Royals LDS Tickets 273% More Expensive That The Cardinals

The stage has been set for the MLB’s Divisional Series after the Kansas City Royals and San Francisco Giants took away wins in their respective Wild Card Games earlier this week. After an extra-inning affair with the A’s on Tuesday that ran well into the night, the Royals solidified their first Divisional Series entrance since their World Series Championship run in 1985. With nearly 30 years separating Kansas City from its last visit to the postseason, price premiums for Kansas City Royals playoff tickets on the secondary market have skyrocketed, so much so that the team owns the most expensive Divisional Series home average among all eight playoff teams across both leagues. On the opposing side of the monetary spectrum are the St. Louis Cardinals, however, as the perennial postseason push the team seems to experience each season has become commonplace at Busch Stadium. Because of St. Louis’ continuing and expected playoff success, Cardinals playoff tickets at home will see the cheapest average price on the secondary market in the Divisional Series.

According to TiqIQ, the Royals currently own an ALDS secondary average of $346.82 at Kaufmann Stadium. That price eclipses the second highest-priced Orioles, who own a $255.33 average, by 35.8%. An even bigger price premium exists in comparison to Kansas City’s regular season average at home. The Royals saw a season average of $48 for their 81 home games, marking a 622% jump for Divisional Series tickets. The team also owes much of its postseason secondary market success to the MLB record-leading Angels, who will visit Kauffman Stadium for Game 3 and, if necessary, Game 4.

The Cardinals will follow a similar fashion to that of the Royals as they set to host the Dodgers at Busch Stadium for Game 3 and a potential Game 5 in the NLDS. With the series beginning on Friday at Dodger Stadium, the Cardinals currently own a secondary average of $93.08 at home, over 73% below what the top-priced Royals have generated for home games in their series with the Angels. Despite their relatively low average at home during the Divisional Series, the Cardinals will still experience a 111% premium over their season average of $44. Only the Tigers will see a lower Divisional Series premium for games at Comerica Park, however, with average secondary ticket price rising 71.9% above season average.

While the Royals and Cardinals will own contrasting secondary ticket averages at home over their respective series, a Championship Series berth would implicate even larger ticket premiums for both teams. With the Royals experiencing a nearly three-decade-long playoff drought, ALCS tickets in Kansas City would average at $772.17 and usher in a 1508% boost over the team’s season average. The Cardinals would see a healthy increase as well, jumping 632% above season average to $322.43 for home games in the NLCS.

The Championship Series may seem like a lifetime away for both teams as they gear up for their bouts with the Angels and Dodgers over the next week in the Divisional Series but with secondary ticket prices continuing to rise at each team’s respective ball park, there’s no question that Royals and Cardinals fans will flock from near and far to root their teams into the next round – even if that means paying big at the ticket office come game day.