comerica park
Comerica Park took over for the classic Tiger Stadium in 2000. It makes for a pretty cool ballpark and is worth a trip from out of town; if you can get past the fact that it resides in Detroit. Another wonderful thing for the budget conscious fan is that the Tigers offer some incredible values in just about every aspect of coming to a game. This guide will summarize some of the discounts that they offer, and some more clever ways to save money when going to Comerica Park.
comerica park parking
One cheap option is to park at a sports bar which offers a free shuttle to the game. Nemo's Bar is
one such place where you can park for about $3 and they will take you
on a shuttle to Comerica Park. This place was voted the #3 sports bar in
America by Sports Illustrated at some point, so you can definitely grab
some drinks and food before or after the game. You will pay less than
ballpark prices, and you will save on parking and traffic.
The Detroit Tigers also have this $5 theme going on for this season at Comerica Park. This includes a $5 parking lot which isn’t much further than the $15 lots. The green lot below is the $5 parking, it is still a decent walk away so I would probably park at the casino first because its safe and free.
One final free parking option near Comerica Park that was submitted by a Tiger fan is behind the condos on Woodward, just north of I75. There are side streets behind them where you can park for free without issue. The best part is your are only about 5 or 6 blocks from the park.
Another solid option for Tigers parking is using Park Whiz. This site lets you pre-pay for a space in various garages/lots so you don't have to stress about where to park. It is a pretty cool concept and you can find some cheap deals for sure. It is especially helpful when you are going to a game that is supposed to be a big crowd.
The Detroit Tigers also have this $5 theme going on for this season at Comerica Park. This includes a $5 parking lot which isn’t much further than the $15 lots. The green lot below is the $5 parking, it is still a decent walk away so I would probably park at the casino first because its safe and free.
One final free parking option near Comerica Park that was submitted by a Tiger fan is behind the condos on Woodward, just north of I75. There are side streets behind them where you can park for free without issue. The best part is your are only about 5 or 6 blocks from the park.
Another solid option for Tigers parking is using Park Whiz. This site lets you pre-pay for a space in various garages/lots so you don't have to stress about where to park. It is a pretty cool concept and you can find some cheap deals for sure. It is especially helpful when you are going to a game that is supposed to be a big crowd.
tigers tickets
Sticking to the $5 theme, the Tigers offer tickets to Comerica Park for $5 even to premium games. This is only for one section in the outermost part of the left field upper deck, and I guess it provides the view you would expect for $5. Don’t get me wrong $5 is a good bargain to see a Major League game, but I would say that the best value seats at Comerica Park are in the Kaline’s Corner. This again is just one section, but its on the field level behind the right field foul pole. These are only about $16 a piece and if you get down in the lower rows you are very close to the field. The other nice thing is these seats don’t sit at an awkward angle as you are facing straight ahead to home plate. The outfield box seats right next to you cost nearly double, and do sit at an angle that is not as comfortable in my opinion; especially if you are a ‘plus sized’ individual.
Bleachers and Pavilion seats also provide pretty good value. Bleachers are in right field, and pavilion is in left. The bleachers, as you might guess, are a big bench, but they do have a seat back. The pavilion has more traditional individual seats. However, if you can secure a lower row, you can really get close to the action and have a fair shot at a home run ball. These prices are similar to the Kaline Corner seats.
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.
Bleachers and Pavilion seats also provide pretty good value. Bleachers are in right field, and pavilion is in left. The bleachers, as you might guess, are a big bench, but they do have a seat back. The pavilion has more traditional individual seats. However, if you can secure a lower row, you can really get close to the action and have a fair shot at a home run ball. These prices are similar to the Kaline Corner seats.
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 discounts for upcoming games:
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 discounts for upcoming games:
All in all, Comerica Park tickets offer pretty solid value. Most of the tickets better than the bleachers start jumping up in the $20 range. Because of that, you might want to splurge a little more and go for the club seats right behind the plate in the upper deck. The seats are a little wider and there are only a few rows in each section. The lack of rows provides another great advantage; people aren’t constantly walking in front of you. That annoys the crap out of me at a game, and I would certainly sit in the Comerica club seats before I paid more for anything on the lower level. I personally thing you get a better view being a little higher up anyway. (Check Score Big and you may actually get a better quality seat for less).
One final thought that I typically mention for these ballparks is to remember that the jumbo tron is in left field. So if you sit in the outfield seats in left, you will have the screen and scoreboard behind you which can be a little inconvenient. This is especially true if you are taking a family, you should probably go for something with a good view of the scoreboard which provides a lot of between inning entertainment.
food
You can take soft sided coolers into the stadium with your own food and snacks. This is a great way to save money as always. You can also take sealed bottles of unflavored water, so no alcohol or soda can be brought into Comerica Park. Concession prices are pretty typical at a Detroit Tigers game, but it’s nice to know that you don’t have to pay them when you can bring your own food.
