Poll: What kind of fan are you at baseball games?

In My Humble Opinion
1

I’d like to get answers to the following questions from those who have attended professional baseball games:

  1. How often do you attend a game?
  2. When did you last go to a game?
  3. How early or late do you arrive at the ballpark for a game?
  4. Do you stay for the entire game?
  5. Have you ever gone, or would you ever go, to a game by yourself?
  6. How many times, on average, do you hit the concession stands during the contest?
  7. Do you have a favorite team? If so, are they your team because of your hometown, or for some other reason?
  8. If yes to #7, have you ever traveled to see your team play an “away” game?
  9. Have you ever gone to watch two teams play that you didn’t care about just because you enjoy watching baseball?
    Thanks! My own answers follow.

  1. At this point in my life, I’d say I average about 10 games a season.

  2. This past Sunday

  3. I usually like to get there when the gates open. I enjoy watching batting practice and just the general atmosphere of being in the stadium. If I bring someone with me who is not a fanatic like I am, I try not to make them arrive more than an hour before game time. But with my enthusiasm, I sometimes fail.

  4. I think I’ve left early twice in the last three years. I don’t like leaving early, no matter how bad the score.

  5. A few times. I’d rather go with a friend, but it’s pretty easy to make temporary friends with other like-minded fans if I’m by myself. Or I’ll just listen to the radio broadcast while I watch.

  6. Never, unless I’m with someone who wants me to get them something. Personally, I like to stay planted once the game starts.

  7. Yes, my Dodgers. And I was born and raised in LA, so it is a hometown thing.

  8. Just a couple of times. Many years ago, I saw them play in San Diego because I was dating someone who lived there. And a few years back, I went to see them play in Arizona. This summer, I’m going to San Francisco to see them play there.

  9. I have, and on both occasions, it was more about seeing the stadiums for the first time. I saw the Padres and Diamondbacks play in Arizona once, and I saw the Cubs and Reds play in Chicago. Hoping to hit all the stadiums eventually.

2

1) How often do you attend a game?
Anywhere from 1-6 times. I always seem to work for offices that own season tickets.

2) When did you last go to a game?
Last season - probably August.

3) How early or late do you arrive at the ballpark for a game?
Probably 30-45 minutes early. I like to be in my seat with something to drink by the time the first pitch is thrown.

4) Do you stay for the entire game?
Almost always. The only time I wouldn’t is if it’s a total blowout and the weather really sucks. But 9 times out of 10 I stay.

5) Have you ever gone, or would you ever go, to a game by yourself?
I doubt it. It’s a social form of entertainment for me.

6) How many times, on average, do you hit the concession stands during the contest?
If you include the roving beer man, probably three or four times. If not, probably one or two.

7) Do you have a favorite team? If so, are they your team because of your hometown, or for some other reason?
I root for the Orioles (hometown team growing up) in particular, the AL in general, and “anyone but the Yankees” as a rule.

8) If yes to #7, have you ever traveled to see your team play an “away” game?
Not intentionally.

9) Have you ever gone to watch two teams play that you didn’t care about just because you enjoy watching baseball?
Yes, but it was also free, so don’t overestimate my fanboydom.

3
  1. How often do you attend a game?

Once or twice a year, when I go back to the US during the season. When I lived in the US it was probably 3-10 games/year.

  1. When did you last go to a game?

Last year.

  1. How early or late do you arrive at the ballpark for a game?

I try to get there a half hour early, but it usually ends up being 10 minutes.

  1. Do you stay for the entire game?

I have never left before the last out, even during rain delays and blowouts.

  1. Have you ever gone, or would you ever go, to a game by yourself?

I usually go by myself, sometimes with family.

  1. How many times, on average, do you hit the concession stands during the contest?

Almost never during the game. I go by before if I have time, then if I want something I get it from vendors in the stands.

  1. Do you have a favorite team? If so, are they your team because of your hometown, or for some other reason?

Hometown. I am from the Bronx, so I’ve rooted for the Bombers for the past 30 years.

  1. If yes to #7, have you ever traveled to see your team play an “away” game?

When I lived in Washington I used to go up to Baltimore to see the Orioles, and especially tried to make it when the Yanks were in town. But I’d go to see the Orioles play other teams too. And I’ve also gone to Yankees-Mets games at Shea, but that hardly counts.

  1. Have you ever gone to watch two teams play that you didn’t care about just because you enjoy watching baseball?

Sure. I have gone to minor league games as well as baseball games here in Panama. But I usually end up rooting for the “home” team in any case.

