June 8, 2026 • 38 mins
Mark Medina joins us ahead of Game 3 of the NBA Finals and also talks Lakers and Clippers offseason. With insane ticket prices for the World Cup, the Olympics, NBA Finals games and everything else - would you rather just watch games at home?
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Okay, we continue on. Fred Rogan Rodney Peach on AM
five seventy LA Sports caim on the air and kicked
around tickets at Madison Square Garden for Game three between
the Knicks and Spurs. Here's a man who's never paid
for a ticket in his life. That's the only reason
I got into this business. He just likes basketball. Mark
Madena or Fox Sports Radio insider NBA insider, Hello.
Speaker 2 (00:22):
Mark, Fred, You're on the money, thankfully being able to
cover the NBA, been able to get a good seat
without a dime coming out of my pocket. But can't
say the same thing for anyone attending Game three tonight
with Nick Spurs.
Speaker 3 (00:37):
Yeah. Can you believe those prices?
Speaker 2 (00:41):
I can believe it, but it's astounding. Fred. I talked
to some people over at Seekeek and they're telling me
it's averaging seven thousand and seven sixty eight per person.
And to put this in further context, people at Zeekeek
were telling me that this is the highest price like
major event, even more than most of the Super Bowls,
(01:01):
with the exception of Super Bowl fifty eight. The average
price for that came at a very affordable sum of
ten thousand and four to ninety seven a ticket.
Speaker 3 (01:14):
It's crazy and this is this doesn't happen unless it's
New York, right, Mark. I mean, it's just they've been
waiting since seventy three for this happened. I said this
earlier too. I just of all the sports and look,
the Yankees have been king and people love the Yankees
in New York and all over the world. But it's
a different it's a different vibe, a different energy when
(01:34):
the Knicks are in the finals and Knicks are on
the virgin winning a title than it is for any
other sports team in New York.
Speaker 2 (01:41):
Yeah, Roddie hit on the money. I mean when I
talk to people at you know, seekeek and stub Hub
and ask like, hey, how do you put in proportion?
Like why is there such an uptick? And they trust
to me like, look, it's it's laying in a bottle
of so many things. First time the Knicks are in
the finals since nineteen ninety nine, there's optimism that the
Knicks could actually win a championship for the first time
(02:03):
since nineteen seventy three. There's some Knicks fans they had success,
but some others didn't. With going to the road games,
in San Antonio, so this is our first opportunity to go.
There's also a lot of you know, international fans that
you know, not only are Knicks fans, but love to
go to New York. So if you combine all those
factors together and that's the prices you get.
Speaker 1 (02:26):
Okay, As for the series itself, let's stop talking about
price les, Let's talk about the series. I said before
the series started, I just think the stage is too
big for the Spurs at this point, and I think
you can see in the first two games some mistakes
they made. The Knicks already playing a big stage, playing
in New York is unlike playing anywhere else. San Antonio.
I just don't think is ready for this moment.
Speaker 2 (02:46):
What do you think, Mark, Yeah, I completely agree with you.
I thought that going into this finals, because of the
way that they beat the Oklahoma City Thunder, that the
Spurs would be ready for this moment. But I think
what we've seen here is that they expended so much
much physical emotional energy against the Thunder that they came
into the series out of handicap. But to the Knicks credit,
(03:07):
they've been playing at all time level. You know, Karl
Anthone Towns I think you can make the argument, if
the Knicks are going to win this championship, deserves the
finals MVP, even over Jalen Bruntson because of the way
he's guarded. You know, Victor Wambinama. When he's guarding him,
it's four to nineteen combined from the field. And that's
even accounting for the reality that Karl Anthony Towns is
(03:29):
getting called for foul. Some of it you can debate.
Some of it is that's the way karl Anthon Towns defends,
but it doesn't really matter. He's still been very aggressive.
You know the Knicks, they push him out to the perimeter. Wemby,
yeah he has that range, but he's often settled for
those threes. And then on the other end, Carlton Towns
is attacking the basket with aggressiveness and that's you know,
(03:51):
wearing Wemby out a little bit. And then he had
in the fact that Dearon Fox whether he's fully healthy
or not, he's not fully healthy, but he has to
make shots in crunch time. He hasn't done that, and
you know, the Knicks, you're getting what you're getting from
Jalen Brunson. Predictably, He's one of the most clutch players
in the league. But you're having a dependable number three option,
(04:13):
whether it's Michael Bridges finding his outside shot, O Giana
no will Be being a great two way player, Josh
Hart being a great energy guy. The Knicks have really
checked every single box where the Spurs haven't. And you know,
with their star player Victor Woman now being a shell
of himself, that clearly hasn't been enough. And even with desperation,
(04:33):
I don't expect that to change in Game three.
Speaker 3 (04:35):
Yeah, and lanbry Shannitt too, just going off.
Speaker 2 (04:40):
Oh yeah, you've had a lot of threes. And you know,
people who followed the Clippers, they knew how valuable he
was as a role player, but you never knew quite
you're gonna get what you're gonna get on the night
tonight basis from him. But this playoffs, it's been money time.
Speaker 3 (04:54):
Yeah. And to that point, Mark, have you I know
teams have gotten on rolls, but have you seen it
team like that gotten on this kind of role, been
this hot And you say that, you know, I don't
know if I agree with They're not ready for the
moment because you look up in both games, the Spurs
are leading with two minutes to go and have a
chance to win it, and maybe some of the things
(05:16):
and mistakes, yeah, they made down the stretch, But I
think it's it's Nick induced. But have you seen a
team in recent memory that has been on this kind
of role Because it doesn't matter how much they're down,
They've been down thirteen on I think multiple cases, they
come right back. You look up, you think they're out
of it, and they're leading at halftime by one. It
just feels like everything is going right for them at
(05:38):
the right time right now.
Speaker 2 (05:40):
Well, statistically, we haven't seen this kind of team put
on this kind of dominance since the Gold and Say
Warriors when they defended their championship with Kevin Durant. Now
do I find comparisons with these Knicks to those Warriors.
Speaker 4 (05:54):
No.
Speaker 2 (05:54):
I think that there's you know, a sense that because
of the easier pathway through the East, the flawed opponents,
and just the roster construction, that this is more about
like the Dallas Mavericks in twenty eleven where they caught
lanning in a bottle. They have a great player and
also a lot of great role players that fill that role,
and they're against an opponent like the Mavericks were with
(06:17):
the Miami Heat with the lebron James Knicks were with
the Spurs with Victor Wan Binyama. Where very talented group.
They're likely going to win multiple championships now, but just
not quite ready. I think that you made a great
point that when you evaluate everything, I don't think the
Spurs are overwhelmed. You know, there might be some experience
in experiences catching up to them. I think it's more
(06:39):
tactical and fatigue than them feeling like the pressure scudding
to them, Because if that was such a thing, I
don't think that they would have been able to pull
out seven games against the Thunder. But this Knixt team,
they've been executing very consistently and defensively. They've done that
since Shame or I think since the end of the
(06:59):
regular season they finally found the right offensive dynamic on
how best to feature Jalen Brunson and kar Anthone Towns
as well as you know, more consistency from their other
role players. So it really does have a lightning a
bottle feel, and that may might also explain these high
ticket prices, Like there's a real good chance the Knicks
(07:20):
are going to win this championship. But there's also this
feeling that, you know what, like we don't know when
the next opportunity is going to come because of this
NBA landscape. But to the next credit, they're fully taking
advantage of their current circumstances.
Speaker 3 (07:33):
Mark, you mentioned Brunson, What does this do for him?
I think he's got the most the game with this,
and you know, maybe Karl Anthony Towns too is I think,
you know, his time in Minnesota has kind of blurred
a little bit and people had an idea of him
maybe not being physical enough or not being strong, and
he's proven that he can be an inside player as
(07:55):
well as an outside player. But Jalen Brunson, new York kid,
coming back to New York playing for the Knicks, one
at Villanova, now about on the verge to win a
title and maybe an MVP. What does this do for
his statue?
Speaker 2 (08:09):
Well, I think there's a few things. One, it knocks
down the argument that Belcky Hammond some others said that, hey,
a small point guard can't lead a team to a championship. Well,
he's a smart point guard and he's about to do that.
That's number one. Number Two, there's already going to be
talk about where does he stand among all time Nick's greats,
And there's some people that already argue that he's at
(08:31):
the top of the list. Now you win a championship,
that changes the whole equation because they haven't won a
title since nineteen seventy three. I think the other thing
is it just reinforces how great of a clutch player
he is. I mean, I talked with the trainer Dave Williams,
you know, not too long ago, and he was sharing
that one of the drills they do is literally called
(08:52):
the Wemby, where he, you know, uses up room to
contest his shots, and that's a way to prepare for
him to shoot over defenders, especially ones that are bigger
than him because he's so undersized. And fast forward. Now
he's playing against the Spurs, sometimes against Wemby, and most
of those shots aren't deflected because of how well his
arch is. So I think he's the most. He stands
(09:14):
to gain the most as far as how he's perceived
as a player, both inside and outside the Knicks organization.
