Upper Level

[BigHurt3515]

Going to the game Saturday night, looking at Section 533 Row 9 or Section 154 Row 26

Section 154 is $10 more a ticket, I have never sat in the upper levels before mainly because you can't get to the lower level. Is the extra $10 a ticket worth sitting in the corners at the lower level? Or the upper levels right behind home plate a better seat?

[CentralChamps21]

IMO 533 is a better seat than 154. As for getting to the lower levels, why do you want to go there? When I go to a game, I sit in my seat and watch the game, with one trip to the bathroom and concession stand mid-game. It doesn't matter to me what other areas of the ballpark I can get to.

[BigHurt3515]

1 minute ago, WhiteSoxFan1993 said:

IMO 533 is a better seat than 154. As for getting to the lower levels, why do you want to go there? When I go to a game, I sit in my seat and watch the game, with one trip to the bathroom and concession stand mid-game. It doesn't matter to me what other areas of the ballpark I can get to.

Honestly, I have no idea lol. I guess there is just something about sitting down low. 

[Eminor3rd]

17 minutes ago, BigHurt3515 said:

Going to the game Saturday night, looking at Section 533 Row 9 or Section 154 Row 26

Section 154 is $10 more a ticket, I have never sat in the upper levels before mainly because you can't get to the lower level. Is the extra $10 a ticket worth sitting in the corners at the lower level? Or the upper levels right behind home plate a better seat?

As far as view of the game, upper level behind the plate is VASTLY superior than corners below. 

But if you want the experience of more options on the lower level or you want a chance to be blasted by a screaming liner, you gotta go below.

Depends how you want to experience the park. Personally, I don't think there's anything wrong with paying less attention to the game when you're there -- if you want the best view of the action, you can watch TV.

[IWokeUpLikeThis]

One option is to buy the cheapest lower level you can get so you can walk around and buy from the best vendors, but actually sit in the best upper deck seat that's empty. 

As a lower level STH during the down years, I only paid attention to a few innings. The games were boring. I usually walked around - lower deck and upper deck - socializing, trying new views, finding the best food, and exploring the shops. 

[Dick Allen]

Up until this point, there are on vendors at the park. Upper Level has a better view of the game, and probably much shorter lines at the concession stands. 

I went with a friend a month or so ago to an afternoon game and we had bleachers and brews tickets. They were $25 and you get 2 Buds with it. There was a group of 7 next to us. 4 adults, 3 kids. they had a dedicated stand for Brews and Bleachers ticketholders. There was no line. We would get back instantly. The other group would be gone innings at a time. They asked us how we got beers so fast, we told them. They paid $28 a piece for their seats. They could have saved $21 and had 14 beer credits doing it the other way. 

Edited July 15, 2021 by Dick Allen

[southsider2k5]

Those upper deck seats specifically are really good.  The answer really depends on what you want for a game experience.  Do you want to watch nine innings and then go home?  Take the UD seats.  Are you wanting to go to the store, the sports bar, or anything specialty downstairs?  Get the LD tickets.

[BigHurt3515]

47 minutes ago, southsider2k5 said:

Those upper deck seats specifically are really good.  The answer really depends on what you want for a game experience.  Do you want to watch nine innings and then go home?  Take the UD seats.  Are you wanting to go to the store, the sports bar, or anything specialty downstairs?  Get the LD tickets.

I am going with two people (one 14 year old) that arent Sox fans or don't really care about baseball. We wouldn't be going to the sports bar and I know you can still visit Chicago Sports Depot before the game. I guess just feeling closer to the action has a different feel, I have never sat up top so I am curious how that experience is as well. 

[southsider2k5]

45 minutes ago, BigHurt3515 said:

I am going with two people (one 14 year old) that arent Sox fans or don't really care about baseball. We wouldn't be going to the sports bar and I know you can still visit Chicago Sports Depot before the game. I guess just feeling closer to the action has a different feel, I have never sat up top so I am curious how that experience is as well. 

They are very good seats to watch a game. They are right above where the announcers sit.

[bmags]

1 hour ago, Dick Allen said:

Up until this point, there are on vendors at the park. Upper Level has a better view of the game, and probably much shorter lines at the concession stands. 

I went with a friend a month or so ago to an afternoon game and we had bleachers and brews tickets. They were $25 and you get 2 Buds with it. There was a group of 7 next to us. 4 adults, 3 kids. they had a dedicated stand for Brews and Bleachers ticketholders. There was no line. We would get back instantly. The other group would be gone innings at a time. They asked us how we got beers so fast, we told them. They paid $28 a piece for their seats. They could have saved $21 and had 14 beer credits doing it the other way. 

My experience has been that upper levels tend to be worse for concessions. One of those things with the Sox where even though it’s less people they give you less stuff and you just end up piled into the same stuff.

 

[chitown87]

6 hours ago, Dick Allen said:

Up until this point, there are on vendors at the park. Upper Level has a better view of the game, and probably much shorter lines at the concession stands. 

I went with a friend a month or so ago to an afternoon game and we had bleachers and brews tickets. They were $25 and you get 2 Buds with it. There was a group of 7 next to us. 4 adults, 3 kids. they had a dedicated stand for Brews and Bleachers ticketholders. There was no line. We would get back instantly. The other group would be gone innings at a time. They asked us how we got beers so fast, we told them. They paid $28 a piece for their seats. They could have saved $21 and had 14 beer credits doing it the other way. 

Bleachers and brews is the best. Have two of those tickets for an early august game and can't wait. Will be my first game this year.

