Field: Great American Ball Park
Official Site: https://www.mlb.com/reds/ballpark
Year Completed: 2003
Capacity: 42,271
Covered: No – Postponement/Rainout Policy
Mascots: Gapper, Mr. Redlegs, Mr. Red, and Rosie Red
The Game We’ll See: Wednesday, August 16: Cleveland Guardians vs. Cincinnati Reds (see all 30 here!)
Parking & Transportation:
Great American Ball Park has two lots, one on each side of the ballpark. They cost $25 (for the Central Riverfront Garage) and $15 (East Garage) and are sold on a first come, first served, pay-at-entry basis. However, parking passes for Central Riverfront Garage can be purchased in advance.
Parking lots open three hours before the game. Tailgating is not allowed.
Oversized vehicle: According to Outdoorsy, The Great American Ball Park has prepaid parking for RVs in the Tri-State Parking Lot, just over the Taylor Southgate Bridge in Kentucky.
Fans can also attend the game using the Cincinnati Bell Connector, the city’s streetcar system. It is free to ride. Take the streetcar from any of the stops along the system’s 3.6 mile loop and get off at Station 1, The Banks.
Stadium Tours:
Great American Ball Park tours cost $22 for adults, $20 for seniors 60 and over, $20 for students over 12, and $10 for children 5 to 12. The tour includes same-day admission to the Reds Hall of Fame and Museum, and stops by the Press Box and warning track, among other locations.
The tour includes admission to the Reds Hall of Fame and Museum, a 16,000 square foot museum that is well worth the visit. The museum admission prices alone make the tour an excellent value.
The Premier Ballpark Experience offers groups of 2 to 10 people a private tour of the places covered by the public tour. However, it also includes a visit to the bullpen and the opportunity to throw some pitches, early entry to watch the Reds batting practice, and field Box tickets to the game. Unfortunately, it is unclear how to purchase the tickets as there is no link online!
General Information:
Bags: Great American Ball Park allows the following bags into the stadium: medical bags, diaper bags, Red Head Bags (purchased at the stadium), purses, soft-sided coolers, food bags, and unopened non-alcoholic drinks in plastic bottles. All bags must be 16” x 16” x 8” or smaller. Backpacks are not permitted. No storage is available.
Food & Beverages: Fans may bring their own food, but it must be packaged inside a clear, gallon-sized plastic bag. Fans may also bring in factory-sealed, plastic bottles of non-alcoholic beverages. No glass bottles or cans may be brought in, regardless of whether they contain liquids.
Cashless transactions: All transactions are cashless.
Signs: Signs are permitted if they are baseball-related, don’t block views, interfere with the game, contain advertising, or contain offensive materials. They must be made of cloth, paper, or other light, flexible materials and may not be affixed to anything. They must fit within the 16” x 16” x 8” size limits for items brought into the stadium.
Foul Balls: Fans may keep foul balls, as long as they don’t interfere with play or enter the playing area to retrieve them.
Gates: Gates open 90 minutes prior to first pitch.
Cameras: Cameras and video recorders are permitted but must fit within the bag size requirements.
Umbrellas: Umbrellas are permitted. Please be considerate when using one.
Where to Sit:
Check out the promotions site in advance of purchasing your tickets. While browsing the site, I noticed that the day we plan to attend a game is Senior Day. Fans 50 and older may purchase select tickets at half price in advance of game day.
Baseball Bucket List suggests the first base side for shade, and particularly near the foul pole line. Seats in the 500 level get shade from the overhang. Seats in the outfield or on the 3rd base side are the most sun-exposed. Baseball Road Trips suggest that the back rows of the 100 section on the first-base line are also good options.
For a view of the river and skyline, pick seats on the 500-level close to home base, such as those near Section 523. Level 400 gives you glimpses of the water and rows 415 to 419 have less exposure to sun.
If you aren’t on a tight budget, The Ultimate Baseball Road Trip suggests aiming for Infield Box Seats (Sections 120 – 121) or the lower rows of Sections 118, 119, 127 or 128. Ballpark Savvy suggests that sometimes Champion Club tickets come up on the secondary market. These seats are padded, with good views, and include all food and soft drinks.
If you are looking for good value, Baseball Road Trip recommends Sections 420 to 424, in rows close to the rail. The Ultimate Baseball Road Trip recommends Sections 140 to 146, avoiding rows L and higher.
The best cheap seats are in the Fioptics District Patio. They are high up in left field, but they are inexpensive (about $15) and come with a food and beverage voucher. If you like to stroll the park and don’t pay much attention to the game, Baseball Bucket List says this is the way to go.
Food:
- The Reds have two “All-You-Can-Eat Stands.” The first is on the first base concourse of the View Level, behind Section 428. The second is on the Sun/Moon Deck, behind Section 144. These stands offer unlimited sodas, popcorn, peanuts, chips and five hot dogs per game for about $25 per person. You can add the pass to the game ticket or purchase it at the stadium.
- The Ultimate Baseball Road Trip says the Montgomery Inn Smokehouse, near Section 139, is the trademark of the stadium. They also recommended Mr. Red’s Smokehouse. However, I couldn’t find them on the concession map and wonder if they are no longer at the park.
- The official dog is Kahn’s. Ballpark Chaser fans on Facebook recommend trying the Skyline Chili Cheese Coney, a hot dog smothered in Skyline saucy chili with hints of cinnamon and chocolate, then topped with onions and shredded cheese. Look for them in sections 103, 116, 130, 518, and 533.
First Time Visitors:
Fans attending their first Reds game can pick up a certificate at any TriHealth Fan Accommodation location. The stations are located on the Terrace Level near Section 119 and on the View Level near Section 420.
Autographs:
Nothing of note is included on the MLB site.
Other Stadium Tips & Highlights:
The Great American Ball Park has two museums, which is no surprise given that they are the oldest team in the MLB. Both are on the west side of the park.
The 1869 Red Stockings Pavilion traces the impact of the country’s first professional baseball team on the modern game. The Reds Hall of Fame and Museum includes interactive exhibits and artifacts from the club’s foundation to the present day. For a modest donation, try your skill as a batter at the Reds Hall of Fame and Museum and Batting Cages.
Stadium buffs can find the former location of the Riverfront Stadium’s home plate. Head for the bottom level of the Central Riverfront garage, walk about 13 steps to your left, and look for a bronze marker.
There are three murals worth checking out while at the stadium. Outside of the main gate is a limestone mural depicting Cincinnati’s history with baseball. Inside, there are two Italian tile mosaics. One represents the Great Eight, who won back-to-back World Series Championships in 1975 and 1976. The second depicts the 1869 Red Stockings team.
The Great American Ball Park has a designated drive program. For fans who sign up at any TriHealth Fan Accommodation Station will receive two $1 Bud Zero during the game. Participants are also registered for the Budweiser Good Sport Drawing after every Thursday and Friday home game.
Fireworks are scheduled after every Friday home game during the 2023 season.
The retired numbers are displayed on the façade located under the Boone County Bourbon Press Club and Broadcasters Booth. These include:
- 1 – Fred Hutchinson
- 5 – Johnny Bench
- 8 – Joe Morgan
- 10 – Sparky Anderson
- 11 – Barry Larkin
- 13 – David Concepcion
- 14 – Pete Rose
- 18 – Ted Kluszewski
- 20 – Frank Robinson
- 24 – Tony Perez
- 42 – Jackie Robinson (retired by the MLB)
