Ball Four!

Years of economic observation has taught me that consumers tend to put off major spending decisions during the summer months. Looking to Wall Street and their annual proclamation of the next great depression after every summer holiday season of stalled consumer spending does not seem a reliable indicator of future economic activity. I find a more accurate way to tell the health of the economy in the seasonally slow summer spending period is attendance at major league baseball parks. Over the years this is one of the simplest ways to judge the underlying strength of the general economy. Given a baseball game in a major market can set you back at lest $50 per seat ,a set of $10 hot dogs ,$20 bucks to park ,gas and a watered down beer running $15 bucks. For anywhere from $200 to 400 bucks you too can take your kids to see the New York Yankees… ouch but as every parent will tell you and experience well worth the cost.

So let compare 2008 so far to 2007 and 2006


RNK TEAM GMS TOTAL
AVG


2008
1 NY Yankees
54 2,842,615 52,641
2 NY Mets
46 2,318,166 50,394
2007
1 NY Yankees
81 4,271,867 52,739

3 NY Mets
81 3,853,955 47,579
2006
1 NY Yankees
81 4,200,518 51,858

3 NY Mets
78 3,379,551 43,327

Looks like baseball fans don’t know about the economic slow down…