Rake Me Out to the Ballgame

“The result isn’t just inconvenient. It’s lonely. As access shatters, rituals vanish, as do the moments that make sports communal — a bar full of strangers cheering for the same team, the generational ties passed down through the seasons. Those experiences fade under a system that dictates that the more you can pay, the more you can see — until the game disappears behind another paywall.” Joon Lee on how one of our last, great communal activities is getting paywalled—whether you want to go to a game or just watch one on TV. NYT (Gift Article): $4,785. That’s How Much It Costs to Be a Sports Fan Now. (Unless you want a beer and a hot dog, too. Then it’s more like six grand.)