Movies vs. Ballgame

I went to go see X-Men Origins: Wolverine last night and had a few thoughts about the whole experience, as it compares to a Cyclones game, since both tickets are about the same price.

First off, the movie was great, but that's not the point. The point is the experience. And that's where I think the Cyclones have the movies beat hands down.

I paid $22 for two tickets ($11 each for all you math majors out there) and then dropped another 19 bucks on a medium popcorn, medium soda, and nachos. Mix in the $30 bucks for a babysitter (PG-13), and I spent $71 when all was said and done. Not great, but not horrible for a night out. Now, here's the real question. What did I get for my money?

Well, I got to see the movie, obviously. I also got to sit about a mile away from the screen, got someone whispering in my ear for about an hour (not the good kind), got to witness a near-fight because some dope wouldn't turn his cell phone off, and got to sit in the dark without saying a word to my wife for two hours (which could be viewed as a positive or a negative, depending on who you ask). And that's about it.

On the other side of the coin, what would $71 dollars get me at a Cyclones game? Well, let's say I buy mid-level tickets -- $12 -- for my whole family (no babysitter needed). That's $36. I'm in the 10th row...there are only 22 rows of seats in the whole place, so there is no "upper deck" and no "mile away."

It's a Weiner Wednesday, so hot dogs are only $1 each. I buy five (we're hungry), a pretzel (extra salt), a soda, a water, some popcorn (for the sake of the movie comparison), some peanuts and crackerjack ('cause they're in the song) and all that food comes to $24. So I've spent a total of $60 to go to the Cyclones game. But again, here's the real question. What did I get for my money? Well, for starters, I've spent $11 less than my trip to the movies, and I've gotten more tickets, and more food.

On any given night, I'd likely get some type of goody from the team before I even got through the front gate...a bobblehead, a t-shirt, a poster, a cap. The team is always giving something away. I also get to sing, dance, laugh, and talk with my family for a few hours, watch my daughter have fun playing with a six-foot seagull, get more goodies thrown to me throughout the game, catch a foul ball, get some autographs from future stars, enjoy the night air off the ocean, tell my family about coming to Coney as a kid, bump into some friends from the old neighborhood, and get even more goodies, balloons, and coupons on my way out the door. My arms are filled with free stuff, and my family and I have had a great night filled with long-lasting memories.

And, oh, yeah...we got to watch an entire baseball game, too!

No doubt about it...I get more for my money at Cyclones game, get to have lots more fun, and spend some QT with my family. After all, like Wolverine, the Cyclones are "the best there is at what we do."

Sure, I like the movies as much as the next guy. But for my money, I think I'll just wait for the DVD. At least they come with almost as many extras as a Cyclones game. Almost.

-- Dave