Sports fans across North America are feeling the pinch as ticket prices soar, with many finding themselves priced out of the live game experience. Whether it’s in Baltimore, where loyal Orioles fans face steep hikes in season ticket costs, or in Toronto, where the Blue Jays’ World Series tickets are fetching eye-watering sums on the resale market, the cost of attending a game is becoming a luxury for fewer and fewer people.
According to NPR, the price of sports tickets in the United States has more than doubled since 1999, a trend that’s left even the most devoted supporters reconsidering their relationship with their favorite teams. Bob Hinz, an accountant and lifelong Baltimore Orioles fan, is one such supporter. For two decades, Hinz held onto his season tickets, weathering both the highs and lows of his team’s fortunes. But this year, when the Orioles—recently acquired by an ownership group led by financier David Rubenstein—revamped their season ticket packages, Hinz was stunned by the new costs.
“I looked at it as a per-game price,” Hinz told NPR. “And the per game price was up 35% from the prior year.” For Hinz and his wife, who had previously purchased seats for 13 games at a cost of about $1,400, the new structure required them to commit to a 20-game package. The sticker shock was real, and the couple ultimately decided it was time to give up their beloved tickets after more than 20 years. “It just felt a little like I’m just another number, and that’s all that really matters to them,” Hinz said with resignation. “My wife and I, we need to do what makes sense for us.”
The Orioles’ statement to NPR painted the changes as an effort “to deliver more tailored benefits, as well as greater flexibility, in a simpler benefit program providing the best possible experience.” The team emphasized that the new options—20-game, 40-game, and full-season memberships—were in line with offerings from 27 other Major League Baseball teams. “These changes were made to ensure our Members were getting the best value for their investment,” the Orioles added.
But for many fans, value is in the eye of the beholder. The Orioles are currently undertaking $600 million in renovations to Camden Yards, funded by Maryland taxpayers. Upgrades include a larger scoreboard and, notably, the construction of a premium club area with exclusive amenities like its own entrance, tables, and bartenders pouring wine. The team says the club is intended to provide “a more elevated club experience” where members “can entertain clients and friends.” There are also new experiences like the “Bird Bath Splash Zone,” where fans can get soaked during games—perhaps a playful nod to the team’s efforts to keep the atmosphere fun, even as prices rise.
Victor Matheson, a sports economics professor at the College of the Holy Cross, told NPR that these moves make perfect sense from a business standpoint. “Teams are making the determination that they can make more money selling fewer, more expensive tickets rather than lots of cheap seats,” Matheson explained. He pointed out that dynamic pricing—where ticket costs fluctuate based on demand—has become a powerful tool, thanks to advances in technology that allow teams to analyze fans’ willingness to pay. “You concentrate your efforts on, you know, finding those super premium experiences for a small number rather than maximizing the total number of bodies you get through the gates,” he said.
Meanwhile, north of the border, ticket price frustration has reached a fever pitch as the Toronto Blue Jays gear up for their first World Series appearance in decades. As reported by The Canadian Press, tickets for Game 1 in Toronto, scheduled for Friday, October 24, 2025, sold out within minutes on Tuesday. Almost immediately, resale prices soared to several thousand dollars per seat, sparking outrage among fans and politicians alike.
Ontario Premier Doug Ford didn’t mince words. “My personal opinion ... they’re gouging the people,” Ford said on Wednesday, October 22, 2025, outside his office at the legislature. “When you have one player in the market that controls the tickets, that’s not right for the people.” Ford’s comments reflect a growing sense that the system is stacked against ordinary fans. The Premier’s government had previously scrapped a 50% cap on ticket resale prices—a policy introduced by a former Liberal government—back in 2019. That decision is now under renewed scrutiny as critics call for action.
Ticketmaster, the dominant ticketing platform, responded in an emailed statement: “The resale prices are set by numerous small sellers,” the company said. “Ticketmaster does not set those prices, nor is any one person or entity.” Still, the optics of a single powerful player in the market controlling ticket distribution has left many feeling powerless.
NDP Leader Marit Stiles joined the chorus of voices urging the government to reinstate the resale price cap, highlighting similar chaos during last year’s Taylor Swift concerts, where tickets sold out rapidly and resold for many times their face value. The issue of “scalper bots”—software that snaps up blocks of tickets before fans have a chance—has plagued high-demand events for years. The previous Liberal government had introduced legislation targeting these bots after the public outcry over the Tragically Hip’s farewell tour in 2016.
Rob Cerjanec, tourism, culture and sport critic for the Liberals, was blunt in his assessment, writing, “Doug Ford needs to learn that actions have consequences. He scrapped this policy, and now thousands of Ontarians who wanted to see the Blue Jays in the World Series are priced out. If the premier brings back the cap on resale tickets, it’ll be his best flip-flop yet.”
StubHub, a major ticket resale site, has previously warned that artificially controlling a global market could drive resales off secure channels and into the black market—a concern that adds another layer of complexity to the debate. For now, the tug-of-war between consumer protection and market freedom continues, with no easy solution in sight.
Back in Baltimore, Bob Hinz’s story is a poignant reminder of what’s at stake. For many, attending games isn’t just about the action on the field—it’s about tradition, community, and memories built over years. Yet as teams chase higher revenues through premium experiences and dynamic pricing, the risk is that the stands may slowly empty of the everyday fans who have long been the heart and soul of the game.
As ticket prices climb ever higher and policymakers debate the best path forward, one thing is clear: the love of the game remains strong, but for many, the cost of admission has never felt steeper.