Despite the challenges that persistently face Major League Baseball (MLB), including complaints about the lack of competitive parity in the league and ethical struggles involving controversial topics such as gambling and performance-enhancing drugs, the sport and the league seem to be performing fairly well. For example, ticket prices for the 2024 World Series reached the most expensive level in history. 

In a match-up between two of the biggest U.S. cities, the Los Angeles Dodgers took on the New York Yankees for the first time in 43 years. Fans of these two teams represent the two largest markets for MLB, due in large part to excitement surrounding their ongoing success and their nostalgic, historical legacy. The Dodgers have dominated lately, including a recent championship and highly publicized signings of once-in-a-generation players like Shohei Ohtani. But the Yankees have dominated for most of the history of the MLB and boast a remarkable 27 World Series championships (the Dodgers had 7, going into the 2024 matchup), won by unforgettable, once-in-a-lifetime players like Babe Ruth.

Today, both teams can boast some of the biggest names in the game. Shohei Ohtani is unlike anything baseball fans have seen recently. He is a blazing hitter and base runner, such that in 2024, he dinged 54 home runs and stole 59 bases, the first player ever to surpass 50 on both metrics in one season. Beyond such impressive offensive stats, his defensive position is as a pitcher—a nearly unprecedented combination. The Dodgers kept him from pitching in 2024, to protect his health in the long term, but he has achieved a career ERA (earned run average) of just 3.01. Meanwhile, the Yankees All-Star outfielder Aaron Judge reached base nearly half the times he came to the plate, notched a .322 batting average, and hit 58 home runs, which led the league. 

So there were a lot of reasons for fans to be excited about the matchup. Tickets for Game 1 were announced first: a whopping $975 per seat. But that was just the beginning. Game 3 set records for being the most expensive game in the league’s entire history, and resale prices started around $2,000 per seat. Ticketing for prime seats started at $20,000 and climbed from there.

The Dodgers ultimately dominated, winning the best-of-seven series in five games. But perhaps the real winner was MLB, which enjoyed not just the revenues from tickets but also the highest network ratings for the broadcast of the World Series in years.   

Discussion Questions 

1. Why are the Yankees and the Dodgers two most profitable franchises in MLB currently? What value propositions do they offer?
2. How have the Yankees managed to maintain such strong brand loyalty, despite not winning a championship in years? 

Sources: Abby Montanez, “Yankees-Dodgers World Series Tickets Are the Most Expensive Ever,” Yahoo Sports, October 25, 2024; Jordan Valinsky, “Tickets for this Year’s World Series Are the Most Expensive Ever,” CNN, October 25, 2024; Mike Winters, “World Series Ticket Prices Are the Second-Highest Ever – a Yankees Home Game Could Run You Nearly $5,000,” CNBC, October 24, 2024