双语:国王粉丝

Kings ticket prices have remained fixedthe last three seasons，but many fans say theystill feel priced out of Arco Arena．

国王的主场票价在过去三个赛季没有改变，但很多球迷说阿科球馆的球票价格还是让他们感觉太贵。

Given that chatter-and coupled with thenation's shaky economy-it seemed like a goodtime for a more personal look at the cost of anNBA night out in Sacramento.

鉴于此种议论――也考虑到这个国家摇摇欲坠的经济状况――似乎此时正是在萨克拉门托更加亲身地体验一个NBA之夜所需花费的不错时机。

My bottom line?

我的底线在哪里?

The Kings' average ticket prices are theleague's seventh-highest, but there are stillways to attend a game on a piggy-bankbudget．

国王主场的平均票价在全联盟排名第7，但就算抱着储蓄罐，你也能找到现场看球的办法。

On March 7, I abandoned my mediacredential and courtside seat for a date inArco's upper reaches, where people watchingand fan interaction rivaled the entertainmentprovided by the game between the Kings andthe Minnesota Timberwolves far below.

3月7日，我把自己的媒体证件丢在一边，也放弃了场边的座位为的就是在阿科球馆的上方看台进行一次约会在那里，张望的人们与球迷的互动与下方遥远的球场里国王与明尼苏达森林狼这场比赛提供的娱乐形成了鲜明对照。

What was discovered is that a personcould attend-and enjoy--a Kings game whilekeeping the cost about the same as for a nightat the movies or a casual dinner out.

我的发现是，其实人人都可以现场观看并享受一场国王的比赛，而所花费的代价与看一场电影，或吃一顿休闲晚餐相差无几。

That's quite a feat, considering the Kings'average ticket price is $59.80, according to Team Marketing Research, which annuallypublishes NBA ticket prices.

能做到这一点可并不容易，因为根据每年均NBA球队票价的“团队营销研究”报告，国王的主场平均票价为59.80美元。

My date and I paid just over $21each-$42.25 total-for our Arco experience.It wasn't a deluxe package, and it took someextra planning, but it was a night of NBAbasketball.

为了这趟阿科之旅，我和我的约会对象每个人只付了21美元出头台计42.25美元这可算不上什么豪华套装，而且需要一些额外的筹划但这却是一个实实在在的NBA篮球之夜。

The key was purchasing $10 tickets-yes,they exist-for seats that in some cases arenext to ones costing $ 25.50.

关键在于购买10美元的球票――没错，确实有这样的低价票――而且有些时候，这些票的座位紧挨着票价25.50美元的座位。

The Kings reserve 500 $10 tickets foreach game, and a fraction of that inventoryremains available for the eight home gamesleft this season, said Mitch Germann, the Kings'vice president of business communications.

国王队负责商务交流的副总裁米切・杰尔曼说，国王为每个主场比赛预留了500张10美元的球票，而在本赛季剩下的8个主场比赛中，这种球票的存货已经所剩无几。

Two days before the Kings playedMinnesota, I found $10 seats by perusing theofficial Kings Web site. Ticketmaster also wasstill selling those cheap seats in the arena butwith a $4 service fee added to each ticket.

国王对阵森林狼之前的两天，我通过国王的官方网站找到了10美元的球票。当时，票务员还在球馆内兜售那些便宜的球票，但是每张球票要加收4美元的服务费。

Hoping to avoid the extra charges,I clicked on the Live Support function onthe Kings' home page, a service added inSeptember allowing ticket sales staff to assistfans in a real-time chat room.

我希望能够免除额外的收费，因此我点击国王主页上的“实时帮助”功能。这一功能从去年9月开始刚刚投入使用，能够协助球票销售人员在一个实时聊天室里为球迷给予帮助。

A box popped up introducingme to "Ean J," who turned outto be season ticket sales accountexecutive Ean Jones.

一个窗口弹了出来，将“伊安J”介绍给我，其实他就是季票销售主管伊安・琼斯。

in an e-conversation, Jones saidfans can avoid the $4 fee by purchasing thetickets at the arena box office.

通过电子对，琼斯说球迷可以在球场售票处购买球票，省去这四美元的费用。

After making sure $10 seats wereavailable, Jones sold them to me over thephone, helping me avoid an extra trip to Arco.The transaction was with my debit card, $20for the two tickets, and Jones placed them atAFCO'S will-call window．

在确信能够买到10美元的球票之后，琼斯通过电话将它们卖给了我，我也省得专程去阿科球馆跑一趟。交易款直接从我的借记卡中扣除，两张球票共20美元，琼斯把票留在了阿科球馆的预订零售窗口。

Jones was unaware I work for The Beeuntil I talked to him again several days afterthe game. Assessing Jones' service, Germannsaid he had gone above and beyond inproviding help, though it is the kind of servicethe Kings strive to provide.

琼斯并不知我供职于《萨克拉门托蜜蜂报》，直到那场比赛结束几天之后我再次和他搭上了话。对于琼斯的服务，杰尔曼说他有点热情过头了，尽管这种服务才是国王队一支努力的方向。

The service was helpful and fast that time,but on other attempts to use Live Support, thewait was up to 10 minutes.