But I think we also have to keep in mind
this I think practically is even more important for Klara
Anthone Towns because of the fact that if they win
a championship with him, it removes any sort of doubt
that maybe he's on the trading block this summer. And
(09:36):
then he proposed Gianni Santo Tokumpo do and I don't
think the Knicks were ever going to get close to that,
but that removes all doubt. And then it also helps
just the perception of him. Karl Nthon Towns has been
an All Star caliber player. He's a great two way talent,
but there's a lot of things where he has looked
at as a player that can't handle the physicality. He
(09:58):
can defend, but he struggles with foul trouble, and I
think that relatively speaking, he's addressed those issues as playoff run. Yeah,
he's he's picked up fouls still in this finals, but
it hasn't taken him out of the ability to play
on both ends of the floor. And the physicality part,
you know, he's embracing that. You know Nick's mantra of
how they played in the nineties and onward that you
(10:21):
got to be physical, and he's shown that he's able
and willing to do that.
Speaker 3 (10:25):
Mark Medena is with us.
Speaker 1 (10:26):
Let's shift over here locally to the Lakers. We are
chopping this up Austin Reeves, Okay, how much he's not
giving anybody a hometown discount, and he's already said that
he probably shouldn't. So let's say they go above their
comfort level. But they signed them for what they signed
them for, is that forty million, thirty eight million, whatever
it could be, But then they can't do anything else,
(10:47):
So would it have to be a sign in trade
in your opinion.
Speaker 2 (10:51):
Yeah, it's a good question, Fred, because the sticky part
about Austin Reeves is that technically they're not limited by
a number. They have his Burger, so they could go
even over the cap to sign him. But it does
affect them because it's still luxury taxes, it's still second Apron,
and Second Apron has pretty much been a hard cap,
so with that, technically it's not going to affect their
(11:13):
ability to keep Lebron or get other guys, but it's
going to have a trickle down effect once the second
Apron comes in. So I don't know if Austin Reeves
is going to get a max contract, but I do
suspect that the Lakers are going to give a respectable
number to him, not just to placate him, but they
know that his chemistry with Luka Doncic is great. Luca
(11:34):
wants him on the team. That's kind of important because
he's our franchise guy. And then it's about working after that.
What they get in the open market. It could be
a sign in trade, but frankly, I don't even know
if that's going to be necessary because I don't think
Gianni's is going to be available for the Lakers, and
even if he is, I think the Lakers will draw
(11:56):
a line in the sand that yeah, you do want Giannis,
but you don't want to give up so much depth
because we've seen what Joannis can look like on a
Bucks team that doesn't have enough depth, and also there's
injury concern, So I think really it's about improving on
the margins. Mitchell Robinson, you know, Robert Williams, the third
Those are serviceable centers that might be available in a
(12:19):
vast upgrade over DeAndre and And even if Deandret exercises
his player option, because he's probably not going to get
much in the open market, they can relegate him to
a backup role and replace that. So I think that's
the most likely pathway. But Lakers being the Lakers, they
will keep all options open. I've just seen though, since
the Russell Westbrook trade, rob Polinka being very reluctant to
(12:41):
make all these big moves if it compromises roster.
Speaker 3 (12:45):
Depth, Yeah, that'll be injured. I guess my qued. Can
can they if they end up giving Austin Reeves the
max close to it? Can they win with him? And Luka?
You mentioned some guys with Robinson in terms of wing players,
which everybody, Oh, I need that three and D guy,
three and D guy. What kind of I mean? I
(13:06):
know you can throw out anonob you can throw out
some other guys that are playing right now that that
would be great, but that type of player. But when
you're the Lakers and you see these teams that got
so much depth, does that pause your focus on going
overboard with Austin?
Speaker 5 (13:23):
Ye?
Speaker 3 (13:23):
I know you said the money because he's you know
that he's got it. They got his bird rights and
they can offer him that along with Lebron. But depth
seems to be the biggest thing in the NBA right now.
Speaker 6 (13:35):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (13:35):
I think that really what they're calculated is essentially like
best about bad options. And I don't say that as
any like disrespect toward Austin. It's just I think the
reality that they're keeping a few things in mind. They're
his chemistry with with Luka Doncic Police offensively is very
very good, and that's a starting point. I think. Secondly,
(13:57):
they're looking at, you know, his shortcom in the playoffs
this year. You can make the argument it's different than
it was before because he was coming off an injury.
So I think that they have comfort level that he
is ready to make that next step for an all
star caliber player. But it's not going to solve everything.
To your point about wing depth, what did it get.
One of the possibilities that is retaining ruly Atchamora, but
(14:19):
it's going to have to be at a lesser number
than eighteen million. And you know, I know that he
and his agents will try to nego shake great deals,
but I want to be surprised if they can get
really on a hometown discount, because he already has the
perspective on what it's like to be making good money
on a losing team with the Washington Wizards. So even
(14:39):
though he's unrestricted and like anything could happen in the
open market. I think he does have that perspective on
how different it would be than to be with a
Lakers organization that isn't necessarily the favorite to win a
championship next season, but are at least a playoff caliber team.
But beyond that, where do they go? Maybe AU does
some umo from you know, Minnesota. You know, he is
(15:02):
a very valued player in Minnesota, but they also have
a very large payroll. Lou Dirt with the Yoklahoma City Thunder.
He's a great physical defender, and I expect that the
Thunder are going to not exercise the team option on
him only because they have a surplus of wings already
with Alex Cruzo, case on Wallace, and they have to manage,
(15:24):
you know, a larger payroll now that the max extensions
are going to be kicking in for Chet Holmgren and
Jail Williams next season. So I think Lou Dort's the
most likely target, but in fairness to him, he will
be a target for a lot of other teams as well.
Speaker 1 (15:40):
All right, Clippers, quickly, Kawhi, I know I just had
an interview with the league about aspiration. Yeah, you start laughing,
So what happens he stays plays out his final year.
Speaker 3 (15:52):
They don't extend him, do they.
Speaker 2 (15:55):
I don't think they extend him. But he still has
a year on his contract, so I want to be
surprised that they view it as that that, you know,
he has an expiring contract. He'll still be with the
Clippers next season, and then circumstances and availability will dictate
whether he's with the Clippers after the trade deadline.
Speaker 1 (16:15):
All right, well, Mark, thank you for coming on. Thank
you for sharing the insight. You know you've educated us
and that there's no price we can put on that
we're smarter since you were on with us today.
Speaker 2 (16:28):
Fred Rodney, appreciate you. But if you want to show out,
you know, Game three Knicks tickets, I'll gladly accept you invoice.
Speaker 3 (16:36):
But read ready he's in for eighty percent of the
ticket call yeah, yeah, right, all right, Mark, take it
easy body, we'll talk to you.
Speaker 2 (16:46):
I appreciate you, guys, all.
Speaker 1 (16:56):
Right, talking about ticket prices. Can anybody afford to go
to anything?
Speaker 3 (17:00):
That's next?
Speaker 7 (17:02):
Hello Rogan and Rodney listener, did you know AM five
seventy LA Sports has a wide range of LA Sports podcasts,
shows like Petros in Money We are streaming Matt Dodger
Talk with David Vasse, the Dodger Podcast of Record, Clipper
Talk Without a Musk, follow us all and many more.
Just go to AM five seventy LA Sports on the
(17:22):
iHeartRadio wip.
Speaker 3 (17:28):
Oh yeah, come on, let's keep it moving. Many thanks
to our man Mark Medina, NBA insider always always dialed
in Freddy. It's good to have get marked back on
the show. We used to have them on all the time.
Then he got big time for us. Yeah, that's what happens. Yeah,
and then they all come home. They come home eventually,
you know. Yeah, they gotta make us feel bad. Let's
(17:48):
take your kids. You know, they get big time, so
they want to come back for mama's cooking. No, they
come back period, they think time. They still lined right
back up the house. Jesus, when we thought we had
them at the house, one comes back. Oh no, they're
always there. If you have kids, the.
Speaker 1 (18:06):
Majority of people know, it doesn't matter how old they are,
they always find their way back. And you know, if
you're a parent, you want that to be very.
Speaker 3 (18:14):
Absolutely, it's very cool, even though it may not be
as cool to them. And they have identity issues with
everything or I can't find the right situation for me,
and they feel that way. You love having them back
and you could take them forever. You know, you like whatever,
what could I make you? How could I make you
more comfortable so you don't have to move out again? Yeah, yeah,
(18:36):
that's true. Absolutely. Remember the days where you know, where
a lot of families once you turn eighteen, you had
to move out of the house. You were out, you're out.
You know, you're going to college or you're getting a job,
but you're out of the house.
Speaker 1 (18:51):
But you pay for yourself. It's time for you to
grow up. Yeah, and that's it. Absolutely. Yeah, not like
that anymore, trust me. Ain't that way anymore? Okay, you
know we talked about it at the top of the show.
We kicked it around with Mark Medina. Here's a question.
