Parking prices increase (esp. for Opening Day)

[PKBadger]

Why would they add more portajohns? There are dozens of restrooms in the park.

 

I won't say that I don't see where you're coming from, DOA....

but I would think Mark A. recognizes that our "tailgating culture" is very important to a lot of Brewers fans. For a lot of us it is intertwined with the gameday experience and part of the reason we like coming to Miller Park so much. We realize that it's something that makes us unique among MLB franchises - as it has been pointed out elsewhere, not a lot of other ballparks have the huge parking lots that cater to tailgaters. You would also have to concede that this was a factor in the decision to build Miller Park where it is rather than the proposed downtown location.

 

To me this would be a very nice gesture by ownership, a "thank you" of sorts.....ensuring that their guests have the best time possible and want to come back often. There's nothing wrong with incurring some limited expense in order to generate goodwill.

 

[Blazer25]

The best play before games is to park near Bluemound anyway and take the bar shuttles in. Get dropped off right in front of the stadium, use parking money on dollar egg rolls and other food plus cheap pitchers at Long Wong's, and not deal with any traffic whatsoever? It's a no brainer

Shhh...there's already too many people in Long Wong's before the games. And parking around there is getting harder and harder. Don't let the secret out any more.

[rluzinski]

If this is the price increase for being 4 games over .500 for the first time in almost two decades,

 

The Brewers aren't setting prices based on what the franchise did 10 or 20 years ago. When the Brewers were bad, their prices were low:

 

http://www.teammarketing.com/fci.cfm?page=fci_mlb2006.cfm

 

Times have changed. Vegas odds have the Brewers' at 85 wins for 08. Fans know that the Brewers are better, so demand and prices have gone up accordingly. Just be happy that the Brewers play in a small market. That fact will keep Brewer costs much more reasonable, compared to a big market club (less demand!).

 

You want to believe that professional teams have to earn the right to raise their prices. That just isn't reality.

[gypcasino]

but I would think Mark A. recognizes that our "tailgating culture" is very important to a lot of Brewers fans. For a lot of us it is intertwined with the gameday experience and part of the reason we like coming to Miller Park so much.

Right. As I've said before, like it or not, tailgating is the main event for many people. They aren't being mainly lured in by the subpar product that's been on the field for the last couple decades. It wouldn't be that difficult to put some more Port a Johns in the parking lots so people don't have to stand in line for an hour.

[decktard]

Just urinate by the fence line like everyone else.

1. The portajohn situation is stupid. There should be plenty more. Clearly they could reserve more for popular games... opening day... the cubs series, etc

2. I've seen people get public urination tickets. I've also seen cops go up in to the woods area by the giants lot.

3. "urinate by the fence" doesn't really work for the womenfolk either.

 

[BrewCrewForever]

Fiesta Garabali (sp?) also does a shuttle.

[sgtcluels]

But you miss out on so much just going to the bar. Miss playing Bags... grilling out... enjoying the sun (If anyone on opening day). It's part of the total Baseball experience!

 

Anyone know of any portable potty solutions? Someone should make a porta-john that attaches to my trailer hitch.

[RyDogg66]

Sparky Fifer did a bit on the parking prices at Miller Park today. I lasted until 9:25 until I shut him off and turned on the D-List.

 

his take in a nutshell.

 

1. Parking at Miller Park is TOO CHEAP

2. Bucks Parking = $20, Admirals Parking = $10, can't tailgate at either place so...

3. General Parking at Miller Park should be $25.00 because brewers are better than the Bucks and ADmirals are minor league.

4. Additional fee if you want to tailgate, you would pay for a tailgate permit.

5. If you drink open beverage or eat food in parking lot, that is tailgating and if you dont have permit, there is some sort of penalty, didnt specify.

6. Rationale - Brewers let you do this for free right now and they currently LOSE money doing it because you are less likely to buy food inside.

7. Wanted to get Rick Schlesinger on the phone to ask him why the BRewers dont raise parking to $25.00 + charge to tailgate.

8. If you as a Brewers fan are unwilling to pay that, then you are preventing the Brewers from competing in salaries.

9. Milwaukee fans are "cheap, cheap, cheap, cheap cheap"

 

My response.

