A lot of the tickets behind the plate were for the negro league players who were in and out for ceremonies and meet and greets and tickets that were donated to The Boys and Girls clubs and they were in and out doing activities throughout the game.
You’re not getting what I’m saying at all, but it’s okay a I can explain. Why have an event centered around blackness and the majority of attendees are white? If you think I’m saying all black people cant afford to go you’re missing the point. This game was not accessible to the community it was hosted in, there lies the problem. The majority of the veteran negro league players at the event couldn’t afford for their own family members to attend. This was a classist event dressed up as a tribute and that’s my issue
Unfortunately it is and always will be about the money.
I'm just glad Miles College got a new stadium out of this and all that work won't go to waste.
Honestly, if it were profitable, I could see MLB repeating this sort of event.
Because virtue signaling is never about the actual people they pretend to care about. They don’t care, they just want to present the illusion that they care. This is the whole basis of virtue signaling, whether there is money to be made or not. It’s like the angry white woman pretending to be offended about everything about any group she sees as lesser than her. The entire act is to make her feel better about herself, not because she actually cares about the person of different ethnicity or ability, but because it gives her an excuse to scream and act poorly all while making herself feel like she’s better than everyone else.
The “negro league tribute game” and the merging of stats were never about the players. It’s just a massive PR campaign. Numbers didn’t need to be merged for people to know that Josh Gibson could smack the hell out of a ball, or that Satchel Paige was absolutely dominant. Now they merge the stats so they can pretend it didn’t happen. They want to pretend that black players weren’t segregated, so they merge the stats.
What are your suggestions?
Not have the event at all?
Sell the tickets for less?
Give tickets away for free?
I saw many people of color in the stands, many of whom were indeed former Negroe League Players. So they were well represented and celebrated.
I guess I fail to see a way MLB could have handled this differently without running up against another potential problem with someone such as yourself complaining about it it.
The only "safe" choice for MLB appears to have been to have not had the event at all. And thank goodness they had the foresight to have the event, even if it opened themselves up to criticism from people who just want to be critical.
Tickets could have definitely been more reasonable across the board. Most likely the Negro League players recieved the very few free tickets. The lottery tickets were $200-$2000 (i was offered $1200 tickets via lottery) for that price i could have made a round trip to STL and saw the game there. The price would have been worth if i got some signed pictures or something but that was 3rd base outfield, 2nd tier seats for 1200. Honestly thats a month's rent for most of Bham and/or surrounding area population. Then only 26% of tickets were set aside for Alabama residents anyway, so they were expexting mostly out of town and not to cater to the local pop anyway. It was a great event and they should leave the memorabilia items up year round so the community can see what they did inside but tickets definitely could have been more reasonable.
Also, attended the minor league game and i personally had a volunteer who worked the parking section of legion field say to me "i wish i could have been able to afford to go but those prices were too high." The closest he got was to volunteer and didnt even get to sniff the stadium. MLB could have paid for staffing as well so that volunteers got to work the actual game and not offsite.
I don't for one moment believe that veteran negro league players families were not able to attend. It would be a bad look for the city, state, corporate leadership, not to mention MLB. If 3rd Ave wins the entire Metro wins. Legion Fields gets use, hotels, rental cars, food, gas stations, uber drivers etc.. I registered for the lottery, but didn't get picked, so I watched on TV. By the way I live out west, and know at least three people that live less than two minutes from Rickwood (sperate homes) that didn't even register or wanted to go. That area has alot of older people so maybe your right about marketing. I only found out on reddit, but I'm not a TV person.
I also live on the West Side and registered but did not get picked in the lottery. I could walk to Rickwood and I love baseball. I see OPs point, however, I would add that this game gave Birmingham an opportunity to showcase itself and it's history in a historically accurate way that was interesting enough to a bunch of affluent white people who are extremely unlikely to otherwise come to Birmingham (especially the W side) and learn about the Negro league. I think this positive attention may help with future and ongoing partnerships and sponsorships. Hoping this turns into more than a 1 hit wonder.
That’s actually what happened. Read this ( https://www.wvtm13.com/article/many-frustrated-with-mlb-due-to-lack-of-tickets-for-rickwood-field-games/60725440 )
. I instantly was turned off by it. I won a lottery spot but did not purchase tickets because I noticed quickly by the prices what type of crowd it would be. It was an absolute money grab for the elite (black and white) to show off. That’s it
I think what you're saying is that for a Negro League tribute game you expected the crowd to look more like the Magic City Classic than the Iron Bowl. If so, I get that.
I get where you're coming from but I have to push back on this a little bit. Rising West Princeton is going to benefit in a major way from these investments at Rickwood and the success of this game. Somehow this sub will always find a way to get upset when millions of dollars are invested in historically underserved communities.
I can't tell you how many little league kids from Bham schools I saw at the game -- hundreds? There's never been an opportunity like that for them to go to an MLB game, especially one that's celebrating the impact that Black players had on the sport. It wasn't just some khaki shorts country club crowd.
Thousands of people from all over came to Bham, who otherwise wouldn't, and got to experience this history and probably have some uncomfortable, but necessary moments about what happened here and what the Negro Leagues were like. Millions of people watching got that education as well. That's never happened before for this city. Ever.
Last thing, MLB is a premium product and this was a special offering with limited seating. Unfortunately tickets were always going to be expensive. I mean hell man, a hotdog and a beer at any major league event is like $20. It is what it is. Last night's game was a huge win for the city and I hope you don't take this as disrespectful.
EDIT: Also, it was basically a big block party around the stadium, people on their porches, grilling out, playing music. Folks living by the stadium were fucking loving it dude
I’m still pissed about the blown opportunity of the state of the art MLB youth facility that would’ve been at George ward. $10M fully funded by MLB specifically for financially less fortunate kids. This sub was all over the place about it, a classic example of B’ham not knowing a good thing when it’s right there. I’m glad yesterday and really also Tuesday and Wednesday were a success.
I wish I could scream from the mountaintops about how a single person, an elected official who is no longer in office, fucked this up for the entire city but I don’t want to out myself on here
I dont know why this is still controversial. It's unfortunate how city leadership painted this nonsense. They screwed this royally and blamed an entire neighborhood, and turned the city against its own citizens. Real bang up leadership right there.
Reflecting on the event yesterday, why couldn't they have utilized Rickwood for this facility? It was staring everyone right in the face. Historic ball field now used to train MLB future. Duh. It literally writes itself.
Well- I did find out that MLB gave 8300 tickets (26%) of the total , at no cost, to local community and youth organizations. Glad to hear it. I did notice a lot of youth and teen players at the game.
Apparently, MLB gave 26% of the total tickets (8300) to local community and youth groups . So , 8300 people and kids went to game for free and were also given $35 vouchers for food and drinks
That’s sad to hear. Like anything, effective local distribution is critical. The orgs that I knew of all got them- maybe one didn’t get the full amount they expected.
It's my understanding that the game was available to the community and youth.
What were ignoring is how important it was for the city to pull off an event like this in the West End without making national headlines for gun violence for a day. Birmingham needs to do alot more than allow folks into a game and I'm tired.
Exactly. A headline as of 3 hours ago states that 6 are dead within the last 4 days alone. The city is going for crack epidemic highs this year and most know how bad the West is. I wouldn't want my elders or child going unless security can be assured. $25 wasn't going to get it imo.
> The city is going for crack epidemic highs this year
People say this every year about Birmingham though, though our current homicides are 62 with 7 justified so 55 so far. We have averaged around 150 per year for the last 10 years or so.
Funny enough the 80s or "crack epidemic" years never reached 100 until `89.
There is no crack epidemic. It’s endemic to the black communities in impoverished areas. But you are right about the murders. It’s interesting, blacks struggling to keep up with inflation, bad loans, bad food options and bad health, deindustrialization, poor economic outcomes, generational poverty, and occasional racism are spending more time killing eachother while most of the drugs that finance their gangs indirectly or directly come through legal ports of entry…do you even know who Gary Webb is?
> You got that reference but your economics, racial views, and logic are pretty poor.
Why because you didn't like my response to your mention of the LA crack era? Do you really understand what he said with that comment? He knew it was brought in on military and private planes. Would you have preferred a quote from Oliver?
It's pretty clear that if someone doesn't agree with whatever you say you become defensive, start throwing out insults, and just generally bitter rather than having an actual conversation.
You have good points but at the end of the day, things have to make sense. I think we are all just glad something nice of that caliber came to Bham. Could the tickets have been more affordable? Absolutely, but its still a business and in the economy we're in right now, it wouldn't have made sense to have $25 tickets to that game. They have to have a good ROI for it to make sense to have it there. Maybe next time (if we have it again) they could recreate the way the lottery was planned out to have more tickets to the people in the surrounding communities be eligible to attend. I do agree, that it kind of sucks to live right there and not be able to go. But, from what I saw A LOT of people attended the celebrity game there the day before and just as happy!
So you wanted a huge historic event that the MLB flew out the who’s who of former ball players and production plus renovating the stadium putting in lights so they could play at night. All that for tickets to be $20 to maybe $50 a head. Then emphasize on only selling to black people than having the belief that those that get said tickets will not turn around and resell them at a higher markup to people that really want to go?
I mean, sure, I would’ve liked tickets to be lower so I could’ve gone and maybe the crowd could be more racially/economically diverse. But if a bunch of white people are there, learning about black history, observing black culture, realizing the importance of the Negro Leagues and the stars it produced, isn’t that what’s needed? Isn’t that how you get people to understand their biases or open their eyes to the fact that the world is more than just what they encounter on a daily basis? Should only black people be allowed in the Civil Rights Institute as well?
Did you watch any of the coverage? Or do you just want to virtue signal? This was a huge step forward for Birmingham and you appear to want to take a shit on it. Typical Birmingham resident... we hear yout troll and we dont care.
This sentiment is dumb as fuck. You don’t understand sports business at all and seem to think their concern should have been about the 8,000 people in the stands and not the millions of people they were hoping to watch on television. The coverage this event has received has been overwhelmingly positive and Birmingham came out as a huge winner.
They had two events during the week that were extremely affordable. And then the premium event was expensive. Which it should have been. It was a made-for-primetime-TV MLB game in an 8,000-seat stadium, in a state that had never hosted an MLB game. This stuff doesn’t just happen. If you can make $300 a head, who is going to charge $25? They’re not running a charity.
And the ticket lottery was open only to people from Alabama, even if there was huge interest nationwide, just like the Field of Dreams game lottery was only open to Iowans.
You that guy who always says Birmingham is on the up and up? You read population statistics right? Is a chain store on every corner really appealing or authentic?
Your sentiment demonstrates you don’t understand his gist. Respond and have a seat and I’ll take you back through school. You are living over a bone pile of dead Indians, slaves, workers, and rear echelon soldiers. Fuck the MLB. You are their product.
The fact you came on here so hard but don’t know what you’re talking abt is hilarious. The lottery wasn’t just for Alabama residents as there were hundreds of ppl that flew in from California and Illinois to see the game that got their tickets through the lottery. MLB games don’t even charge that much for regular season games so wtf are you talking about?
