Ultimate Baseball Road Trip (64 page)

We don’t know anyone who can afford these seats. Sure they’re better than outstanding, but why spend $160–$200 in this park for a better than outstanding view, when you can spend $27 for outstanding? Move down to these in the eighth inning, once the rich duffers tucker out and the ushers lose interest.

These seats will cost you at least double as much at almost every other park in the country. As Ferris Bueller said, “We recommend them highly if you have the means … they are so choice.” Money seems to go farther at PNC. With so little foul territory these seats are only forty-five feet from the corner bases.

Again this is a “can’t-go-wrong” situation. These seats are right at the hot corners of the diamond, so keep your eyes on the ball. At only $2 more than the seats in the sections behind them, you can’t afford not to get these seats.

Usually we’d say purchase elsewhere and move down, but these are only a few bucks more than the outfield boxes, making this price too good to pass up. Now is the time to put out a little dough, sit back, and have a dog and a few barley pops, without worrying about who might come along to claim your seat. Perhaps for the first time on your road trip you can enjoy a primo seat that you paid for. Feel free to ask others if they’re in the correct seats, because for once, you are.

Sections 128, 127, and 125 face the plate and are located just a bit off the third-base line for a beautiful view. Even in the back rows of these sections the overhang is not a factor. Right Field Sections 101–108 get much less direct sun than the right-field bleachers (142–147), so keep that in mind if it’s an extremely hot day and you’re an extremely fair-skinned individual. On a cold spring day, on the other hand, you might appreciate the sun.

In Sections 132, 131, and 130, try to sit as close to the infield side of the sections as possible. These seats feel right on top of the third-base line and are well worth the money. As you get closer to the field, you’re right at the corner. There are comparable seats at Fenway, but here they cost a fraction of what they do on the secondary ticket market in Boston. The seats in Section 129 angle slightly toward home plate, giving a nice view of the action.

These are great seats, which we generally recommend, with two caveats. Seats in the center of Section 145 are blocked by the right-field foul pole. On a cool dry day, try instead for Sections 139–144, which are clear of any obstruction. These
seats are exposed to the elements, but they are elevated and nice for those looking to snag home run balls or long fouls

Same view as the Outfield Reserve sections for twice as much money. Why? Because in these seats you get the added “benefit” of stuffing your face with all you can eat hot dogs, hamburgers, nachos, salads, popcorn, peanuts, peanut butter filled pretzels, and ice cream.

Josh:
These seats have their own dedicated food lines. I didn’t have to wait for fourths in the fourth.

Kevin:
Fourths in the fourth?

Josh:
Yeah, you know, right after thirds in the third?

Kevin:
Good Lord, do you plan on watching this game?

Josh:
Before you judge me, I brought you some more peanut butter filled pretzels.

We should also mention that some seats in Sections 146 and 147 have a slight blockage looking across at left field.

These left-field bleacher seats are a good place to stand during batting practice and a solid choice for the game. They offer a great view, facing home plate, and the very low wall is a great place to snag a dinger or BP ball. Just remember, the 200 Level seats cost the same as those on the 100 Level so try to get down close. Section 138 offers a mixed bag. While some seats are perfect, on the left side of the section the bullpen blocks part of the view of the outfield. We recommend Section 137 for the same price because it has completely clear sight lines.

Sections 235–238 are in straightaway left field. Here, the seats aren’t up as high as the second level and they’re well below the Club seats. They are about the same elevation as the uppermost seats of the first tier. Not too shabby. All of these left-field bleacher seats face the sun as it sets.

This is where the “party suits,” uh, we mean where the party
suites
are located. There is no significant loss of sight lines on the 200 Club level, the party suites, or in the 200 Level restaurants like Keystone Korner and Bierbauer’s. The only thing to envy about having 200 Level access is that there are some nice restaurants inside and several nice displays of uniforms, memorabilia, and photos on this level. The best of these is the collection of bats and gloves, one from each Pirates batting champ and Gold Glove Award winner.

For more “party suits” check out longtime Pirates announcer Bob Prince’s collection of colorful sport coats that made him famous. The man had style, both in word and dress.

Josh:
Is that why Craig Sager always wears those goofy jackets on TBS? He’s trying to make a Prince of himself?

Kevin:
I’m not sure. We’ll have to ask him if he ever interviews us.

These seats are an extension of the Club level and are available only for group purchase. So unless you’re road tripping with your fraternity, or in a very crowded Volkswagen microbus, forget it. Fear not, you can do better.

Those who purchase a table seat at the Hall of Fame Club located on the second level have the option of sitting in the Deck Seating Sections. Tables can be reserved for parties of four, five, and six. The seating charges include a food credit.

These are perhaps the best second level seats of any new ballpark in the country. That’s right, we said second level. Don’t let the 300-something on the ticket fool you. There is no true third level at this ballpark, making PNC the first two-tiered ballpark to be built in the Majors since Milwaukee’s County Stadium opened in 1953. The highest row of seats is only eighty-eight feet above the field—that’s closer to the plate than first base. We recommend sitting in the second level and taking in the game from above—but not too far above. And keep in mind
that there are some seats to avoid. Supporting the press box are seven small beams, which obstruct the views of those seated behind them. These are in Sections 315–317.

