How To Get Great Seats and How To Get an Autograph

This is phenomenal, thanks!

Re: different ticket prices for different teams: Have you noticed a correlation between how shitty a team is doing this season and the prices for that series? I would assume that the worst teams the Giants play against have the cheapest tickets, but it makes sense that division games (besides the Dodgers) are cheapest because they come to AT&T so often. But is a Marlins/Astros game significantly cheaper than (even taking out marquee match-ups like A's, Yanks, Red Sox), say, a Rays game or a Pirates game?

How big of a deal is waiting until the last minute to buy tickets?

I want to go to an game vs the A's this week, I'm worried that because of the popularity waiting might not be a good idea.

Thanks for the write up!

Autograph Pro Tip: go to spring training in AZ at the beginning of the season. See the Giants at an away game at another team's stadium. Get seats in front of their dugout. Get there way early for batting practice. Don't yell at them to come over while they're working; they will when they're done. Bring a ball and a pen and hold them out and smile.

Oh and be a girl. Or bring a child.

Solid info. Thanks for taking the time to write it down. Hopefully someday I'll have monies for those kinds of seats.

Bookmarked for when I win powerball.

This is really great, useful info. I read through all of it excitedly, then remembered I live in Portland.

Will definitely use this. Thanks aardvarkarmorer!

I have season tickets and sell them occasionally on craigslist. I have never had an issue buying or selling. You just need to be smart about the situation and if it seems sketchy then bail. I am always straight up with people, most season ticket holders will be. I wouldn't be afraid to buy off there, just know you are taking a risk. You can pick up cheap deals on there as well.

Oh my goodness, thank you! I have season tickets with friends but there are some games I just really want to go to! I'm a big Pagan fan so I'm definitely going to try to get his autograph :)

This is awesome. I'll be making my first trip out to SF next month, and definitely plan on using this as a guide. Big thanks.

this is a great guide and everything, but i really like the experience of sitting in the bleachers. Stubhub rocks

Great guide, I'll have to do this once I start going to more games.

If you're looking for cheap tickets, you have zero chance of seeing a Giants/Dodgers game. That's the only one I'm going to this season (probably) so it was alright to splurge, even though my seats aren't the best. Tickets for the game I'm going to were like 3-4 times as expensive as games against teams from out of the division.

Getting Autographs

So, you want to get your star to sign something? I’ll let you know how. I’ve actually only tried to get autographs this way twice, but I personally got an autograph from Brandon Belt, Angel Pagan, Andres Torres, Brandon Crawford, Tim Lincecum, Buster Posey and Amy G in that time.

First, this entire plan is based on Field Club tickets. If you read my guide before, you’re going to be focused on getting them around lunch. Doesn’t matter where they are (although literally next to the dugout sides is helpful), they just need to be Field Club. If you don’t want to get those tickets, this won’t work at all.

The main point is to get there early. Like really, really early. You should be in front of the private Field Club entrance about 2:45 before game time. Even then you probably won’t be the first person. The park opens two hours ahead of time. So sit on the ground and play some Angry Birds. Or make friends with people in the line, that’s what I would do.

Before you get there, you should be kitted out. You need something to sign, and something to sign it with. Do not plan on getting it there. It’ll take time and cost more. Balls are great. You can get a legit MLB ball in a case at Target for $15. Balls should be signed in blue ball point pen, not sharpie. Make sure the pen doesn’t run at all. Try writing on paper and wiping immediately. The best display is one signature per ball. This can make carrying many balls a pain.

Personally, I have a hat I like to get signed. It makes a great display behind my desk, and I use a silver sharpie on the black brim. I always have it ready to be signed. All I have to do is take it off, and hand the silver sharpie and my hat to the player. I think hat and one ball is a great combo.

Baseball cards are cool if you have a specific player. Use a blue or black sharpie.

So, you’re at the game with your stuff and the doors are about to open. Hopefully you’re near the beginning of the line with your ticket ready. Once they let you in, walk slightly to the right. Don’t ooh and ahh at the Field Club Lounge, there’ll be time for that later. You’re looking to head through the big triple doors towards the field. Someone will ask to see your ticket again, so have it ready. After the doors a is concrete hallway. Turn left and keep walking.

You’ll pass a merch stand and run in to an employee who keeps you from going any further. Next to him is a roped off area to wait for signatures. DO NOT WAIT THERE. I have never, ever seen someone get a signature there. My friend waited forever and saw three people get something signed. It sucks. Don’t try it.

Instead, turn right to go out to the park. If you took the right door, it’ll take you right towards the dugout. If you’ve done it right, you should be one of the first people out. When you see a player, politely call out to them and ask for if they can sign something. That’s it. They’ll either walk over or they won’t.

Hand them what you want signed and the pen with the cap off. People who hand players pens with the cap on should have to get hit by Matt Cain fastballs before the game.

Very quickly, you’re going to see people coming in on the other side of the railing. That’s the General Admission side. Many, many more people will be on that side.

There’s another side to get autographs, and that’s in 122, just the other side of the dugout. This side can only be accessed from Field Club. The reason I sent you where I did first is that’s where the dugout entrance is. But the Field Club side can be great, too. Whatever you do, don’t bounce around too much. You’ll always be in the back of the crowd.

The way I am, I tend to make friends with the people around me. Find out who their favorite player is, tell ‘em yours. You want to get an attitude of working together instead of competing. This will keep everyone from getting too crazy. If you can help a little kid get an auto, do it.

You have a sort of narrow band of time. Most of the players are on the field doing batting practice. Once they’re done, almost all of them run back in to the clubhouse. This is when the away team hits. When they come out, they usually have their game face on. But you might get lucky, especially near dugout entrance. If you want to enjoy yourself and walk around, it’s a good time.

That’s the most of it. Bring the right pen, get there early, go to the dugout (not in the hall behind the rope), be nice, ask for an autograph and say thanks. Best of luck!