citizens bank park guide
Citizens Bank Park is a ballpark that provides opportunity for great value. We are going to look at places to park for free, best value tickets for a Phillies game, and some options to save on food at the game. Going to watch the 2008 World Champs doesn’t have to break the bank.
parking for free at citizens bank park
There are places to park for free near Citizens Bank Park. Probably your best opportunity for free parking at a Phillies game is on Lawrence St. You will find this street about 2 blocks east of the stadium, and there is a decent amount of on the street parking available. The general rule for finding free parking at any ballpark is to arrive early. If I were to equate this to the age old adage, the “worm” represents free parking in this case. See the image below for where you want to look.
If you don't want to drive around hoping to find a free spot, be sure to check out Phillies reserved parking on Park Whiz. This site is pretty brilliant, actually. Private lots and garages in the area will list spots for sale that you can reserve ahead of time. So you'll know exactly where you are parking, and have a spot waiting for you.
This may be the most stress-free choice for Phillies parking.
You can also take a free shuttle to a Phillies game aboard the “Taxi Crab” which is provided by a popular local sports bar named Chickies & Pete’s. This place is now a chain, but it was once voted the 3rd best sports bar in America by ESPN. The South Philly location that linked to above will give you free parking and a free ride to and from the game aboard their bus. (My understanding is that you now have to pay $10 for valet at the bar, and then the shuttle is free.)
I like deals like this because it offers you a great opportunity to save on food and parking at the same time. Generally speaking it’s cheaper to feed people at a sports bar type restaurant than to feed those same people at a Major League ballpark. If you do have to pay for parking, there are plenty of lots with approximately 21,000 spaces around the Citizens Bank Ballpark. You should expect to pay about $10 - $12, which really isn’t bad compared to other big cities. I would at least try to find free parking first, but if not – paying won’t kill you here and you can get pretty close to the stadium.
Another option is taking public transportation. SEPTA offers sports express lines for Phillies games and other events that get you there quicker than normal public transport. Here is more information about the SEPTA Sports Express.
This may be the most stress-free choice for Phillies parking.
You can also take a free shuttle to a Phillies game aboard the “Taxi Crab” which is provided by a popular local sports bar named Chickies & Pete’s. This place is now a chain, but it was once voted the 3rd best sports bar in America by ESPN. The South Philly location that linked to above will give you free parking and a free ride to and from the game aboard their bus. (My understanding is that you now have to pay $10 for valet at the bar, and then the shuttle is free.)
I like deals like this because it offers you a great opportunity to save on food and parking at the same time. Generally speaking it’s cheaper to feed people at a sports bar type restaurant than to feed those same people at a Major League ballpark. If you do have to pay for parking, there are plenty of lots with approximately 21,000 spaces around the Citizens Bank Ballpark. You should expect to pay about $10 - $12, which really isn’t bad compared to other big cities. I would at least try to find free parking first, but if not – paying won’t kill you here and you can get pretty close to the stadium.
Another option is taking public transportation. SEPTA offers sports express lines for Phillies games and other events that get you there quicker than normal public transport. Here is more information about the SEPTA Sports Express.
cheap phillies tickets
Phillies tickets have become increasingly in demand. You may run into some sellouts, and as always you should plan ahead if you are going to get good value tickets at Citizens Bank Park.
Many teams have gone to a tiered pricing model where prices fluctuate based on the opponent or the date. The Phillies have adopted this as well, but I give them credit because it is clearer than most. Basically the first and last months of the stadium cost a couple of bucks less per seat, and the rest of the season is more expensive.
Many stadiums boast “great sight lines” but I think the Phillies actually have it. Even the cheapest seats, which are about $20 in the outfield upper deck sections, have a pretty nice view of the action. I would not be afraid to buy the cheap seats and stick with them here. This can not be said at every ballpark.
Another thing I noticed about Citizens Bank Park is the lack of variance in ticket prices. What I mean is, the cheap seats are $20, but there are 9 other sections with ticket prices at $35 or less. This is a good thing if you want to improve your view a little bit without killing your wallet.
I said before that I think the $20 seats provide a decent angle and view of the action, but if you want to step it up a little you could look at seats in sections 419 – 422. These are closer to the $30 range, and if you can get seats in a low row you will really have an exceptional view.
If you want to sit in the outfield, I would avoid right field in the summer time. The way the sunsets, you will have the sun in your face for the first half of the game which leads to 2 things; sweating and sneezing. At least that is the case for me.
Left Field seats at Citizens Bank Park have the disadvantage of being right in front of the scoreboard and big screen. I personally like to be able to see the screen for stats and mid inning entertainment, which really adds to the game. If it were me, I would try to sit somewhere besides the outfield sections for the above mentioned reasons.
Stubhub is the official marketplace for MLB tickets, and they protect you against fraudulent tickets. If you want to buy on Stubhub, you are usually better off if you can wait until close to game time. For baseball, you usually print your tickets at home after you buy. This means you can often buy tickets up until a couple hours before game time. From the seller perspective, Stubhub encourages sellers to reduce their price incrementally as the event gets closer so they aren't stuck with the tickets. So when you are looking at a game that starts in just a few hours, it is likely you are going to find some great value.
Another great place to buy tickets is from Score Big. Let's face it, most ticket broker sites are the same but this one is actually different. It is kind of like the Priceline of sports tickets. Essentially you can search events in your area, and make an offer on tickets and get an instant answer on whether your bid is accepted.
Here are a couple of screenshots of how it works. You can select a quantity, and then it gives you different tiers. It gives you an approximate discount percentage, and shows on the seat map which sections your tickets could possibly be in.
