Take heart, parents. There is a solution.
College Sports vs. Pro Sports
In general, attending a college basketball game is much easier on the wallet than seeing the pros. Case in point:
Aeropostale Holiday Festival at Madison Square Garden
Championship doubleheader, featuring St. John's, Virginia Tech, Marist and Columbia
Top ticket price: $104.50
New York Knicks vs. New Jersey Nets at the Izod Center
Top ticket price: $1,950
In fairness... there are much cheaper tickets available for both events. There are $10 seats available for Nets home games, and the cheapest tickets for the Holiday Festival cost $15. But in both cases, you're sitting in the rafters. Try explaining a reach-in foul to a kindergartener who can barely see the court... closer is better.
On the other hand, these prices don't include parking or concessions, which would easily add $50 to the overall tab.
Division II Hoops
Now, let's contrast those prices with what I paid to take my son to a Division II game this weekend:
Molloy College Lions at Concordia Clippers
Tickets: $0
Parking: $0
I did blow a whopping $4 at the concession stand, where I bought two hot dogs, one diet soda and a bottle of water. Approximate price for the same items at Madison Square Garden: approaching $20.
Now, did we see any future NBA stars? Almost certainly not. In fact, I wouldn't have even known any of the player names if I hadn't been sitting next to one player's mom. But my son got to sit in the first row and see an honest-to-god college basketball game -- close enough that he could really see the action and hear the coaches barking instructions to the players. Last night, he was chanting DE-FENSE over his chicken nuggets.
Can't beat that.
What's more -- now I know that he's interested enough to sit through a game... which makes the idea of paying for tickets a whole lot more palatable. (Though I don't think I'll be splurging for those Knicks/Nets courtside seats just yet.)
Please note: all Division II programs don't necessarily have the same ticket prices -- or lack thereof -- as Concordia. Check this list of Division II Men's Basketball Programs for more information.
