I started this journey in Arizona and I am am moving forward in the analysis of ballpark gimmicks which brings me to Petco Park in San Diego.
The background:
Petco Park is the home of the San Diego Padres. The stadium opened in 2004, replacing Qualcomm Stadium. The construction cost of over $450 million was partially funded by the Center City Development Corporation and the San Diego Redevelopment Agency–with the Padres owning 30% of the stadium and the City of San Diego owning the other 70%.
What is the fantastic gimmick?
The gimmick:
The “Park at the Park” is a, well, park just beyond the outfield fence. The park is open during games, allowing fans to watch games for only $5. Being from Boston were it is impossible to get an obstructed view seat for under $50, this is an unimaginable luxury. I guessed that the fans in San Diego are not quite as thrilled as I might be.
A quick check on the Padres website shows me that you can still get first row grandstand seats as well as good box seats to Padres games. I’m not talking about a Thursday afternoon game against the Nationals, I’m talking Saturday night games against the likes of Albert Pujols and the Cardinals.
I guess if those tickets are not exactly flying off the shelves that a ticket that puts you 600 feet away from home plate might not be ideal.
Still, maybe it’s just me but it seems like a great gimmick idea to draw in a casual fan, maybe get them hooked.
It’s not difficult to get a good seat at Petco but having said that, the Park at the Park serves a great function. If you have little kids who can’t sit still (and you don’t have the money) there’s nothing better than having a picnic out on the hill. Any play that is obstructed can be viewed on the big screen which is live rather than a replay screen.
On off days the Park is also cool because it’s always open. If you love baseball it’s a nice option to always be able to get close to the park.
Enjoy your tour.