Is it too expensive for people to go to sporting
(19:12):
events today? Is it simply too expensive? And I don't
care what the sport is. Well, we know you can
afford to go to the Angels because Marty Moreno said.
Speaker 3 (19:21):
So, so you can go to the about right.
Speaker 1 (19:26):
They want to be able to get in what they
see is irrelevant. But what they want to do is
get in so you can do that there, just start
thinking about it. And everybody says, we have affordable tickets.
But I don't even know what the definition of affordable
is anymore. What is affordable?
Speaker 3 (19:41):
Right? What is it? I don't know.
Speaker 1 (19:44):
How much does it cost you to get good seats
to go to an event in Los Angeles? You're going
to pay for the Dodgers, but you're paying for the top, right,
you get what you're paid for, So that costs. You
have been paying for the Lakers, even though I think
(20:06):
it's safe to say their product has been a bit substandard,
but you paid for them and you will continue. I
mean it could cost you for good seats. What's a
decen seat two hundred bucks? Let's say for a Laker game,
a decent seat.
Speaker 3 (20:22):
Yeah, a decency yeah, yeah, two hundred bucks. I would say, okay,
how many people will know who they're playing? Right, It's
going to depend on who they're playing too. It's going
to factor in.
Speaker 1 (20:31):
All right, So how many of us are going four
or two?
Speaker 4 (20:35):
Uh?
Speaker 1 (20:36):
Say it's a family, you want to go four? All right,
we're gonna go fourth. It's eight hundred dollars to get in.
It's eight hundred dollars for the right to walk into building.
You haven't parked and you haven't eaten. It's one thousand
dollars for one game for a family of four at
(20:57):
two hundred bucks a throw. Some people have that money.
I don't think a lot of people can just arbitrarily
start throwing thousands of dollars. Await, and what if you
want to go to three games? That's three thousand dollars.
I don't know if people can afford that.
Speaker 3 (21:15):
That's interesting. I'm looking up tickets for Dodgers. I guess
they got an upcoming home stand against Tampa Bay after
this this, uh, this road trip, and you can get
in the building for seventy bucks Fred.
Speaker 1 (21:31):
Seven Dodgers.
Speaker 3 (21:32):
Yeah, you can get a building seventy bucks for the Dodgers.
So you figure, you know what to eighty for four
tickets for your family to eighty to get there? Ducks parking, Yeah,
three hundred bucks, not including parking of food, but three
hundred bucks. Now, you better take advantage of it now
(21:53):
because when October runs around, it's gonna be three thousand
take Oh yeah, of course, but that's all right.
Speaker 1 (22:00):
Three hundred bucks that got you in the food's going
to cost what seventy three, seventy.
Speaker 3 (22:07):
Seventy family of four, no food and drinks throughout this,
I would maybe one hundred bucks on that, right, So
it's four hundred bucks twenty five per person? Yeah, four
hundred bucks, all right?
Speaker 1 (22:19):
Think about that? Do a lot of a lot of
people afford that? I don't know the prices for the
Galaxy or LAFC.
Speaker 3 (22:24):
The King.
Speaker 1 (22:25):
I know what the King's cost. I have to tell
you it's hard to go to a lot of games.
Things are expensive now, not so much in Cincinnati, to
be fair, or Kansas City or Pittsburgh. They're different markets.
But when you are in a market like LA you're
going to pay. It's a major market. It's expensive. What's
(22:49):
the cost for good seats to an NFL game?
Speaker 3 (22:52):
Here? Fifty yard line? What does that cost? Oh man?
Rams are chargers. Yeah you're you're you're over two fifty
for sure, in between the forties. Yeah, you're above You're
definitely above two fifty. I think so it may say
it costs you three hundred bucks a seat. You're in
(23:13):
for twelve hundred bucks. If you want to bring your
family to Rams games and you got parking, well you're
fifteen hundred dollars in when you leave the stadium.
Speaker 1 (23:23):
I am wondering if fans think it's too expensive, and
maybe you don't, by the way, and maybe it's exactly
where it should be priced. So what we'll do is
we're gonna open the phone lines. If we get a
couple of calls, we'll take them. If not, we are
going to move on. Can you afford to go to
sporting events? Don't call up and be all bitter. That's
not the point here. That's not the point of the exercise.
(23:46):
The exercise is this, can you afford to go? Do
you go? Or are things too expensive? And why?
Speaker 3 (23:56):
That's the exercise. Don't call up say they so? Don't
do that? And you pay the price, right you said.
Living in these markets New York, LA, Chicago, big markets
like this, you pay the price because, as we just
talked about with the Knicks, ten thousand dollars to get
in the building, you may not pay it. Somebody in
(24:16):
that market is paying and very happy to It's six
six nine eighty seven two five seventy. All right, is
it too expensive to go? Or is everything fine? It's
like six nine eighty seven two five seventy.
Speaker 7 (24:37):
Make am five seventy LA Sports a preset before you
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available with Apple car Play and Android Auto. Just another
easy way to listen to LA's best sports talk.
Speaker 3 (24:51):
Come on, let's go, let's keep this thing moving, Freddy
on a Monday, baby, Come on.
Speaker 1 (25:00):
So here's the question, Rodney, our sporting events too expensive?
Are they simply too expensive at this point in time?
That is the question. And we're wondering, you know, don't
call up and start yelling and complaining about a certain
team or whatever, just overall, because that's what people are
talking about. We'll go to Huntington Beach to start rich.
(25:22):
Are they too expensive? Richie there, speechless?
Speaker 8 (25:32):
Yeah, I'm here.
Speaker 3 (25:33):
Go ahead, I'm here.
Speaker 8 (25:34):
Push the button. Yeah, I know they're all expensive. Let
me let me start off with my take. Okay, go
for a medello at a ball game. It's nineteen bucks.
Walking to a local seven eleven is two dollars seventy
nine cents. Best game I ever went. But I'm old school, fred.
I like games that are more in football stadiums. I
don't like entertainment centers. Best game I ever saw in
(25:57):
live in person, was Chiefs versus Rams at the Coliseum,
final score fifty two to fifty one. I'm so grateful
I was at that game because it was amazing.
Speaker 3 (26:07):
But man, I was at that game too. By the way,
I was at that game. It was right after the fires,
right after the fires, uh I believe yeah, and in
a thousand oaks, right, and they canceled the Mexico City
game and brought it to the Coliseum and it was
It was fantastic. It was a shootout, I remember that,
and the place was rocking.
Speaker 8 (26:26):
Hey, sure, mister Pete, you know what I'm talking about.
That's a football stadium. I don't like entertainment centers. It
takes away from the football experience. So unless we se
is hooking me up with tickets to the suite at
the five point seventy at Dodger Stadium for me and
the PMS union later, I'm staying at home, using my
(26:49):
own bathroom and saving my money. I can afford to go.
But it's kind of a pain in the neck and
everybody's on their phone anyways, so who the hell cares?
Speaker 1 (26:57):
All right, thanks Rich, Thanks tell it like it is. Well,
he's locked and loaded, wasn't he? Was ready to go.
Speaker 3 (27:03):
Oh he was ready, he was ready. Okay. I do
remember that game though. It was it was a magical
night Rams. I think that it was one of those
color Rush games too. Rams were all in gold and
Kan's city was all in red, and it just go
went back and back and forth, and you know, last
last minute touchdown by the Rams to win it. In
the Colisam there was about ninety thousand folks there, so
(27:26):
it was Yeah, it was pretty pretty impressive. But I
don't know where I lie on the entertainment centers though.
I kind of like a cool modern stadium nowadays.
Speaker 1 (27:33):
So shut to why yeah, yeah, yeah, things evolve. It's
more of an event, an entertainment event now, not just
a game. Corey in the Valley. The Valley's a big
place and Corey is located somewhere in the middle of it.
Speaker 3 (27:47):
Corey, go ahead, what's going on?
Speaker 5 (27:51):
Rodney?
Speaker 2 (27:54):
The game?
Speaker 5 (27:55):
But like, what I have to say is like, idamic
price is really really the ticket price is like, well,
how come it's not on set price for the safe
seat for every game? Well in the hades when I
was a kid, do you know you were expect like,
you know, six dollars your top deck twenty bucks for
our field twenty or thirty dollars work field level now,
(28:15):
depending on what kind of promotion there is, what day
of the week it is, sprint treating even highs dynamic prices.
I think it's just pure green for the organizations. But
doctor can still work because the product that goes on
the field, you know what I mean?
Speaker 3 (28:30):
Yeah, get it like you're willing to pay a little
extra for the Dodgers as opposed to maybe, uh, are
you gonna pay a little extra for the Chargers or
the Angels or someone else? No, no offense.
Speaker 5 (28:44):
Yeah, it's a little a little more in frequent going
now than I used to be going with the family,
you know.
Speaker 1 (28:51):
Yeah, right, Corey, Thanks, thanks for the call. Cour appreciate
your weighing in. And it comes down to value. I mean,
you know, if you're gonna like pay for one, which
one you gotta pay for? I mean it's that kind
of thing, right, Yeah, where you're gonna spend your money?
