Best Place to sit at a Baseball Game for the Lowest Price
The best place to sit at a baseball game depends on more than just the view. It’s about atmosphere and fan culture. It’s about catching home runs or being able to distract the opposing team’s pitcher. It’s also about ensuring you’ve got an adequate supply of refreshments and, subsequently, access to facilities.
Considering all these things, the best seats are the ones you want at a price you can afford. Here’s a breakdown of the most popular chairs in baseball and why people choose them.
The Best Seats at a Baseball Game.
There are quite literally hundreds of seating zones in most large ballparks. We’re not going to be able to go over the pros and cons of all of these, so let’s leave out the boxes and championship suites and focus on the day-to-day seating of most fans.
You’ve got two basic categories: outfield and home plate. Outfield includes right and left-field and the bleachers, which are usually the more affordable locations. Home plate, or behind the dugout, is where the intense action is, but it comes at a price.
Then there are upper and lower decks for most of these sections. These factors play a part in the overall experience and will determine the view, the atmosphere, and the action. They’ll also be priced differently and have varying access levels to peripheral attractions such as hotdog stands and toilets.
Let’s start with a look at the pros and cons of the different field positions.
Field Position.
Outfield seats are generally cheaper and benefit from a wide-angle view of the field but come at the expense of being further from the action.
Obviously, behind the dugout or home plate would be a more immersive experience, but this isn’t what everyone wants from the game, so many are happier with a broader scope and calmer energy, especially at the more attractive prices these seats usually go for.
So, we’ll look at some of the benefits of the mid-range and cheaper seats, but let’s first go over the most sought-after and, therefore, most expensive seats at the game.
Expensive Seats.
Behind Home Plate
These are the true fanatic’s seats. For those who think closer is better, it’s worth paying for the most expensive seats at the game. Aside from being face-to-face with the action, these premium seats will sometimes offer other perks like wait service and exclusive amenities. One of the significant downsides as of late is that protective netting is often required to reduce brain injury from rogue balls, and that can be a bit of an obstruction to the clear view. Not all stadiums have this, so check it out before you book to avoid disappointment.
Behind the Dugout.
These are next in line and give a great view of players swapping out between innings. Home and away dugouts are sometimes different, so do some research before choosing if these are the seats you want. As with the home plate seats, the nets in some stadiums might be annoying to look through.
Medium-Price Seats.
Outfield
Depending on the stadium, these seats might make it hard to see the scoreboards, but otherwise, this is where the home runs will land, and the distant overview of the whole game is a big draw for people who choose these seats.
These seats are mid-range in price, and you can pick upper or lower decks, depending on budget and preference. The outfield seats have a more casual, socializing atmosphere than the seats closer to the action. Home runs are basically a baseball lottery: everyone dreams of catching one, but statistically, you’re not going to. However, take the lower rows if the dream is worth paying for.
Keep in mind that depending on your team, you might find some high-energy and potentially unsavory folks in the outfield, so if you’re bringing kids, keep this in mind.
Cheapest Seats.
Bleachers
These are usually the cheapest seats, so there’s a perk right off the bat. They also have a panoramic view of the show and are usually close enough to the bullpens. The downsides of these are that they fill up fast, and they can get hot if they’re not covered. In Yankee Stadium, families prefer left-field and “Bleacher Creatures” and trash-talkers prefer the right-field bleachers.
Up or Down?
Sitting up in the upper levels has several benefits. First off, if you’re in a stadium like Oracle Park, you’re going to get some impressive scenic views from the right field. Be careful here, though. Some stadiums like Guaranteed Rate Field in Chicago won’t allow fans with upper-level tickets to come down and check out the lower levels!
Ticket prices for these levels vary with proximity to the game: lower rows are more expensive but offer a better view.
Meanwhile, sitting in the lower tiers gives a closer view of the action, but you will lose some of the stadium atmospheres that you get from being above the roar. Comerica Park’s lower rows have particularly good views of downtown and a nice full view of the game.
Is the View All You Want?
Finding the best place to sit at a baseball game is about more than just watching the game. You can see the game at home; showing up live is about the atmosphere, the event, and the crowd. The stadium food, the smells, the sounds, the souvenirs. When buying a ticket, it’s a good idea to factor in more than just the view. Here are a couple of things worth considering.
Facilities.
Restrooms, concessions stands, and bathrooms are all things you might want to consider. Often, the upper tiers have the best access to all three, but this might vary across different venues.
Wheelchair accessible.
Handicapped seating is available in upper and lower tiers. It’s worth considering seating suitable for wheelchairs, even if you aren’t handicapped. The perks of bringing your own chair include getting out or letting people out of the row without disturbing the other fans or having to stand up to get out of their way.
Scoreboard.
This one may or may not be a priority for you as a fan, depending on what you’re looking for. But if you’re going to one of the stadiums that have kept the traditional scoreboard like Wrigley Field, it would be a shame to miss the human touch by paying for seats behind it.
The crowd.
As mentioned, some cities have different crowds than others. And certain types of fans can be found in certain ballpark seats. If you want passionate fans, try the lower tiers or dugouts. If you want a relaxed family outing, maybe try the upper levels.
Conclusion.
There’s no answer to which are the best seats at a baseball game. The best place to sit at a baseball game depends on what’s best for you. Different seats have different perks, and the culture varies wildly between zones, and with this guide, you’re a step closer to knowing which one suits you best.
What can be asserted with some certainty is there will be a crowd for you and a ticket price you can afford. Have a look at Barry’s Tickets to find great prices for your choice of great seats. Even better, get a 100% refund if the event is canceled.