As you enter the grandstands, the standards that support the stairwells have glass windows, so if you’re seated behind those you’ll have a minor obstructed view as well. It’s best to sit up higher than Row 7 so you won’t be bothered at all. But until the Pirates become contenders again, you should be able to move back or forward with ease.

The entire upper deck is close to the field and offers great views of the game and the city. With the Roberto Clemente Bridge stretching across the Allegheny and the sun going down over the river and buildings downtown, we suggest sitting at least one game in the upper deck (something we thought we’d never say) or at least taking a walk up there to see the view. With the three steel bridges lyrically repeating their spans across the river, it’s quite lovely, and perhaps the best city view in all of baseball.

Sections 301 and 302 have the slightest underhang obstruction in the right-field corner due to a little terrace that juts out. But all in all, PNC has done a nearly perfect job of managing the overhang/underhang issue. As for rainy nights, head for rows Q and higher to get under the small sunroof. Row Y catches a nice breeze off the river.

In these sections you can’t see a bit of the left-field corner. Avoid Section 333, as its seats are further obstructed by the steelwork of the Rotunda, which is beautiful, but blocks the view of the scoreboard. Better to spend an extra $2 to sit in the Right Field/Left Field Grandstands. Or better yet, buy these seats, move over to the third-base line or behind home plate and use the extra cash to reward your cleverness with a beer.

Though there has yet to be much need for it, the Rotunda not only allows fans to traverse from one level to another, but it also acts as a standing-room area, as people pause for extended periods to take in the magnificent view from all four circling ramps. It’s a wonderful arched-roofed steel structure, painted blue and decorated with blue lights, standing as a beautiful tribute to Pittsburgh’s steel-working heritage. There is also a very good standing area with a few seats (it didn’t make any sense to us either) above the “out-of-town” scoreboard and underneath the Right Field Reserved sections. You have to look through a screen, but it is a pretty cool view.

Finding cheap tickets from scalpers outside PNC is a bit like finding D-listers on
Dancing with the Stars.
But as our friend Lyle Applbaum tells us, the best scalpers offering the best prices can be found across the Allegheny River along 6th Avenue. Simply cross over the Clemente Bridge and on the other side you’ll find scalpers with stacks of cheap tickets, unless there are fireworks or a bobblehead giveaway on the schedule. Remember, prices skyrocket the closer you get to the park, so if you need tickets, park in one of the garages on the other side, have your ticket-scalping adventure and then walk across the Bridge. The corner of Fort Duquesne Boulevard and 6th Street is your best bet.

PNC Park is located on the north side of Pittsburgh’s Allegheny River, surrounded by General Robinson Street, Federal Street, and Mazeroski Way. If you have a map that predates 2001, Mazeroski Way may not appear, as it was created during construction of the ballpark. Though PNC lies just off of Interstate 279, that’s not all you’ll need to know. Nearly every option for getting to the park was created with some walking in mind to preserve an urban atmosphere. How unlike Three Rivers can you get?

Pittsburgh is a city of rivers and thus a city of bridges, so a wrong turn driving can be costly. Some of the bridges aren’t accessible from certain freeways, while others enter tunnels without letting you off where you’d like. Don’t simply look at the map and expect that a bridge or highway will get you where you need to be, because there’s no guaranteeing it. As a rule of thumb, if you’re coming in from and returning to the north, then park north of the park. If you’re coming in and returning to the east, south, or west, then you should park downtown, south of the ballpark, and walk across the Clemente Bridge. The downtown lots vary in price, but the best bet is the Ft. Duquesne and 6th Street Garage at 126 Sixth St. That will give you an after 4:00 p.m. rate between $2 and $5. Steer clear of garages near Theater Square, especially between 7th and 9th Streets on Penn Avenue, because there are theater shows going on most
nights of the week that drive the event price up. Be wary of parking at any city meters. In 2011, the city moved the time that they would charge for parking meters past the standard 6:00 p.m. and they decreased the amount of minutes you get for each quarter you plug, so the old standard of finding a meter at 5 p.m. and plugging it for an hour won’t always work any longer. You may get booted or ticketed for not reading the meter closely enough. There are still a few free parking spaces on the North Side of the city, specifically north of West Park, but losing the meters makes the walk to PNC quite a bit longer. If you’re staying in town, you might be able to get to the game by bus or the light-rail/subway system, known as the “T.” The Wood Street stop is only three blocks from the Clemente Bridge. A tunnel known as the North Shore Connector now brings a “T” stop to this side of the Allegheny River, but the closest stop is the North Shore Station, which is two blocks from PNC’s Home Plate Gate. By contrast, the Allegheny Station stop a few blocks away lets off directly in front of Heinz Field. Maybe the city does love its Steelers more.