Busch Stadium Statistics
How to Attend a Baseball Game at Busch Stadium
Attending a baseball game at Busch Stadium is different than attending a game
anywhere else in the United States. A new set of rules apply, and anyone who
regularly attends baseball games elsewhere should abide by these rules. For
example, do not expect Cardinals fans to tolerate booing. Anyone you hear
shouting out what sounds like "Boo!" is in all likelihood supporting Cardinals
outfielder J.D. Drew by shouting "Drew!" Uneducated fans would misinterpret
the will of the crowd and put themselves in danger of erroneously emulating a
"Boo!" themselves; such behavior is not acceptable at Busch Stadium. Unless an
umpire commits a gross error that alters the outcome of the game in some way,
you will not hear such negative and unnecessary chanting from a native Cardinals
fan. The entire St. Louis baseball game experience can be viewed in four
distinct parts: ticket selection and purchase, pre-game ceremony, execution of
game-time etiquette, and post-game celebration ranging from moderate to heavy.
As in all good things, to attend a Cardinals game you must have a ticket.
There is more than one way to purchase Cardinals tickets. If you are a diehard
fan then you should walk up to the stadium and purchase tickets from the Box
Office (located between gates three and four, five and six, and eight and one).
However, not everyone has the time to do this and so Busch stadium offers more
efficient methods for ticket acquisition. Although many fans flock to the
internet to purchase tickets, the official website of the St. Louis Cardinals (www.stlcardinals.com)
is unreliable and can crash due to the bottle-necking hordes of online ticket
seekers. The fastest way to buy tickets turns out to be over the phone. Simply
call (314) 421-2400 during typical banking hours and you will be met with a
friendly employee of Busch Stadium. Surprisingly, perhaps due to the popularity
of the Internet ticket service, the phone lines are never busy. If you purchase
your tickets over the phone or on the Internet, then you will have to go to
Will Call booth before the game to apprehend your bounty. This is all part of
the pre-game ceremony.
In order to make time for picking up your tickets, taking in the sights and
sounds of the area surrounding Busch Stadium, and participating in a few
pre-game ceremonies you should arrive at Busch Stadium at least an hour before
the game starts. Even if you arrive three hours beforehand you will not be able
to take in all the colorful pageantry. Before you can get near the stadium and
the Will Call booth, you must travel to downtown St. Louis where Busch Stadium
resides. If you are coming from the North, South, or West (including the
airport), then you have the economical option of taking the MetroLink train.
Since most games start around 7:10pm, you should take a train that leaves around
5:45pm in order to arrive in time for some pre-game fun. Each MetroLink station
has a train leaving at seventeen or eighteen minute intervals during this time
of day. A train from the airport will leave at exactly 5:43pm; this would be the
one to catch for any out of town visitor.
If you live east of St. Louis or prefer to drive a car to the game, then
you must take into account the traffic you will surely encounter on westbound
highway 40 and 44. On the positive side, game-day traffic can be interesting
and part of your overall experience with St. Louis baseball. If you find
yourself stuck in traffic, be sure to look around and notice all the fans around
you headed for the same direction. You will see many expressions of Cardinals
fanaticism on the cars themselves including war-paint, flags, and stickers.
Once you arrive at the Stadium you should quickly find a parking spot near the
stadium. Budget at least $10 for parking expenses. If you are willing to pay $20
then you should be able to park within a block of the stadium. Think about it
this way: buy one less soda and one less cotton candy during the game and
you’ve already made up for the expense of close parking. After the game, you
will be pleased with your choice to park nearer rather than farther.
Once you park, walk directly to the Will Call booth without dawdle and
ignore the sights and sounds until you have your tickets in hand. Do not waste
time mingling with the tailgaters under the highway bridge, listening to the
brass bands, or perusing the timeless bronze statues until after you are
certain that you have your tickets. At the will call booth, you will be expected
to show proper identification. If you purchased your tickets with a credit
card, then you should have your card on hand to verify your purchase.
Congratulations! You now have your ticket!
Now that you have secured your tickets, spend some time walking around the
stadium. Busch Stadium constitutes a complete circle, so try walking all the way
around the stadium once before entering the game. Complete circumnavigation
should take about fifteen minutes, including minimal perusing. Be sure to check
out the bronze statues of all the Hall of Fame Cardinals of years past. Once you
arrive back at the will call booth, enter the stadium through the nearest
entrance to the right.
Busch stadium is unlike other ballparks in that, aside from being completely
circular, you will not find the frivolity of the typical modern stadium. This is
the way we like it. Unlike Safeco Field in Seattle, which sells sushi and
accepts Canadian currency, Busch Stadium mainly offers only classic baseball
food: brats, hot dogs, pretzels, and nachos. Pizza and burritos are
the most exotic foods you find in Busch Stadium.
Check out all the World Series pennants, National League championship
pennants, and Central division title pennants hanging above the main walkway
around the stadium. If you want to see batting practice, you’ll have to arrive
an hour and a half or so before the game begins. Otherwise, feel free to go in
and grab your seat at any time.
Congratulations! You are now seated! Enjoy the game!