I just sent a very short note to the USGA concerning what they want for someone to see the United States Open. A few years ago my son and I went to Beth Paige on Long Island to see all great pros play golf. I can't remember exactly what I paid for 2 days at the event but somewhere around $100 for both of us. Of course, then there were motels and meals that had to be paid as well. When I looked at what they wanted for next years event I thought about how insane this had become. They offer two packages, one for $400 the other $595(if you win a lottery and are picked). It involves getting tickets for every day of the event and a person can only buy one total package. Luckily I learned from the last event that the privilege of walking around in the mud and not really seeing much of the total picture isn't all that it seems it would be. But this isn't about golf this is about pricing a normal person out of participating.
It's not right and its happening in all sports and certainly in all major sporting events. Its a matter of supply and demand you say. Not really! Because of cable TV a great deal of everyone's money has been making all sports very wealthy. There is no control over this. TV Sports are getting a huge supplement from cable charges and my cable bill is growing monthly. We are supplementing those huge salaries, those expensive corporate boxes at the new stadiums, and all the other outrageous sideshows that big time sports illustrates. They couldn't do all of that without TV money! And then they reward us with pricing their events so that we can't attend. Matter of fact they even hold the event when were often asleep (World Series games starting at 9 in the eastern time zone).
What would I do? Let me pick the channels that I want. Without being particularly nasty about this I would not be picking everyone of ESPNs multiple channels. I wouldn't pick other sports only channels either. What would happen without all of that cable money? I'm really not sure of what everyone else would do but I suspect that they would rein in the spending on the excesses.
I guess the next letter goes to the cable company. Either get it under control or I'm done with you. No cable TV, no phone, no internet charges; I'll get what I have to have somewhere else.