4

1) How often do you attend a game?
As often as we can afford it, in both time and money

2) When did you last go to a game?
The first part of April. A homestand by the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes

3) How early or late do you arrive at the ballpark for a game?
We always arrive, or try to arrive, during batting practice

4) Do you stay for the entire game?
What’s the score?

5) Have you ever gone, or would you ever go, to a game by yourself?
Nope. It really isn’t very fun alone. I can stay home and watch by myself.

6) How many times, on average, do you hit the concession stands during the contest?
3 or 4, depending on if I’m walking back to the hotel or driving home

7) Do you have a favorite team? If so, are they your team because of your hometown, or for some other reason?
I bleed Dodger Blue because they are they only decent team on the West Coast., and they were the team my father took me to see. (Sorry, Padres. You’ll always be #2 in my heart.)

8) If yes to #7, have you ever traveled to see your team play an “away” game?
Yes. But only to San Diego or Anaheim.

9) Have you ever gone to watch two teams play that you didn’t care about just because you enjoy watching baseball?
Just minor league. Or maybe the Yankees vs the Red Sox. :smiley:

5

1) How often do you attend a game?
Around 10 per year, MLB and MiLB.

2) When did you last go to a game?
April 7th Baltimore at Yankees, we are going to a Blue Claws game next Friday.

3) How early or late do you arrive at the ballpark for a game?
Typically 30-60 minutes early.

4) Do you stay for the entire game?
MLB games I stay to the very end, MiLB games I often leave early and usually have kids along.

5) Have you ever gone, or would you ever go, to a game by yourself?
Yes, but very rarely.

6) How many times, on average, do you hit the concession stands during the contest?
I try to go only once and often never.

7) Do you have a favorite team? If so, are they your team because of your hometown, or for some other reason?
Yankees and yes I was born in the Bronx and I am a 3rd generation Yankee fan. My son is growing up a Yankee fan as he is 4th generation.

8) If yes to #7, have you ever traveled to see your team play an “away” game?
Yes, in fact I will be in Baltimore at the end of September for the Yanks.

9) Have you ever gone to watch two teams play that you didn’t care about just because you enjoy watching baseball?
Yes, but especially to visit other stadiums. I think I am up to about 15 stadiums now. The most recent was a Red’s game last year in Cincinnati.

Jim

6

I’d like to modify my own answer to reflect this. Like silenus, I do attend Quakes games (single A) one or twice a year. But I think the only minor league game I’ve ever made it to the end of was in Bakersfield. I just happened to be there for a bowling tournament, and there was a fireworks show afterward, so I stuck around.

7

I have stayed for entire AA games, but honestly, Single A ball is barely better than watching High School ball. The Blue Claws are a single A Phillies affiliate, so I have no rooting interest. The AA team is the Trenton Thunder and they were Red Sox and now Yankees, so I had a strong rooting interest.

I am going to try to get to a Scranton Yankee game this year. They just moved there after nearly 30 years as the Columbus Clippers. I expect to stay for the entire game. I have been to the Staten Island Yankees once so far. Beautiful Stadium, single A play.

Jim

8

1) How often do you attend a game?

Couple of times a year. Used to be more but my hometown Mariners have been unremittingly awful for several seasons. I’m not a fairweather fan, but it got pretty tiring. Things are starting to perk up this year, barely.

2) When did you last go to a game?

Mid April.

3) How early or late do you arrive at the ballpark for a game?

Usually 30-45 minutes early. This last time I was on the bus and just made it for the anthem.

4) Do you stay for the entire game?

Almost always. It has to be a pretty bad laugher to chase me from the park early.

5) Have you ever gone, or would you ever go, to a game by yourself?

No. Not opposed, but I’m pretty busy, and going to a game tends to be a social event where time is set aside in advance.

6) How many times, on average, do you hit the concession stands during the contest?

Once, usually during the second or third inning when the bottom of the lineup can be counted on to mostly whiff. I like to see as much of the game as I can.

7) Do you have a favorite team? If so, are they your team because of your hometown, or for some other reason?

Hometown fan.

8) If yes to #7, have you ever traveled to see your team play an “away” game?

Does spring training count? If so, yes. If not, then no, I’ve never deliberately gone somewhere to see them play “away.” When I do travel during the summer, I always check the schedule to see if I’ll have this opportunity, but so far it hasn’t worked out.

9) Have you ever gone to watch two teams play that you didn’t care about just because you enjoy watching baseball?

In person, no. On TV, all the time.

9

1) How often do you attend a game?

About 15-20 games / year.

2) When did you last go to a game?

Going to watch the Cubs play tonight. They’re playing that other NY team, always forget the name…buncha scrubs. :cool:

3) How early or late do you arrive at the ballpark for a game?

