Fan Cost Index
By Harry Patterson

Ever hear of the Fan Cost Index? It's published annually by the Team Marketing Report and purports to enlighten the public as to what it would cost a family of four to attend various sporting events. The Pirates have taken a lot of deserved flak in recent years, but PSR is taking to court as defense counsel on this issue. The Fan Cost Index total for a family of four to attend a 2004 game at PNC Park is $143.31. We don't think so.

Four Average Price Tickets: $68.32 ($17.08 each) PNC Park has over 6,500 seats priced at $9. Let's go with four $9 tickets in the left field terrace; great seats with a full view of the playing field, scoreboard, river and skyline. $36

Parking: $9 Several downtown garages charge five bucks on evenings and weekends. Park there and join the fun crossing the Clemente Bridge. $5

Four Small Sodas: $9 ($2.25 each) OK, I'll give them this one. $9

Two Small Beers: $8 ($4 each) What in the wide world of sports are you doing drinking beer when the kids are with you? Besides, you just drank a soda. Drop the kids off after the game and have a couple brews at your neighborhood tavern. $0

Four Hot Dogs: $9 ($2.25 each) The outside food policy at PNC is pretty loose, bag a few family favorites and bring them along. But if you want the dogs - $9

Two Programs: $10 ($5 each) Two programs for four people? That's like stopping at the newsstand for two copies of the same magazine. One is enough. $5

Two Souvenir Caps: $30 ($15 each) Buy the caps at the mall if you need them that bad. It'll cost you half as much. There are four or five games this season at which caps are promotional giveaways. That's four free caps. $0

Their total: $143.31. My total: $64, or less than half. Not bad for a few hours of family entertainment. The Team Marketing Report and their Fan Cost Index is a nice idea, but they are a little off the mark, at least in this situation.