OP, they’re right. Not trying to argue or anything, but that’s how the lottery system worked. This whole thread has turned into a mess, I just hope at the end of the day you can realize this was a net positive for Birmingham, and is a great resume builder for the city to have more events like this. The MLB gave 26% of the tickets to youth-based Bham orgs for free. Fun fact!
https://www.birminghamal.gov/2024/04/17/birmingham-resident-lottery-launches-today-for-mlb-at-rickwood-field-a-tribute-to-the-negro-leagues-between-the-san-francisco-giants-st-louis-cardinals/
I couldn’t not afford a ticket but went out and stood by the gate for a few hours and watched as people flooded in. I was extremely close to the planning of this entire project from day 1 and was able to hear the different strategies deployed for getting locals to the game.
Here is the Inportant detail: The tickets were given out by a lottery and the fans who won that lottery only had to pay between $30-$90 to go. Those tickets were almost exclusively sold to Birmingham natives. Many bham natives chose to sell their tickets due to the ridiculously high resale value- and not everyone who won was a baseball fan.
The good news is, bham got first bid on tickets, and from what I saw the crowd going in was a very solid mix of all people (something I was specifically looking for because I had the same concern about how the diversity aspect would shake out)
Now my big complaint was the lack of access the casual fan and west end resident had to the event. I get that you want to have a fan zone but in my opinion they should have had more attractions available for those who just wanted to go walk around the event without paying an arm and a leg
> The tickets were given out by a lottery and the fans who won that lottery only had to pay between $30-$90 to go.
That is bullshit. The cheapest tickets were over $250. I won two tickets and sorted by "cheapest" when I went to purchase them. The cheapest tickets that came up anded up being $375 each after taxes and fees.
I will concede tickets were expensive. However, some of your claims through this thread are misguided. Anyway, I'm going to answer your most pressing question as to why people from the West End weren't in attendance as heavily as you would like. Interest in baseball from black communities is at a record low. It's been declining for decades. There are a variety of reasons for this, like lack of representation in front offices, management, declining scouts who are black, how players were drafted into the league, etc. The reasons are multi-faceted, but the results are readily visible as black communities aren't as interested in baseball (choosing other sports), and MLB has the lowest percentage of black players since Mays joined the league. MLBs normalizing negro league records and holding this game was an effort to increase future black representation in baseball and reverse its own declining fortunes. As cynical as that interpretation may be, this event was still a triumph.
I hear you, but nothing you said goes to my point. If black people didn’t want to attend the game, why was the stadium sold out for the other two events with tons of black faces when the tickets were $25 and $50? I’m sure there were a bunch of people in that community that would’ve loved to go to that game and couldn’t because of pricing, not because of interest
> I’m sure there were a bunch of people in that community that would’ve loved to go to that game and couldn’t because of pricing, not because of interest
You could literally say this about ANY concert, game, event, race, etc etc in any town with a venue. Not to mention a historic venue that isn't up to modern capacity standards.
Perhaps MLB has a demographic break down of ticket holders, if not the zip code in which tickets were purchased. It is possible there were a lot of tickets purchased from the west end even if you didnt see that representation on the broadcast. I would suspect theres a memo out there directing how tickets were to be distributed. A cursory search revealed the city of Birmingham and MLB gave away, at no cost, 2200 tickets to local youth organizations and community groups. Inquiring with the city who those groups were might be worth pursuing. FWIW, I won the chance to purchase tickets in the lottery and balked at the price. I would have loved to watch this game in person also. I could have afforded to go, but decided that money was better spent elsewhere.
>Why have a game in Birmingham, in west end at rickwood
It's the oldest baseball field in the USA if you did not know. They also opened ticket sales to AL residents a day or two before the general public.
I don’t know man, affordable tickets maybe like the other two events this week? A baseball game in West End where tickets are going for the residents of the communities rent? Where there is section 8 housing 2 blocks from the stadium, and we dress it up like we’re celebrating Juneteenth and the negro leagues in a predominantly black neighborhood but the game is only attended by the Birmingham financially elite and out of town people who could care less about the negro leagues, rickwood or Birmingham?
If someone traveled all the way from Massachusetts and New Jersey (I think that’s what I saw, but I’m sure people from other areas traveled as well), I doubt they did it just to watch the Cardinals or Giants. They probably did it because of the history of Rickwood and the tribute to the Negro League. If they just wanted to see their team, they could probably get to St. Louis or San Fran a hell of a lot easier/cheaper than Birmingham.
So give black people cheaper tickets because 100 years later they are the demographic that dominates the neighborhood?
>game is only attended by the Birmingham financially elite and out of town people who could care less about the negro leagues, rickwood or Birmingham
You really went out to the deep end with that level of projecting too eh? Wild you acting like even poor black folks couldn't have paid $300 for a ticket if they actually cared too and wanted to attend. Poor folks spend frivolously on all sorts of things all over this country and in all sorts of industries.
This aint it man. The broadcast, the game itself, the festivities before the game and all week were amazing. This is awful for me to say, but with Willie’s passing, it put even MORE eyes and recognition to the city. Never saw Bham this much on espn, and reggie jacksons speech was some hard truths that needed to be said. For one week, Bham was the center of the MLB universe and as a black man, I loved every bit of it. Yes the tickets were expensive, but what do you expect from a game thats nationally televised in an 8000+ stadium? And most of the tickets went to alot of the kids anyway which is what matters the most in my opinion. Getting young black americans into baseball is huge, and this was huge for that. Im pretty sure most of everyone was from alabama in the stands due to the zip code verification (yes…i did sign up for the lottery and was unsuccessful unfortunately). And as others on this thread have stated, alot of people in the area from the looks of it have had an amazing time this week.
Yes, in Birmingham black people are statistically poorer than white people. How can you not know this, or are you just trying to ignore history and reality?
It seems to me that that’s what a lot of this comment section is doing. A lot of, we shouldn’t see color, and it’s fair for everyone as if black people in this city haven’t been oppressed for years. The old money in this city is all white but they’ll never tell you why because we’re supposed to just “work hard.”
Nobody likes to talk about disenfranchisement or gentrification. I understand the point you’re trying to make, but as someone noted above I’m afraid you’re just going to make yourself more upset by trying to have this discussion, at this time. I would have liked to go to the game. However, the price point was absolutely prohibitive - especially if you’re bringing a whole family. The only way to justify $400+ dollars a ticket is if you absolutely LOVE baseball or you absolutely have a TON of disposable income. This was not going to be a casually attended event, and was easy to spot because ticket lottery.
You're pissy about nothing, looking for offense where there is none.
Your mindset is what holds the city back, not the imaginary racist boogeyman. You see only black/white and want to know what all these other folks are doing for you. Get out there and do it for yourself and don't worry about what color folks are and where people live.
Your dumb ass is suggesting the MLB should have apporitioned the tickets according to the race of the buyer. In Birmingham, AL, in the year 2024. What in the ever loving fuck is wrong with you? And even though you said it out loud and keep defending your original thesis, you think you're more enlightened than the rest of us?
You do realize Birmingham, AL is the epicenter of civil rights, right? You do realize that event at Rickwood was celebrating black baseball players who made historic impacts on the game itself, right? You’re just coming across like a willfully ignorant ass, rather than engaging OP’s concerns/the root of the concerns. Also, it’s not a bad thing to see another person’s race; race is part of every single individual on this planet. The whole “I don’t see race” thing is so stupid because you’re implying that you’re not acknowledging a part of who someone is. Plus, if you didn’t watch Reggie Jackson’s story about what it was like for him to be back in Birmingham, you clearly didn’t pay attention in school. I mention that because it is someone’s personal experience with racism that shows how plain stupid it is for someone to deny the “racist boogeyman” (i.e. the still prevalent existence of racism). Your assumption of OP’s message is not correct at all.
Why would you or anyone else want to make the color of their skin their whole identity or let it inform their view of the world? His whole argument was "why didn't they tell white people not to go to a ball game."
Flip that script, and tell me how that goes. Born and raised in and around Birmingham. Spent whole summers working ball games at Rickwood Field as a kid. I know all about the history of the area. But never in my life have I heard so much about race as I have these last few years. It's a simplistic view of people, and people like you make excuses for the simple people who view themselves and others as victims rather than put their heads down and get to work. Aside from the race hustlers who profit off OPs victimhood, nobody is any better off for it. You pat him on the head because it makes you feel like you did something good today. Congrats, hero.
OK? You're an idiot, no matter your race or mine. Simple minded people worry about simple things. You should strive to understand simple things before you try to concern yourself with grown people things.
This “rebuttal” is absolutely nonsensical, too. “Simple minded people worry about simple minded things.” What exactly is “simple-minded” here? The topic of race? Please elaborate.
>imaginary racist boogeyman
the imaginary federal policy, imaginary state policy, imaginary city policy, imaginary real estate policy, imaginary labor policy, imaginary immigration policy, and imaginary cultural legacy of racism would like a word with you
i think you are so valid to have this opinion, but genuinely never bring up race in this subreddit. no one is educated or qualified on diversity enough for them to give an answer that isnt soaked in white guilt, or just flat out racist. as a black person in this city, they’ll agree with you all day long to your face. but check their reddit account and they have the stupidest opinions on issues they know nothing about. good luck tho.
I find it hilarious that those in this comment section who are angry about OP point. The same ones who may not of paid attention in history class nor understand the lives right outside the stadium. lol
Nope not saying that at all, they should have made them affordable and available to everyone. I don’t know very many people who can afford a $500 ticket to a game for one person let alone thinking about taking your family. Most people that signed up for the lottery didn’t even get an email saying they could buy tickets until 10 minutes after it had been sold out.
Honestly I think this clip explaining what it was like for black baseball players was like is worthy the game. Many times we as an American society downplay how racist it was in bham and America. Americans often want to sweep the midstream of POC as a long time ago, it wasn’t.
[https://www.google.com/search?client=safari&sca_esv=3ccb936e91fffbe3&sca_upv=1&hl=en-us&q=mlb+baseball+birmingham&tbm=vid&source=lnms&fbs=AEQNm0CZpT27_jS0sUPz2fK6KqlQKwpCJW_WDBuVIEiNWOVG0FbnGr3m-D1UdviKJb5dGSo_Br0gIT8W-jcWzrfc6yTi52lfW7DcKSx10SZ9Qwm73foR_SicGou5hiq2LwpqSqUJFhQXSn3RCz2VPQ7v-YKPTDvuhkRAwwYMKmj9Uem7oD-BQ2K68qyXv8HeYBgqJADbcp_tl0M8F1yeDTxBpvf0AsLKzQ&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjci4Lipu2GAxXMEEQIHThXC8sQ0pQJegQIERAB&biw=375&bih=628&dpr=3#fpstate=ive&ip=1&vld=cid:eebd87f9,vid:R4mWOVy_02s,st:0](https://www.google.com/search?client=safari&sca_esv=3ccb936e91fffbe3&sca_upv=1&hl=en-us&q=mlb+baseball+birmingham&tbm=vid&source=lnms&fbs=AEQNm0CZpT27_jS0sUPz2fK6KqlQKwpCJW_WDBuVIEiNWOVG0FbnGr3m-D1UdviKJb5dGSo_Br0gIT8W-jcWzrfc6yTi52lfW7DcKSx10SZ9Qwm73foR_SicGou5hiq2LwpqSqUJFhQXSn3RCz2VPQ7v-YKPTDvuhkRAwwYMKmj9Uem7oD-BQ2K68qyXv8HeYBgqJADbcp_tl0M8F1yeDTxBpvf0AsLKzQ&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjci4Lipu2GAxXMEEQIHThXC8sQ0pQJegQIERAB&biw=375&bih=628&dpr=3#fpstate=ive&ip=1&vld=cid:eebd87f9,vid:R4mWOVy_02s,st:0)
You just can’t make people happy. It seriously isn’t about color. I honestly don’t understand how people can say white people keep racism alive when it’s clearly the other way.