Usually 30 - 45 minutes if travelling by car; 5 - 15 minutes if by subway.

4) Do you stay for the entire game?

Too many variables - bad weather and/or blowouts (either way) may have me leaving in the 7th or 8th inning. Really long games also might get me heading to the exits. I’m an old man; I need my beauty sleep.

5) Have you ever gone, or would you ever go, to a game by yourself?

Yes

6) How many times, on average, do you hit the concession stands during the contest?

Once or twice. First time before going to my seat.

7) Do you have a favorite team? If so, are they your team because of your hometown, or for some other reason?

NY Yankees. Despite being born in, and living in, the shadow of Shea Stadium, it wasn’t until I was firmly indoctrinated into Yankee fandom that I told of a second NY team.

8) If yes to #7, have you ever traveled to see your team play an “away” game?

No, but I have watched away games when travel and team schedule coincide.

9) Have you ever gone to watch two teams play that you didn’t care about just because you enjoy watching baseball?

Yes. Tonight will be an example (if they play - darn rain coming in tonight).

10
  1. How often do you attend a game?
    When I was single, I’d make 15 or so a year. Now that we’re married w/ child, only 1 or 2. Also, those good family season tickets in Arlington are now 250 miles away.
  2. When did you last go to a game?
    Last May. I’ll see the Rangers next Saturday though and I’ll usually catch a couple a month on the tube.
  3. How early or late do you arrive at the ballpark for a game?
    Around 30 minutes before. I want to be in my seat before the first pitch.
  4. Do you stay for the entire game?
    Usually. It’s gotta be pretty bad for me to leave.
  5. Have you ever gone, or would you ever go, to a game by yourself?
    Sure. When friends couldn’t go I’d just go anyway if there was a team or player I wanted to see. It’s about the only time I could concentrate on filling out the game card.
  6. How many times, on average, do you hit the concession stands during the contest?
    Once or twice. It ain’t baseball if you don’t have a dog and nuts.
  7. Do you have a favorite team? If so, are they your team because of your hometown, or for some other reason?
    Rangers and Astros, both were hometown teams.
  8. If yes to #7, have you ever traveled to see your team play an “away” game?
    By coincidence. When the Astros played at the Ballpark in Arlington last year I went, and with those FSTs (family season tickets) in the front row by the visitor’s warm up circle I could offer them encouragement from 4 feet away. That was pretty nice.
  9. Have you ever gone to watch two teams play that you didn’t care about just because you enjoy watching baseball?
    You bet. Most any time I’m in a city with a stadium I’ll try and catch a game, Cincinnatti, Anaheim, San Fran, Atlanta, Chicago, LA, etc. Even if they’re not playing I’ll at least try and go check out the stadium.
11
  1. How often do you attend a game? 1-3 times a year. Would like to go more often, but it’s hard these days…too busy.
  2. When did you last go to a game? Last summer, in August.
  3. How early or late do you arrive at the ballpark for a game? I try to be there at least 20 minutes ahead of time.
  4. Do you stay for the entire game? Always.
  5. Have you ever gone, or would you ever go, to a game by yourself? **I would if I had tickets and no one was available to go. I’ve never had that problem, though. :slight_smile: **
  6. How many times, on average, do you hit the concession stands during the contest? I try to go before the game, and then just buy from the vendors after that, so I don’t have to leave my seat.
  7. Do you have a favorite team? If so, are they your team because of your hometown, or for some other reason? Cubs fan. I’m a northsider, and my family have always been Cubs fans.
  8. If yes to #7, have you ever traveled to see your team play an “away” game? No…tried to get tickets when I was in Cincinnati once, but couldn’t.
  9. Have you ever gone to watch two teams play that you didn’t care about just because you enjoy watching baseball? I have gone to plenty of White Sox games. Couldn’t care less who wins, but I like baseball and it’s fun to see them because it’s a totally different kind of baseball experience than going to Wrigley.
12

My main reason for attending Quakes games is because the stadium is so nice, and I can sit so close. The Quakes are the Angels single-A team, so I have slightly more than zero-interest in rooting for them, but not much more. The last Quakes game I went to was when they played the Dodgers’ single-A affiliate, so I kind of enjoyed rooting for the “away” team. And as it happened, MLB players for both teams were in action that night on rehab assignments, so it was particularly entertaining.

I still didn’t stay for the whole game.

