It’s game day at a MLB ballpark (say Wrigley Field). The game starts at 6:00PM.
Who gets to the stadium first? I imagine the security guards work in shifts, so there would be a shift change at 7:00 in the morning and then again at 3:00 in the afternoon. The gatekeepers are probably the first to arrive specifically for duty that day, I’m guessing around six hours before game time. I imagine that the players themselves arrive maybe five hours before the game (home team first), and that the media people are the last to arrive (not counting the fans, that is). But this is all just a guess.
Once the game is over, how long are the teams generally there? For the home team, is it just a matter of how long it takes a player to change clothes and get to his BMW, or do MLB stadia try to usher whole teams out at once (to avoid the players being mobbed by fans)?
Any Dopers with inside knowledge of MLB ballparks want to help out with this question?
Two days ago, there was a game that went into the 14th inning, and ended at 11:40 local time, maybe later. The second the game was called on a balk, and the camera cut to the dugout, I saw the home team player, throw their stuff into a bag, and just rocket out of there … I doubt they were going for a shower, more like the car and the sack.
So, I believe it’s purely the player’s choice on when to leave.
IIRC, WTBS did a little special on batboys the other night. Seems those guys spend a lot more time at the stadium, both before and after the game, than anyone ever knew. They are there before the gatekeepers, and they are there long after the last player has left. As WTBS put it (roughly quoting)
“When the plane lands at 11:50pm, who do you think is in charge of getting the luggage (equipment, uniforms, etc.) back to the stadium? The batboys, that’s who. While the players and managers are snug in their beds, the batboys are toiling away.”
It may have been the ballboys they were talking about. I really wasn’t paying that close attention. But somebody is there at all hours of the day and night!
I don’t have a cite either, but I thought that the bat/ball people did not travel with the team. The visiting team just gets a batboy from the home team. Same with ballboys/girls.
Considering their ages, traveling with the team does not seem practical.
I think they have equipment managers to handle the equipment and luggage as what have yous.
As for when players get there and leave:
Home Team - The manager of the team ususally has a time (usually 4-5 hours before game time) that you are required to arrive. Many players arrive eariler to get treatment for injuries, work out, watch film, etc. If you are late you are fined and/or benched. You drive your BMW to the park and park in a special players only lot and go in. They leave whenever they want. Usually after any treatments, interviews with the media, etc. Just hop in the Beemer and drive away!
Visiting Team - The players usually all stay in the same hotel and travel to the park together on a coach bus, so the schedule is much more regimented. You must be at breakfast at time X. You must be on the bus at time Y. They usually arrive together about 4-5 hours before the game as well, but this varies depending on previous travel and any travel that may be next. They leave when the bus leaves to go to the hotel or airport.
As for the workers, I have no idea. But I assume that people need to be there long before the players to prepare for them and long before the fans to prepare for them, and they need to stay long after to clean up after both groups.
I didn’t say they travelled with the team. I just heard on WTBS that they are the ones responsible for unloading and stashing all of the equipment after a road game. If I can find a transcript of last Friday’s show, I’ll check it out.
Former Wrigley Field Security section chief checking in:
First people there are the grounds crew, they are there first thing in the morning to check the grass, water, mow all that good stuff.
Back office works regular 9-5 hours.
Security office personnel are usually there 4 hours ahead to get the office set up, it’s manned 24 hours so there are always at least a couple people there.
The majority of the ushers and crowd control are there 3 hours ahead of time, that’s when the meeting is held in section 204. This is where work assignments are handed out, any special visitors or giveaways are noted. Gates open 2 hours before game start.
Parking people get there about the same time, the players lot is open earlier but I forget how much earlier.
Some players work out after the game–I believe Nomar Garciaparra always spends some serious time on the stationary bike after games. I once waited about 2 hours outside the players’ parking lot at Fenway and got Roger Clemens’ autograph. This was back in the day when he was the man and before he became a stinkin’ Yankee. On that same night, Steve Lyons just walked out into the crowd–not too many people seemed to know who he was…
Last season I had the honor of being the DJ for a High Single A team. And while a MLB team might have people who make a living doing what they do, in the minors …
Park workers and press box crew arrive as soon as they can after their regular job ends.
Front office folk work 9-5 most of the year, but on game days come in a little later if they can.
Players arrive in the midday because the main playing field is also their practice field and these guys still need real practice. Home team players come from their host families’ homes. Visiting players stay at hotels that are only hotels because they don’t charge by the hour.
The Field Crew though is there from early in the morning till late at night. With all the activity going on they can’t let even the smallest thing take hold.
The pastor only works Sundays and preaches in the dugouts.
Umpires always arrive on time, but you know that they’re in the same crappy hotel as the visiting team. And they spend the entire season “on the road”.
NOTE: If any one out there is close enough to a minor leauge team to work a season DO IT! Its a great experience and you’ll come away with a truly great appreciation of the game, the work, and the business that is our national pastime.
So does that mean that the offices of the Cubs’ management, secretaries, payroll people, etc. are all there at 1060 W Addison? I would have though all that would have been in the Tribune Building.
The Cubs practice field is Wrigley Field. All MLB teams use their home stadium as a practice field during the season, but teams don’t practice until a few hours before the game starts.
Now and then you’ll read about a player who gets there early, running wind sprints, signing autographs, taking infield practice in other than his regular position, just to keep his reactions sharp. Some hitters spend time in the batting cage before a game.
I used to vend (walk around the stands screaming “Ice cold Coke, here!”) at Three Rivers back before it was imploded to make way for the new parks. It was so long ago that I don’t remember the exact time we had to be in. My sister worked in one of the food stands, and I want to say she had to be there 2-2.5 hours before the game started. The stand help would go up and start cooking, setting up, etc. A little later, the commissary folks (where the vendors got their stock to sell) would go up and start work (again, cooking, setting up, etc.).
Finally, I want to say about an hour and a half before game time, the vendors would have a look at the product availability for the day, and pick what they were going to sell in order of seniority. There was a chart, listing how many open spots there were to sell each product. The highest seniority people pretty much had a lock on beer, since we worked on commission. After choosing, we would go up, spend our meal tickets (we got some huge amount of free meal tickets with each game), and start selling.
Vendors generally worked through the end of the game (except the beer vendors, because they were required to stop selling after the fifth inning). Stand help was through after they shut down and cleaned up.
On that same night, Steve Lyons just walked out into the crowd–not too many people seemed to know who he was…