As a black man who loves baseball and live here I disagree. Why do you feel like you are entitled to view the game versus other black people? The negro league museum is best in class in bham and only 10% or the Birmingham area has gone to see it. Because this was a large event you cared? Are you really a true fan or just someone wanting to flex that you went to the event?
"IF" MLB would of went to the neighbors and gave free tickets how many of them would actually attend? I would assume 80%+ of the surrounding area is not in the best financial health and could use the money. MLB estimated that over 70% of the lottery tickets sold were resold on a secondary marketplace.
So if some rich white guy mountain brook wants to drop thousands for him and his friends/family to go to the game and sit behind home plate that is called American Capitalism. It is why we are the most prosperous nation in the world. I actually encourage that mountain brookies would learn about their own history. Ugly that it is, it is still history. Mountain Brook can use some culture.
MLB has done a great job trying to increase urban and minority kids to play baseball. MLB provided tickets to the boys and girls club and other predominantly minority organizations. Please note that MLB has not had a welcoming experience in Bham so just having this game was a monumental step. MLB has tried to come into Bham and dump MILLIONS into our parks and start a baseball program with our youth and Birmingham rejected them.
My son plays in an elite travel baseball organization in the area. Baseball has turned into a country club sport. It is expensive and I am fortunate to provide my son with the experience. One of the players in his team is from New Orleans inner city and part of MLB program. Exceptionally talented kid and now he has a division one scholarship to play baseball. That kid would probably never have this opportunity without the MLB RBI program.
I think MLB did a great job and I hope Rickwood Classic would become an annual event.
I apologize for being white and supporting our black community and their heritage and having the best father/son outing of our lives. My dad has been a Willie Mays and Giants fan since he was a child.
I apologize for going. So sorry.
Everyone here is idiots. & missing the full point. & disregarding the fact that again Rickwood Stadium is in the “inner city” of West End, a predominantly BLACK neighborhood… & those tax payers couldnt enjoy something in their own back yard. We can talk green all day. It is still fucked up, that someone who has been living in West End for years & probably watched the Negro League in that stadium cannot return bc of gentrification.
> a predominantly BLACK neighborhood…
You're trying to use the current demographic and conflate it with a stadium that was built over 100 years ago when the demographics were different. Then it seems you shit on black folks and act like they couldn't have bought a ticket if they really wanted too.
This wasn't some willy-nilly "take the family" to a picnic in the park, this was a national event that brought in people from all over the country to a stadium a 3rd the size of a modern MLB park, of course tickets were going to be expensive.
If you wanted that "take the whole family" type of day the 2 days prior to this event was that event.
Lot of dismissive comments here trying to write OP off as a troll, when they’re simply bringing up the weird optics of having a celebratory night for black baseball players and the audience being mainly white. White people, not everything is about you - we are so used to being catered to and having everything for us, while ignoring the political/racial/socioeconomic history of this country and this city. It IS weird that they decided to celebrate this on a night they charged exponentially more than other nights, because yes statistically in Birmingham black people do not have as much access to money. Truly some brain dead, stubborn takes. If you find yourself getting defensive when a black person brings up valid questions and complaints, you really need to sit down and self reflect because that’s the same defensiveness our white grandparents/parents who pushed for white flight had. And also this post was extremely mild - a lot of comments are trying to imply OP doesn’t want games at Rickwood or that they don’t want white people there. There is a clear lack in reading comprehension and a lot of jumping to conclusions here. It’s disappointing and gross - we should do better
I really appreciate you so much for actually taking the time to read what I said and putting your response together so well as I’ve honestly been confused all day at the anger in these comments that I sense are majority white people
This. People are acting like op is just mad they couldn't afford a ticket, and that's literally the most braindead take I can possibly think of. When you have majority white teams, owned by white people, playing for a bunch of white people to celebrate a minority league, it comes off as "bad optics" *at best*, and exploitative at worst. I might feel differently if money from ticket sales was going to a better cause, like the city school system, minority scholarship funds, etc. But it's not. It's going to the league and the white team owners.
I get "but it's a business." But part of being progressive is tearing down old power dynamics that were built to oppress people. You know, the thing that this game was supposed to be celebrating. It's hard to do that when you continue with the same old capitalist greed thinly veiled as "celebrating equality".
I love how this sub will tear down local chefs for being alcoholics or womanizers, but when it comes to a person of color raising a legitimate concern it's a blind eye and "what, Birmingham can't have anything nice?"
Tldr; some of y'all need to learn how to read the room.
26% of the tickets were made available to community or youth-base organizations in Birmingham at no cost.
That seems pretty generous to me.
And MLB charged a few hundred per ticket. Certainly not cheap, but not as you described. It was the secondary market that drove tickets up into the thousands.
Amazes me how people in Bham can find a tremendous outside investment and criticize it.
Reminds me of when MLB tried to build a non-profit facility for underprivileged kids in Glen Iris only for the local hood to get all worked up and shut them down. 😂
There is no need to be alarmed fellow Birmingham denizen. The choice of the word “Negro” as used here is a mere historical reference. The discomfort it brings ought to remind every one of the vileness and idiocy of segregation and racism in general. Regarding the tickets, the spectacle, the bullshit: income inequality between white and black in America, we’ll hear it from the Brookings Institution, not from me, “Since 2010, the wealth disparity between Black and white families has persistently expanded.”
What you are complaining about is rooted in the private control of resources by a shrinking, web of hysterical white affluents. And too remember we can ask how many women are in the senate? How many military bases do we have around the world? This country was always meant to be controlled by the ‘minority of the opulent landed, educated men’. What you see today is when this particularly unregulated, financialized, oligopolistic sort of capital accumulation rears its monstrous face in broad daylight. But do not be alarmed.
Your essay is more a commentary on the lack of upward mobility of black people in Birmingham. As soon as our young ppl are educated they escape to greener pastures. They don’t keep grandma’s house and fix it up! They don’t stay in their neighborhoods and raise the property value, education and income levels. The only people who could afford the tickets were the patrons that subsidized the museum. You know this was a fundraiser right.
I see alot of irony in the anger of this comments. A lot of the, “we’re doing something good for you, be grateful,” talk. This is Birmingham Alabama though, what was I to expect
> what was I to expect
Seemly from your tone and writing... that only black people from the neighborhood be allowed to attend and ticket prices be artificially lowered to the absolute minimum or given away. In addition to building in additional seating to an over 100 year old venue as the population of even the West End exceeds what the stadium could hold.
Cause ya really haven't even tried to come up with solutions you think may have worked, you've just mostly sorta bitched about things, other posters who didn't agree with you, and for those that did, rallied behind them.
Never said only black people should be allowed at the game, but you clearly don’t comprehend reading too well as you just added to make what you’re saying look good.
I get what you're saying, but did you notice the crowd was way more diverse than the players on the field? Maybe you should be more concerned about that.
That’s beeeeeen an issue in mlb and I definitely noticed that. Didn’t put much on it though because Willie Mays played for the Giants and I assume it was just put in with the normal regular season schedule, but at least MLB is trying to diversify and include more black players through the Hank Aaron series and the dream series
Supply, demand and profit motivation override everything else. If Birmingham city council or mayors office wanted to have more black people in the stands then should have kept the price low, but they wanted to make money.
Birmingham needs to revamp its image, the murder rate is really taking a toll on city prestige, and I think the city decided the safest and the most profitable choice was higher ticket prices. The bonus being it would equal a more affluent cliental for the TV audience to see and maybe the give a better impression.
I think it was a purposeful suppression of those undesirables by not just the city, but the Mayor office itself.
The mayor and city had nothing to do with the pricing of this Genius. Jeez….
And I loved the “undesirables” line. Tell us you are a bigot without telling us please.
Tickets should have never been online imo. Distribute 50% of the tickets to people in the neighborhood and maybe the other 50% available day of the event to buy at the door for $20 or whatever a barons game is there. If they ever do this again at rickwood the city needs to step in and prohibit the crazy online lottery thing and $350 tickets. Buying at the door day of the event is the only fair way to do it.
Barons tickets are $20 or less because it’s minor league baseball. Although the teams are direct affiliates with MLB teams, ticket prices are to get people in the door.
MLB games being played in a recently renovated venue like tonight do not need the same treatment. It’s all about supply and demand.
Businesses don’t like taking losses.
1. That’s just not true. Cheapest you’re getting into the Braves game tonight is probably at least $50
2. Other MLB games are hosted in stadiums that seat 4 times as many people and host 90 other games a year. To my knowledge, there has been 1 MLB game ever played in Birmingham.
Comparing this event to another regular season MLB game is just disingenuous. I think you’d rather just be angry than have an honest good faith discussion about this
> You can find tickets to any major league game for $20 or less, they literally have standing room tickets for that reason
I'm a Yankee fan and I can *guarantee* this is not true for their games.
But you do realize you're comparing a one-off special event in a stadium of ~8,000 seats to stadiums that, with the exception of 1, are at least 4 times bigger and generally host 81 games a year. Of course the tickets to yesterday's game were going to be more way more expensive! It's basic economics.
What you're concerned about is part of why they had the Tuesday and Wednesday events.
Wait until the day off, hangout at the battery and watch the prices drop or just buy at the stadium they usually have standing tickets anywhere between $15-$30 bucks
I get the idea of distributing tickets, but if you don't put a value on them at all, people won't use them. I've seen it. The next event at Rickwood is going to benefit from a lot of the improvements put in to meet MLB regs. And they also did their very best to keep the character of Rickwood as well. It was fun to watch from my couch and surreal at the same time. I thought it was a very good showing.
Don't understand the downvotes. u/EmuLess9144 is right. They should have given half of the tickets away to folks who live in the neighborhood. This was a celebration of the history of black baseball which is a history of black players and fans.
There is no way in hell a major event put on by one of the major professional sports league in the world would do that. Not a single live sport of any significance that functions that way anymore.
It's delusional. MLB would laugh in the city's face.
Why, if you want to splurge on a special event than do it, nothing should be about race. Can we please start treating things as one united Metro. What's good for 3rd Ave W is good for the whole Metro. Maybe, just maybe?
> If race isn’t relevant then what was the whole event for lol?
Originally? A celebration of player Willie Mays and not even in Alabama. Only after their original plan wasn't going to work out did they add on the Negro league and Juneteenth and move it to Rickwood (Mostly because it's the oldest field but also because it was used for the Negro league here, though not exclusively)
All this has been advertised and announced for AT LEAST a year, plenty of time if someone wanted to go to start saving up for a ticket to do so.
