The pitcher uncoils like a spring, and within an instant, the ball pops loudly into the catcher’s glove. ‘Strike,’ shouts the umpire as he raises his arm into the air. The batter looks back at him dubiously but wisely chooses not to say anything. As the catcher rises from his crouch and tosses the ball back to the mound, the visiting manager claps his hands encouraging the hitter to get his mind back into the at-bat.
The seats directly behind home plate provide an experience unlike any other in sports. You are so close to the action, it’s like being part of the game. Though the netting separating you from the playing field is welcome when a foul ball comes screaming back in your direction at 100 miles an hour. At a Major League Park, access to this view can cost hundreds of dollars for a game. My similar experience at recent Minor League game set me back $10.
The Tampa Bay Rays are off to a great start this season. ESPN has declared the Rays to be the most exciting team in baseball. They are also one of the most affordable Major League teams with an average ticket price of $44. While I like to go see the Rays play, it’s hard to justify that expense very often. Add in parking, food, and a beer (or two), and you’re getting close to a C-note to see a game in person.
Going to a Minor League game cuts that figure more than in half. My recent outing took me to a Florida Fire Frogs game against the Daytona Tortugas. (Colorfully original team names are in abundant supply in the Minors.) I still paid for parking at the Fire Frogs stadium in Kissimmee, but the $5 charge was much easier to stomach than $20. Concession prices were sadly closer to the Major Leagues, with a typical ballpark meal of a hot dog, fries, and soda running about two-thirds the Big League cost. The price of beer was on par with the Majors, though the Fire Frogs occasionally offer a unique promotion where (some) beer is free until the opposing team scores. Hopefully, this is a trend other teams will pick up on!
Another bonus of attending a Minor League game is that the seating options are plentiful. After baking for part of the game in the Florida sunshine behind home plate, a move to shaded seats in the grandstand was in order. Most Minor League stadiums in Florida were designed for Spring Training and can hold seven to ten thousand people. There were maybe two hundred fans at the Fire Frogs game on a steamy Sunday afternoon. A great crowd for them would be a thousand. This situation gives you plenty of opportunities to move around and see the game from different points of view. Granted, the Rays and some other big-league teams generally have plenty of good seats available, but they also have ushers whose sole joy in life seems to be keeping people out of sections they don’t have tickets for.
The lower cost and spacious seating would not be as meaningful if the product on the field were not worth watching. I will be the first to admit that the quality of play at the Fire Frogs game did not measure up to Major League standards. I don’t remember the last time I saw an MLB player called out for being hit by a batted ball. A Fire Frogs player ran right into one early in the game. This does not mean the games in the Minors are any less entertaining. Some of the players will make their way to the Majors, but most will slowly watch their dreams fade away. While the execution may not be flawless, the desire of those dreams shines through. The Daytona pitcher worked around nine baserunners to throw five shutout innings. His joyous relief at making it through the gauntlet was evident. Florida staged a furious rally in the eighth inning, nearly catching up after what seemed like a lost cause. The players were genuinely surprised when they didn’t succeed. Major leaguers play with passion, but they do so as well in the Minors.
I recently wrote about the fact I thought Major League Baseball was broken for the modern audience and provided ten ideas to fix it. The reaction was mixed. Many people agreed with at least a few of my ideas. Some people told me to just stop watching. I won’t do that. I plan on supporting the Rays this year as they hopefully defy the odds and win the American League East, but I will probably attend more Minor League games. The value simply makes more sense.
Some of the most enjoyable “stadiums” that I have been to have been minor league parks. Go to Louisville Slugger Field in Louisville and try not to fall in love with minor league baseball. Although your post concerns the Minors, I’d like to add a college baseball addendum. The passion is there, the economic pricing is there and in the case of Texas A&M – Bubbles! Every time the Aggies score, the fans turn on their blue fish bubble machines!
Give me a non-Major league game any day.
Thanks for the tip on Louisville. It’s definitely on my list. Good call on college baseball too. They were free for students when I went to UF, and I spent a good portion of my Springs going to their games. It’s been forever since I’ve been to a college game. Will have to check one out again soon.