Writing on the Freakonomics blog, Dan Hamermesh suggested that MLB attendance in an inferior good (attendance increases when the economy weakens) because unemployment reduces the opportunity cost of attending games.

This article in today's AJC suggests otherwise:

from two-for-the-price-of-one outfield seats to four-game packages that come with $25 gas gift cards. The Dream, the new WNBA team, cut the price of some weeknight seats to $4, a play on the price of a gallon of gas. The Falcons trimmed the season-ticket price of all upper-level seats, and Georgia Tech slashed some football season tickets by $100.

Although the price-cutting hasn't reached the prime seats, the summer sale signals a recognition among teams that they must react to the weak economy.

Of course, all else is not held constant. Is it the bad economy per se (e.g., a normal good instead of an inferior good) or is it gas prices (a complement for driving to games)? Or, at least in the case of the Braves, attendance could reflect the team's sub-.500 performance (winning and attendance are positively related):

Overall, the Braves say their average attendance through 48 home games is 31,621, down slightly — 1.6 percent — from the same point last season. The drop has been steeper since June 1 — 8.3 percent. [NB--The Braves struggled in June going 11-16.] That might be partly because of the economy and gas prices, although other variables, particularly the schedule, also are at play.

Like Ed, I cringe at the article's use of "price point" instead of price.