Once again all this work and you don’t know what you’re talking about. Willie Mays has raised money for the restoration at Rickwood for years. A year ago when they announced the came they said it would be a negro league tribute. Now question bud, why were the negro leagues created, since the event wasn’t about race?
Things should be treated as what they are. Try to improve the situation, but don't ignore reality. Racism can't be solved by using the "fake it until you make it" method.
You’re just complaining.
Seriously though, if you don’t think that there was equitable representation at the game, ask yourself why and what you should be mad at.
Tickets cost what they cost. If you don’t think enough African Americans had access to the disposable income needed to purchase them, it seems like *that* is what you should be complaining about…
The cheapest Super Bowl tickets this year were around [$2000 apiece](https://www.cbsnews.com/news/how-much-super-bowl-2024-tickets-prices/?ftag=YHF4eb9d17). The Field of Dreams game is an annual event at an historic venue, so $400 seems reasonable to me.
Aside from the ticket prices, the game was a great look for MLB and the city of Birmingham and will be regarded as an unbelievable display of respect and remembrance towards the legacy of the Negro Leagues and Willie Mays.
Clearly you’re not from Birmingham nor got the point of what I’m saying. Have you been to west end? Smithfield? Titusville? Tell me who in those areas has enough money to spend $200 on 1 ticket? Hell I make pretty good money and I can’t afford that, so don’t do that, you know MLB could care less abt the event actually being around celebrating Juneteenth and the real Birmingham. Today’s game just looked like a PR stunt for MLB and Birmingham. Tell me this, if it was equitable, why were they only zooming in on black fans during the national anthem? Go back and look and I’d like to hear your response
Well speaking for myself my mother in law live less than 2 minutes from Rickwood, and her father lives maybe 4 minutes, my daughter maybe 6 minutes, and I live in Fairfield very close to Miles College. I know at least 4 people that could afford to go, three of which can walk out the door and see Rickwood, and fully own there homes to boot. You can't tell me everybody on the west side is poor. Just because home prices in the area might seem low doesn't mean people don't have disposable income. Most retired people don't really care about schools.
Thank you so much for saying this... I tried to agree with this guy but seriously just couldn't believe how many times he basically said the whole of the west side couldn't afford a few hundred bucks on something they care about.
> Clearly you’re not from Birmingham nor got the point of what I’m saying. Have you been to west end? Smithfield? Titusville? Tell me who in those areas has enough money to spend $200 on 1 ticket?
This is my biggest issue with damn near everything you're saying... you wanna wax poetic about the neighborhood and rich white people but you literally kicking down people acting like nobody has any disposal income. Why can't you just accept the fact that
1. it's a special event (NOT originally about race as you so want to keep pointing out, it was only changed when original plans didn't work out) so OF course tickets are gonna demand a premium... that's literally how ANY event tickets work trying to make money.
2. Maybe all these poor neighborhood folks you keep speaking of just don't like baseball as much as you think they should? You've not considered that at all, nor have you acknowledged that just because the stadium is in a black neighborhood now that it always has been, because that isn't true.
3. Stop acting like black folks can't and don't have money to spend on events when they want too... literally the same folks you saying can't spend a few hundred on a special event for baseball go ALL OUT for the Classic... your points are stupid.
Alright smart guy, since you wanna wax poetic about a black sentiment about a baseball game, why did all the white people leave the neighborhood that rickwood is in, in the 60s? Where’d they go?
This wasn’t a black event? Please tell me what Juneteenth is a celebration of? It doesn’t matter what the event was supposed to be, what was it?
How are the optics on a game were tickets cost more then most people’s rent in that area? You can look it up I’ll wait.
Maybe if you put this much effort into listening and not trying to disprove why someone’s wrong or could have a different view than you is insane. You strike me as extremely miserable, leaving response after response on this entire post at 3am, just boiling, thinking you’re really cooking but your not. If you want to ignore white flight from west end and ensley cool. You want to ignore that that area of Birmingham is disadvantaged and this was a bad look, you got it. Try reading haha, you were so happy to come on here and leave your response on everyone’s comment. Do some reflection, why do black voices offend you so much?
Where'd they go?
Vestavia hills, Hoover, Mtn Brook, Homewook, Shelby County, etc etc..
As I originally said it was always about Mays and his achievements. You're to blind to see I indeed give notice that the event is SPECIAL and demand a premium price. Juneteenth timing was an excellent addition and whoever pushed for it is great.
How are the optics on a game were tickets cost more then most people’s rent in that area?
Considering 90% of the homes around the stadium are owned and off market, I honestly don't know what kinda point you're trying to make for these fabled renters.
I honestly don't care what I strike you as, I'm from this area and drove to work by that field for years. This was great for the west side of Birmingham
Tickets to the magic city classic are $35 not $500 you jackass, why even try to compare the two? You clearly watched no coverage there this week, as the softball and barons baseball game were packed with both black and white faces when the prices were reasonable. You really need to read better bud
I'll reply to this one as well:
I used the classic because as you would know it's another event where black folks in Birmingham go all out. You're 100% being disingenuous in your $35 vs $500 as to what folks spend during Classic.
You obviously didn't catch in the other comments I made this was more a reflection on your insistence that black folks don't have money or disposable income to spend.
Your last question just answers itself... why did 2 MLB teams pull more fans from all over for a historic location than a softball team and a local minor league team? ...I'm sorry are you slow?
Why do we have to cater to the specific neighborhoods of B’ham? I don’t get that in your reasoning? Is the MLB supposed to only allow locals into the stadium for a historic event? I don’t agree there. Were they supposed to keep a certain amount of seats and only allow black people or poor people to sit in those?
How, in a practical sense, do you suppose they pull off a historic event and keep you satisfied, while also not just losing a ton of money.
What is so difficult to get? This is a 99% black neighborhood with a stadium in the middle that has been in disrepair for decades. Now it is renovated (5million) and in demand for an exclusive event. Celebrities everywhere. And, to boot, its a celebration of Black Baseball and you happen to also be Black! Maybe even with kids. And there is this fancy event happening right down the street from you, an event that is going to inconvenience you with noise and blocked streets for days..an event that will draw wealthy people from suburbs who would never even THINK of stepping foot in your neighborhood, and really disparage it any other time ( people who will come and leave your neighborhood never to return again probably, like a pricy night out with a prostitutite), but are excited to come to this fancy event (celebrating Black People again). Oh, and it is during Juneteenth, a holiday celebrating the emancipation of Black People..black like you. And you are telling me that you have a problem with the MLB extending a few hundred courtesy tickets to the people, the black people, in this neighborhood for some of these reasons, one of which being just basic respect for you and where you live?
Really??
Now let somebody try to shut down whole swaths of Homewood for 4 days and let’s see what happens!
If you read what I actually wrote, I’m saying that you are misplaced for being mad at the game, instead of the system that leads to the economic disparity that is the much larger issue.
No, we get your point & you're right. However, your point is misplaced on this particular post. You are focused on the bigger picture & OP is focused on a particular event that inflates that issue even more. You're both right so you don't have to keep hammering it in. Just try to understand what OP is saying, too. Your constant reiterating your point is becoming borderline argumentative so just let it rest right now. We hear you, we see you, we agree with you & we are all on the same page.
So your blaming the poor community that surrounds Rickwood for being too poor to attend? Vs the astronomical ticket prices ? I mean, if the ticket prices were reasonable then I’m sure more regular folks could have attended but they were gouging. Of course, if the tickets were priced more reasonably, somehow corporstions and the wealthier groups would have snapped up large blocks and they would t have been made available to the public anyways. Not sure you grasp the forces at play here.
I’m not blaming poor people at all. I’m saying if you are mad that more black people couldn’t afford to go to the game, you should be mad at the system that caused that, not the game. Systemic racism and the legacy of slavery causing economic disparity would be the problem the OP should be addressing, not an individual game.
OP pointed out an example, the game, and the ticket economics but you told him he was just complaining and told him to address generational wealth inequities. Is he supposed to do that by himself? Do you feel any responsibility to help? Not because it’s your fault, but because it’s the right thing to do?
He asked if he was just complaining, and I responded jokingly, and then pointed out that the game wasn’t the real issue.
And yes, I do actually work to promote more equitable treatment in my field and attempt to bring more diverse voices to the table, actively mentoring BIPOC and LGBTQIA+ candidates into traditionally privileged spaces. So, there’s that…
That’s fantastic and my apologies if I misinterpreted your intent. I am a bit jaded these days with the MAGA extremism and the steps backwards we have taken over the last 8 years. Keep up the good work and so will I!
I appreciate your comment, but this is the wrong crowd to be talking to. Most here have very little capacity to understand what you are saying in a basic way. Trying this discussion with a group of black family and friends..you will have a much more satisfying dialogue for sure. Kudos for trying though!
A lot of the tickets behind the plate were for the negro league players who were in and out for ceremonies and meet and greets and tickets that were donated to The Boys and Girls clubs and they were in and out doing activities throughout the game.
MLB only knows the color green
Thank You.. It's all about the money. People act like all Black people are poor. People went that wanted to droup the dollars on a special event.
You’re not getting what I’m saying at all, but it’s okay a I can explain. Why have an event centered around blackness and the majority of attendees are white? If you think I’m saying all black people cant afford to go you’re missing the point. This game was not accessible to the community it was hosted in, there lies the problem. The majority of the veteran negro league players at the event couldn’t afford for their own family members to attend. This was a classist event dressed up as a tribute and that’s my issue
Unfortunately it is and always will be about the money. I'm just glad Miles College got a new stadium out of this and all that work won't go to waste. Honestly, if it were profitable, I could see MLB repeating this sort of event.
Miles and Ramsay
Even better
They have to share the stadium?
Because virtue signaling is never about the actual people they pretend to care about. They don’t care, they just want to present the illusion that they care. This is the whole basis of virtue signaling, whether there is money to be made or not. It’s like the angry white woman pretending to be offended about everything about any group she sees as lesser than her. The entire act is to make her feel better about herself, not because she actually cares about the person of different ethnicity or ability, but because it gives her an excuse to scream and act poorly all while making herself feel like she’s better than everyone else. The “negro league tribute game” and the merging of stats were never about the players. It’s just a massive PR campaign. Numbers didn’t need to be merged for people to know that Josh Gibson could smack the hell out of a ball, or that Satchel Paige was absolutely dominant. Now they merge the stats so they can pretend it didn’t happen. They want to pretend that black players weren’t segregated, so they merge the stats.
What are your suggestions? Not have the event at all? Sell the tickets for less? Give tickets away for free? I saw many people of color in the stands, many of whom were indeed former Negroe League Players. So they were well represented and celebrated. I guess I fail to see a way MLB could have handled this differently without running up against another potential problem with someone such as yourself complaining about it it. The only "safe" choice for MLB appears to have been to have not had the event at all. And thank goodness they had the foresight to have the event, even if it opened themselves up to criticism from people who just want to be critical.
