I never bought them all, just a fraction, usually my Dad and I would split 1/4 or 1/8. My cousins would take the rest. Part of the reason I quit was that a couple of years ago the stadium added 2 rows along the front. While that put us even further out into the field, the price tripled. Fun’s fun but I’m not comfortable doing that on a regular basis.
It depends on how the stadium is laid out, but I’d much rather be in the second (or even third) deck, behind the plate. Basically where the announcers generally are.
I’ve sat in some awesome seats at AT&T Park, specifically ~6 rows behind the plate, and in the front row at the left field bullpen, for Bonds’ last game.
Those were both a lot of fun, and I’m glad I did them, but I think that in general, due to the nature of the sport, the size of the field, and the directions of play, an aerial view is best for baseball. It’s a pain in the ass having to be at the mercy of the umpires and their signals to have any idea what’s going on. Up top near the plate, you can better tell off the bat if it’ll land near the line, and react accordingly.
I suppose this would be tempered a bit by season tickets- over time, you’d be able to calibrate your brain to figure out what a fair or foul ball looks like off the bat.
Oh, and I’m not even going into luxury seats or any of that. I’m there for baseball, not for schmoozing or food. I am glad that AT&T’s suites have a couple rows of “normal” outdoor seating; Candlestick’s didn’t. Here, I can still just sit down, be cold and loud, and watch the damn game (not that it often comes up).
The Yankees have tickets that start at $550 per game, their site does not list the highest cost.
When I was in college I worked as the scoreboard operator for a Div. 1 college football team. We were in the box next to the ESPN announcers, and they were pretty awesome seats. Good unobstructed views, and the windows opened fully but the heat was high enough inside you were never cold. When I shiver watching games now, I miss it.
I don’t live in a major-league market, but Airman’s uncle had a corporate box at the Giant Center in Hershey, and we saw a couple of shows like Disney on Ice and the Harlem Globetrotters there. It was very nice, and the view wasn’t bad, but the fact that I wasn’t in the audience proper, in a place where it was OK to talk, made it difficult to watch the show. The seats were comfy, though.
I’ve also sat right behind home plate in a minor-league ballpark. Again, it was nice, but being apart from the hoi polloi kinda took away from the ballpark experience.
I always wondered if I was ever rich, should I get luxury box or courtside season tickets for my beloved Blazers? Last season, my dad scored tickets from the lawyers of his company for my brother and me. Second row from the floor, underneath one of the baskets. Courtside it is!
I was wearing my Blazer cap and my bro wore a Blazer T that I bought him at the arena. There were three guys in the row in front of us and it was their first time so close, as well. They wore jerseys. Everyone else around us were wearing suits, ties or collared shirts. Such primo seating is wasted on the rich. They didn’t seem to properly appreciate it.
The only other bad thing about that night was that the Blazers lost.
My point (not moot at all) was that the price differential you have to pay NOW for “BEST NFL SEATS IN HOUSE” vs. “OKAY SEATS” is MUCH MORE than it was even a few years ago (per your original example). Between the 40’s at New Meadowlands in the main deck, pretty much defines “Best Seats in the house (50 yd line vs. 40 yd line not being a really big deal).” And ALL of those Require paying the $550"club" fee PLUS PSL cost. Move upstairs and there’s no club cost and no PSL fee (for Jets game).
A number of years ago, my brother was coming to Atlanta (where I live) on business, and wanted to go to a Braves game. I have a co-worker/friend whose husband worked for the ball club. I had never asked for tickets, even though other people in my office did all the time. She said sure, they would have them at will-call.
Head to the ballpark on the appointed night, my brother was really excited, he had never seen a major league game live before, and, on top of that, Greg Maddox was pitching for the Braves, Randy Johnson for the Diamondbacks.
We get to the park, go to will-call and pick up our tickets. We follow the signs around to the appropriate section and head down the aisle. And keep going. And keep going.
OMG, we are in Row 1, right beside the Braves dugout on the 1st base side. This is Ted Turner’s box!! He’s not there, obviously, but it’s his box! I could reach over and smack Booby Cox on the head if I wanted to. Wow.
Game starts, and yes, these seats are amazing!! We can hear Greg Maddox grunt with every pitch. We can hear the back and forth chatter between the hitter, catcher, and umpire. You can see every little detail, like the puff of dust from the catcher’s mitt when the ball hits it.
Wow, it was so worth it, even if we had paid for those seats. The fact that they were free was just icing.
Needless to say, that night (Braves won, btw, on a monster Chipper Jones HR) was a highlight my brother still talks about often.
We regularly spring for seats right behind home plate, 4 rows back. It’s worth every penny of the $24 it costs.
I’ve sat in those seats, too. Fun to be able to hear the pop of the catcher’s mit with each pitch.
Makes it a lot more fun to yell at the ump, too. 
(My wife says I’m the reason they cut off beer sales after the stretch.)