I agree with you about the view in some up-front seats, unless you’re literally front row. Especially if you’re 5’3″ like me. Yankee Stadium is (or was) a prime example, I hated sitting down at the front there.

Lots of offices and job roles (like, uh, mine) have access to free tickets from colleagues and clients and subs. You better believe I work that for all I can. The powers-that-be in my workplace know I’m always free if no clients want the seats for upcoming games.

Purchasing four tickets for a big match and selling on two can also be a good way to recoup some of the cost of your seats. I don’t have time for that any more, but did it a lot in NY.

I often wonder where little kids are concerned why people don’t take them to minor league games more. You have a better view, the craic is generally great, and it’s much much cheaper. A five year old can’t appreciate watching the Leafs more than the Marlies, however cute s/he looks done up in all the replica gear. For that matter, minor league games are pretty fun for adults too. We had a lot of great nights watching the Bridgeport Sound Tigers and the Staten Island Yanks, and I’m sad I haven’t really found their equivalents in the GTA.