The average cost around the major leagues keeps rising, but an average ticket at Fenway Park is by far the most expensive.

01:00 AM EDT on Tuesday, April 4, 2006

Get ready to pay more to go out to the ol' ballgame this year.

Baseball ticket prices are up an average of 5.4 percent, and the Boston Red Sox have the highest average for the ninth straight season.

Tickets in the major leagues average $22.21, the Team Marketing Report said yesterday, up from a revised average of $21.08 last year. The NFL averaged $58.95 last year, the NBA $45.92 this season and the NHL $41.19.

"From the standpoint of family entertainment, baseball remains very affordable compared against comparable entertainment," said Bob DuPuy, baseball's chief operating officer. "MLB is a special, but fairly priced, family fare."

Boston, which has the smallest major league ballpark, hiked its average ticket 4.3 percent to $46.46.

"The irony is that the Red Sox refused to raise prices this year on more than 70 percent of Fenway Park's tickets," Red Sox spokesman Charles Steinberg said.

The Chicago Cubs, whose Wrigley Field has among the lowest capacities, was second at $34.30 following a 7.2 percent increase.

St. Louis, moving into a new Busch Stadium, was third at $29.78 after raising prices 12.1 percent. The New York Yankees, who have baseball's highest payroll at $190 million-plus, were next at $28.27.

Oakland had the highest percentage increase, a 25.2 percent rise to $22.10, followed by the Tampa Bay Devil Rays, whose average went up 24.7 percent to $17.09.

Kansas City has the lowest average in the major leagues at $13.71, leaving prices unchanged from last year.

Only two teams lowered their averages: the Atlanta Braves were down 2.5 percent to $17.07, and the Colorado Rockies 1.3 percent to $14.72.

Figures for the survey were either provided from teams, TMR's Becky Wallace said, or taken from teams' Web sites. TMR's fan cost index rose 4.6 percent to $171.89. The figure includes two adult tickets at the average, two child tickets at the average if available, two beers, four soft drinks, four hot dogs, parking, two programs and two adult caps. The index ranged from $287.84 at Fenway Park to $120.35 in Kansas City.