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 Comerica Park (48201) to see what restaurants are nearby. At the time of my writing this, there are several places within a 1 mile radius of that zip code. This includes the restaurant at the casino that we discussed earlier as a great place to park. You could parlay free parking and a cheap dinner at the casino to save some money on your trip to a Tigers game.
Some cheap eats walking distance from Comerica Park include Bucharest Grill which is really good Middle Eastern food. If you are a fan of the Schwarma, you won't mind walking 5 minutes to check this out before the Tigers game. The Detroit Beer Co. is another nearby place worth checking out, with pub food. I think the name speaks for itself.
As far as food in the stadium, I am going back to the $5 theme that they have going on. The Tigers offer a value meal for kids and adults that only costs $5 in Comerica Park. In both cases these include a hot dog, chips, and a Pepsi. That equates to a pretty solid bang for your buck in the stadium. These values are offered at all “big league grille” stands in the stadium, of which there are 11 throughout the ballpark – so it shouldn’t be too tough to find.
One final thought that I typically mention for these ballparks is to remember that the jumbo tron is in left field. So if you sit in the outfield seats in left, you will have the screen and scoreboard behind you which can be a little inconvenient. This is especially true if you are taking a family, you should probably go for something with a good view of the scoreboard which provides a lot of between inning entertainment.
food
You can take soft sided coolers into the stadium with your own food and snacks. This is a great way to save money as always. You can also take sealed bottles of unflavored water, so no alcohol or soda can be brought into Comerica Park. Concession prices are pretty typical at a Detroit Tigers game, but it’s nice to know that you don’t have to pay them when you can bring your own food.
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 Comerica Park (48201) to see what restaurants are nearby. At the time of my writing this, there are several places within a 1 mile radius of that zip code. This includes the restaurant at the casino that we discussed earlier as a great place to park. You could parlay free parking and a cheap dinner at the casino to save some money on your trip to a Tigers game.
Some cheap eats walking distance from Comerica Park include Bucharest Grill which is really good Middle Eastern food. If you are a fan of the Schwarma, you won't mind walking 5 minutes to check this out before the Tigers game. The Detroit Beer Co. is another nearby place worth checking out, with pub food. I think the name speaks for itself.
As far as food in the stadium, I am going back to the $5 theme that they have going on. The Tigers offer a value meal for kids and adults that only costs $5 in Comerica Park. In both cases these include a hot dog, chips, and a Pepsi. That equates to a pretty solid bang for your buck in the stadium. These values are offered at all “big league grille” stands in the stadium, of which there are 11 throughout the ballpark – so it shouldn’t be too tough to find.
where to stay near comerica park
Detroit AirBNB Apartment
The first thing I'll recommend isn't a hotel at all, it is AirBNB. If you aren't familiar, this is a site rising in popularity that allows people to host you and turn their own place into a Bed and Breakfast. It is a great way to meet people and even better to stay at some really cool places for way less than you would pay at a hotel. Imagine staying at this place (pictured) in Detroit for $50 a night... I've done AirBNB myself and think it is definitely worth checking out. So check it out.
If you prefer the hotel route, I'd go with Hotwire. They are pretty widely known at this point, but I've used it countless times and have had mostly great success. You'll certainly save money over booking directly through a hotel. If not knowing the name of the hotel is your problem, check out my road trip guide for a breakdown of how I can figure out a hotwire hotel ahead of time.
If you prefer the hotel route, I'd go with Hotwire. They are pretty widely known at this point, but I've used it countless times and have had mostly great success. You'll certainly save money over booking directly through a hotel. If not knowing the name of the hotel is your problem, check out my road trip guide for a breakdown of how I can figure out a hotwire hotel ahead of time.
fun, free things at comerica park
Tiger Carousel at Comerica Park
- The Tiger Carousel is located in the Comerica Bank Big Cat Court next to Gate A, (section 119). Children, young and old, can enjoy riding the tigers as the carousel rotates around. Rides are $2 per person, and on Sundays, kids 14 and under ride free.
- Make a memory at Comerica Park, guests in attendance may now receive personalize certificates for: Anniversaries, Birthdays, First Game, and an Amazing Catch. Certificates may be picked up for free at any Guest Services Office in Comerica Park (Located behind sections 130, 210 and 330).
- Children who are 3 years old or younger and who share a seat with an accompanying adult are admitted free of charge for Detroit Tigers games
- Children of all ages can enjoy a ride on the Fly Ball Ferris Wheel located in the FOX Sports Detroit Brushfire Grill, located behind section 131. Rides are $2 a person, and on Sundays, kids 14 and under ride for free.
- After most Friday and Saturday night home games (weather permitting) enjoy a free fireworks show. Check the Detroit Tigers Promotions and Giveaways schedule to verify the firework schedule.