Answers to your Target Field seating questions
Posted on September 18th, 2008 – 12:16 PMBy Michael Rand
The Twins have released 2009 and, more importantly, 2010 season ticket prices broken down by location. They have a pretty fancy interactive map that you can check out right here. The upshot from the pricing diagram: the cheapest season tickets in 2009, the final year at the Dome, will be $3.09 per game (about 9,000 available in the “Cheap Seats” section), while the most expensive are dugout box at $139 per game. In 2010, the cheapest will be $10 per game (1,900 available) and the most expensive will be $275 per game (very limited number). So obviously it will be more expensive, as expected. We do, however, count 14,300 season tickets available for $22/game or less, and another 7,400 at $29/game. That’s not dirt cheap, but it is more than half the ballpark at what most would consider a fairly reasonable price. The new park will also have seats (looks to be about 2,600 based on the information provided) available exclusively for single-game and group ticket purchase. Your thoughts?
69 Responses to "Answers to your Target Field seating questions"
Looks like I’ll be shelling out my one-time fee of $800-$1000 for a season ticket to the first year.
Man, that’s the same price as four years of cheap seats…
I am a little disappointed that there isn’t a discount at all for purchasing a full-season package.
The new “HR porch” still looks to be the best deal to me. I wonder if they’ll actually let people sit in the first 2 rows now?
By HR porch I didn’t mean the labeled HR Porch tickets I was refering to the Bleachers
We’ve been Front Paged! You’ve been warned.
Shameful money grubbing by the Twins owners. They take away our right to vote on a sales tax increase and raise our taxes to pour money into the pockets of the billionaire Pohlad family. Then they double the prices of tickets. Disgraceful.
RandBall, please moderate the blog and keep the whining and complaining about taxes and billionaires OUT. Those people disgust me.
Ticket prices are what they are. They’ll cost what the market will bear. Deal with it.
I’m more concerned with what I’m seeing in those pictures. As a recent transplant to Seattle, I’ve had the good fortune to attend several games at Safeco this year. Great ballpark, obviously. But I’m not seeing a similar sense of place in Target Field (aka “The Cart.”)
Maybe it’s just the flatness of the computer model, or the lack of billboards and other “atmospheric elements.” I just hope they do something to make it quintessentially Minnesotan.
I vote for a huge (not inflated) milk jug in the outfield, like the big Coke bottle at the Giants’ park. Get a little personality in that place.
Right on cue…
Sassbottom:
I think the “Minnesota personality” of the place is intended to be in the skyline overlooking right field.
Not that I would argue with the return of the milk jug with it’s faintly blinking light.
Anything to be able to yell, “They’re pouring it on!” again.
I hear what you’re saying, Dave MN, but when I think of the green, green grass of home, I don’t think “downtown Minny.” That’s just me.
And another thing … why hasn’t some smarty-pants entrepreneur (or even the Twins) worked something out for the real estate on the top of that parking ramp behind center field?
I’m thinking a Wrigleyville sort of view into the park, but very high-end, like a detached ultra-suite for people willing to pay a premium. That would be … uhh … suite.
They’ve increased the cheap seats tix in recent years by 25% in an attempt to reduce the shock of their more than 300% increase at the new park. Hmmm, lemme think…more expensive, less accessible, no creature comforts, rain/snow outs, frequent double headers — wow…some man must’ve come up with this idea!
Sass
SHUT UP!!!
Why do you have to ruin the fun for the rest of us? The rooftop thing was my idea, don’t blow it now!
I’m thinking a Wrigleyville sort of view into the park, but very high-end, like a detached ultra-suite for people willing to pay a premium. That would be … uhh … suite.
Too many high-end corporate psuedo fans in ballparks already. Keep ballparks and “suite” overlooks accessible and affordable for actual baseball fans.
Too bad, Fran. You want premium, you’re going to have to pay for it.
One caveat to my idea above (nice try, jama) — make access available only to fans who’ve purchased an outfield seat. Offer it as an upgrade, like flying first class. Make it a random offer, available online only. That would give “actual baseball fans” the chance to enjoy a suite-level experience.
Can anyone spot me $23K? It’s either good seats or nothing!
Sass
I already have a pass in said ramp and plan to watch Twins games for free. You are welcome to join me. I haven’t figured out if I can tailgate up there yet or not but I have a little while to figure out all the little details.
Joker
I can only spot you $18K you’ll have to come up with the other $5K through other “investors”.