Matt and Santa Monica. Matt, Now, what do you think.
Speaker 9 (29:11):
I think there are it's all too expensive. I mean,
thinking about going to the World Top that's obscene. I
could I could fly to Europe and we'll go watch
the Champions League final for the amount of would cost
me to go to uh A World Cup game. And
you know I and it's also about the pality. It's
even concerts are more expensive. If I could I pay
(29:31):
for a concert, I know what I'm getting. I go
to a game to be a blowout. It could be
a lousy game. You don't even know what you're getting.
And it's a lot of money to spend and go
to traffic, but the traffic to get there, and I
think it's just insane, not going to get better.
Speaker 3 (29:48):
All right, appreciate it.
Speaker 1 (29:50):
Thanks for the call, Matt uh Okay, Now, Mike and
Rancho Kook, you are a RAMS season ticket holder, right.
Speaker 4 (29:57):
Yes, sir, and yes I am, and I would Yeah. Well,
I've been a RAM season seat holders since the call
of sum since they came back to the Coliseum. And
actually back then the tickets were reasonable. But you know,
now we got the LC or the licensing fees and
and the tickets doubled, plus the licensing exchiege. It's just
(30:20):
an expensive trip to the stadium. Now I go to
most of the games, and half the times I'm trying
to sell the tickets, and it's really hard to sell
them for even at cost. It's it's ridiculous. But I
know that's across the sports industry here in LA at least.
(30:41):
You know, Dodger games are expensive to go to, the Kings,
the Lakers, the whole, the whole, gamput. It just it's
just expensive to take a family out now and uh
it just get a point you know where you just
watch it on TV.
Speaker 1 (30:56):
Yeah, yeah, all right, appreciate it, Mike. And and that's interesting.
If you buy season seat, here's the dilemma, right, You
buy season seats because you want to be able to
go to the certain games you want to go to,
but you can't go to every game. So you figure, well,
you know, I can sell these. You end up selling
them for less than what you originally paid. You actually
(31:17):
lose money. And that's what he's saying. You can't even
sell them half the time, right, I mean, if you
buy Dodger.
Speaker 3 (31:23):
Seats, football be a little different, right because you're looking
at eight with nine games, as opposed to if you're
buying Dodger or Lakers season tickets. You're definitely probably not
going to every one of those games. And you got
to pick and choose. You know, obviously you can get
packages for not the whole season, but still it's a
lot of games that you may not go to. And
(31:44):
you know, there was a I know you know this too, Fred,
there was all there was a lot of back in
the day where families and corporation, especially that season tickets
to all the LA teams, whether it would be the Lakers, Kings, Dodgers,
all of them and now here. Folks, well, we had
to give up our Laker tickets. We gave up bar
our Rams ticket because we wanted to keep the Dodger tickets.
And they rarely do you have. You know, these these
(32:07):
families are these people that have season tickets for the
team that's playing in that particular season.
Speaker 1 (32:12):
Let's go on, Chris and Venice. Chris, thanks for holding
What do you think?
Speaker 3 (32:17):
Hi?
Speaker 6 (32:19):
Hold on, I'm getting off the bus.
Speaker 3 (32:21):
Don't don't crazy here. Okay, okay, what we're doing, Chris,
what are we doing?
Speaker 6 (32:27):
Well? Long story short, you don't need to hear my
story anyway. So before Otani and Yemomoto and Tasaki king
for four years, I had twenty five game packages that
I bought through Dodger Stadium for twelve hundred and fifty
(32:48):
dollars that included parky twenty five games. Okay, now, you
can't get in a game for one person one hundred
dollars a ticket, easilieve you buy more than one beer,
one hundred dollars for foods, and fifty dollars to park
(33:10):
one person. I went on Mother's Day and it was
three hundred and fifty dollars for three of us because
we brought snacks with us.
Speaker 3 (33:25):
You snum ticket.
Speaker 6 (33:32):
That's ridiculous. I can't go to any more games because
I'm seventy. I can't afford to go any more games
because then myself security doesn't pay my jill. Why are
we having to take over all of the expense that
they're spending on these five hundred million dollar people? Great,
(33:54):
they're they're great players. I love my Dodgers. Ask anybody,
I'm the biggest start your pan around. But why am
I having to take on the entire expense for what
they're spending for our players?
Speaker 1 (34:09):
Well? You know what I think. First, And by the way,
are you okay? I mean you know you were having
an issue getting off the freeway or something. Is everything
good there?
Speaker 9 (34:16):
No?
Speaker 6 (34:18):
No, I was I got knocked over on a bicycle.
I got a concussion. I can't drive, so I have
to take the bus anywhere I want to go. So
I'm walking. I'm walking.
Speaker 3 (34:28):
You're walking.
Speaker 1 (34:29):
You got knocked over on a bike, you got a concussion,
and now you have to walk everywhere. Yes, and then
you almost got hit by a car a minute ago.
Speaker 6 (34:38):
Well, no, I didn't get hit by a car. I
was just getting off a bus.
Speaker 3 (34:42):
Okay.
Speaker 6 (34:43):
They happened to be at my bus stop, and I
didn't want to talk on the bus. I had to
wait till I got off the bus.
Speaker 3 (34:49):
Okay, now we understand. As for the prices, got to
make sure that's all right. He's listening, he's mobile listening
to us. I love it.
Speaker 1 (34:57):
I mean I want you to do We don't want
to talk to you. But here's the thing. Yeah, things
are more expensive now, but they're not pinning the entire
price of the players on the fans. The problem and
the reality it's not even called a problem, it's reality.
You get what you pay for. Prices always go up,
they never go down, and when you're building an organization
(35:19):
like this, it does cost more. Another problem that you
I Rodney, all of us here in Los Angeles have
to deal with things simply cost more here. Right, If
you are living in Kansas City, it doesn't cost as much.
If you wanted to get great seats at a Rockies
game in Denver, it doesn't cost as much, But it
(35:39):
does cost here.
Speaker 3 (35:40):
And that's just life.
Speaker 1 (35:42):
If you go to a restaurant and it's a Michelin
five star restaurant, it's gonna cost more. The food is
that good, and it's unfortunate, but that you you know,
you've lived long enough to know that's the way it is.
Speaker 3 (35:56):
Right.
Speaker 6 (35:58):
You guys don't pay to go to game?
Speaker 1 (36:01):
What do you mean we do?
Speaker 6 (36:04):
You You don't?
Speaker 1 (36:07):
What are you talking about?
Speaker 4 (36:08):
Time?
Speaker 3 (36:09):
No?
Speaker 7 (36:09):
No, no, no.
Speaker 3 (36:10):
If we go to doesn't give us tickets, No, we
give them away.
Speaker 1 (36:15):
If listen, I'd buy my seats if we go to
a game. If we do a show from Dodger Stadium,
we have our credential, yes, but if we go to
the game, we buy tickets. The station does not give
us tickets.
Speaker 6 (36:31):
Okay, no, no, no, no, no, I'm thinking you guys
do everything for free.
Speaker 1 (36:37):
Oh no, that were the case. Yeah, make life a
lot easier. You know what's interesting? I had a philosophy
at Channel four for the years I worked there. I
really didn't want to take free tickets. If you took
free tickets, you were obligated, right, So if they gave
me tickets, I was, you know, they thought I was
obligated not to say anything if I found some in
(36:59):
from or had to report something.
Speaker 3 (37:01):
I just never really believed in that.
Speaker 1 (37:04):
So no, if I mean, I can't speak for Rodney,
but I'm pretty sure I know if you see me
at a Dodger game, I bought those seats. Yeah, they're
not free. And by the way, you pay face value.
They don't give it you old. Yeah, these are four
thousand dollars seats and for you they're forty cents.
Speaker 3 (37:23):
No, you have to really pay for.
Speaker 1 (37:24):
Them, Rodney, Am I wrong?
Speaker 3 (37:28):
You're absolutely right, You're absolutely right. Yeah, and again, unless
it's a special deal or promotion, we are. We are
paying for the seats. We're paying for the seats that
we go. Yeah.
Speaker 1 (37:42):
I mean, if a buddy gives you seats, that's no
different than any friend of yours giving you tickets.
Speaker 3 (37:46):
Correct, But no, Yeah, we're going to the game. We
got an extra seat, come on with us. Yeah, that
that happens as a regular base too. But if we're
just say hey, family, let's go to the game, we
got to buy the tickets.
Speaker 1 (38:00):
I mean, there was one occasion where I did run
into Rodney Holly and I think a few family members,
and I can assure you that day, they didn't give
you that many tickets, right, Uh.
Speaker 3 (38:23):
You know what I mean? Yeah, no, you absolutely know
you're right, you're right. Oh no, oh no, oh yeah.
Oh you're you know, throwing out the first pitch or
you know, you're you're singing the anthem. Here's a couple
of tickets. Oh that's one thing. You want to bring
eight people. Okay, I'll give you two. We give you
(38:43):
the two, but you got to buy the six. All right.