 

1. Parking is just about where it should be.

2. Bradley Center is downtown, much less parking so it costs more. Miller Park has HUGE lot, only demand for it is when there is a game, so parking goes down.

3. The reason people tailgate is because it is an "event" it is fun to get a bunch of people together, have a little cookout and then go into the game. If they charged to do it, people would simply just show up to the game, having eaten at home and still not buy $8.00 beers of $4.00 Brats inside the ball park. Charging for tailgating would = fewer people tailgating and possible fewer groups coming to games. I would be less likely to tailgate if it cost extra, I would just eat before I came, either way I am not paying for food in the park unless I am desperate.

4. The Brewers draw from the entire state, unlike The Bucks or Admirals. People drive from GB, Oshkosh, Madison, Eau Claire, LA Crosse, etc. because it is summer and there is a roof, guaranteeing that a game will be played. They already are paying $30-40 or more for gas, an increase in parking to $25.00 might be what keeps people from making that trip.

5. The increase would affect families the most. Sparky says if you dont like it, take the Fiesta Garibaldi shuttle, that is what he does. I am not going to attempt to take my (soon to be) 3 kids under age 5 to a bar to take a shuttle to the game. Single people it is much easier to do that.

5. Spark is an idiot, and he often times gets me to turn off his station. Sure, I talk about it here, but he certainly isnt driving up ratings...

[Tbadder]

Personally, I'm really glad they're rasing these prices and not ticket prices. I can't afford to park or eat at the stadium, and I'm glad there is room at the park for someone with my income. The walk is a long one but it's good exercise, and allowing me to bring in snacks helps the kids make it feel special.

[hkdakd]

when I purchased my 20 game season pack back in October I didn't purchase parking for any games. I did however, purchase parking about a week ago with my sales rep. I got preferred parking for $10/game for my season tickets. I then purchased an individual game and that parking was $12 since it wasn't park of my season ticket package. Over the course of 20 games those couple bucks add up.

 

I don't do general parking so I don't know about deals there. I always do the preferred parking so i'm not wasting my time walking. I drive a long ways for each game so i want the most out of every experience.

[bluemoundlotallstar]

5 gallon bucket and a refrigerator (or just large) box = porta potty problem solved

 

I'm willing to bet that I will make my parking money back too.

[owbc]

In Baltimore, last year, preferred parking was $10 (10 rows from the stadium) and the general parking was $7.

Even at Yankee Stadium, it was only $15-$20 to park right across the road.

The difference is that there is a monopoly on parking at Miller Park. They can charge whatever they want, only so many people are going to walk in or take a bus. Everywhere else, the lots are competing against each other.

 

Maybe they should just have a surcharge for anyone wearing Cubs gear--maybe $40 for Illinois license plates?

[whynotthebrewers]

I also listened to the radio show this morning on 1250 and became upset and turned it off. People compaining about this is silly. The supply and demand thing sums this all up very simply. If you don't want to pay it, don't go or use the other cheaper or free options out there. Seems easy to me. If people don't park there they will bring the price down in the future. But I think we all know that people are going to still go to the game and park there. I doubt that $7-$10 is going to change most people from going to the game. And if it does, there are more tickets for others.

 

As for the price of gas being high and traveling to the games. Either you have to go to less games or just eat up the cost. It's the price you pay for having a possible winner. I would prefer to pay a couple more dollars for a higher payroll and a chance at winning. It is much more fun just being in the discussion of the baseball world than living with the bad teams we had in the past ten years. Seems like a small price to pay to me.

[dadofandrew]

If memory serves, the lots do not open until 2.5-3 hours before the game. If you use the restroom before, and have to go again before game time, you either have a drinking problem or a very small bladder.

 

I always drink a lot of water, and today I was at the office from 9:30-4...I went at lunch and again at 3ish.

[temke]

we went through the whole port-a-john thing last year. the brewers are under zero obligation to provide restroom facilities. remember, it is a parking lot first and foremost. people choose to tailgate there. (and i understand that tailgating is a given for many in the lots

 

some also argue that the lack of johns is an under-handed attempt to get people into the park to buy their food/drink there. there are plenty of johns in the park...i have seen people go in for that reason alone before.