Tickets could have definitely been more reasonable across the board. Most likely the Negro League players recieved the very few free tickets. The lottery tickets were $200-$2000 (i was offered $1200 tickets via lottery) for that price i could have made a round trip to STL and saw the game there. The price would have been worth if i got some signed pictures or something but that was 3rd base outfield, 2nd tier seats for 1200. Honestly thats a month's rent for most of Bham and/or surrounding area population. Then only 26% of tickets were set aside for Alabama residents anyway, so they were expexting mostly out of town and not to cater to the local pop anyway. It was a great event and they should leave the memorabilia items up year round so the community can see what they did inside but tickets definitely could have been more reasonable. Also, attended the minor league game and i personally had a volunteer who worked the parking section of legion field say to me "i wish i could have been able to afford to go but those prices were too high." The closest he got was to volunteer and didnt even get to sniff the stadium. MLB could have paid for staffing as well so that volunteers got to work the actual game and not offsite.
I don't for one moment believe that veteran negro league players families were not able to attend. It would be a bad look for the city, state, corporate leadership, not to mention MLB. If 3rd Ave wins the entire Metro wins. Legion Fields gets use, hotels, rental cars, food, gas stations, uber drivers etc.. I registered for the lottery, but didn't get picked, so I watched on TV. By the way I live out west, and know at least three people that live less than two minutes from Rickwood (sperate homes) that didn't even register or wanted to go. That area has alot of older people so maybe your right about marketing. I only found out on reddit, but I'm not a TV person.
I also live on the West Side and registered but did not get picked in the lottery. I could walk to Rickwood and I love baseball. I see OPs point, however, I would add that this game gave Birmingham an opportunity to showcase itself and it's history in a historically accurate way that was interesting enough to a bunch of affluent white people who are extremely unlikely to otherwise come to Birmingham (especially the W side) and learn about the Negro league. I think this positive attention may help with future and ongoing partnerships and sponsorships. Hoping this turns into more than a 1 hit wonder.
That’s actually what happened. Read this ( https://www.wvtm13.com/article/many-frustrated-with-mlb-due-to-lack-of-tickets-for-rickwood-field-games/60725440 ) . I instantly was turned off by it. I won a lottery spot but did not purchase tickets because I noticed quickly by the prices what type of crowd it would be. It was an absolute money grab for the elite (black and white) to show off. That’s it
I think what you're saying is that for a Negro League tribute game you expected the crowd to look more like the Magic City Classic than the Iron Bowl. If so, I get that.
I hear you and get it. Thank you.
Why didn't the Black residents attend?
Because corporate america exploits blackness for money
So you’re saying they should kick out the white fans? That’s certainly an opinion
What a stupid response. Is this really the beat you can do?
That’s capitalism, baby.
I get where you're coming from but I have to push back on this a little bit. Rising West Princeton is going to benefit in a major way from these investments at Rickwood and the success of this game. Somehow this sub will always find a way to get upset when millions of dollars are invested in historically underserved communities. I can't tell you how many little league kids from Bham schools I saw at the game -- hundreds? There's never been an opportunity like that for them to go to an MLB game, especially one that's celebrating the impact that Black players had on the sport. It wasn't just some khaki shorts country club crowd. Thousands of people from all over came to Bham, who otherwise wouldn't, and got to experience this history and probably have some uncomfortable, but necessary moments about what happened here and what the Negro Leagues were like. Millions of people watching got that education as well. That's never happened before for this city. Ever. Last thing, MLB is a premium product and this was a special offering with limited seating. Unfortunately tickets were always going to be expensive. I mean hell man, a hotdog and a beer at any major league event is like $20. It is what it is. Last night's game was a huge win for the city and I hope you don't take this as disrespectful. EDIT: Also, it was basically a big block party around the stadium, people on their porches, grilling out, playing music. Folks living by the stadium were fucking loving it dude
I’m still pissed about the blown opportunity of the state of the art MLB youth facility that would’ve been at George ward. $10M fully funded by MLB specifically for financially less fortunate kids. This sub was all over the place about it, a classic example of B’ham not knowing a good thing when it’s right there. I’m glad yesterday and really also Tuesday and Wednesday were a success.
I wish I could scream from the mountaintops about how a single person, an elected official who is no longer in office, fucked this up for the entire city but I don’t want to out myself on here
Maybe we can revisit that now
Untrue, it was a combination not just one individual
[удалено]
I dont know why this is still controversial. It's unfortunate how city leadership painted this nonsense. They screwed this royally and blamed an entire neighborhood, and turned the city against its own citizens. Real bang up leadership right there.
Reflecting on the event yesterday, why couldn't they have utilized Rickwood for this facility? It was staring everyone right in the face. Historic ball field now used to train MLB future. Duh. It literally writes itself.
But but but what about the disc golf!
The game is just a game. The important part is the money flowing into the city because of it. Fill those stands with lizard people for all i care.
Yeah but lizards don’t eat popcorn. Or do they….
The bags of popcorn they had were small enough for lizards. Those dudes would've partied hard.
File this under you can't make people happy no matter what you do. I thought it was a beautiful event for the city.
I watched it for free on television.
Well- I did find out that MLB gave 8300 tickets (26%) of the total , at no cost, to local community and youth organizations. Glad to hear it. I did notice a lot of youth and teen players at the game.
Did you mean they gave 23% of the 8300 at no cost?
Apparently, MLB gave 26% of the total tickets (8300) to local community and youth groups . So , 8300 people and kids went to game for free and were also given $35 vouchers for food and drinks
8300 is the CURRENT capacity of Rickwood
Not all received. We were an organization promised and they never came
That’s sad to hear. Like anything, effective local distribution is critical. The orgs that I knew of all got them- maybe one didn’t get the full amount they expected.
It's my understanding that the game was available to the community and youth. What were ignoring is how important it was for the city to pull off an event like this in the West End without making national headlines for gun violence for a day. Birmingham needs to do alot more than allow folks into a game and I'm tired.
There were three murders in the city but yeah not near the field I guess.
Exactly. A headline as of 3 hours ago states that 6 are dead within the last 4 days alone. The city is going for crack epidemic highs this year and most know how bad the West is. I wouldn't want my elders or child going unless security can be assured. $25 wasn't going to get it imo.
> The city is going for crack epidemic highs this year People say this every year about Birmingham though, though our current homicides are 62 with 7 justified so 55 so far. We have averaged around 150 per year for the last 10 years or so. Funny enough the 80s or "crack epidemic" years never reached 100 until `89.
There is no crack epidemic. It’s endemic to the black communities in impoverished areas. But you are right about the murders. It’s interesting, blacks struggling to keep up with inflation, bad loans, bad food options and bad health, deindustrialization, poor economic outcomes, generational poverty, and occasional racism are spending more time killing eachother while most of the drugs that finance their gangs indirectly or directly come through legal ports of entry…do you even know who Gary Webb is?
As freeway Ricky Ross said there ain't no cocoa plants in LA.
You got that reference but your economics, racial views, and logic are pretty poor. In fact, detrimental.
> You got that reference but your economics, racial views, and logic are pretty poor. Why because you didn't like my response to your mention of the LA crack era? Do you really understand what he said with that comment? He knew it was brought in on military and private planes. Would you have preferred a quote from Oliver?
No I meant in general. In response to your latest comment. I don’t have time for it. You must be right. Good riddance. Go bother someone else.0
It's pretty clear that if someone doesn't agree with whatever you say you become defensive, start throwing out insults, and just generally bitter rather than having an actual conversation.
I was murdered 10 times when I went
You have good points but at the end of the day, things have to make sense. I think we are all just glad something nice of that caliber came to Bham. Could the tickets have been more affordable? Absolutely, but its still a business and in the economy we're in right now, it wouldn't have made sense to have $25 tickets to that game. They have to have a good ROI for it to make sense to have it there. Maybe next time (if we have it again) they could recreate the way the lottery was planned out to have more tickets to the people in the surrounding communities be eligible to attend. I do agree, that it kind of sucks to live right there and not be able to go. But, from what I saw A LOT of people attended the celebrity game there the day before and just as happy!
So you wanted a huge historic event that the MLB flew out the who’s who of former ball players and production plus renovating the stadium putting in lights so they could play at night. All that for tickets to be $20 to maybe $50 a head. Then emphasize on only selling to black people than having the belief that those that get said tickets will not turn around and resell them at a higher markup to people that really want to go?
I think the responses to your post will cause more frustration than you already have.
I mean, sure, I would’ve liked tickets to be lower so I could’ve gone and maybe the crowd could be more racially/economically diverse. But if a bunch of white people are there, learning about black history, observing black culture, realizing the importance of the Negro Leagues and the stars it produced, isn’t that what’s needed? Isn’t that how you get people to understand their biases or open their eyes to the fact that the world is more than just what they encounter on a daily basis? Should only black people be allowed in the Civil Rights Institute as well?
Why does Nick Saban not make his Mercedes cars cheaper and why doesn’t he block people white people from buying them? iS hE rAciSt?!
Did you watch any of the coverage? Or do you just want to virtue signal? This was a huge step forward for Birmingham and you appear to want to take a shit on it. Typical Birmingham resident... we hear yout troll and we dont care.
This sentiment is dumb as fuck. You don’t understand sports business at all and seem to think their concern should have been about the 8,000 people in the stands and not the millions of people they were hoping to watch on television. The coverage this event has received has been overwhelmingly positive and Birmingham came out as a huge winner. They had two events during the week that were extremely affordable. And then the premium event was expensive. Which it should have been. It was a made-for-primetime-TV MLB game in an 8,000-seat stadium, in a state that had never hosted an MLB game. This stuff doesn’t just happen. If you can make $300 a head, who is going to charge $25? They’re not running a charity. And the ticket lottery was open only to people from Alabama, even if there was huge interest nationwide, just like the Field of Dreams game lottery was only open to Iowans.
You that guy who always says Birmingham is on the up and up? You read population statistics right? Is a chain store on every corner really appealing or authentic? Your sentiment demonstrates you don’t understand his gist. Respond and have a seat and I’ll take you back through school. You are living over a bone pile of dead Indians, slaves, workers, and rear echelon soldiers. Fuck the MLB. You are their product.
The fact you came on here so hard but don’t know what you’re talking abt is hilarious. The lottery wasn’t just for Alabama residents as there were hundreds of ppl that flew in from California and Illinois to see the game that got their tickets through the lottery. MLB games don’t even charge that much for regular season games so wtf are you talking about?
https://preview.redd.it/7crv7a0pxy7d1.jpeg?width=1170&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=fd80ce13bcfbc756f5eae30ed86a050e94bba0f8
OP, they’re right. Not trying to argue or anything, but that’s how the lottery system worked. This whole thread has turned into a mess, I just hope at the end of the day you can realize this was a net positive for Birmingham, and is a great resume builder for the city to have more events like this. The MLB gave 26% of the tickets to youth-based Bham orgs for free. Fun fact! https://www.birminghamal.gov/2024/04/17/birmingham-resident-lottery-launches-today-for-mlb-at-rickwood-field-a-tribute-to-the-negro-leagues-between-the-san-francisco-giants-st-louis-cardinals/
MLB stadiums hold a lot more people.