I used to park in that ramp, too … that’s when the idea first occurred to me. I’m sure thousands of others have had the same idea. But I’m sure the Twins are going to go out of their way to limit views of the field from the ramp. That’s why a more formal arrangement — between whoever owns the ramp, the Twins and a clever entrepreneurial type — makes so much sense here.
Then again, if something makes “sense,” we can’t expect Corporate America to follow along.
/soapbox
@DaveMN- Is there a fee just to have the right to buy season tix? For all levels? Even if you’re an existing ticket holder?
No need jama. A friend of mine works for a company that has a rooftop on the corner of 2nd ave and 4th st that over looks the stadium (you can only see home plate and 3rd base though). Can see right into it. I’ll let you come watch, but you have to wear a Vikings Bernard Berrian jersey to each game.
Hootie
No “fee” persay to buy tix other than the fact that the prices are much higher. I don’t think Baseball teams do the Personal Ticket Licensing like so many NFL teams have done.
Joker
Done and done, but only if you provide the beer and ladies.
I hear the Target Center has been looking at ways to increase their revenue. Wouldn’t letting drunk college students party on their roof be a good idea?
Done and done, but only if you provide the beer and ladies.
I hope you like rohypnol.
There is a per seat membership fee for the club level seats of $1000 ($48 seats) & $2000 ($55 seats).
Thanks for the info jama.
Anyone know if they plan on keeping flex 40?
I wish the Twins had just signed a 25-year lease at the Metrodome. Now there’s a stadium that’s good for baseball-watching.
Hootie:
I don’t think there’s a fee, besides being a season ticket holder in the Dome since before the Stadium was approved.
I don’t know about flex 40, but it looks like there’s a 20 game and 40 game plan listed, so maybe…
Shouldn’t you get a Target giftcard with your season tickets or something?
jama
Beer is your job. Ladies…done and done.
I love “The Cart” as the nickname. Seems like the Twins free agent strategy could be compared to shopping at Target…
I don’t like how they’ve severely limited where you can get half-season plans on the lower level. No more half season plans for anything good (they’ll tell you everything is good), which prices me out of the location I have now (diamond view, half season plan).
The prices may be a little higher, but there are only 3 sections where the price is over $100 and those are right behind home plate. So, still probably the best deal in baseball.
Seems like the Twins free agent strategy could be compared to shopping at Target
If that were the case, they would have gone into free agency (Target) intending to sign Mike Lamb (buy toilet paper), but, by the time it was over, they’d have signed Casey Blake (new Metallica CD), CC Sabathia (Rock Band 2), and Manny Ramirez (50″ HDTV)…
Whatever:
I’ll probably be paying over $800 to sit in the highest, farthest away seat in the place…
But I’m only doing it for one season, and I’ll be smiling the whole time.
Besides, it’s hard to give away Twins tickets now. You’ll be able to sell your unused tickets easily to the new park.
For those interested, my (family) season tix are Club Level, section G, row 5.
Now excuse me while I tuck it in the waistband before my next meeting.
For those interested, my (family) season tix are Club Level, section G, row 5.
You already have them?
There is a deal on being a season ticket holder. Single game tickets will be more than what you see on their price list, just like there is now. They just didn’t put single game prices on the PDF.
GoGophers:
Thanks for the clarification. It definitely wasn’t apparent that this would be a discounted rate.
Unfortunately, that means that there aren’t really any seats available for $10 at the gate.
Indeed.
Don’t care since baseball is best served on the radio where the announcers know their job, and I can do mine in the garage….
If “The Cart” catches on, remember you heard it here first!
Well, the Saints are still $5 for general admission and the beer’s cheaper. Sounds like a winner to me.
Sass
I’ll give you credit for “The Cart” (I’ve heard this before). If you give me credit for the free baseball view on top of the parking ramp idea. Deal?
John McCain:
I’ll give you credit for inventing the Blackberry, if you give me credit for inventing the Internet. Deal?
Deal
For those interested, my (family) season tix are Club Level, section G, row 5.
I guess I didn’t know Brandon was from Edina.
Jon,
Is he from Edina or “New Edina” (Minnetonka)?
I wouldn’t doubt that some of the cheaper prices would be the same as single game, just not the expensive ones.
Well, his given name is Sir Brandon Oliver de Havilland-Rothschild IV…
In the upset of the week, I actually hail from Brooklyn Park. (Cue “Movin’ On Up”)
Though to be fair, BP is commonly cited as the Edina of the north.
I thought we decided that Eden Prairie was the new Edina. Can someone figure this out and let me know?
