Best ways KC Royals fans can save money at Kauffman Stadium

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Increasing costs for fans is one of the worst trends affecting all professional sports. Whether it be parking, tickets, or merchandise, there are several ways a sports team can milk paying fans for money. The KC Royals are not an exception to the rule, but MLB teams have a thin line between exploiting fans or giving them a good deal. Promotions and great matchups will get fans through the gate, but how or if they spend money afterward is tough.

The KC Royals give some value back to their fans.

Absurd parking fees and overpriced, low-quality Fanatics jerseys in the team store are always under fire. But there are recent changes that help fans visiting Kauffman Stadium save some dough. From my perspective, I can always appreciate it. The cost of attending a game kept me out of any professional stadium until I was an adult. If Kansas City makes small moves that make attending games less of a financial burden, I love it.

In the same vein, not all Royals fans know where and how to save money. Here are some of my favorite deals and how they make a Kauffman Stadium visit even better.

Dollar Dog Night presented by Price Chopper and Heinz

Let's get this straight: I am a sucker for Dollar Dog Night at any sporting event, but baseball especially. I went to Camden Yards last year for the Royals and Baltimore Orioles series, and a normal, hot-off-the-roller hot dog was $7. That was more than I paid for parking! Yeah, you can be jealous, Kauffman regulars.

In Kansas City, Dollar Dog Night is as simple as it sounds. Every Tuesday home game has $1 hot dogs. Not only is it a ballpark staple, but it is probably the simplest food at any sporting event. I have rushed from work to a baseball game, with no time for food in between. Cheap hot dogs are always my go-to for dinner, albeit an unhealthy one.

Baseball games, from a fan's perspective, have plenty of pillars, and the hot dog is one. This fan value is very simple and straightforward. On Tuesdays, the Royals host a variety of notable teams, including the New York Yankees and Detroit Tigers. A cheap way to fill a belly while watching a game is a win in my book.

Concession Value Menu

This is my favorite renewed fan value this season. The Dollar Dog Night is a budget option, but it's limited to a few games. Kansas City's expanded value menu is available at every single home game. According to the team's website, "fans can find ballpark favorites for $5 or less, including beer, soda, hot dogs, pretzels, and popcorn." That sounds great to me!

That short list includes all of the staples fans can expect at any given ball game, no matter the level. This value menu may not have everything for every palate or diet, but that comes with the territory. Parents aren't forced to choose between "gourmet" hot dogs or obscenely priced BBQ plates to feed their kids.

Don't want a hot dog? Get a pretzel. Don't want a pretzel? Get some popcorn. Don't want popcorn? Well, tough tuchus, because those are the options.

Tickets and other surrounding fees are expensive just to get through Kauffman's gates. This value menu helps leave some financial burdens at home and makes a traditional ballgame experience possible on a tighter budget. These options are also available throughout the concourse. Fans can find the value menu in sections 120, 135, 201, 213, 242, 405, 417, and 422.

Price Chopper Sunday 4-Pack

The value menu items become even more of a steal when bundled in the Sunday 4-Pack. If there is a Sunday game you want to take the family to, this is the deal to make it happen. Fans get four tickets, four hotdogs, four sodas, and a parking pass. Considering you can get that for $60, that is a great steal.

Now, are those seats perfectly situated behind the home dugout? No, absolutely not. However, View Reserved tickets aren't terrible and come in at $15 a pop. You can buy better seats, such as the Outfield Plaza or Field Plaza, but those rise to $20 and $25, respectively. No matter how you slice it, this is a good deal, especially with the inclusion of an overpriced parking pass.

If you have no qualms about where you sit or plan to blow the bank on concessions, the Sunday 4-Pack is a good way to get a group to Kauffman Stadium. But, like Dollar Dog Night, Kansas City also hosts some good Sunday matchups this season. Whether it be the 2023 World Series-winning Texas Rangers or an AL Central foe, there are good options.

Jackson County Days presented by KCATA

The Royals' home is in Jackson County for now, no matter how the April 2nd vote shook out. Local fans should catch a game or two, and the Kansas City Area Transportation Authority (KCATA) tries to make that feasible. As such, Jackson County residents have "50% off dynamically priced Royals tickets in the Loge Outfield, Outfield Plaza, and View Level seating areas," according to the Royals' website.

There are plenty of games that county residents can get no more than eight tickets to. The remaining Jackson County days are as follows: 4/11, 4/19, 4/24, 4/25, 5/3, 5/7, 5/20, 5/22, 6/2, 6/8, 6/13, 6/25, 6/28, 7/2, 7/21, 7/24, 7/28, 8/7, 8/21, 8/25, 9/2, 9/4, 9/8, 9/16, 9/17, 9/18, 9/20.

Check out the ticket prices here after you jump through some necessary hoops. This seems like a good deal, and one where the Royals pay a little back to the taxpayers.