[Tnetennba]

I think being able to walk around the concourse and take in different views is worth the extra $10 personally, but I'm not overly familiar with the upper deck to make an honest comparison between seats.

[BigHurt3515]

Thank you everyone

The upper level behind home plate was really great, concessions weren't too long (1 inning for some food) and a great view of the game

[NWINFan]

The upper level sucks big time. Will never sit up there again.

[bmags]

9 hours ago, BigHurt3515 said:

Thank you everyone

The upper level behind home plate was really great, concessions weren't too long (1 inning for some food) and a great view of the game

That’s hilarious about concessions.

The stadium works so much better with 25k plus than with 10k.

[BigHurt3515]

44 minutes ago, bmags said:

That’s hilarious about concessions.

The stadium works so much better with 25k plus than with 10k.

There were for sure longer lines up there. They need a better system, we got 2 burgers and chicken tenders and it took 10 min from when we ordered to get it. It took the two other people an inning+ to get some dippin dots lol

[BigHurt3515]

54 minutes ago, NWINFan said:

The upper level sucks big time. Will never sit up there again.

What sucks about it besides not being able to go down low?

What really sucked is the lines to get in, it took us about an hour and 20 min to get from Mt Prospect to the parking lot. We there get to gate 3 and the lines were backed up to the back of the parking lot and going in different directions, it looked like it would take about an hour to get in and this was during the top of the 2nd already. Luckily I ran over to Gate 5 and there was barely a line so we  got in and sat in our seats right at the top of the 3rd. 

Sox need to get their shit together

[Look at Ray Ray Run]

55 minutes ago, bmags said:

That’s hilarious about concessions.

The stadium works so much better with 25k plus than with 10k.

1 inning for food is a really long time and the concessions was a complete disaster on Friday night. Lines were longer than I've ever seen them in my life. 

[IWokeUpLikeThis]

20 minutes ago, BigHurt3515 said:

What sucks about it besides not being able to go down low?

What really sucked is the lines to get in, it took us about an hour and 20 min to get from Mt Prospect to the parking lot. We there get to gate 3 and the lines were backed up to the back of the parking lot and going in different directions, it looked like it would take about an hour to get in and this was during the top of the 2nd already. Luckily I ran over to Gate 5 and there was barely a line so we  got in and sat in our seats right at the top of the 3rd. 

Sox need to get their shit together

We exited the Dan Ryan onto 31st at 5:45. Didn’t get to our seat until 7:15. 

Even at 6:50, the entrance lines were absolutely massive. On the 1st base side, lines were backed up all the way to the railroad tracks.

[bmags]

My personal opinion is that their vendor should have simplified concessions this year. These exotic items are clearly causing the bottlenecks while the Vienna vendors are slinging dogs down peoples gullets left and right.

They are fun for sure but there was a reason for the staple ballpark fare. 
 

And I do think this is a guaranteed rate issue, when visiting other ballparks it just doesn’t seem to take near as long to get food and drink.

(I know the walking vendors have exacerbated this, all the more reason to consolidate).

[DoUEvenShift]

43 minutes ago, IWokeUpLikeThis said:

We exited the Dan Ryan onto 31st at 5:45. Didn’t get to our seat until 7:15. 

Even at 6:50, the entrance lines were absolutely massive. On the 1st base side, lines were backed up all the way to the railroad tracks.

Yup, it has been absolutely awful. I made sure to get there as the parking lots opened yesterday because the last game I went to I was outside the park an hour before the game and STILL missed first pitch.

The lines on the 100 level for food are ridiculous as well. Over an inning to get food or a beer?? Still no aisle vendors???

 

Sox really have to get their shit together.

 

 

 

 

Edited July 18, 2021 by DoUEvenShift
Spelling

[TheTruth05]

21 minutes ago, DoUEvenShift said:

Yup, it has been absolutely awful. I made sure to get there as the parking lots opened yesterday because the last game I went to I was outside the park an hour before the game and STILL missed first pitch.

The lines on the 100 level for food are redicous as well. Over an inning to get food or a beer?? Still no aisle vendors???

 

Sox really have to get their shit together.

 

 

 

 

Holy fuck that’s bad lol

[bmags]

I know Sox attendance varies, but it really is obnoxious how often them being understaffed for a game lends to a horrible game experience. I never know what I’m going to get, and there are definitely games I wish I stayed home.

That said I’m going today with two of my young boys so I don’t expect to see much of the game anyway.

[iWiN4PreP]

Was at Saturday's game. Went to Chinatown before and arrived near the ballpark at 6:10pm, 5 minutes before game time start thinking I'd be a ble to essentially walk in and maybe miss a few batters.

Those lines fucking sucked. Didn't get to my seats until the bottom of the second or top of the third.

 

As for this topic, I always go upper deck. As a poor boi it just makes a lot more sense for me. I buy the cheapest ticket in the upper most row with any sort of decent view so at worst case scenario, I can sit there usually isolated ( I hate being packed next to anyone ). 100% of the time I just move to the best possible upper deck seats were the fewest people are together. Love sitting in the upper deck.

With that being said, its been getting more difficult due to the popularity. More demand, more drunk customers, everything has made the experience just a littttttle more uninviting. Although the trade off is the crowd energy during the game is unbelievably good. Saturday's crowd energy was the best energy I've been to at a game really.

Would definitely vouch for cheap upper deck tickets!

[southsider2k5]

I am going to guess the Sox are no different than anyone else in that they can't find someone to work their crappy minimum wage jobs, especially ones that are so part time and unpredictable.