13
  1. A couple of times a year.
  2. Last fall.
  3. I try to get there a bit early, but it doesn’t always work, as it’s a pain in the arse to park near Fenway so it depends on the connections for the subway. I don’t get to minors games much anymore; used to go with my Dad when I was a kid a couple times a summer.
  4. Yes.
  5. I have done.
  6. Maybe one, if that.
  7. I grew up a Red Sox fan in Maryland. I was born in Boston, though, and that was my reasoning when I was, y’know, ten.
  8. I’ve watched the Sox play a few times in Camden Yards. Easier to get tickets, we have family in the area, and we go with friends who are O’s fans. Once we also went with my brother, who favors Oakland and heckled both teams mercilessly through the whole game.
  9. I might in theory, but in practice I haven’t gone to the effort.

And here I was expecting the question, “Do you score the games?”

The answer: of course I do. Every pro game I’ve been to in my life, in fact; Dad taught me the first AAA game we went to.

14

  1. 6-8 times a year now, 20+ at my peak

  2. May 8… Cubs blew a lead in the 8th and lost in the 15th.

  3. I usually try to aim to get to my seat right around starting time, but definitely err on the side of getting there early rather than risk missing the first pitch.

  4. I won’t claim that I have never left early in my life, but if I did I don’t remember.

  5. I have often gone by myself, though less often lately.

  6. Usually between none and twice, more if I’m with my young nephews or drinking buddies…in either case I know going in that it will be more about the social experience than about focusing on the game.

  7. I like to root for the hometown team, but I have moved around a lot so have had several favorite teams (Pirates, Royals, Giants, Cubs); it’s like serial monogamy. I have actually thought about starting a poll thread about whether this violates Sports Fan Ethics.

  8. Yes, I once spent a vacation week in LA for a four-game Giants-Dodgers series.

  9. Yes, though like a lot of others here I am much more motivated to make it happen if I haven’t seen the stadium before…currently up to 11, including the defunct Three Rivers, Candlestick and Milwaukee County Stadium. Last summer I checked Yankee Stadium off the list…it was OK, except for all the Yankee fans.

15
  1. How often do you attend a game?

Used to be at least yearly–when I was a kid I went to see the Seattle Mariners every year for my birthday. We were going to see our local minor league team a couple-five times a season, but we haven’t been to a game recently.

  1. When did you last go to a game?

The last major league game I attended was one of the last games in the King Dome. I got a foul ball! The last minor league game was a couple years ago. We need to start going again. I will never see the Mariners play in person again because I am boycotting Safeco Field.

  1. How early or late do you arrive at the ballpark for a game?

Early enough to watch some practice on the field.

  1. Do you stay for the entire game?

Minor league games, always. Mariners games, usually. But I always lived a few hours from Seattle so if the Mariners were tanking, we’d leave early.

  1. Have you ever gone, or would you ever go, to a game by yourself?

No. But mr.stretch would go to the minor league games by himself sometimes.

  1. How many times, on average, do you hit the concession stands during the contest? Once.

  2. Do you have a favorite team? If so, are they your team because of your hometown, or for some other reason?

Seattle Mariners–home state team and general underdogs for the longest time. Yakima Bears–hometown team and it’s fun to watch the minor leagues.

  1. If yes to #7, have you ever traveled to see your team play an “away” game? No.

  2. Have you ever gone to watch two teams play that you didn’t care about just because you enjoy watching baseball? Hell, no.

16

That moved it from OK to GREAT, right?

17
  1. Probably one game every other year.
  2. Last season sometime.
  3. I can take public transit, so maybe 15-20 minutes beforehand.
  4. Yes, usually.
  5. Hmmm. I think I would, but I never have.
  6. 2-3 times.
  7. San Diego Padres, because I grew up in SD (though I live near SF now).
  8. I wouldn’t say “traveled”, but I prefer to see a Giants game if the Padres are playing.
  9. Yes, though I suppose rooting against the Giants (because they’re in the same division as the Padres) suggests that I do care on some level. But I would attend an American League game if the opportunity ever presented itself easily.
18

  1. About once/month or so during the season

  2. April

  3. I’m a chronically late person - so, I usually am settling in my seat when the first pitch is thrown. Or at least in the aisle.

  4. Of course. Leaving early doesn’t really make sense to me unless you have small children with you & it’s a school night. (Even the last ferries leave late enough that you can still wait for the end of the game)

  5. Yes.

  6. Once. And if I’m not there by myself, I try to talk the other person into doing it for me, assuming I can trust them not to eat all the garlic fries.

  7. Kind of (A’s), but I’m not a rabid fan the way I was 15 years ago, I just have a soft spot for them. I have a similar feeling toward my hometown team (Mariners).

  8. No.

  9. Yes. AT&T Park is a very good place to watch a game

19

Well that goes without saying of course.

20

We need to start looking for each other at these things. I was 5 rows behind home plate at that game, complaining about the slow food service. :smiley: