The 2024 Minor League Baseball Season is nearing an end for some, and has already finished for others. I myself, along with Rachel, will be going to my last Norfolk Tides home game tomorrow night (weather permitting), as the Tides wrap up their last homestand of the 2024 AAA season vs the Nashville Sounds. Not counting the fields and ballparks I visited on non-game days, I attended and watched all or parts of live games at six minor league ballparks in 2024. Here are the six Minor League ballparks I visited and watched games at in 2024:

• Cheney Stadium, Tacoma Rainiers
• Arvest Park, Northwest Arkansas Naturals
• Harbor Park, Norfolk Tides
• Arthur Purdue Stadium, Delmarva Shorebirds
• Maimonides Park, Brooklyn Cyclones
• TD Bank Park, Somerset Patriots

During my visits to these minor league parks, in addition to photography, videos, and game watching, I also happened to “shop” their team stores for 5 or so items, which I made some mental notes on. And just this morning, via the MILB Team Store online, I recorded the average price of the following:

• Standard Team Hat
• Game like Jersey
• Commemorative Pin
• Sweatshirt or hoodie
• Golf Shirt or Polo Shirt
• An interesting or unique item

Which, if purchased all at once, on average, came to a whopping price of just under $300. A team hat in just about any style averaged about $38 across the teams stores. Game like Jerseys, like the ones the players wear – well, the more unique, the higher the price – but the ones the players wear in the game will set you back an average cost of $120 for a men’s jersey. Want to get a commemorative pin for your school jacket or bookbag – this one is not too bad at an average cost of $8. Sweatshirts or hoodies averaged about $75. Golf shirts, very popular with business professionals, averaged around $60. Add in a miscellaneous item like a coffee sack or dog dress or dugout mug or koozie, you are pushing or past that $300 mark in the average souvenir team store.

I am by no means condoning shopping at these MILB team stores. I personally own (have purchased) hoodies, hats, shirts, and miscellaneous swag from about 20 different MILB parks I have visited over the last decade or so. I am merely pointing out that the costs to purchase team store merchandise is not always reflective of the average fan’s wallets attending the games. Team stores are part of the Minor League Baseball organization and they are in the business of making money, so I am also not suggesting they give the items away for free or even cost. I just wish the prices were a bit more reasonable because I would probably buy more stuff. In the end, it is a personal choice whether to buy or not based on your personal financial situation.

I know that I have had great shopping experience in the Norfolk Tides Team store at Harbor Park. I have a hat, hoodie, and will most likely hit the store one more time tomorrow night during the Tides game vs the Nashville Sounds. And if you would like to see MILB team store merchandise in one spot online, check out this link – MILB Team Stores – to find a hat, a jersey, a pin, a sweatshirt, a golf shirt, or a cool miscellaneous item for the baseball fan in your life. They have some really cool clearance items for each team on sale now, while supplies last. I’m going to head over there this week and get some cool swag from my favorite MILB teams myself!!!