Speaker 1 (38:51):
When we come back, Kevin will get us caught up
on everything with its lit that's later in the hour,
and David Vassa joins us next
Okay, we continue on. Fred Rogan Rodney Peach on AM
five seventy LA Sports caim on the air and kicked
around tickets at Madison Square Garden for Game three between
the Knicks and Spurs. Here's a man who's never paid
for a ticket in his life. That's the only reason
I got into this business. He just likes basketball. Mark
Madena or Fox Sports Radio insider NBA insider, Hello.
Speaker 2 (00:22):
Mark, Fred, You're on the money, thankfully being able to
cover the NBA, been able to get a good seat
without a dime coming out of my pocket. But can't
say the same thing for anyone attending Game three tonight
with Nick Spurs.
Speaker 3 (00:37):
Yeah. Can you believe those prices?
Speaker 2 (00:41):
I can believe it, but it's astounding. Fred. I talked
to some people over at Seekeek and they're telling me
it's averaging seven thousand and seven sixty eight per person.
And to put this in further context, people at Zeekeek
were telling me that this is the highest price like
major event, even more than most of the Super Bowls,
(01:01):
with the exception of Super Bowl fifty eight. The average
price for that came at a very affordable sum of
ten thousand and four to ninety seven a ticket.
Speaker 3 (01:14):
It's crazy and this is this doesn't happen unless it's
New York, right, Mark. I mean, it's just they've been
waiting since seventy three for this happened. I said this
earlier too. I just of all the sports and look,
the Yankees have been king and people love the Yankees
in New York and all over the world. But it's
a different it's a different vibe, a different energy when
(01:34):
the Knicks are in the finals and Knicks are on
the virgin winning a title than it is for any
other sports team in New York.
Speaker 2 (01:41):
Yeah, Roddie hit on the money. I mean when I
talk to people at you know, seekeek and stub Hub
and ask like, hey, how do you put in proportion?
Like why is there such an uptick? And they trust
to me like, look, it's it's laying in a bottle
of so many things. First time the Knicks are in
the finals since nineteen ninety nine, there's optimism that the
Knicks could actually win a championship for the first time
(02:03):
since nineteen seventy three. There's some Knicks fans they had success,
but some others didn't. With going to the road games,
in San Antonio, so this is our first opportunity to go.
There's also a lot of you know, international fans that
you know, not only are Knicks fans, but love to
go to New York. So if you combine all those
factors together and that's the prices you get.
Speaker 1 (02:26):
Okay, As for the series itself, let's stop talking about
price les, Let's talk about the series. I said before
the series started, I just think the stage is too
big for the Spurs at this point, and I think
you can see in the first two games some mistakes
they made. The Knicks already playing a big stage, playing
in New York is unlike playing anywhere else. San Antonio.
I just don't think is ready for this moment.
Speaker 2 (02:46):
What do you think, Mark, Yeah, I completely agree with you.
I thought that going into this finals, because of the
way that they beat the Oklahoma City Thunder, that the
Spurs would be ready for this moment. But I think
what we've seen here is that they expended so much
much physical emotional energy against the Thunder that they came
into the series out of handicap. But to the Knicks credit,
(03:07):
they've been playing at all time level. You know, Karl
Anthone Towns I think you can make the argument, if
the Knicks are going to win this championship, deserves the
finals MVP, even over Jalen Bruntson because of the way
he's guarded. You know, Victor Wambinama. When he's guarding him,
it's four to nineteen combined from the field. And that's
even accounting for the reality that Karl Anthony Towns is
(03:29):
getting called for foul. Some of it you can debate.
Some of it is that's the way karl Anthon Towns defends,
but it doesn't really matter. He's still been very aggressive.
You know the Knicks, they push him out to the perimeter. Wemby,
yeah he has that range, but he's often settled for
those threes. And then on the other end, Carlton Towns
is attacking the basket with aggressiveness and that's you know,
(03:51):
wearing Wemby out a little bit. And then he had
in the fact that Dearon Fox whether he's fully healthy
or not, he's not fully healthy, but he has to
make shots in crunch time. He hasn't done that, and
you know, the Knicks, you're getting what you're getting from
Jalen Brunson. Predictably, He's one of the most clutch players
in the league. But you're having a dependable number three option,
(04:13):
whether it's Michael Bridges finding his outside shot, O Giana
no will Be being a great two way player, Josh
Hart being a great energy guy. The Knicks have really
checked every single box where the Spurs haven't. And you know,
with their star player Victor Woman now being a shell
of himself, that clearly hasn't been enough. And even with desperation,
(04:33):
I don't expect that to change in Game three.
Speaker 3 (04:35):
Yeah, and lanbry Shannitt too, just going off.
Speaker 2 (04:40):
Oh yeah, you've had a lot of threes. And you know,
people who followed the Clippers, they knew how valuable he
was as a role player, but you never knew quite
you're gonna get what you're gonna get on the night
tonight basis from him. But this playoffs, it's been money time.
Speaker 3 (04:54):
Yeah. And to that point, Mark, have you I know
teams have gotten on rolls, but have you seen it
team like that gotten on this kind of role, been
this hot And you say that, you know, I don't
know if I agree with They're not ready for the
moment because you look up in both games, the Spurs
are leading with two minutes to go and have a
chance to win it, and maybe some of the things
(05:16):
and mistakes, yeah, they made down the stretch, But I
think it's it's Nick induced. But have you seen a
team in recent memory that has been on this kind
of role Because it doesn't matter how much they're down,
They've been down thirteen on I think multiple cases, they
come right back. You look up, you think they're out
of it, and they're leading at halftime by one. It
just feels like everything is going right for them at
(05:38):
the right time right now.
Speaker 2 (05:40):
Well, statistically, we haven't seen this kind of team put
on this kind of dominance since the Gold and Say
Warriors when they defended their championship with Kevin Durant. Now
do I find comparisons with these Knicks to those Warriors.
Speaker 4 (05:54):
No.
Speaker 2 (05:54):
I think that there's you know, a sense that because
of the easier pathway through the East, the flawed opponents,
and just the roster construction, that this is more about
like the Dallas Mavericks in twenty eleven where they caught
lanning in a bottle. They have a great player and
also a lot of great role players that fill that role,
and they're against an opponent like the Mavericks were with
(06:17):
the Miami Heat with the lebron James Knicks were with
the Spurs with Victor Wan Binyama. Where very talented group.
They're likely going to win multiple championships now, but just
not quite ready. I think that you made a great
point that when you evaluate everything, I don't think the
Spurs are overwhelmed. You know, there might be some experience
in experiences catching up to them. I think it's more
(06:39):
tactical and fatigue than them feeling like the pressure scudding
to them, Because if that was such a thing, I
don't think that they would have been able to pull
out seven games against the Thunder. But this Knixt team,
they've been executing very consistently and defensively. They've done that
since Shame or I think since the end of the
(06:59):
regular season they finally found the right offensive dynamic on
how best to feature Jalen Brunson and kar Anthone Towns
as well as you know, more consistency from their other
role players. So it really does have a lightning a
bottle feel, and that may might also explain these high
ticket prices, Like there's a real good chance the Knicks
(07:20):
are going to win this championship. But there's also this
feeling that, you know what, like we don't know when
the next opportunity is going to come because of this
NBA landscape. But to the next credit, they're fully taking
advantage of their current circumstances.
Speaker 3 (07:33):
Mark, you mentioned Brunson, What does this do for him?
I think he's got the most the game with this,
and you know, maybe Karl Anthony Towns too is I think,
you know, his time in Minnesota has kind of blurred
a little bit and people had an idea of him
maybe not being physical enough or not being strong, and
he's proven that he can be an inside player as
(07:55):
well as an outside player. But Jalen Brunson, new York kid,
coming back to New York playing for the Knicks, one
at Villanova, now about on the verge to win a
title and maybe an MVP. What does this do for
his statue?
Speaker 2 (08:09):
Well, I think there's a few things. One, it knocks
down the argument that Belcky Hammond some others said that, hey,
a small point guard can't lead a team to a championship. Well,
he's a smart point guard and he's about to do that.
That's number one. Number Two, there's already going to be
talk about where does he stand among all time Nick's greats,
And there's some people that already argue that he's at
(08:31):
the top of the list. Now you win a championship,
that changes the whole equation because they haven't won a
title since nineteen seventy three. I think the other thing
is it just reinforces how great of a clutch player
he is. I mean, I talked with the trainer Dave Williams,
you know, not too long ago, and he was sharing
that one of the drills they do is literally called
(08:52):
the Wemby, where he, you know, uses up room to
contest his shots, and that's a way to prepare for
him to shoot over defenders, especially ones that are bigger
than him because he's so undersized. And fast forward. Now
he's playing against the Spurs, sometimes against Wemby, and most
of those shots aren't deflected because of how well his
arch is. So I think he's the most. He stands
(09:14):
to gain the most as far as how he's perceived
as a player, both inside and outside the Knicks organization.