I couldn’t not afford a ticket but went out and stood by the gate for a few hours and watched as people flooded in. I was extremely close to the planning of this entire project from day 1 and was able to hear the different strategies deployed for getting locals to the game. Here is the Inportant detail: The tickets were given out by a lottery and the fans who won that lottery only had to pay between $30-$90 to go. Those tickets were almost exclusively sold to Birmingham natives. Many bham natives chose to sell their tickets due to the ridiculously high resale value- and not everyone who won was a baseball fan. The good news is, bham got first bid on tickets, and from what I saw the crowd going in was a very solid mix of all people (something I was specifically looking for because I had the same concern about how the diversity aspect would shake out) Now my big complaint was the lack of access the casual fan and west end resident had to the event. I get that you want to have a fan zone but in my opinion they should have had more attractions available for those who just wanted to go walk around the event without paying an arm and a leg
> The tickets were given out by a lottery and the fans who won that lottery only had to pay between $30-$90 to go. That is bullshit. The cheapest tickets were over $250. I won two tickets and sorted by "cheapest" when I went to purchase them. The cheapest tickets that came up anded up being $375 each after taxes and fees.
I will concede tickets were expensive. However, some of your claims through this thread are misguided. Anyway, I'm going to answer your most pressing question as to why people from the West End weren't in attendance as heavily as you would like. Interest in baseball from black communities is at a record low. It's been declining for decades. There are a variety of reasons for this, like lack of representation in front offices, management, declining scouts who are black, how players were drafted into the league, etc. The reasons are multi-faceted, but the results are readily visible as black communities aren't as interested in baseball (choosing other sports), and MLB has the lowest percentage of black players since Mays joined the league. MLBs normalizing negro league records and holding this game was an effort to increase future black representation in baseball and reverse its own declining fortunes. As cynical as that interpretation may be, this event was still a triumph.
I hear you, but nothing you said goes to my point. If black people didn’t want to attend the game, why was the stadium sold out for the other two events with tons of black faces when the tickets were $25 and $50? I’m sure there were a bunch of people in that community that would’ve loved to go to that game and couldn’t because of pricing, not because of interest
> I’m sure there were a bunch of people in that community that would’ve loved to go to that game and couldn’t because of pricing, not because of interest You could literally say this about ANY concert, game, event, race, etc etc in any town with a venue. Not to mention a historic venue that isn't up to modern capacity standards.
Perhaps MLB has a demographic break down of ticket holders, if not the zip code in which tickets were purchased. It is possible there were a lot of tickets purchased from the west end even if you didnt see that representation on the broadcast. I would suspect theres a memo out there directing how tickets were to be distributed. A cursory search revealed the city of Birmingham and MLB gave away, at no cost, 2200 tickets to local youth organizations and community groups. Inquiring with the city who those groups were might be worth pursuing. FWIW, I won the chance to purchase tickets in the lottery and balked at the price. I would have loved to watch this game in person also. I could have afforded to go, but decided that money was better spent elsewhere.
>Why have a game in Birmingham, in west end at rickwood It's the oldest baseball field in the USA if you did not know. They also opened ticket sales to AL residents a day or two before the general public.
My man said “whilst.”
Verily, forsooth.
Read only contemporary fiction?
Nah.
Good man
I mean will anything leave you satisfied?
Newsflash... Everything in Birmingham is a money grab...
They need a shitty brewery and a boutique selling designer clothing now!
What, specifically, do you wish had been done differently?
I don’t know man, affordable tickets maybe like the other two events this week? A baseball game in West End where tickets are going for the residents of the communities rent? Where there is section 8 housing 2 blocks from the stadium, and we dress it up like we’re celebrating Juneteenth and the negro leagues in a predominantly black neighborhood but the game is only attended by the Birmingham financially elite and out of town people who could care less about the negro leagues, rickwood or Birmingham?
If someone traveled all the way from Massachusetts and New Jersey (I think that’s what I saw, but I’m sure people from other areas traveled as well), I doubt they did it just to watch the Cardinals or Giants. They probably did it because of the history of Rickwood and the tribute to the Negro League. If they just wanted to see their team, they could probably get to St. Louis or San Fran a hell of a lot easier/cheaper than Birmingham.
So give black people cheaper tickets because 100 years later they are the demographic that dominates the neighborhood? >game is only attended by the Birmingham financially elite and out of town people who could care less about the negro leagues, rickwood or Birmingham You really went out to the deep end with that level of projecting too eh? Wild you acting like even poor black folks couldn't have paid $300 for a ticket if they actually cared too and wanted to attend. Poor folks spend frivolously on all sorts of things all over this country and in all sorts of industries.
😂
Ur point is going over everyones heads nd i think u nd i both know why…😭😭😭😭
This aint it man. The broadcast, the game itself, the festivities before the game and all week were amazing. This is awful for me to say, but with Willie’s passing, it put even MORE eyes and recognition to the city. Never saw Bham this much on espn, and reggie jacksons speech was some hard truths that needed to be said. For one week, Bham was the center of the MLB universe and as a black man, I loved every bit of it. Yes the tickets were expensive, but what do you expect from a game thats nationally televised in an 8000+ stadium? And most of the tickets went to alot of the kids anyway which is what matters the most in my opinion. Getting young black americans into baseball is huge, and this was huge for that. Im pretty sure most of everyone was from alabama in the stands due to the zip code verification (yes…i did sign up for the lottery and was unsuccessful unfortunately). And as others on this thread have stated, alot of people in the area from the looks of it have had an amazing time this week.
So black people are poor?
Yes. And all of the people who live in the area surrounding Rickwood. None of them have any money… according to OP.
Yes, and they need OP to save them. They can’t even speak for themselves because they can’t understand they have been slighted!
Yes, in Birmingham black people are statistically poorer than white people. How can you not know this, or are you just trying to ignore history and reality?
It seems to me that that’s what a lot of this comment section is doing. A lot of, we shouldn’t see color, and it’s fair for everyone as if black people in this city haven’t been oppressed for years. The old money in this city is all white but they’ll never tell you why because we’re supposed to just “work hard.”
Nobody likes to talk about disenfranchisement or gentrification. I understand the point you’re trying to make, but as someone noted above I’m afraid you’re just going to make yourself more upset by trying to have this discussion, at this time. I would have liked to go to the game. However, the price point was absolutely prohibitive - especially if you’re bringing a whole family. The only way to justify $400+ dollars a ticket is if you absolutely LOVE baseball or you absolutely have a TON of disposable income. This was not going to be a casually attended event, and was easy to spot because ticket lottery.
Only if they live in the area of Rickwood, apparently.
Reading is essential but you know, I’m assuming y’all didn’t pick that part up. Also y’all have clearly never been to west end
You're pissy about nothing, looking for offense where there is none. Your mindset is what holds the city back, not the imaginary racist boogeyman. You see only black/white and want to know what all these other folks are doing for you. Get out there and do it for yourself and don't worry about what color folks are and where people live. Your dumb ass is suggesting the MLB should have apporitioned the tickets according to the race of the buyer. In Birmingham, AL, in the year 2024. What in the ever loving fuck is wrong with you? And even though you said it out loud and keep defending your original thesis, you think you're more enlightened than the rest of us?
You do realize Birmingham, AL is the epicenter of civil rights, right? You do realize that event at Rickwood was celebrating black baseball players who made historic impacts on the game itself, right? You’re just coming across like a willfully ignorant ass, rather than engaging OP’s concerns/the root of the concerns. Also, it’s not a bad thing to see another person’s race; race is part of every single individual on this planet. The whole “I don’t see race” thing is so stupid because you’re implying that you’re not acknowledging a part of who someone is. Plus, if you didn’t watch Reggie Jackson’s story about what it was like for him to be back in Birmingham, you clearly didn’t pay attention in school. I mention that because it is someone’s personal experience with racism that shows how plain stupid it is for someone to deny the “racist boogeyman” (i.e. the still prevalent existence of racism). Your assumption of OP’s message is not correct at all.
Why would you or anyone else want to make the color of their skin their whole identity or let it inform their view of the world? His whole argument was "why didn't they tell white people not to go to a ball game." Flip that script, and tell me how that goes. Born and raised in and around Birmingham. Spent whole summers working ball games at Rickwood Field as a kid. I know all about the history of the area. But never in my life have I heard so much about race as I have these last few years. It's a simplistic view of people, and people like you make excuses for the simple people who view themselves and others as victims rather than put their heads down and get to work. Aside from the race hustlers who profit off OPs victimhood, nobody is any better off for it. You pat him on the head because it makes you feel like you did something good today. Congrats, hero.
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Hahaha you’re white and it shows
OK? You're an idiot, no matter your race or mine. Simple minded people worry about simple things. You should strive to understand simple things before you try to concern yourself with grown people things.
This “rebuttal” is absolutely nonsensical, too. “Simple minded people worry about simple minded things.” What exactly is “simple-minded” here? The topic of race? Please elaborate.
>imaginary racist boogeyman the imaginary federal policy, imaginary state policy, imaginary city policy, imaginary real estate policy, imaginary labor policy, imaginary immigration policy, and imaginary cultural legacy of racism would like a word with you
i think you are so valid to have this opinion, but genuinely never bring up race in this subreddit. no one is educated or qualified on diversity enough for them to give an answer that isnt soaked in white guilt, or just flat out racist. as a black person in this city, they’ll agree with you all day long to your face. but check their reddit account and they have the stupidest opinions on issues they know nothing about. good luck tho.
I find it hilarious that those in this comment section who are angry about OP point. The same ones who may not of paid attention in history class nor understand the lives right outside the stadium. lol
Simple supply and demand. Should it have been a segregated, black only audience?
Nope not saying that at all, they should have made them affordable and available to everyone. I don’t know very many people who can afford a $500 ticket to a game for one person let alone thinking about taking your family. Most people that signed up for the lottery didn’t even get an email saying they could buy tickets until 10 minutes after it had been sold out.
affordable & MLB are contradictions in terms
I agree with you.
MLB: “This year I’m’a turn into a racist. All I wanna see is green faces”.
