Ticket Price Preview: Astros vs Rangers

Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports

The battle of Texas this year in the MLB hasn’t been much of a “battle.” “Rout” might be a better term to describe the 2013 season series between the Texas Rangers and Houston Astros. So far, the Rangers have smacked their home state rivals around pretty well, but really, who hasn’t beaten the Astros down this season? As of Wednesday morning, they’re 37-75 and 2-7 against the Rangers. So much for a welcoming arrival to the AL.

Despite the Astros struggles, their tickets aren’t as cheap as one might think. A series against the Rangers is actually more expensive in Houston than it is in Arlington. For a four-game set starting Friday in Houston, the average price for a ticket is $81, which is 9 percent more expensive than the $74 average price of Astros tickets, according to TiqIQ. Cheap seats are still available at all four games, usually in the $15 price range.

Here’s the four-game ticket breakdown:

• 8/9 @ Astros: $81/$15
• 8/10 @ Astros: $95/$15
• 8/11 @ Astros: $81/$15
• 8/12 @ Astros: $72/$13

Prices later in the month when the Astros travel to Arlington to play the Rangers again, are actually cheaper.

• 8/19 vs Astros – $71/$2
• 8/20 vs Astros – $81/$4
• 8/21 vs Astros – $66/$4

With tickets averaging $73 for the series, prices are 7% above the average price of Texas Rangers tickets at home in 2013, but 9% below the prices this week in Houston.

There haven’t been a plethora of bright spots in Houston this year, but the emergence of slick-fielding second baseman Jose Altuve and power-hitting catcher Jason Castro are two things fans can be proud of. Up north in Arlington, the Rangers may be striving, but they’re still fighting for their playoff lives, one game behind the surging A’s. The Rangers are especially soaring of late, winning eight of ten. For the rest of the way, they’ll have to do without star slugger Nelson Cruz, who had 27 homers this year before he accepted a 50-game ban for steroid use as part of the ongoing Biogenesis clinic investigation. Cruz could be eligible for the playoffs, but it remains to be seen if the Rangers will distance themselves from the free agent-to-be.