decently expensive, ranging from $50 up to $200 for regular season games. But if you want the ambience of being in an impossibly large football stadium and watching two teams duke it out without reaching too deep into the pockets, a pre-season game is the way to go. Before the actual season begins, NFL teams will play each other as a way to prepare for the season and also see how new players perform in game-like situations. Because the games don’t count, and because coaches usually play new players, the demand to go is not as high, so tickets are very cheap. I got tickets to a Chargers game at Sofi for $20 total! If you aren’t a die-hard fan and just want the vibe of a good ol’ football game, find tickets to a pre-season game. All the fun, a fraction of the cost. 

3. Smaller Franchise Teams

Some bigger pro league teams, like the Lakers, Patriots, or Red Sox, will always have expensive tickets, no matter the time of year or stakes of the game. But lesser known teams still have fun games, with tickets that are much more reasonable in price. These teams can have cheaper tickets because they have historically low stats, or, in a big city with multiple teams, one of them usually falls to the wayside. Examples of these teams are the New York Mets, LA Angels, Brooklyn Nets, and LA Clippers. These teams are only in big cities, but tickets can be surprisingly cheap if you happen to live there or find yourself visiting. The games may not be as packed or as flashy, but you’ll still have loads of fun and not have to break the bank. 

4. The Box Office

If you’ve ever bought tickets online before, you know that one of the most annoying parts is the insane fees that get added on at the last second. You’re checking out thinking you’re getting a $40 ticket, then the price jumps to $65 because of transaction fees? A good way to avoid this is to go directly to the box office on game day, as there are no fees whatsoever. This, again, holds some risk, because if the tickets are sold out, you’re stuck at the stadium. But calling ahead to check availability can reduce this risk, and if it works out, you get a great little souvenir, as box offices still give out paper tickets if you buy at the stadium.

5. Buying Last Minute

I put this option last because it is the riskiest, but it can also have a great payoff if done correctly. Sometimes, life happens. You have plans and something comes up that you can’t miss. The same is true for sports teams. If someone has to cancel plans to go to a game at the last minute, they usually want to get at least some money back and are willing to sell their ticket for very cheap out of desperation. Buying tickets at the last minute is a great way to impulsively see any sort of event and can be much cheaper than face value if you are lucky. Using websites like Seatgeek, Tickpick, or Gametime, you can get verified tickets up to directly when the game starts.

Happy Game Day, sports fans!