A Valuable Job Perk

Our company buys four seats to the local minor league baseball team each year. There are about 10 nights per summer that the business pays for, then each of the employees selects the night that works best for them and gets the four tickets for that night. They are great seats (right at third base and about five rows up from the field) and my family always enjoys going.

This year, we went on August 23. Our team was blown out, but most of the fun of a minor league game was just being there. It was a beautiful night after all and we had a blast watching the various activities they had between innings (in addition to the game itself, of course.)

As I added up all the costs associated with the evening as well as the "extras" we got the chance to experience, I realized what a great perk this was from my company. Here's the tally of our costs as well as some freebies we received just for attending that night:

• Tickets for the game: Four tickets at $10 each. Would have cost us $40, but we got them for free.
• Vouchers for hot dogs and drinks for each of us: $4.50 each. Would have cost us $18, but we got them for free with our tickets.
• Preferred parking (right in front of the stadium): Would have cost us $5, but we got this for free as well.
• Ice cream cones: $10 for three cones (I didn't get one.) We had to pay for these -- even though it was highway robbery to charge that much. :-(
• Mock jerseys: It was "jersey night" for kids, so we got two, free mock jerseys for free. My son loved them! My daughter, not so much.
• Fireworks show: Got it for free after the game.
• Coupons: There was a coupon book in the center of the program (which we got for free). Looking at them, we'll probably net $5 in savings from their use.

Overall, we got a lot of stuff, fun, and savings for not much cost at all (only the ice cream cones). It was a great night all around!!!

How about you? Does your company have any sort of unique perks like this one?

Comments

[Jake]

Yea the company I work for buy 4 seats to the local Major League team and passes then out to employees based on seniority. We dont get food vouchers that that makes up for the difference in the cost of the ticket between minor and major league prices. Pretty nice perk, not quite a fully furnished club seat though.

no

[David]

My company does a similar thing with all sorts of tickets & shared passes to things like the zoo and museums. But in our case it's not that we actually purchase the tickets & passes. What happens is that the company is generous, giving many thousands of dollars to local charities and institutions. The perks are not given by the company, really, but are a gracious "thank you" from institutions we give to. You may find, if you investigate, that your company does, in fact, sponsor a large amount of money and that's what gives them the season tickets. Very few people in our company seem to be aware of how it works here; I know because I'm on the giving committee. But I think everyone just thinks "wow, aren't we lucky to have so many ticket raffles and discounts!" Little do they know how generous their employer really is...paying sometimes 10 times what those perks would cost if simply purchased outright!

[Kevin]

My company has season tickets to the St. Louis Cardinals. They are great seats - about 10-15 rows back from the dugout. Each employee gets 2 games a season for free. No food or parking though.

[Bill]

I'm pretty excited. The owner of the small company 6 employees) that I work for got the chance to buy half a season of NBA tickets (12th row at half court) last year allowing my wife and I to go to a few games. He did the same deal this year so it should be fun. I would say costs of over $100 a ticket for free is awesome.

[Mark B.]

My company sponsors a major concert venue, therefore we are always offered free or discounted tickets. Although, it is probably more in relationship to the sponsorship deal, rather than just an act of generosity.

My previous employer would give each employee free tickets to Cedar Point in Ohio for each member of their family, that was a very nice perk.

[guinness416]

We have access to lots of sporting tickets too if we want them, although the best matches generally go to clients.

Best perq I've ever seen? One of my husband's ex-employers occasionally raffled off vacations provided by one of their clients, an ad-venture travel company. We won one of them, and spent two weeks on a kayaking/hiking/diving cruise in B/aja California, in Mexico. All expenses paid. I never would have seen thousands of dolphins jumping out of the ocean at once at sunset without that opportunity!

[guinness416]

Oh, another good one I had was a pass to get to the top of the Empire State Bldg in New York without paying or waiting on line. I used to work for a GC that did a lot of construction there. It was great because as an immigrant I often had family and friends in town.

[rwh]

Kevin: I want to work for your company. Big series starts tonight. It's the Cards last chance to get back in the race!

Our company sponsors a few picnics at the minor league stadium here. That means twice a summer our family goes to the ballpark and gets free tickets and an all-you-can-eat picnic plus free giveaways. Parking is only $3. The only difference is that it's a company get-together rather than each person going once.

[Bad_Brad]

I was looking for the "priceless" punchline in there somewhere (a la Mastercard commercials).

My company has a few discount nights at the local major league baseball team, i.e. instead of $17 for view level tickets, it's $10, or instead of $37 for reserved on the baselines, it's $30. Not bad. They also have discounts to a few of the local university's games (football as well as men's and women's basketball).

[Kevin]

rwh - I fear it's too little, too late for the Cards. But you're right, against the Cubs it's always a big series.

[dcs]

My employer has a private suite at the local arena, but tickets aren't free. You pay whatever the most expensive regular ticket price is, which can be pretty pricey. The only freebie is the free parking in the venue-adjacent suiteholder parking, somewhat devalued by the gated lot at our office two blocks away. I've never used the suite (or been in the arena at all for that matter), but others certainly do. Tickets go quick for the big concerts and events.

[gdaski]

My employer provides free airport parking where the corporate jets are stored. A great perk since we travel on personal trips 25+ days a year.

[Rick]

No. But I do get free juice. Maybe that's good enough...

[Foobarista]

Not *my* company, but we recently went to an Oakland A's game with a friend who got luxury box passes through his company. It was very cool in that it had plush seats, free food, free beer (both Bud and microbrew), and some free souvenirs. We also got VIP parking in front of the stadium.

A good time was had by all - the A's won in the last of the ninth - and we didn't have to spend a dime.

[cet413]

Do the customers of your company pay with tickets and hot dogs? What if you don't like baseball? I prefer to receive any appreciation as cash. I work to make money just as companies do. Cash is king in my book. :-) I got a globe worth $100 for 15 years of service, oooohh, aaaaaah, I'm going to sell it on EBay LOL.

[Meg]

Yes, my company purchased a suite at the local major league ballpark and also at the arena where the hockey team plays, but far from every employee gets to go. For each game a different department gets to use the suite and usually in that department only the best performing employees get to go and invite their top clients. Since there are so many games though, I've gotten invited at the last minute several times just because there were extra tickets on a slow night. Free dinner, free alcohol, though no free parking.

cet413 - I also prefer cash but I think the company probably gets a discount and can offer more than what they have to pay. In addition, my company likes to make you spend your rewards on something so that you actually enjoy it rather than save it. In my case, it is a company picnic at the ballpark which allows cameraderie and all that as well.

[Monroe on a Budget]

I remember Cedar Point Day! There was a major employer in Ohio that was particularly known for providing passes. I was invited on a guest pass one year, and my daughter was able to go more than once on my ex-husband's pass.

The opportunities I have access to these days typically result from corporate sponsorships. But when my family can use one of those credentials, we appreciate it.