Attending a baseball game or another sports activity can be both fun and stressful for many families. Not only do you have to gather everything the kids might need for a day at the park, but you also have to consider the costs of spending an afternoon or evening at a stadium. For better or worse, the cost of attending a baseball game mostly heads in one direction, and there is no indication prices will go lower. 

This makes data from Team Marketing Report’s MLB Fan Cost Index invaluable. This information, placed in descending order down to the most expensive stadium, can help give parents and families an idea of what to expect for the price of four tickets, the average cost of four hot dogs, two baseball caps for souvenirs, two beers for the parents, and two game programs. 

Why Does This Matter? 

Every dollar you spend at a baseball game goes to the giant Major League Baseball machine. What makes this relevant to 24/7 Wall St. is that this list fits right in with our coverage of Fortune 500 businesses that are stadium sponsors and the economic impact these teams have on the cities with which they reside. Baseball is a business worth $11 billion annually, adding hundreds of thousands of jobs nationwide. 

13. San Diego Padres

• Total price for a family of four: $268.62

Visiting Petco Field to watch the San Diego Padres not only means you’re going to have good weather, but you also have the popular Ans Gelato. When it’s hot, parents know the ice cream question will come eventually, so you can anticipate how much you will spend at the park to increase slightly. Still, the Padres are the least expensive stadium out of the ballparks considered the most expensive to attend. 

12. Chicago White Sox 

• Total price for a family of four: $273.23

At Guaranteed Rate Stadium, you get the best Chicago food without attending a game at Wrigley Field. The Cub’s cross-town rivals have gluten-free, vegan, and vegetarian options to cater to all walks of food life, along with beers, cocktails, tacos, nachos, more bars, and classics like hot dogs, burgers, and pizza. 

11. Atlanta Braves

• Total price for a family of four: $275.42

Families have almost too many options when attending a game with the Atlanta Braves. The best choice is to choose one of the Braves Grab & Go concession options, which offers discounted pricing for many fan favorites like hot dogs, bratwurst, and classic nachos. Chick-fil-A is also available, which means kids have chicken nuggets just in case a hot dog isn’t in the cards. 

10. Philadelphia Phillies

• Total price for a family of four: $279.87

Spending a day at Citizens Bank Park is an opportunity to experience Shake Shack. Between burgers, BBQ, and plenty of portable snacks, there is something about spending time with the Philadelphia Phillies that makes for a great afternoon out for a family. Philadelphia is undeniably a sports-crazy town, so expect families to love many stadium adventures. 

9. St. Louis Cardinals 

• Total price for a family of four: $284.01

One of the most watched teams in baseball, the St. Louis Cardinals home is Busch Stadium, which means beer is plentiful. Parents can choose from dozens of concession options to help their kids try new things and experiment with different food choices. 

8. Texas Rangers

• Total price for a family of four: $284.10

It’s going to be a good time when you visit Globe Life Field to watch the defending World Series champion play their 2024 schedule. Not an inexpensive adventure, but it’s the last stadium to stay under the $300 line before jumping into the most expensive stadiums for families. With 40,300 fans capable of attending a game, there are plenty of concession options and entree choices to enjoy the day. 

7. San Francisco Giants

• Total price for a family of four: $314.74

Regarding a day at Oracle Park, there is something great about this stadium. With a capacity of 42,300 people, the Giants regularly fill the seats thanks to an ongoing streak of strong baseball play. However, there is no getting around how expensive a day at the stadium can be for a family of four. Of course, this aligns with San Francisco being one of the most expensive parts of the US period. 

6. Washington Nationals 

• Total price for a family of four: $327

When it comes to Nationals Park, you get a stadium right in the heart of Washington, D.C. The good news is that you have 14 different parking options, though you shouldn’t expect much of a price difference. The same goes for food as you have hot, better known as “haute dogs,” available everywhere in the stadium. 

5. Los Angeles Dodgers

• Total price for a family of four: $345.37

One of the largest baseball stadiums in the country, Dodger Stadium offers seating for up to 56,000 people. The good news is that plenty of concession options are available to feed this many people, and you can even find cheaper alternatives to keep costs down, like nachos and pizza. For the parents, you can even swap the beer for wine. 

4. Chicago Cubs

• Total price for a family of four: $350.16

Nothing is like spending a day at Wrigley Field, one of the oldest active baseball stadiums. Unfortunately, it’s the fourth most expensive stadium for families at around $350 just for the essentials. Still, you can’t stop at Wrigley Field without trying Chicago Hot Dogs or stopping at any of the three pizza concessions. 

3. Houston Astros

• Total price for a family of four: $368.87

Spending a day at Minute Maid Park with your family to watch a Houston Astros game doesn’t come cheap. While you might be in attendance with 41,000 of your closest friends, parents also have to be on the lookout for spending that can hit around $370 throughout the game. While there are many food options, you might want to consider the Chick-fil-A concession and go with fast food to keep costs down. 

2. New York Yankees

• Total price for a family of four: $376.54

For the families among the 46,537 fans that can spend a day at Yankee Stadium, you should expect to pay over $375 on average. As the second most expensive baseball stadium for families, going to a Yankee game must be something everyone in the family wants to do. If you do end up there, there are plenty of burger and hot dog concessions, milkshakes, halal, fried chicken, and everything in between. 

1. Boston Red Sox

• Total price for a family of four: $396.16

Sorry, Red Sox fans, but a day at the park for families is the most expensive in baseball. Approaching $400 for a family of four is borderline crazy when you figure that the same price can allow a family of four to spend a day at Disney World. However, there are plenty of concessions at the famous Fenway Park, including burgers, burrito bowls, candy, chicken tenders, and so much more.

 

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