 

from my experience, i have never seen ridiculous lines at either the sausage haus or helfaer field. 5 minutes tops in my experiences. it can be quite a walk from some places, but you could walk there and back twice in the time you wait in the lines for the port-a-john. remember...closer is not always faster.

 

and you just take a couple beers with you on the walk and you are set! http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/wink.gif

[danzig6767]

we went through the whole port-a-john thing last year. the brewers are under zero obligation to provide restroom facilities. remember, it is a parking lot first and foremost. people choose to tailgate there. (and i understand that tailgating is a given for many in the lots

Just because something isn't required by a business doesn't mean offering a low cost courtesy to a sizable part of your customers wouldn't be a smart thing for making the game day experience more enjoyable.

I know for myself and nearly everyone i know that attends Brewers games, tailgating is a decent sized part of why we attend the games and without tailgating, we'd attend less games. Some of the people i've gone to games with or people i know that go to games aren't huge Brewers fans or sports fans, but they love getting a group together on a beautiful summer day to tailgate and then see the game. At my last job, once or twice a year most of the employees would attend a game, the group tailgating was far more the draw than the game itself given how many attending weren't even baseball fans. Lots of companies do the same. Plus, for anyone that tailgates a lot, you can easily see that it's not just young folks partying. There are tons of families from 4-10ish people there to just cook out and socialize on a nice day while the kids play catch in the lots.

Adding a few more portajohns to be sure to make the game day experience very enjoyable seems easy to do and not some big expense. I highly doubt the portajohn situation will ever be something to prevent groups to say, that's it, we aren't going to tailgate and attend now. In a business though that relies heavily on people returning often, IMO smart businesses go out of their way to do even the little things so that everything possible about a customers visit was positive.

 

[burniebrewer]

If memory serves, the lots do not open until 2.5-3 hours before the game. If you use the restroom before, and have to go again before game time, you either have a drinking problem or a very small bladder.

 

I always drink a lot of water, and today I was at the office from 9:30-4...I went at lunch and again at 3ish.

Al, you must be a blast to party with.

 

I get what you're saying but it's Opening Day, people are drinking. It's gonna happen, period. It's fine if they want to ignore it, but it just looks stupid seeing all these people climbing a hill to piss behind a tree when some port-a-johns could be brought in.

 

[Invader3K]

Guys, if my fence line suggestion doesn't work, just use an empty beer bottle and bring a bottle of hand sanitizer in your car. Problem solved.

[burniebrewer]

OK, so kicking it back to the actual parking situation....

 

I am going to Opening Day, but did not obtain my tickets through the Brewers. Is there a way for me to purchase parking in advance? I have seen parking passes on eBay and such and may just go the route, but is there any other way?

 

Thanks.

[brewcrewreview]

General parking for Opening Day is available right now for ten bucks which includes the services charges. Call 414-902-4000 to order.

[zachlaka]

Wow I may just buy my parking in advance so I can buy a beer inside not like I will need to since we usually sneek in a ton of beer.

 

I am also thinking about making a use once porta potty type thing for are tailgate group so we don't have to walk and wait in any lines. It would be something cheap that would just leave there for the grounds crew to clean up http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/smile.gif

[burniebrewer]

Thanks brewcrewreview!

[areacodes]

Anyone know of any portable potty solutions? Someone should make a porta-john that attaches to my trailer hitch.

 

I've seen those before... I'm pretty sure it was somebody who had rented a porta-potty and just put it on a trailer. Closest thing I could find with a very short google search would be the Bumper Dumper and that doesn't provide too much privacy.

[brewcrewreview]

No problem burnie!

[sgtcluels]

Guys, if my fence line suggestion doesn't work, just use an empty beer bottle and bring a bottle of hand sanitizer in your car. Problem solved.

We've got 7 guys and 7 girls going to our tailgate. The bottle solution will work for the guys (I'm sure we'll have enough empty bottles) but the girls are pretty screwed.