But I think we also have to keep in mind
this I think practically is even more important for Klara
Anthone Towns because of the fact that if they win
a championship with him, it removes any sort of doubt
that maybe he's on the trading block this summer. And
(09:36):
then he proposed Gianni Santo Tokumpo do and I don't
think the Knicks were ever going to get close to that,
but that removes all doubt. And then it also helps
just the perception of him. Karl Nthon Towns has been
an All Star caliber player. He's a great two way talent,
but there's a lot of things where he has looked
at as a player that can't handle the physicality. He
(09:58):
can defend, but he struggles with foul trouble, and I
think that relatively speaking, he's addressed those issues as playoff run. Yeah,
he's he's picked up fouls still in this finals, but
it hasn't taken him out of the ability to play
on both ends of the floor. And the physicality part,
you know, he's embracing that. You know Nick's mantra of
how they played in the nineties and onward that you
(10:21):
got to be physical, and he's shown that he's able
and willing to do that.
Speaker 3 (10:25):
Mark Medena is with us.
Speaker 1 (10:26):
Let's shift over here locally to the Lakers. We are
chopping this up Austin Reeves, Okay, how much he's not
giving anybody a hometown discount, and he's already said that
he probably shouldn't. So let's say they go above their
comfort level. But they signed them for what they signed
them for, is that forty million, thirty eight million, whatever
it could be, But then they can't do anything else,
(10:47):
So would it have to be a sign in trade
in your opinion.
Speaker 2 (10:51):
Yeah, it's a good question, Fred, because the sticky part
about Austin Reeves is that technically they're not limited by
a number. They have his Burger, so they could go
even over the cap to sign him. But it does
affect them because it's still luxury taxes, it's still second Apron,
and Second Apron has pretty much been a hard cap,
so with that, technically it's not going to affect their
(11:13):
ability to keep Lebron or get other guys, but it's
going to have a trickle down effect once the second
Apron comes in. So I don't know if Austin Reeves
is going to get a max contract, but I do
suspect that the Lakers are going to give a respectable
number to him, not just to placate him, but they
know that his chemistry with Luka Doncic is great. Luca
(11:34):
wants him on the team. That's kind of important because
he's our franchise guy. And then it's about working after that.
What they get in the open market. It could be
a sign in trade, but frankly, I don't even know
if that's going to be necessary because I don't think
Gianni's is going to be available for the Lakers, and
even if he is, I think the Lakers will draw
(11:56):
a line in the sand that yeah, you do want Giannis,
but you don't want to give up so much depth
because we've seen what Joannis can look like on a
Bucks team that doesn't have enough depth, and also there's
injury concern, So I think really it's about improving on
the margins. Mitchell Robinson, you know, Robert Williams, the third
Those are serviceable centers that might be available in a
(12:19):
vast upgrade over DeAndre and And even if Deandret exercises
his player option, because he's probably not going to get
much in the open market, they can relegate him to
a backup role and replace that. So I think that's
the most likely pathway. But Lakers being the Lakers, they
will keep all options open. I've just seen though, since
the Russell Westbrook trade, rob Polinka being very reluctant to
(12:41):
make all these big moves if it compromises roster.
Speaker 3 (12:45):
Depth, Yeah, that'll be injured. I guess my qued. Can
can they if they end up giving Austin Reeves the
max close to it? Can they win with him? And Luka?
You mentioned some guys with Robinson in terms of wing players,
which everybody, Oh, I need that three and D guy,
three and D guy. What kind of I mean? I
(13:06):
know you can throw out anonob you can throw out
some other guys that are playing right now that that
would be great, but that type of player. But when
you're the Lakers and you see these teams that got
so much depth, does that pause your focus on going
overboard with Austin?
Speaker 5 (13:23):
Ye?
Speaker 3 (13:23):
I know you said the money because he's you know
that he's got it. They got his bird rights and
they can offer him that along with Lebron. But depth
seems to be the biggest thing in the NBA right now.
Speaker 6 (13:35):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (13:35):
I think that really what they're calculated is essentially like
best about bad options. And I don't say that as
any like disrespect toward Austin. It's just I think the
reality that they're keeping a few things in mind. They're
his chemistry with with Luka Doncic Police offensively is very
very good, and that's a starting point. I think. Secondly,
(13:57):
they're looking at, you know, his shortcom in the playoffs
this year. You can make the argument it's different than
it was before because he was coming off an injury.
So I think that they have comfort level that he
is ready to make that next step for an all
star caliber player. But it's not going to solve everything.
To your point about wing depth, what did it get.
One of the possibilities that is retaining ruly Atchamora, but
(14:19):
it's going to have to be at a lesser number
than eighteen million. And you know, I know that he
and his agents will try to nego shake great deals,
but I want to be surprised if they can get
really on a hometown discount, because he already has the
perspective on what it's like to be making good money
on a losing team with the Washington Wizards. So even
(14:39):
though he's unrestricted and like anything could happen in the
open market. I think he does have that perspective on
how different it would be than to be with a
Lakers organization that isn't necessarily the favorite to win a
championship next season, but are at least a playoff caliber team.
But beyond that, where do they go? Maybe AU does
some umo from you know, Minnesota. You know, he is
(15:02):
a very valued player in Minnesota, but they also have
a very large payroll. Lou Dirt with the Yoklahoma City Thunder.
He's a great physical defender, and I expect that the
Thunder are going to not exercise the team option on
him only because they have a surplus of wings already
with Alex Cruzo, case on Wallace, and they have to manage,
(15:24):
you know, a larger payroll now that the max extensions
are going to be kicking in for Chet Holmgren and
Jail Williams next season. So I think Lou Dort's the
most likely target, but in fairness to him, he will
be a target for a lot of other teams as well.
Speaker 1 (15:40):
All right, Clippers, quickly, Kawhi, I know I just had
an interview with the league about aspiration. Yeah, you start laughing,
So what happens he stays plays out his final year.
Speaker 3 (15:52):
They don't extend him, do they.
Speaker 2 (15:55):
I don't think they extend him. But he still has
a year on his contract, so I want to be
surprised that they view it as that that, you know,
he has an expiring contract. He'll still be with the
Clippers next season, and then circumstances and availability will dictate
whether he's with the Clippers after the trade deadline.
Speaker 1 (16:15):
All right, well, Mark, thank you for coming on. Thank
you for sharing the insight. You know you've educated us
and that there's no price we can put on that
we're smarter since you were on with us today.
Speaker 2 (16:28):
Fred Rodney, appreciate you. But if you want to show out,
you know, Game three Knicks tickets, I'll gladly accept you invoice.
Speaker 3 (16:36):
But read ready he's in for eighty percent of the
ticket call yeah, yeah, right, all right, Mark, take it
easy body, we'll talk to you.
Speaker 2 (16:46):
I appreciate you, guys, all.
Speaker 1 (16:56):
Right, talking about ticket prices. Can anybody afford to go
to anything?
Speaker 3 (17:00):
That's next?
Speaker 7 (17:02):
Hello Rogan and Rodney listener, did you know AM five
seventy LA Sports has a wide range of LA Sports podcasts,
shows like Petros in Money We are streaming Matt Dodger
Talk with David Vasse, the Dodger Podcast of Record, Clipper
Talk Without a Musk, follow us all and many more.
Just go to AM five seventy LA Sports on the
(17:22):
iHeartRadio wip.
Speaker 3 (17:28):
Oh yeah, come on, let's keep it moving. Many thanks
to our man Mark Medina, NBA insider always always dialed
in Freddy. It's good to have get marked back on
the show. We used to have them on all the time.
Then he got big time for us. Yeah, that's what happens. Yeah,
and then they all come home. They come home eventually,
you know. Yeah, they gotta make us feel bad. Let's
(17:48):
take your kids. You know, they get big time, so
they want to come back for mama's cooking. No, they
come back period, they think time. They still lined right
back up the house. Jesus, when we thought we had
them at the house, one comes back. Oh no, they're
always there. If you have kids, the.
Speaker 1 (18:06):
Majority of people know, it doesn't matter how old they are,
they always find their way back. And you know, if
you're a parent, you want that to be very.
Speaker 3 (18:14):
Absolutely, it's very cool, even though it may not be
as cool to them. And they have identity issues with
everything or I can't find the right situation for me,
and they feel that way. You love having them back
and you could take them forever. You know, you like whatever,
what could I make you? How could I make you
more comfortable so you don't have to move out again? Yeah, yeah,
(18:36):
that's true. Absolutely. Remember the days where you know, where
a lot of families once you turn eighteen, you had
to move out of the house. You were out, you're out.
You know, you're going to college or you're getting a job,
but you're out of the house.
Speaker 1 (18:51):
But you pay for yourself. It's time for you to
grow up. Yeah, and that's it. Absolutely. Yeah, not like
that anymore, trust me. Ain't that way anymore? Okay, you
know we talked about it at the top of the show.
We kicked it around with Mark Medina. Here's a question.
Is it too expensive for people to go to sporting
(19:12):
events today? Is it simply too expensive? And I don't
care what the sport is. Well, we know you can
afford to go to the Angels because Marty Moreno said.
Speaker 3 (19:21):
So, so you can go to the about right.
