Baseball park etiquette
 

Was able to attend a Mariners-Yankees game in Seattle last weekend. Safeco Field is the 6th major league park I have visited, and it is beautiful, with great sight lines and yummy Seattle food--everything from hot dogs to sushi, saki and grilled salmon. They have what struck me as a really wierd practice in a ballpark, though: the ushers block the top of each aisle during at-bats, with little signs admonishing you to wait for the end of the current at-bat out of courtesy to the other fans, before you are allowed to go back to your seat. I have to know: is there any other ballpark in America that enforces this kind of thing? I felt like I was at the opera, not a ballgame!

That's bizarre - it sounds like a tennis match (and I think they only do this at tennis matches to people walking around doesn't distract the players). They certainly don't prohibit your movement here at Cincinnati Reds games (how else would I go get my snacks when the other team is batting?!?).

They do this at Giants games.

At SJ Sharks hockey games, you have to wait for a stopage in play to return to your seat.

Well, maybe it's a California/West Coast thing, it sure hasn't been seen at Cubs and White Sox games as yet!

Thats some good info to know Marilynl, I'll remember to bring my air horn if I ever head to Safeco Field. ;-) What such bologna. Id like to see them do that at Lincoln Financial Field 8-)

It is NOT a California thing. The Angels or Dodgers have not adapted this practice.

The only thing remotely close to this is during a Mighty Ducks Hockey game.

Since an at bat can take several minutes, this is ridiculous. Also must play hell on the concession stands and bathrooms in between innings.

J_Correa: I though they only did it at PacBell with the seats behind home such as those in the clubhouse level.

that is really weird. certainly never heard of it elsewhere.

At hockey games, they don't want you out of your seat during play because you could get hit with a flying puck.

I've never heard of such an oddity at a baseball game...?

Most hockey games do this, even way up in the noseblead seats.

marylynl: were the seats down low like SAB said? I think I've seen the same done at Busch Stadium in St. Louis. Then again I'm way up high so I could be seeing things wrong.

I haven't seen those signs at Safeco Field (then again my only game so far this year was as a guest in the owner's suite - ooh la la $) ). Sometimes I wish Seattle would get a (partial) DNA transplant from Chicago or Rome. Courtesy can be sooo confining...

I saw this two weekends ago at an Arizona Diamondbacks ballgame at Bank One Ballpark. This was in a section that had "seatside service". You ordered your food & drink from a waitress and then a guy came and delivered the food.

It makes a lot of sense, really.

It's posted at Fenway, but no one adhered to it yesterday! One requirement of attendance seemed to be proliferance of profanity. Yikes!

At Fenway Park (Boston) there is an announcement at beginning of game asked that after the 3rd inning, fans only leave seats btween batters or between innings. Everyone ignores the announcement.

This was in the lower level seats but out in right field, and they really ENFORCED it. You couldn't overlook the signs, though, because there were very adament ushers holding them--they were on little sticks, like a campaign sign, for ease in waving in patrons faces.

Yes, I always appreciate it when people wait for a lull in the game before leaping out of their seats to get snacks or whatever, but the concept of forcing people--sometimes LOTS of people if it's a long at-bat-- to wait at the head of the aisle for a lull in the game was a new one on me.

Yes, the signs do exist!

Just a courtesy thing. Safeco Field seating is row 1 thru 41 with no walkway or break, as in some other ball parks, and even the old Kingdom.

When you pay $50 to see a game, you really don't want to have people walking in front of you all the time.

I think it works well. But perhaps not for all.

I'd like to see them try this at Yankee stadium. There'd be a riot.

Plus - ssince most people are often standing for a large part of the game anyway - why would it make any difference.

That sounds like a lot of bunk. Are you allowed to BOO at the park?

nytraveler....interesting point! and I think you are correct. Love those Yankee fans.


However, as stated in most of the ticketing vendors info....
"Seats to Avoid"
Rows A-B in all main boxes. the concourse is located in front of these rows so people walking to and from may obstruct your view."
Therefore only in the first 10 rows A-J
of the Field Boxes are there no obstructions. The Main, and Main reserved sections first two rows (A-B)
are obstructed.
Trust me...the old Kingdom was built like this also, and it was aggravating to have people walking in front of you the whole game. Safeco Field is built as to not have these obstructions.

It's just a different twist on seating.
Not that is better or worse.

Come to Safco Field....we are nice to
ALL our fans....it's baseball..it's supposed to be fun!
((by the way, I am also a NYY fan))
Glad we at least got one game last weekend!!

Yankee Stadium has character. WOW

Ok, then if most people are standing for most of a game at Yankee stadium, then that would be different from my experiences at a dozen other ballparks across the country. We are talking about baseball, right?, not a rock concert.

circa2, do you know if I can get a replacement for a lost ticket? I got a ticket for the game on September 6 through Ticketmaster and can't find it.