I don’t know anything about Brooklyn Park, except that I usually get it confused with Park Center, Park of Cottage Grove, and (occasionally) Park Rapids.
If I had to pick, I’d say Eden Prairie was the new Edina, with Minnetonka more of a poor man’s Wayzata / Plymouth.
Jon: Eden Prairie lacks boutiques
Minnetonka definitely has that covered with its virtual inclusion of Excelsior
HECTOR MINNESOTA FTW
To all complaining about the prizes, this is a bargain. Try sitting down in the new Yankee or Mets stadiums. You’ll need to remortgage your house.
if you check prices around the league these are very comparable. about the same as progressive and a little more than miller. if you don’t like these prices then you should check the new nationals park prices or if you want a heart attack then check yankees or red sox prices. the reason metrodome prices are so cheap is because there’s so many seats and most of them suck. you can’t have a new park with low prices, it’s just not gonna happen
That’s odd.
I’ve always referred to Brooklyn Park as “The [redacted].”
Ticket Prices Comparison for equivalent sections:
Metrodome (Top)/Target Field(Bottom)
Lower Club: $50
Home Plate Box: $50
Lower Diamond View: $48
Diamond Box & Field Box: $38 & 29
Home Run Porch: $20
Left Field Bleacher: $18
Upper Box: $24
Home Plate Terrace: $28
Upper Club: $21
Home Plate View & Field Terrace: $20
Cheap Seats: $7
Field View: $10
While I am comparing 2010 Season Ticket Prices with 2008 Single Ticket Prices, you can see that when comparing equivalent seating areas the prices are comparable.
The main differences are there are more pricing breakdowns, the “elite” seats are considerably more expensive and the “cheap seats” are in right field foul area instead of the outfield.
has anyone missed….”and the memories…priceless”
My only complaint is they took away any of the good seats for the 20-game package. We have great seats in the 4th row of the upper deck right behind home plate. We’ve had several chances to move down below, but it would have been in the last few rows way down the baselines. Now, it looks like we don’t even have an option of getting any seats except way up in the nosebleeds or out in the outfield. We don’t even live in Minnesota and yet we’ve had season tickets for years, which is a hell of a lot more than most of the so-called Twins fans who’ll be buying season tickets in 2010 and getting better tickets can say.
Season Ticket Holder,
Have you gone to the Twin’s website and check out the simulated seat views from the various sections?
Do you realize that the Home Plate Terrace is only 6 rows and that Row 1 of the Home Plate View is almost the same as your current season ticket location?
Also the “nose bleed” seats are only 14 rows as compared to the 30 currently at the Dome.
I think a lot of fans who’ve been watching baseball in the Metrodome all these years don’t understand how bad the seating there really is. Considering how (relatively) small Target Field will be, and how the sightlines will be maximized for baseball only, there really will not be a “bad” seat in the place.
I hate to keep bringing up Safeco, but I’ve sat all over the place and felt like I had a great view every time.
Sitting in the upper deck at The Cart will give you an awesome view of the city. Sitting in the upper deck at the Metrodome gives you a great view of white teflon.
hey Brandon - BLAH - BLAH - BLAH
do you actually go to the games and when you do, do you watch or just sit an talk and annoy the other fans around you?
SweetOne - Thanks for the tidbit about the seating views at the Twins’ website. It is well done and definitely deserves a look before people harp on seats being “nosebleed” or too expensive. I think we may very well end up with with the best ballpark in all of baseball.
Question to Rand - Do the Twins have plans to “test drive” seats at some point in time. Opening up the ballpark for a couple of days could spark a lot of interest and get people more comfortable with their seat purchase.
Looks good, I look forward to going to a game there!
Well, got my Twins “relocation” package yesterday. What a disappointment. Unless you buy a full season package (what indvidual has time to go to 3.5 games a week for 6 months?) you get the shaft. You could have been buying a 40 game package for 40 years, and the best seat you are even allowed to buy (if they aren’t all sold as full season tickets) is about halfway between the outside of the infield dirt and the outfield wall. To twist the knife even more, the 40 game people don’t even get to retain their seats for the post-season anymore either.
Like “Whatever”, I’m a 40 game package person who has Diamond View seats. To the people (and I’m sure the Twins will as well) who say that “all the seats are good”, I say, then why do my 2008 seats cost $48/ea., and the best seats I can get for 2010 are $38?
Sort of reminds me a little bit of the seat chart for Citizens Bank Park in Filth-adelphia. Citizens has alot of sharp angles in their park, Target Field has alot of curvature. But, it’s really nice.