Speaker 1 (19:26):
They want to be able to get in what they
see is irrelevant. But what they want to do is
get in so you can do that there, just start
thinking about it. And everybody says, we have affordable tickets.
But I don't even know what the definition of affordable
is anymore. What is affordable?
Speaker 3 (19:41):
Right? What is it? I don't know.
Speaker 1 (19:44):
How much does it cost you to get good seats
to go to an event in Los Angeles? You're going
to pay for the Dodgers, but you're paying for the top, right,
you get what you're paid for, So that costs. You
have been paying for the Lakers, even though I think
(20:06):
it's safe to say their product has been a bit substandard,
but you paid for them and you will continue. I
mean it could cost you for good seats. What's a
decen seat two hundred bucks? Let's say for a Laker game,
a decent seat.
Speaker 3 (20:22):
Yeah, a decency yeah, yeah, two hundred bucks. I would say, okay,
how many people will know who they're playing? Right, It's
going to depend on who they're playing too. It's going
to factor in.
Speaker 1 (20:31):
All right, So how many of us are going four
or two?
Speaker 4 (20:35):
Uh?
Speaker 1 (20:36):
Say it's a family, you want to go four? All right,
we're gonna go fourth. It's eight hundred dollars to get in.
It's eight hundred dollars for the right to walk into building.
You haven't parked and you haven't eaten. It's one thousand
dollars for one game for a family of four at
(20:57):
two hundred bucks a throw. Some people have that money.
I don't think a lot of people can just arbitrarily
start throwing thousands of dollars. Await, and what if you
want to go to three games? That's three thousand dollars.
I don't know if people can afford that.
Speaker 3 (21:15):
That's interesting. I'm looking up tickets for Dodgers. I guess
they got an upcoming home stand against Tampa Bay after
this this, uh, this road trip, and you can get
in the building for seventy bucks Fred.
Speaker 1 (21:31):
Seven Dodgers.
Speaker 3 (21:32):
Yeah, you can get a building seventy bucks for the Dodgers.
So you figure, you know what to eighty for four
tickets for your family to eighty to get there? Ducks parking, Yeah,
three hundred bucks, not including parking of food, but three
hundred bucks. Now, you better take advantage of it now
(21:53):
because when October runs around, it's gonna be three thousand
take Oh yeah, of course, but that's all right.
Speaker 1 (22:00):
Three hundred bucks that got you in the food's going
to cost what seventy three, seventy.
Speaker 3 (22:07):
Seventy family of four, no food and drinks throughout this,
I would maybe one hundred bucks on that, right, So
it's four hundred bucks twenty five per person? Yeah, four
hundred bucks, all right?
Speaker 1 (22:19):
Think about that? Do a lot of a lot of
people afford that? I don't know the prices for the
Galaxy or LAFC.
Speaker 3 (22:24):
The King.
Speaker 1 (22:25):
I know what the King's cost. I have to tell
you it's hard to go to a lot of games.
Things are expensive now, not so much in Cincinnati, to
be fair, or Kansas City or Pittsburgh. They're different markets.
But when you are in a market like LA you're
going to pay. It's a major market. It's expensive. What's
(22:49):
the cost for good seats to an NFL game?
Speaker 3 (22:52):
Here? Fifty yard line? What does that cost? Oh man?
Rams are chargers. Yeah you're you're you're over two fifty
for sure, in between the forties. Yeah, you're above You're
definitely above two fifty. I think so it may say
it costs you three hundred bucks a seat. You're in
(23:13):
for twelve hundred bucks. If you want to bring your
family to Rams games and you got parking, well you're
fifteen hundred dollars in when you leave the stadium.
Speaker 1 (23:23):
I am wondering if fans think it's too expensive, and
maybe you don't, by the way, and maybe it's exactly
where it should be priced. So what we'll do is
we're gonna open the phone lines. If we get a
couple of calls, we'll take them. If not, we are
going to move on. Can you afford to go to
sporting events? Don't call up and be all bitter. That's
not the point here. That's not the point of the exercise.
(23:46):
The exercise is this, can you afford to go? Do
you go? Or are things too expensive? And why?
Speaker 3 (23:56):
That's the exercise. Don't call up say they so? Don't
do that? And you pay the price, right you said.
Living in these markets New York, LA, Chicago, big markets
like this, you pay the price because, as we just
talked about with the Knicks, ten thousand dollars to get
in the building, you may not pay it. Somebody in
(24:16):
that market is paying and very happy to It's six
six nine eighty seven two five seventy. All right, is
it too expensive to go? Or is everything fine? It's
like six nine eighty seven two five seventy.
Speaker 7 (24:37):
Make am five seventy LA Sports a preset before you
plug in your phone. Presets in the iHeartRadio app now
available with Apple car Play and Android Auto. Just another
easy way to listen to LA's best sports talk.
Speaker 3 (24:51):
Come on, let's go, let's keep this thing moving, Freddy
on a Monday, baby, Come on.
Speaker 1 (25:00):
So here's the question, Rodney, our sporting events too expensive?
Are they simply too expensive at this point in time?
That is the question. And we're wondering, you know, don't
call up and start yelling and complaining about a certain
team or whatever, just overall, because that's what people are
talking about. We'll go to Huntington Beach to start rich.
(25:22):
Are they too expensive? Richie there, speechless?
Speaker 8 (25:32):
Yeah, I'm here.
Speaker 3 (25:33):
Go ahead, I'm here.
Speaker 8 (25:34):
Push the button. Yeah, I know they're all expensive. Let
me let me start off with my take. Okay, go
for a medello at a ball game. It's nineteen bucks.
Walking to a local seven eleven is two dollars seventy
nine cents. Best game I ever went. But I'm old school, fred.
I like games that are more in football stadiums. I
don't like entertainment centers. Best game I ever saw in
(25:57):
live in person, was Chiefs versus Rams at the Coliseum,
final score fifty two to fifty one. I'm so grateful
I was at that game because it was amazing.
Speaker 3 (26:07):
But man, I was at that game too. By the way,
I was at that game. It was right after the fires,
right after the fires, uh I believe yeah, and in
a thousand oaks, right, and they canceled the Mexico City
game and brought it to the Coliseum and it was
It was fantastic. It was a shootout, I remember that,
and the place was rocking.
Speaker 8 (26:26):
Hey, sure, mister Pete, you know what I'm talking about.
That's a football stadium. I don't like entertainment centers. It
takes away from the football experience. So unless we se
is hooking me up with tickets to the suite at
the five point seventy at Dodger Stadium for me and
the PMS union later, I'm staying at home, using my
(26:49):
own bathroom and saving my money. I can afford to go.
But it's kind of a pain in the neck and
everybody's on their phone anyways, so who the hell cares?
Speaker 1 (26:57):
All right, thanks Rich, Thanks tell it like it is. Well,
he's locked and loaded, wasn't he? Was ready to go.
Speaker 3 (27:03):
Oh he was ready, he was ready. Okay. I do
remember that game though. It was it was a magical
night Rams. I think that it was one of those
color Rush games too. Rams were all in gold and
Kan's city was all in red, and it just go
went back and back and forth, and you know, last
last minute touchdown by the Rams to win it. In
the Colisam there was about ninety thousand folks there, so
(27:26):
it was Yeah, it was pretty pretty impressive. But I
don't know where I lie on the entertainment centers though.
I kind of like a cool modern stadium nowadays.
Speaker 1 (27:33):
So shut to why yeah, yeah, yeah, things evolve. It's
more of an event, an entertainment event now, not just
a game. Corey in the Valley. The Valley's a big
place and Corey is located somewhere in the middle of it.
Speaker 3 (27:47):
Corey, go ahead, what's going on?
Speaker 5 (27:51):
Rodney?
Speaker 2 (27:54):
The game?
Speaker 5 (27:55):
But like, what I have to say is like, idamic
price is really really the ticket price is like, well,
how come it's not on set price for the safe
seat for every game? Well in the hades when I
was a kid, do you know you were expect like,
you know, six dollars your top deck twenty bucks for
our field twenty or thirty dollars work field level now,
(28:15):
depending on what kind of promotion there is, what day
of the week it is, sprint treating even highs dynamic prices.
I think it's just pure green for the organizations. But
doctor can still work because the product that goes on
the field, you know what I mean?
Speaker 3 (28:30):
Yeah, get it like you're willing to pay a little
extra for the Dodgers as opposed to maybe, uh, are
you gonna pay a little extra for the Chargers or
the Angels or someone else? No, no offense.
Speaker 5 (28:44):
Yeah, it's a little a little more in frequent going
now than I used to be going with the family,
you know.
Speaker 1 (28:51):
Yeah, right, Corey, Thanks, thanks for the call. Cour appreciate
your weighing in. And it comes down to value. I mean,
you know, if you're gonna like pay for one, which
one you gotta pay for? I mean it's that kind
of thing, right, Yeah, where you're gonna spend your money?
Matt and Santa Monica. Matt, Now, what do you think.