那次的服务确实有效快捷，但对于尝试使用“实时帮助”功能的其他人来说，等待的时间却可能长达10分钟。

The night of the game, I left an hourbefore tipoff hoping to find a way to avoidpaying Arco's $10 parking fee. That was easierthan anticipated because of an empty parkinglol On Arena Boulevard，a place known to otherArco patrons．I did not see a sign that warned0f restrictions．and none 0f the other bargainshoppers parking around me appeared toworry about it．

比赛那晚我在跳球前一小时出发，因为我想省去阿科球馆10美元停车费。其实这比预想得还要容易，因为在球馆大道有个闲置停车场，阿科球馆的老主顾们都知道它。我并没有看到任何限制停车的告示牌，而且其他停在我们周围，想省点小钱的球迷们似乎都不担心这个问题。

"I'm not against paying (for parking), butit helps in this economy," said Citrus Heightsresident Lou Gearing, who parked near us."After seven years of paying for parking (insideArco), someone told me about this. I thought Icould save a little money. After 40 games, thatadds up."

“我并不反对(为停车)付费，但这(指这个免费停车场)对于如今的经济状况帮助很大。”住在西特鲁斯高地的卢・吉尔林说，他的车停在距离我们不远，在(阿科球馆里)付了7年停车费后，有人告诉我这里(可以免费停车)．我想我可以省下不少钱了看40场比赛，那就不是个小数目。”

There were easily 30 cars around ours,although the lot still looked empty.

在我们周围，很轻易地就能看到30辆车，尽管这个停车场看上去依然十分空旷。

"If it's raining, I will park in the arena,"Gearing said.

“如果下雨我还是会停球馆里。”吉尔林说。

Otherwise, the walk to the arena is notmuch farther-about 60 feet-than the mostremote reaches of the Arco lot.

从这里走到球馆并不太远――与阿科球馆内停车场最远端车位间距离不过60英尺。

A short wait in the wilt-call line, and wehad tickets in hand for Section 219, Row R,Seats 15 and 16. which included an aisle seat.

在预订零售窗口排队稍等了片刻我们拿到了位于219区第R排第15、16号座位，其中还有一个座位挨着过道。

There is certainly a difference from mycourtside media seat, where you run the riskof a player tumbling onto your laptop. Up here,there is the danger of someone spilling beer onyour lap.

当然，这不能与我设在场边的媒体座席同日而语，那里随时都可能有一位球员摔过来一头撞向我的笔记本电脑。而在这里，危险在于随时有人会把啤酒洒在你的大腿上。

The view was decent enough to allow meto watch and enjoy the action, with the added

benefit of narration from the drunk guy behindme screaming, "We want Bibby back."

这里的视野足够好，让我观看并享受比赛，而且还能得到额外好处，因为坐在我后面的那个酒鬼一直在大喊：“我们想让毕业回来。”

We were surrounded by seat-hoppingboys and girls basketball players from Loomis,along with their weary-eyed parents.

在我们周围，到处都是在座位间蹦来跳去的篮球小子和姑娘们，他们来自鲁米斯，与他们同行的父母眼中充斥着的都是倦怠的神情。

Lawanda Tassinari, mother ofone of the13 -year-old players,saidgoingto thegamewith the group was fun but reminded her ofhow much she misses having season tickets.

拉万达・塔西纳里是一个13岁孩子的母亲，她说与这个群体一起现场看球确实是件开心的事，但是也让她无比怀念当初拥有季票的日子。

"We had them for 10 years but gave themup before this year," Tassinari said. "We missit. We can't afford it anymore. They are tooexpensive."

“我曾拥有10年季票，但本赛季开始前放弃了继续购买。”塔西纳里说，“我们很想接着买下去，但是再也买不起了，季票实在太贵了。”

She wasn't the only person who said shefelt that way. It was hard to find anyone whosaid ticket prices were reasonable.

她并不是唯一有这种感觉的人，很难找到某个人会说国王球票价格合理。

Neither would John Hernandez. Althoughhis family of five tries to cut corners by eating

dinner before going to the game, it's still"just expensive," Hernandez said.

约翰・赫尔南德斯也不会这样说。尽管他的五口之家为了省钱，在去看球之前先在家里吃完了晚餐，但球票还是“太贵”，赫

尔南德斯说。

$42.25 tally includedthe tickets ($20), twolarge beers and a jalapelo-topped nachos ($22.25),certainly within range oftaking a date to the moviesor grabbing a decent bite toeat.

我们总额42.25美元的账单上包括两张球票(共20美元)，两大杯啤酒和一份洒着胡椒粉的烤干酪辣味玉米片(22.25美元)。显然和你的约会对象看一场电影或吃顿像样的晚餐相比这笔钱显然没有超出预算。

Now, if only we hadchosen a more entertaininggame.

现在想想，我们真的应该挑一场更有看头的比赛。