Ettiquette/Courtesy at a minor league game

I had a very similar experience a couple nights ago at my son's collegiate summer league game.  I got fairly annoyed in my mind with all the up and downs mid inning as I am one who never gets up unless it is between innings.  After I stewed for a minute or two I started thinking about the revenue that makes a small operation like that work and decided it's all ticket sales and concessions.   While I think the behavior is rude, at the end of the day if the team doesn't sell tickets and food/beer, there is no team.  Without youth teams attending and kids bugging their parents to go, the opportunities for our sons to play could disappear.  I decided to let it go (having not said anything at all) and just changed seats.

Ask to see the General Manager and change your seats.

One time I was watching the Triple A game in Albuquerque and visited the GM in his office. In the 7th inning his phone was ringing. I asked why and who?

He said it was the customers wives, "wanting to know when the game was over"?

Bob

You're old.  But I generally agree.  As stated the economics of minor league ball dictate a little more family friendly environment.  You should try to find some better seats where it won't be so disruptive.  

Fair comments guys.....and about what I expected.  I've never complained before, but last night was ridiculous.  Thankfully our company has season tickets 3 rows behind 3rd base dugout....right in the center of the aisle, so normally it's not an issue.  My 21 year old daughter even thought it was beyond what you'd normally expect at a game.  Again, it's not the moving around that I mind....obviously people go to a game to eat, drink and have fun, but it's not too hard to leave before or after an inning.....instead of in the middle of an at bat with 1 out....lol

I have had this same issue for years. And it's not just at MLB games. College games can be just as bad and sometimes even worse. Up and down, up and down, excuse me, excuse me. The guy on the cell phone talking excessively during the game loud enough for everyone to hear him. The two ladies beside me talking about everything but the game driving me freaking crazy. Oh and did I mention one of them being my wife.

I learned a few years ago I just couldn't handle trying to watch and enjoy a baseball game sitting in the stands with the "common" fan today. I find the best place where there ain't going to be any BS going on and that's where I plop down. I have watched numerous games without ever moving from my little spot. I like to watch the catchers throw down between innings. I like to watch the interaction between coaches and players between innings. I don't want to see sumo wrestlers and bat chases.

I sat in the same seat the entire time my son was in college. Waaay down the RF line behind the home dugout. All by myself unless someone ventured over to distract me. I would go into how I ran them off but I will save that for another day. My son's HC in college once told me "You know people probably think your an a s s. But I understand."

My advice is find your spot. Get away from all the distractions. And if you can't do that find a team with a place you can do that at. And by the way "Get off my lawn!" Lol

Coach_May posted:

I have had this same issue for years. And it's not just at MLB games. College games can be just as bad and sometimes even worse. Up and down, up and down, excuse me, excuse me. The guy on the cell phone talking excessively during the game loud enough for everyone to hear him. The two ladies beside me talking about everything but the game driving me freaking crazy. Oh and did I mention one of them being my wife.

I learned a few years ago I just couldn't handle trying to watch and enjoy a baseball game sitting in the stands with the "common" fan today. I find the best place where there ain't going to be any BS going on and that's where I plop down. I have watched numerous games without ever moving from my little spot. I like to watch the catchers throw down between innings. I like to watch the interaction between coaches and players between innings. I don't want to see sumo wrestlers and bat chases.

I sat in the same seat the entire time my son was in college. Waaay down the RF line behind the home dugout. All by myself unless someone ventured over to distract me. I would go into how I ran them off but I will save that for another day. My son's HC in college once told me "You know people probably think your an a s s. But I understand."

My advice is find your spot. Get away from all the distractions. And if you can't do that find a team with a place you can do that at. And by the way "Get off my lawn!" Lol

 

That is EXACTLY what I did during travel, HS and college.  RF line all thru travel, LF in HS because that was the "home" side, then RF during college last spring

At least make the move between pitches and kneel down out of the way while waiting to make that move.  This is where isle seats and front few rows just behind an isle are much less appealing than what you might first think.

Buckeye,

I think it's worth an email.  Your concerns are valid, as a customer.  As you well know, MiLB teams are privately owned by businessmen and businesswomen that may not necessarily be "baseball" people. 

"I like to watch the interaction between coaches and players between innings. I don't want to see sumo wrestlers and bat chases."

I was at my son's game over 4th of july weekend.  He was in the bullpen all game, casually BS'ing  his way through the game.  It was a well played one run game, I never saw him pay much attention to the game. ( I had a good view because the beer tent overlooks the pen)

between innings they bring out the sumo wrestlers, two evenly matched young men, after the 3rd and deciding round, I see my son jump up and do about 3 fists pumps with a big smile on his face.  He won a side bet of a bag of sunflower seeds,  its the little things in life that matters I guess!

