StubHub Data Shows MLB Tickets in Heavy Demand as Opening Day Approaches

Increase in Demand is Coupled with Value and Choice for Fans

SAN FRANCISCO--(EON: Enhanced Online News)--The 2010 MLB season begins on Sunday, as the Boston Red Sox battle the reigning World Champion New York Yankees on their home turf. Baseball fans have been anxiously awaiting this official crack of the bat, creating a surge in ticket demand for Opening Days across the country. Despite the fact that the season opens with a number of heralded rivalries, secondary ticket prices for the combined 30 Opening Days have decreased over 20 percent according to StubHub, the world’s largest ticket marketplace and the Official Fan to Fan Ticket Marketplace of MLB.com. The average resale price of tickets sold through StubHub for Opening Day games across the league is currently $101 per ticket, down $26 from 2009’s average of $127.

“This year, the match-ups are as strong as ever but fans are finding tremendous value on the secondary market and are utilizing StubHub to safely and conveniently get the tickets they most desire.”

Still, it’s the Yankees that are commanding the greatest demand, in terms of dollar volume, StubHub.com page views, as well as average ticket price. The Bronx Bomber’s initial home game against the Angels on April 13 accounts for nearly 10 percent of the total page views for all 30 MLB openers, with fans paying an average of $230 per ticket. In comparison to their 2009 opening game at the new Yankee Stadium, this current average price is down 42 percent ($397 in 2009), illustrating one of many examples of higher value for fans this season.

In Minneapolis, ticket demand is higher than ever with Twins fans ringing in a new stadium to the price tag of $223 per ticket on average – all to catch the first game ever played at Target Field on April 12 against American League-rival Boston Red Sox. StubHub is experiencing the highest dollar volume for a Twins home game in the company’s ten-year history, and it is also the first time a Twins opener has cracked StubHub’s top-ten list.

Also interesting is the strong following from the “Philly Phaithful,” as both their Opening Day game (4/12 vs. Washington Nationals) and their first official game (4/5 at Washington Nationals) have made the list. In fact, StubHub sales have been stronger for the opener at Nationals Park, bolstered by a high percentage of traveling fans from Philadelphia and New Jersey, which make up the majority of buyers and represent 60% and 27% respectively.

STUBHUB’S TOP TEN 2010 OPENING DAY MLB GAMES

The list below ranks the MLB Opening Day games of highest demand on StubHub, based on page views for the month of March on StubHub.com. Also included are the current average prices fans have paid for each respective game.

Game	Date	Avg. Ticket Price
Los Angeles Angels at New York Yankees	4/13	$230
New York Yankees at Boston Red Sox	4/4	$208
Cleveland Indians at Detroit Tigers	4/9	$125
Florida Marlins at New York Mets	4/5	$128
Arizona Diamondbacks at Los Angeles Dodgers	4/13	$103
Boston Red Sox at Minnesota Twins	4/12	$223
Washington Nationals at Philadelphia Phillies	4/12	$107
Philadelphia Phillies at Washington Nationals	4/5	$ 77
St. Louis Cardinals at Cincinnati Reds	4/5	$ 84
Toronto Blue Jays at Texas Rangers	4/5	$ 93

“Baseball Opening Day traditionally brings millions of fans to the ballpark and fans are clearly looking for tickets, based on the hundreds of thousands of page views we have seen in the month of March alone,” said Joellen Ferrer, public relations manager for StubHub. “This year, the match-ups are as strong as ever but fans are finding tremendous value on the secondary market and are utilizing StubHub to safely and conveniently get the tickets they most desire.”

About StubHub

StubHub is the world's largest ticket marketplace, enabling fans to buy and sell tickets to tens of thousands of sports, concert, theater and other live entertainment events. StubHub reinvented the ticket resale market in 2000 and continues to lead it through innovation. The company's unique online marketplace, dedicated solely to tickets, provides all fans the choice to buy or sell their tickets in a safe, convenient and highly reliable environment. All transactions are processed and delivered by StubHub and backed by the company’s FanProtect Guarantee™. Company partners include the New York Yankees, Chicago Bears and the University of Southern California along with nearly 60 teams in the NFL, MLB, NBA, NHL and NCAA, complemented with Broadway musicals like Jersey Boys and companies such as ESPN and AOL.

StubHub is an eBay company (NASDAQ:EBAY). For more information on StubHub, visit www.stubhub.com