World Series Delivers High-Demand Marquee Matchup
Major League Baseball fans—and the league itself—got the matchup they wanted for the 2024 World Series: a pair of coastal juggernauts with a storied rivalry, and the sport’s two biggest stars and likely MVPs squaring off on the biggest stage. A five-game series that saw the Dodgers top the Yankees resulted in the highest-watched World Series in 7 years, record merch sales, and massive ticket revenue.
In the 12th Fall Classic between the Dodgers and Yankees, and the first since 1981, the anticipation was through the roof. Before Game 1, demand created the most expensive World Series ticket of all time.
But after a lopsided 3–0 start to the series that saw the red-hot Dodgers jump out ahead of the languid Yankees, volatility became the name of the game for prices, according to data from TickPick, a leading North American ticket marketplace. This week, Front Office Sports takes you through the ticketing back and forth that became as big a storyline as the on-field battle itself.
Breaking Records Before the First Pitch
Before the series even started on Oct. 25, fans were spending big to get in the ballpark.
A Rollercoaster Ride
Average ticket prices for the World Series have been up, down, and back again for the past decade—and 2024 continued the trend. Compared to 2023, this year’s high-profile matchup drove up prices $928 over last year: a 54% increase over last year’s Diamondbacks-Rangers series.
Pivot Point for Prices
Over the weekend, the Dodgers squashed the idea of a closely fought, lengthy battle—putting a dent in the series and the ticket prices. The Yankees were one out away from a Game 1 victory, but Freddie Freeman hit a walkoff grand slam, and New York never held the lead in Game 2.
Yankees fans waited 15 years to witness another World Series game in the Bronx, but as the offense sputtered, demand fell. According to TickPick, prices began to decrease after Game 1, then continued to trend downward following Game 2.
On Oct. 22, Game 3 represented the highest get-in price of a World Series game on record ($1,702), according to TickPick. Since Oct. 24, the get-in price dropped 44%.
Declining Tension, Declining Prices
The downturn continued after Freeman homered for a third straight game, spurring the Dodgers to another victory. In the history of the World Series, no team has ever overcome a 3–0 series deficit. In fact, no team trailing 3–0 has even extended a Fall Classic to Game 6. The Yankees were no exception.
Fans’ dollars prove the Dodgers’ ascent muted the overall excitement, and drove down get-in prices for Game 4. According to TickPick, the minimum purchase price dropped nearly $1,000—or 58%—between Oct. 24, the day before the series began, and Oct. 29, the day after Game 3.
It Ain’t Over ‘Til It’s Over
With the Yankees facing elimination Tuesday night, and trailing 2–1 in the third inning, Anthony Volpe hit a dramatic grand slam. New York never relinquished the lead, and extended the World Series for another evening.
The Yankees may have avoided the sweep, but the uphill climb still affected ticket prices. According to TickPick, the get-in price for Game 5 was $1,573 before the series started, and it dropped to $776 after New York went down three games to none. The 11-run Yankees outburst in Game 4 caused a 3% increase as of Wednesday morning, with a get-in price of $799—and although it was higher, it wasn’t a massive jump. And the Dodgers made sure there was no Game 6 to be had.