We went to a Pirates game a couple of weeks ago, a friend shared some good seats behind home plate area with us,  I gave our usual seats to my daughter , who has a strong dislike for baseball. we receive a text from her in the 2nd inning that she's leaving...."its to hot and there are to many people here": the next weekend she spent 6 hours at the Kenny Chesney concert in 95 degrees. 

It is hard to believe that people stand up to go get a drink when its a 3-2 count, bases loaded and a tied game..... come on man sit down until the innings over !

mmm1531 posted:

 

It is hard to believe that people stand up to go get a drink when its a 3-2 count, bases loaded and a tied game..... come on man sit down until the innings over !

 

Exactly....or when you get back to the top of your aisle in the same situation with 2 outs....just wait 30 seconds for the inning to end before you head back to your seat. 

Buckeye 2015 posted:

mmm1531 posted:

 

It is hard to believe that people stand up to go get a drink when its a 3-2 count, bases loaded and a tied game..... come on man sit down until the innings over !

 

Exactly....or when you get back to the top of your aisle in the same situation with 2 outs....just wait 30 seconds for the inning to end before you head back to your seat. 

one game we went to I went to go sit down, my wife grabs me and says wait until the end of the inning.. I just laughed at her  ( not out loud of course) , we were in the second row from the back and the entire section was empty.  I trained her well!!

Did not go to many college games this year but the ones that I went to, including Regionals included people getting up (and down) between innings. IMO, they are not doing it on purpose. They just don't know,  and don't know that they done know.

I don't know where I learned it but I did. Sometimes I been stopped on my way back before I get to the stands by someone and I've stayed out of the stands for a whole inning instead of a half inning. I refused to walk in front of someone else's line of sight.

Now saying that, if there are 25 people in a 125 capacity section, I may not wait until the end of the half inning.

Maybe there should be announcements made a couple of time during a game to try to refrain from leaving and going back to your seat while the game is going on.

JMO

RedFishFool posted:

 

Maybe there should be announcements made a couple of time during a game to try to refrain from leaving and going back to your seat while the game is going on.

 A friend was in the same section and left their seats in the 3rd to go out to RF and sit in a mostly empty section.  Didn't know they were there, but obviously it wasn't just myself and my daughter who were fed up. 

I did email the team, explaining the situation in a VERY nice way.  I mentioned the exact same thing.  They already give their "safety" speech before the game....watch for foul balls, bats, etc.  I asked if it would be possible to just add "as a courtesy to others and for your safety,  please try to leave/return to your in between innings rather than during play".   I'll let you know if I get a reply

Couldn't care less about movement during the game. Kids may want to do this, that, or the other. Best time for concessions is during an inning. Best time to hit the head is during an inning. Whatever. If extracurricular activity is a bother, be sure never to sit in the Yankee Stadium bleachers.

But I absolutely agree with the safety issue, esp. at the minor league level. Some seats are so damn close to the action that MUST pay attention. 

It happens everywhere. At one of our travel tournament games, a team playing after our game arrived early to watch and sat in the bleachers with us. When their coach wanted them to quit watching and go to warm up, he ordered them up in the middle of an at-bat and run to first, blocking the view of the parents in an exciting play. Not dangerous. But very, very rude and a poor example. He should have waited until a moment between innings to ask the boys to move to warm up.

Speaking of ettiquette at a ball game.  It really bothers me when people don't be respectful when the National Anthem is being played.  Feel free to stand, take off your hat, and remain silent.  Singing along is optional. 

I hate going to pro and college games because of the crowds.  Last month I got to watch the first two games of the CWS championship series and it amazed me how many people were there who had no clue there was even a SUPER IMPORTANT game going on.  In the first game me and my buddies were sitting in the general admission outfield bleachers.  We were having a great time and enjoying a great game........until these high school girls sat down in front of us.  They looked to be probably Freshmen or Sophomores and stayed there close to half an inning.  The entire time they were there not once did they watch a second of the game.  How do I know they didn't watch the game?  The entire time they were standing up and taking selfies.  Needless to say not a huge fan of that.  So in the amount of time they were there I photobombed about 5 pics using the stereotypical grumpy old man face.  I wish I was there when they finally realized what was going on in the background.  What finally got them to move is I very loudly said (to no one in particular) "If you wanted to take selfies it would have been cheaper to stay home and do it in your bathroom".  They looked at me, huffed and puffed and then left.  My buddies couldn't believe I would say that to HS girls and I told them I deal with those girls every day.  

Coach2709

I thought that was you, I was sitting behind you and had to move.... Time for a hair cut coach! 

HAHAHA my apologies.  I tried to wear a hat one time to help those behind me but the pressure of the hair caused my hat to shoot off.  It took the right fielder out like a sniper and my team gave up a bases clearing triple because of it.  I was banned for a while