Speaker 9 (29:11):
I think there are it's all too expensive. I mean,
thinking about going to the World Top that's obscene. I
could I could fly to Europe and we'll go watch
the Champions League final for the amount of would cost
me to go to uh A World Cup game. And
you know I and it's also about the pality. It's
even concerts are more expensive. If I could I pay
(29:31):
for a concert, I know what I'm getting. I go
to a game to be a blowout. It could be
a lousy game. You don't even know what you're getting.
And it's a lot of money to spend and go
to traffic, but the traffic to get there, and I
think it's just insane, not going to get better.
Speaker 3 (29:48):
All right, appreciate it.
Speaker 1 (29:50):
Thanks for the call, Matt uh Okay, Now, Mike and
Rancho Kook, you are a RAMS season ticket holder, right.
Speaker 4 (29:57):
Yes, sir, and yes I am, and I would Yeah. Well,
I've been a RAM season seat holders since the call
of sum since they came back to the Coliseum. And
actually back then the tickets were reasonable. But you know,
now we got the LC or the licensing fees and
and the tickets doubled, plus the licensing exchiege. It's just
(30:20):
an expensive trip to the stadium. Now I go to
most of the games, and half the times I'm trying
to sell the tickets, and it's really hard to sell
them for even at cost. It's it's ridiculous. But I
know that's across the sports industry here in LA at least.
(30:41):
You know, Dodger games are expensive to go to, the Kings,
the Lakers, the whole, the whole, gamput. It just it's
just expensive to take a family out now and uh
it just get a point you know where you just
watch it on TV.
Speaker 1 (30:56):
Yeah, yeah, all right, appreciate it, Mike. And and that's interesting.
If you buy season seat, here's the dilemma, right, You
buy season seats because you want to be able to
go to the certain games you want to go to,
but you can't go to every game. So you figure, well,
you know, I can sell these. You end up selling
them for less than what you originally paid. You actually
(31:17):
lose money. And that's what he's saying. You can't even
sell them half the time, right, I mean, if you
buy Dodger.
Speaker 3 (31:23):
Seats, football be a little different, right because you're looking
at eight with nine games, as opposed to if you're
buying Dodger or Lakers season tickets. You're definitely probably not
going to every one of those games. And you got
to pick and choose. You know, obviously you can get
packages for not the whole season, but still it's a
lot of games that you may not go to. And
(31:44):
you know, there was a I know you know this too, Fred,
there was all there was a lot of back in
the day where families and corporation, especially that season tickets
to all the LA teams, whether it would be the Lakers, Kings, Dodgers,
all of them and now here. Folks, well, we had
to give up our Laker tickets. We gave up bar
our Rams ticket because we wanted to keep the Dodger tickets.
And they rarely do you have. You know, these these
(32:07):
families are these people that have season tickets for the
team that's playing in that particular season.
Speaker 1 (32:12):
Let's go on, Chris and Venice. Chris, thanks for holding
What do you think?
Speaker 3 (32:17):
Hi?
Speaker 6 (32:19):
Hold on, I'm getting off the bus.
Speaker 3 (32:21):
Don't don't crazy here. Okay, okay, what we're doing, Chris,
what are we doing?
Speaker 6 (32:27):
Well? Long story short, you don't need to hear my
story anyway. So before Otani and Yemomoto and Tasaki king
for four years, I had twenty five game packages that
I bought through Dodger Stadium for twelve hundred and fifty
(32:48):
dollars that included parky twenty five games. Okay, now, you
can't get in a game for one person one hundred
dollars a ticket, easilieve you buy more than one beer,
one hundred dollars for foods, and fifty dollars to park
(33:10):
one person. I went on Mother's Day and it was
three hundred and fifty dollars for three of us because
we brought snacks with us.
Speaker 3 (33:25):
You snum ticket.
Speaker 6 (33:32):
That's ridiculous. I can't go to any more games because
I'm seventy. I can't afford to go any more games
because then myself security doesn't pay my jill. Why are
we having to take over all of the expense that
they're spending on these five hundred million dollar people? Great,
(33:54):
they're they're great players. I love my Dodgers. Ask anybody,
I'm the biggest start your pan around. But why am
I having to take on the entire expense for what
they're spending for our players?
Speaker 1 (34:09):
Well? You know what I think. First, And by the way,
are you okay? I mean you know you were having
an issue getting off the freeway or something. Is everything
good there?
Speaker 9 (34:16):
No?
Speaker 6 (34:18):
No, I was I got knocked over on a bicycle.
I got a concussion. I can't drive, so I have
to take the bus anywhere I want to go. So
I'm walking. I'm walking.
Speaker 3 (34:28):
You're walking.
Speaker 1 (34:29):
You got knocked over on a bike, you got a concussion,
and now you have to walk everywhere. Yes, and then
you almost got hit by a car a minute ago.
Speaker 6 (34:38):
Well, no, I didn't get hit by a car. I
was just getting off a bus.
Speaker 3 (34:42):
Okay.
Speaker 6 (34:43):
They happened to be at my bus stop, and I
didn't want to talk on the bus. I had to
wait till I got off the bus.
Speaker 3 (34:49):
Okay, now we understand. As for the prices, got to
make sure that's all right. He's listening, he's mobile listening
to us. I love it.
Speaker 1 (34:57):
I mean I want you to do We don't want
to talk to you. But here's the thing. Yeah, things
are more expensive now, but they're not pinning the entire
price of the players on the fans. The problem and
the reality it's not even called a problem, it's reality.
You get what you pay for. Prices always go up,
they never go down, and when you're building an organization
(35:19):
like this, it does cost more. Another problem that you
I Rodney, all of us here in Los Angeles have
to deal with things simply cost more here. Right, If
you are living in Kansas City, it doesn't cost as much.
If you wanted to get great seats at a Rockies
game in Denver, it doesn't cost as much, But it
(35:39):
does cost here.
Speaker 3 (35:40):
And that's just life.
Speaker 1 (35:42):
If you go to a restaurant and it's a Michelin
five star restaurant, it's gonna cost more. The food is
that good, and it's unfortunate, but that you you know,
you've lived long enough to know that's the way it is.
Speaker 3 (35:56):
Right.
Speaker 6 (35:58):
You guys don't pay to go to game?
Speaker 1 (36:01):
What do you mean we do?
Speaker 6 (36:04):
You You don't?
Speaker 1 (36:07):
What are you talking about?
Speaker 4 (36:08):
Time?
Speaker 3 (36:09):
No?
Speaker 7 (36:09):
No, no, no.
Speaker 3 (36:10):
If we go to doesn't give us tickets, No, we
give them away.
Speaker 1 (36:15):
If listen, I'd buy my seats if we go to
a game. If we do a show from Dodger Stadium,
we have our credential, yes, but if we go to
the game, we buy tickets. The station does not give
us tickets.
Speaker 6 (36:31):
Okay, no, no, no, no, no, I'm thinking you guys
do everything for free.
Speaker 1 (36:37):
Oh no, that were the case. Yeah, make life a
lot easier. You know what's interesting? I had a philosophy
at Channel four for the years I worked there. I
really didn't want to take free tickets. If you took
free tickets, you were obligated, right, So if they gave
me tickets, I was, you know, they thought I was
obligated not to say anything if I found some in
(36:59):
from or had to report something.
Speaker 3 (37:01):
I just never really believed in that.
Speaker 1 (37:04):
So no, if I mean, I can't speak for Rodney,
but I'm pretty sure I know if you see me
at a Dodger game, I bought those seats. Yeah, they're
not free. And by the way, you pay face value.
They don't give it you old. Yeah, these are four
thousand dollars seats and for you they're forty cents.
Speaker 3 (37:23):
No, you have to really pay for.
Speaker 1 (37:24):
Them, Rodney, Am I wrong?
Speaker 3 (37:28):
You're absolutely right, You're absolutely right. Yeah, and again, unless
it's a special deal or promotion, we are. We are
paying for the seats. We're paying for the seats that
we go. Yeah.
Speaker 1 (37:42):
I mean, if a buddy gives you seats, that's no
different than any friend of yours giving you tickets.
Speaker 3 (37:46):
Correct, But no, Yeah, we're going to the game. We
got an extra seat, come on with us. Yeah, that
that happens as a regular base too. But if we're
just say hey, family, let's go to the game, we
got to buy the tickets.
Speaker 1 (38:00):
I mean, there was one occasion where I did run
into Rodney Holly and I think a few family members,
and I can assure you that day, they didn't give
you that many tickets, right, Uh.
Speaker 3 (38:23):
You know what I mean? Yeah, no, you absolutely know
you're right, you're right. Oh no, oh no, oh yeah.
Oh you're you know, throwing out the first pitch or
you know, you're you're singing the anthem. Here's a couple
of tickets. Oh that's one thing. You want to bring
eight people. Okay, I'll give you two. We give you
(38:43):
the two, but you got to buy the six. All right.
Speaker 1 (38:51):
When we come back, Kevin will get us caught up
on everything with its lit that's later in the hour,
and David Vassa joins us next
Roggin And Rodney News
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