A $1.24 ticket cost me $53.43 and a night of my life. StubHub.com offers thousands of tickets to Washington Wizards games — some for as cheap as a dollar. It seemed like a fun chance to sit in the stands away from press row and my computer — plus no deadline. I could leave when the game ended instead of hanging around to ask players and coaches about the latest loss.
What a deal.
And it was a good deal. It just cost more than I thought. I bought two tickets to get the cheapest price (vs. one ticket at $3) plus $4.95 delivery fee (please, they were emailed to me) and $5 service fee. Overall, $12.43 to StubHub, but a steal compared to normal prices.
But I couldn’t resist eating at Verizon Center. I thought the press room food was bad, but the concourse is simply burgers, pizza and chicken fingers. OK, don’t tell my cardiologist, but I bought a hamburger, pretzel and two waters for $21. My tribute to Ted Leonsis. Throw in $11 for parking three blocks away (vs. $30 next door) and $9 for gas, and I was more than a half C-note into cost.
Still, sportswriters should sit in the stands occasionally to understand fan concerns. I buy the $5 Nationals tickets occasionally and sit on the far side of the moon. My Wizards seats were section 409, row E, seats 4-5. Basically, behind the basket and a dozen rows from the roof. Still lower than the hockey press box, though. Some woman was helped to lower seats, saying she was afraid of heights ?– really.
There were maybe 3,000 people for Monday’s loss to the Detroit Pistons, though the box score said 15,911. Guess the 12,000 invisible fans at Redskins games spend offseasons with the Wizards. Anyway, there were people sitting in my seats. The place is 15 percent filled and someone’s in my seat spread out from their family.
They offered to move, but I said I only paid a dollar for the seats and just sat in the next row. The group said, “A dollar?” Oh, so sorry I touched a nerve of those nuts enough to pay more.
Press row is a pretty sterile area. People are working.
The stands are a lot different. Guys are talking about work and women nonstop. Kids are running around. People are screaming about whatever. Does anybody watch the game?
For a game decided at the buzzer, it was a bore. From my vantage point, the white ants outplayed the blue ants, but the crowd cheered only when bribed by shirts and free burritos and chicken. Way to grow a fan base.
Mostly, the stands were littered with bargain hunters, teens and a few die-hard basketball fans that deserve better. The kiss cam netted a successful marriage proposal. Hopefully, their union withstands the Wizards’ bad karma.
The cheap tickets won’t last forever so take the family to one of the remaining eight home games. Just realize nothing’s truly cheap.
Examiner columnist Rick Snider has covered local sports since 1978. Read more on Twitter @Snide_Remarks or email [email protected].