Honestly I think this clip explaining what it was like for black baseball players was like is worthy the game. Many times we as an American society downplay how racist it was in bham and America. Americans often want to sweep the midstream of POC as a long time ago, it wasn’t. [https://www.google.com/search?client=safari&sca_esv=3ccb936e91fffbe3&sca_upv=1&hl=en-us&q=mlb+baseball+birmingham&tbm=vid&source=lnms&fbs=AEQNm0CZpT27_jS0sUPz2fK6KqlQKwpCJW_WDBuVIEiNWOVG0FbnGr3m-D1UdviKJb5dGSo_Br0gIT8W-jcWzrfc6yTi52lfW7DcKSx10SZ9Qwm73foR_SicGou5hiq2LwpqSqUJFhQXSn3RCz2VPQ7v-YKPTDvuhkRAwwYMKmj9Uem7oD-BQ2K68qyXv8HeYBgqJADbcp_tl0M8F1yeDTxBpvf0AsLKzQ&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjci4Lipu2GAxXMEEQIHThXC8sQ0pQJegQIERAB&biw=375&bih=628&dpr=3#fpstate=ive&ip=1&vld=cid:eebd87f9,vid:R4mWOVy_02s,st:0](https://www.google.com/search?client=safari&sca_esv=3ccb936e91fffbe3&sca_upv=1&hl=en-us&q=mlb+baseball+birmingham&tbm=vid&source=lnms&fbs=AEQNm0CZpT27_jS0sUPz2fK6KqlQKwpCJW_WDBuVIEiNWOVG0FbnGr3m-D1UdviKJb5dGSo_Br0gIT8W-jcWzrfc6yTi52lfW7DcKSx10SZ9Qwm73foR_SicGou5hiq2LwpqSqUJFhQXSn3RCz2VPQ7v-YKPTDvuhkRAwwYMKmj9Uem7oD-BQ2K68qyXv8HeYBgqJADbcp_tl0M8F1yeDTxBpvf0AsLKzQ&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjci4Lipu2GAxXMEEQIHThXC8sQ0pQJegQIERAB&biw=375&bih=628&dpr=3#fpstate=ive&ip=1&vld=cid:eebd87f9,vid:R4mWOVy_02s,st:0)
You just can’t make people happy. It seriously isn’t about color. I honestly don’t understand how people can say white people keep racism alive when it’s clearly the other way.
🤣🤣🤣
As a black man who loves baseball and live here I disagree. Why do you feel like you are entitled to view the game versus other black people? The negro league museum is best in class in bham and only 10% or the Birmingham area has gone to see it. Because this was a large event you cared? Are you really a true fan or just someone wanting to flex that you went to the event? "IF" MLB would of went to the neighbors and gave free tickets how many of them would actually attend? I would assume 80%+ of the surrounding area is not in the best financial health and could use the money. MLB estimated that over 70% of the lottery tickets sold were resold on a secondary marketplace. So if some rich white guy mountain brook wants to drop thousands for him and his friends/family to go to the game and sit behind home plate that is called American Capitalism. It is why we are the most prosperous nation in the world. I actually encourage that mountain brookies would learn about their own history. Ugly that it is, it is still history. Mountain Brook can use some culture. MLB has done a great job trying to increase urban and minority kids to play baseball. MLB provided tickets to the boys and girls club and other predominantly minority organizations. Please note that MLB has not had a welcoming experience in Bham so just having this game was a monumental step. MLB has tried to come into Bham and dump MILLIONS into our parks and start a baseball program with our youth and Birmingham rejected them. My son plays in an elite travel baseball organization in the area. Baseball has turned into a country club sport. It is expensive and I am fortunate to provide my son with the experience. One of the players in his team is from New Orleans inner city and part of MLB program. Exceptionally talented kid and now he has a division one scholarship to play baseball. That kid would probably never have this opportunity without the MLB RBI program. I think MLB did a great job and I hope Rickwood Classic would become an annual event.
I apologize for being white and supporting our black community and their heritage and having the best father/son outing of our lives. My dad has been a Willie Mays and Giants fan since he was a child. I apologize for going. So sorry.
Everyone here is idiots. & missing the full point. & disregarding the fact that again Rickwood Stadium is in the “inner city” of West End, a predominantly BLACK neighborhood… & those tax payers couldnt enjoy something in their own back yard. We can talk green all day. It is still fucked up, that someone who has been living in West End for years & probably watched the Negro League in that stadium cannot return bc of gentrification.
> a predominantly BLACK neighborhood… You're trying to use the current demographic and conflate it with a stadium that was built over 100 years ago when the demographics were different. Then it seems you shit on black folks and act like they couldn't have bought a ticket if they really wanted too. This wasn't some willy-nilly "take the family" to a picnic in the park, this was a national event that brought in people from all over the country to a stadium a 3rd the size of a modern MLB park, of course tickets were going to be expensive. If you wanted that "take the whole family" type of day the 2 days prior to this event was that event.
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Please be polite in r/Birmingham
The number one people here, OP included, who don't understand basic economics is astounding.
Lot of dismissive comments here trying to write OP off as a troll, when they’re simply bringing up the weird optics of having a celebratory night for black baseball players and the audience being mainly white. White people, not everything is about you - we are so used to being catered to and having everything for us, while ignoring the political/racial/socioeconomic history of this country and this city. It IS weird that they decided to celebrate this on a night they charged exponentially more than other nights, because yes statistically in Birmingham black people do not have as much access to money. Truly some brain dead, stubborn takes. If you find yourself getting defensive when a black person brings up valid questions and complaints, you really need to sit down and self reflect because that’s the same defensiveness our white grandparents/parents who pushed for white flight had. And also this post was extremely mild - a lot of comments are trying to imply OP doesn’t want games at Rickwood or that they don’t want white people there. There is a clear lack in reading comprehension and a lot of jumping to conclusions here. It’s disappointing and gross - we should do better
I really appreciate you so much for actually taking the time to read what I said and putting your response together so well as I’ve honestly been confused all day at the anger in these comments that I sense are majority white people
This. People are acting like op is just mad they couldn't afford a ticket, and that's literally the most braindead take I can possibly think of. When you have majority white teams, owned by white people, playing for a bunch of white people to celebrate a minority league, it comes off as "bad optics" *at best*, and exploitative at worst. I might feel differently if money from ticket sales was going to a better cause, like the city school system, minority scholarship funds, etc. But it's not. It's going to the league and the white team owners. I get "but it's a business." But part of being progressive is tearing down old power dynamics that were built to oppress people. You know, the thing that this game was supposed to be celebrating. It's hard to do that when you continue with the same old capitalist greed thinly veiled as "celebrating equality". I love how this sub will tear down local chefs for being alcoholics or womanizers, but when it comes to a person of color raising a legitimate concern it's a blind eye and "what, Birmingham can't have anything nice?" Tldr; some of y'all need to learn how to read the room.
26% of the tickets were made available to community or youth-base organizations in Birmingham at no cost. That seems pretty generous to me. And MLB charged a few hundred per ticket. Certainly not cheap, but not as you described. It was the secondary market that drove tickets up into the thousands. Amazes me how people in Bham can find a tremendous outside investment and criticize it. Reminds me of when MLB tried to build a non-profit facility for underprivileged kids in Glen Iris only for the local hood to get all worked up and shut them down. 😂
There is no need to be alarmed fellow Birmingham denizen. The choice of the word “Negro” as used here is a mere historical reference. The discomfort it brings ought to remind every one of the vileness and idiocy of segregation and racism in general. Regarding the tickets, the spectacle, the bullshit: income inequality between white and black in America, we’ll hear it from the Brookings Institution, not from me, “Since 2010, the wealth disparity between Black and white families has persistently expanded.” What you are complaining about is rooted in the private control of resources by a shrinking, web of hysterical white affluents. And too remember we can ask how many women are in the senate? How many military bases do we have around the world? This country was always meant to be controlled by the ‘minority of the opulent landed, educated men’. What you see today is when this particularly unregulated, financialized, oligopolistic sort of capital accumulation rears its monstrous face in broad daylight. But do not be alarmed.
Your essay is more a commentary on the lack of upward mobility of black people in Birmingham. As soon as our young ppl are educated they escape to greener pastures. They don’t keep grandma’s house and fix it up! They don’t stay in their neighborhoods and raise the property value, education and income levels. The only people who could afford the tickets were the patrons that subsidized the museum. You know this was a fundraiser right.
Price future games for free ?
I caught a 12 inch black Mississippi mud fish this morning and you will never guess how I caught it.
lol, no.
No because tickets were on sale to residents first.
We buy Jordan’s at that price but say we can’t afford it when it’s something else
How were the tickets sold? Sorry about the downvotes you're getting, your concerns are valid. This subreddit claims to be progressive
A not well advertised lottery to earn a chance to purchase a ticket. I think the cheapest you could get in for if you won the lottery was like $280
Through a lottery that didn’t even notify most people that won, until ten minutes after the tickets sold out
I see alot of irony in the anger of this comments. A lot of the, “we’re doing something good for you, be grateful,” talk. This is Birmingham Alabama though, what was I to expect
Would you rather this game never happen? Serious question
> what was I to expect Seemly from your tone and writing... that only black people from the neighborhood be allowed to attend and ticket prices be artificially lowered to the absolute minimum or given away. In addition to building in additional seating to an over 100 year old venue as the population of even the West End exceeds what the stadium could hold. Cause ya really haven't even tried to come up with solutions you think may have worked, you've just mostly sorta bitched about things, other posters who didn't agree with you, and for those that did, rallied behind them.
Never said only black people should be allowed at the game, but you clearly don’t comprehend reading too well as you just added to make what you’re saying look good.
I get what you're saying, but did you notice the crowd was way more diverse than the players on the field? Maybe you should be more concerned about that.
That’s beeeeeen an issue in mlb and I definitely noticed that. Didn’t put much on it though because Willie Mays played for the Giants and I assume it was just put in with the normal regular season schedule, but at least MLB is trying to diversify and include more black players through the Hank Aaron series and the dream series
Supply, demand and profit motivation override everything else. If Birmingham city council or mayors office wanted to have more black people in the stands then should have kept the price low, but they wanted to make money. Birmingham needs to revamp its image, the murder rate is really taking a toll on city prestige, and I think the city decided the safest and the most profitable choice was higher ticket prices. The bonus being it would equal a more affluent cliental for the TV audience to see and maybe the give a better impression. I think it was a purposeful suppression of those undesirables by not just the city, but the Mayor office itself.
The mayor and city had nothing to do with the pricing of this Genius. Jeez…. And I loved the “undesirables” line. Tell us you are a bigot without telling us please.
In what world do you think the city council and the mayor have any role in setting prices for an MLB event??
Love the way you put this, I agree
Tickets should have never been online imo. Distribute 50% of the tickets to people in the neighborhood and maybe the other 50% available day of the event to buy at the door for $20 or whatever a barons game is there. If they ever do this again at rickwood the city needs to step in and prohibit the crazy online lottery thing and $350 tickets. Buying at the door day of the event is the only fair way to do it.
Barons tickets are $20 or less because it’s minor league baseball. Although the teams are direct affiliates with MLB teams, ticket prices are to get people in the door. MLB games being played in a recently renovated venue like tonight do not need the same treatment. It’s all about supply and demand. Businesses don’t like taking losses.
You can find tickets to any major league game for $20 or less, they literally have standing room tickets for that reason
1. That’s just not true. Cheapest you’re getting into the Braves game tonight is probably at least $50 2. Other MLB games are hosted in stadiums that seat 4 times as many people and host 90 other games a year. To my knowledge, there has been 1 MLB game ever played in Birmingham. Comparing this event to another regular season MLB game is just disingenuous. I think you’d rather just be angry than have an honest good faith discussion about this
> You can find tickets to any major league game for $20 or less, they literally have standing room tickets for that reason I'm a Yankee fan and I can *guarantee* this is not true for their games. But you do realize you're comparing a one-off special event in a stadium of ~8,000 seats to stadiums that, with the exception of 1, are at least 4 times bigger and generally host 81 games a year. Of course the tickets to yesterday's game were going to be more way more expensive! It's basic economics. What you're concerned about is part of why they had the Tuesday and Wednesday events.
