Adventures In Baseball Economics: The Rangers Would Appreciate Your Business

It's a tough time to be a middle-class American citizen. Not as tough as, say, being a middle class Zimbabwean -- the bum on your street is upper-middle class in Zimbabwe -- but still, it's kinda tough. Gas and food prices are high, and if you're normal, you probably have at least some credit card debt or a mortgage you can't really afford or both. Welcome to 2008.

Throw all those things together and luxuries like baseball start to get thrown out the window. The Rangers are feeling those pains:

If that rate holds the rest of the season, the Rangers would record their lowest average attendance since 1988, the year before Hall of Famer Nolan Ryan – now the team's president – first took the mound at old Arlington Stadium. [...] One of those fans making tough choices is Joe Siegler, who writes the rangerfans.com blog and says he attended as many as 20 to 25 games a season just a few years ago. "Do I spend the money on my family for food or on the Rangers?" he said.

Kudos to Mr. Siegler for choosing to feed his family over attending baseball. That's very responsible of you, Mr. Siegler. Unfortunately, in Texas, showing such blatant disregard for the fortunes and finances of the home team is considered unpatriotic. Texas wants you gone, Mr. Siegler. Move to Sweden or something, you pinko. Freedom isn't free.

As for the rest of Rangers fans, what's your excuse? Car payments? Credit card bills? Pshh. Wusses.