Next you enter in a price, again it gives you an idea how how likely that is to be accepted. I made the comparison to Priceline, and it is true, you have to put in payment details prior to making an official offer. But if you are going to the game, what a great way to save money on tickets!
Here are the discount tickets for upcoming games:
Many teams have gone to a tiered pricing model where prices fluctuate based on the opponent or the date. The Phillies have adopted this as well, but I give them credit because it is clearer than most. Basically the first and last months of the stadium cost a couple of bucks less per seat, and the rest of the season is more expensive.
Many stadiums boast “great sight lines” but I think the Phillies actually have it. Even the cheapest seats, which are about $20 in the outfield upper deck sections, have a pretty nice view of the action. I would not be afraid to buy the cheap seats and stick with them here. This can not be said at every ballpark.
Another thing I noticed about Citizens Bank Park is the lack of variance in ticket prices. What I mean is, the cheap seats are $20, but there are 9 other sections with ticket prices at $35 or less. This is a good thing if you want to improve your view a little bit without killing your wallet.
I said before that I think the $20 seats provide a decent angle and view of the action, but if you want to step it up a little you could look at seats in sections 419 – 422. These are closer to the $30 range, and if you can get seats in a low row you will really have an exceptional view.
If you want to sit in the outfield, I would avoid right field in the summer time. The way the sunsets, you will have the sun in your face for the first half of the game which leads to 2 things; sweating and sneezing. At least that is the case for me.
Left Field seats at Citizens Bank Park have the disadvantage of being right in front of the scoreboard and big screen. I personally like to be able to see the screen for stats and mid inning entertainment, which really adds to the game. If it were me, I would try to sit somewhere besides the outfield sections for the above mentioned reasons.
Stubhub is the official marketplace for MLB tickets, and they protect you against fraudulent tickets. If you want to buy on Stubhub, you are usually better off if you can wait until close to game time. For baseball, you usually print your tickets at home after you buy. This means you can often buy tickets up until a couple hours before game time. From the seller perspective, Stubhub encourages sellers to reduce their price incrementally as the event gets closer so they aren't stuck with the tickets. So when you are looking at a game that starts in just a few hours, it is likely you are going to find some great value.
Another great place to buy tickets is from Score Big. Let's face it, most ticket broker sites are the same but this one is actually different. It is kind of like the Priceline of sports tickets. Essentially you can search events in your area, and make an offer on tickets and get an instant answer on whether your bid is accepted.
Here are a couple of screenshots of how it works. You can select a quantity, and then it gives you different tiers. It gives you an approximate discount percentage, and shows on the seat map which sections your tickets could possibly be in.
Next you enter in a price, again it gives you an idea how how likely that is to be accepted. I made the comparison to Priceline, and it is true, you have to put in payment details prior to making an official offer. But if you are going to the game, what a great way to save money on tickets!
Here are the discount tickets for upcoming games:
food at citizens bank park
You are allowed to take food into a Phillies game. You can take a small soft sided cooler in as well, so pack some ice or whatever. You don’t have to pay ballpark prices when you can bring stuff with you. There are however, a few things worth splurging on food-wise at Citizens Bank Park. Any non-alcoholic beverages must be brought in sealed plastic bottles as well.
Another option that I consistently recommend is Restaurant.com Here you can buy $25 gift certificates to local restaurants for $10. You can also do a google search for "Restaurant.com coupon codes" and almost always get an extra 60 - 80% off that. I often buy these $25 certificates for $2. That is the best way to eat a decent meal before or after the game and save a chunk of change. When you follow the link, just type in the zip code of Citizens Bank Park (19148) to see what restaurants are nearby.
Another great way to save money at Citizens Bank Park is to arrive early for food. Ashburn Alley, which is the hub for food and drink in the stadium offers certain reduced price specials for the first hour they are open. If you get to the game about 2 hours early, you can eat ballpark food at a somewhat normal price. Some of the fan favorites worth splurging on are the Schmitter Sandwich, which is locally famous; and Bull’s BBQ which is located in Ashburn Alley and delicious.
Another option that I consistently recommend is Restaurant.com Here you can buy $25 gift certificates to local restaurants for $10. You can also do a google search for "Restaurant.com coupon codes" and almost always get an extra 60 - 80% off that. I often buy these $25 certificates for $2. That is the best way to eat a decent meal before or after the game and save a chunk of change. When you follow the link, just type in the zip code of Citizens Bank Park (19148) to see what restaurants are nearby.
Another great way to save money at Citizens Bank Park is to arrive early for food. Ashburn Alley, which is the hub for food and drink in the stadium offers certain reduced price specials for the first hour they are open. If you get to the game about 2 hours early, you can eat ballpark food at a somewhat normal price. Some of the fan favorites worth splurging on are the Schmitter Sandwich, which is locally famous; and Bull’s BBQ which is located in Ashburn Alley and delicious.
phree stuff at the phillies game
Ashburn Alley at Citizens Bank Park
- Citizens Bank Games of Baseball located in Ashburn Alley near the Right Field Gate entrance, this unique entertainment area features two free games presented by Citizens Bank: Run the Bases and Phan Trivia Challenge. Guests receive coupons for their participation to redeem at the Citizens Bank kiosk (also located in Ashburn Alley) for various prizes.
- First Phillies Game Certificate For kids 14 and under attending their first game at Citizens Bank Park, individual certificates are available for free at Guest Services (behind Section 122) and the Birthday Check-In Desks (behind Sections 123 and 323).
- Guests who would like to be their group’s designated driver can pledge at kiosks located at the First Base, Third Base and Left Field Gates and by Section 319 until the end of the 1st inning. Anyone who signs up will receive a voucher for a free fountain soda or non-alcoholic beer.