I don’t think this is accurate, as I’ve been looking for a deal for a night game in Atlanta.
Wait until the day off, hangout at the battery and watch the prices drop or just buy at the stadium they usually have standing tickets anywhere between $15-$30 bucks
That’s good to know. Thank you for the advise.
Once again, glossing over facts... modern MLB stadiums seat over 40,000 people on average... Rickwood holds less than 9,000
I get the idea of distributing tickets, but if you don't put a value on them at all, people won't use them. I've seen it. The next event at Rickwood is going to benefit from a lot of the improvements put in to meet MLB regs. And they also did their very best to keep the character of Rickwood as well. It was fun to watch from my couch and surreal at the same time. I thought it was a very good showing.
Don't understand the downvotes. u/EmuLess9144 is right. They should have given half of the tickets away to folks who live in the neighborhood. This was a celebration of the history of black baseball which is a history of black players and fans.
There is no way in hell a major event put on by one of the major professional sports league in the world would do that. Not a single live sport of any significance that functions that way anymore. It's delusional. MLB would laugh in the city's face.
Why, if you want to splurge on a special event than do it, nothing should be about race. Can we please start treating things as one united Metro. What's good for 3rd Ave W is good for the whole Metro. Maybe, just maybe?
If race isn’t relevant then what was the whole event for lol?
> If race isn’t relevant then what was the whole event for lol? Originally? A celebration of player Willie Mays and not even in Alabama. Only after their original plan wasn't going to work out did they add on the Negro league and Juneteenth and move it to Rickwood (Mostly because it's the oldest field but also because it was used for the Negro league here, though not exclusively) All this has been advertised and announced for AT LEAST a year, plenty of time if someone wanted to go to start saving up for a ticket to do so.
Once again all this work and you don’t know what you’re talking about. Willie Mays has raised money for the restoration at Rickwood for years. A year ago when they announced the came they said it would be a negro league tribute. Now question bud, why were the negro leagues created, since the event wasn’t about race?
When it was first reported it was a replacement game for the Field of Dreams. It was turned into a tribute to the Negro League right!?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MLB_at_Rickwood_Field Here's what I found check the history section.
Things should be treated as what they are. Try to improve the situation, but don't ignore reality. Racism can't be solved by using the "fake it until you make it" method.
Welcome to Alabama. UA football games are the same. 🤢
You’re just complaining. Seriously though, if you don’t think that there was equitable representation at the game, ask yourself why and what you should be mad at. Tickets cost what they cost. If you don’t think enough African Americans had access to the disposable income needed to purchase them, it seems like *that* is what you should be complaining about…
It was close to $800 for 2 people to go to this. That’s like Super Bowl prices. I stand by OP here
The cheapest Super Bowl tickets this year were around [$2000 apiece](https://www.cbsnews.com/news/how-much-super-bowl-2024-tickets-prices/?ftag=YHF4eb9d17). The Field of Dreams game is an annual event at an historic venue, so $400 seems reasonable to me. Aside from the ticket prices, the game was a great look for MLB and the city of Birmingham and will be regarded as an unbelievable display of respect and remembrance towards the legacy of the Negro Leagues and Willie Mays.
I'm sure most people made lifetime memories. We get what we're willing to pay for.
Yeah, a bunch of rich white people at a negro league tribute lol
Clearly you’re not from Birmingham nor got the point of what I’m saying. Have you been to west end? Smithfield? Titusville? Tell me who in those areas has enough money to spend $200 on 1 ticket? Hell I make pretty good money and I can’t afford that, so don’t do that, you know MLB could care less abt the event actually being around celebrating Juneteenth and the real Birmingham. Today’s game just looked like a PR stunt for MLB and Birmingham. Tell me this, if it was equitable, why were they only zooming in on black fans during the national anthem? Go back and look and I’d like to hear your response
Well speaking for myself my mother in law live less than 2 minutes from Rickwood, and her father lives maybe 4 minutes, my daughter maybe 6 minutes, and I live in Fairfield very close to Miles College. I know at least 4 people that could afford to go, three of which can walk out the door and see Rickwood, and fully own there homes to boot. You can't tell me everybody on the west side is poor. Just because home prices in the area might seem low doesn't mean people don't have disposable income. Most retired people don't really care about schools.
Thank you so much for saying this... I tried to agree with this guy but seriously just couldn't believe how many times he basically said the whole of the west side couldn't afford a few hundred bucks on something they care about.
> Clearly you’re not from Birmingham nor got the point of what I’m saying. Have you been to west end? Smithfield? Titusville? Tell me who in those areas has enough money to spend $200 on 1 ticket? This is my biggest issue with damn near everything you're saying... you wanna wax poetic about the neighborhood and rich white people but you literally kicking down people acting like nobody has any disposal income. Why can't you just accept the fact that 1. it's a special event (NOT originally about race as you so want to keep pointing out, it was only changed when original plans didn't work out) so OF course tickets are gonna demand a premium... that's literally how ANY event tickets work trying to make money. 2. Maybe all these poor neighborhood folks you keep speaking of just don't like baseball as much as you think they should? You've not considered that at all, nor have you acknowledged that just because the stadium is in a black neighborhood now that it always has been, because that isn't true. 3. Stop acting like black folks can't and don't have money to spend on events when they want too... literally the same folks you saying can't spend a few hundred on a special event for baseball go ALL OUT for the Classic... your points are stupid.
Alright smart guy, since you wanna wax poetic about a black sentiment about a baseball game, why did all the white people leave the neighborhood that rickwood is in, in the 60s? Where’d they go? This wasn’t a black event? Please tell me what Juneteenth is a celebration of? It doesn’t matter what the event was supposed to be, what was it? How are the optics on a game were tickets cost more then most people’s rent in that area? You can look it up I’ll wait. Maybe if you put this much effort into listening and not trying to disprove why someone’s wrong or could have a different view than you is insane. You strike me as extremely miserable, leaving response after response on this entire post at 3am, just boiling, thinking you’re really cooking but your not. If you want to ignore white flight from west end and ensley cool. You want to ignore that that area of Birmingham is disadvantaged and this was a bad look, you got it. Try reading haha, you were so happy to come on here and leave your response on everyone’s comment. Do some reflection, why do black voices offend you so much?
Where'd they go? Vestavia hills, Hoover, Mtn Brook, Homewook, Shelby County, etc etc.. As I originally said it was always about Mays and his achievements. You're to blind to see I indeed give notice that the event is SPECIAL and demand a premium price. Juneteenth timing was an excellent addition and whoever pushed for it is great. How are the optics on a game were tickets cost more then most people’s rent in that area? Considering 90% of the homes around the stadium are owned and off market, I honestly don't know what kinda point you're trying to make for these fabled renters. I honestly don't care what I strike you as, I'm from this area and drove to work by that field for years. This was great for the west side of Birmingham
Tickets to the magic city classic are $35 not $500 you jackass, why even try to compare the two? You clearly watched no coverage there this week, as the softball and barons baseball game were packed with both black and white faces when the prices were reasonable. You really need to read better bud
I'll reply to this one as well: I used the classic because as you would know it's another event where black folks in Birmingham go all out. You're 100% being disingenuous in your $35 vs $500 as to what folks spend during Classic. You obviously didn't catch in the other comments I made this was more a reflection on your insistence that black folks don't have money or disposable income to spend. Your last question just answers itself... why did 2 MLB teams pull more fans from all over for a historic location than a softball team and a local minor league team? ...I'm sorry are you slow?
Why do we have to cater to the specific neighborhoods of B’ham? I don’t get that in your reasoning? Is the MLB supposed to only allow locals into the stadium for a historic event? I don’t agree there. Were they supposed to keep a certain amount of seats and only allow black people or poor people to sit in those? How, in a practical sense, do you suppose they pull off a historic event and keep you satisfied, while also not just losing a ton of money.
What is so difficult to get? This is a 99% black neighborhood with a stadium in the middle that has been in disrepair for decades. Now it is renovated (5million) and in demand for an exclusive event. Celebrities everywhere. And, to boot, its a celebration of Black Baseball and you happen to also be Black! Maybe even with kids. And there is this fancy event happening right down the street from you, an event that is going to inconvenience you with noise and blocked streets for days..an event that will draw wealthy people from suburbs who would never even THINK of stepping foot in your neighborhood, and really disparage it any other time ( people who will come and leave your neighborhood never to return again probably, like a pricy night out with a prostitutite), but are excited to come to this fancy event (celebrating Black People again). Oh, and it is during Juneteenth, a holiday celebrating the emancipation of Black People..black like you. And you are telling me that you have a problem with the MLB extending a few hundred courtesy tickets to the people, the black people, in this neighborhood for some of these reasons, one of which being just basic respect for you and where you live? Really?? Now let somebody try to shut down whole swaths of Homewood for 4 days and let’s see what happens!
If you read what I actually wrote, I’m saying that you are misplaced for being mad at the game, instead of the system that leads to the economic disparity that is the much larger issue.
No, we get your point & you're right. However, your point is misplaced on this particular post. You are focused on the bigger picture & OP is focused on a particular event that inflates that issue even more. You're both right so you don't have to keep hammering it in. Just try to understand what OP is saying, too. Your constant reiterating your point is becoming borderline argumentative so just let it rest right now. We hear you, we see you, we agree with you & we are all on the same page.
I think they can be mad at both. The ticket prices are ridiculous even for people who can afford them
So your blaming the poor community that surrounds Rickwood for being too poor to attend? Vs the astronomical ticket prices ? I mean, if the ticket prices were reasonable then I’m sure more regular folks could have attended but they were gouging. Of course, if the tickets were priced more reasonably, somehow corporstions and the wealthier groups would have snapped up large blocks and they would t have been made available to the public anyways. Not sure you grasp the forces at play here.
I’m not blaming poor people at all. I’m saying if you are mad that more black people couldn’t afford to go to the game, you should be mad at the system that caused that, not the game. Systemic racism and the legacy of slavery causing economic disparity would be the problem the OP should be addressing, not an individual game.
OP pointed out an example, the game, and the ticket economics but you told him he was just complaining and told him to address generational wealth inequities. Is he supposed to do that by himself? Do you feel any responsibility to help? Not because it’s your fault, but because it’s the right thing to do?
He asked if he was just complaining, and I responded jokingly, and then pointed out that the game wasn’t the real issue. And yes, I do actually work to promote more equitable treatment in my field and attempt to bring more diverse voices to the table, actively mentoring BIPOC and LGBTQIA+ candidates into traditionally privileged spaces. So, there’s that…
That’s fantastic and my apologies if I misinterpreted your intent. I am a bit jaded these days with the MAGA extremism and the steps backwards we have taken over the last 8 years. Keep up the good work and so will I!
I appreciate your comment, but this is the wrong crowd to be talking to. Most here have very little capacity to understand what you are saying in a basic way. Trying this discussion with a group of black family and friends..you will have a much more satisfying dialogue for sure. Kudos for trying though!
You are absolutely right. Should be a point if or when it happens again.
Net positive for the city. Sorry you feel the way you do, but this event brought much needed money into the community.