We all know the lines of “Take me out to the ballgame, take me out to the crowd,” but where exactly should I be sitting at the ballgame? As crowds are allowed back to full capacity, many fans are craving live, in-stadium action more than ever. With the major sports leagues allowing full capacity attendance nowadays, there are plenty of opportunities to attend a game in-person. While the word “value” is subjective and seats that one fan might describe as having “great value” might be another fan’s least favorite, we will do our best to discern the advantages of each area in the stadium before ultimately deciding which sections have the best value.
Before we can identify which seats in a stadium have the best value, it is important to first take note of which areas offer the best views and atmosphere. Unsurprisingly, these seats often are the most expensive tickets. At an NFL stadium, the best seats are those closest to the 50 yard line. At an NHL game, the seats closest to center ice are most ideal and in the NBA, courtside seats are your best bet.
Compared to the rectangular shape of other fields, the baseball diamond makes the shape of an MLB game unique. At an MLB game, the seats directly behind home plate and along the baselines are generally regarded as the best seats. An unofficial survey on SportswhereIam.com divided MLB ballparks into zones, and then had users rank which zone was their favorite at a stadium. The survey found that the third base line was where people most liked to sit, as it garnered 35% of the vote.
When it comes to finding value, there are two words you should look for: corner seats. While it may seem exciting to directly sit behind the net at an NHL game or right behind the net at an NBA game, it can be tough to view the action when it is happening at the far side of the court or ice. One of the solutions to this issue is buying a corner seat, as it allows you to simultaneously view the near and far side of the field without any obstacles in your way. To further add value, these seats are similarly priced to others in the same level, or can even potentially be cheaper at times, while offering a significantly better view of the field. Whether you are sitting close to field level, in the middle decks, or up in the nosebleeds, the same principle of finding seats in the corner will always apply. The people with the expertise on finding deals and value with seats would agree; they have corner seats listed as their “best budget seats.”
Depending on what you are looking for, the bleachers can be a fantastic place to sit. If you are looking to sit with passionate fans and use the money you saved on your ticket for a few extra beers with your friends, then the bleachers are the perfect spot; however, they probably won’t be the best spot to take your son or daughter to his/her first baseball game (unless you want them to learn some new words). When it comes to buying tickets, the area that provides the most value varies depending on the occasion or reason for buying the tickets.
Picture Credit: Google Creative Commons Licenses, Twitter
