Where To Sit At Comerica Park

It can be overwhelming to come face-to-face with the dozen-plus seating options whenever you visit a new MLB ballpark, but the key thing to remember is that with a few exceptions, every park has the same sort of choices. You’ve got high-priced tickets close to the field, cheap tickets in the upper deck and myriad other options in between. The key is finding a ticket that won’t break the bank and will create a memorable ballpark experience for you.

Tigers tickets range from $12 to $90 (suites not included, of course) and the time of year dictates the price. Like many MLB clubs, the Tigers break their home games into multiple price points – for 2013, the team sells Premium, Regular and Value games. For example, most of the team’s home games during off-peak months (April, May and September) are Value games; weekday home games in the summer are Regular games and weekend home games are Premium. The Value games are your best bet price-wise, but even attending a Premium game isn’t a huge price increase.

If you don’t have a particular spending limit for tickets, the On-Deck Circle section that spans from dugout to dugout at field level puts you as close to the action as you can get and combines a great view of the field with a neat angle to see Detroit’s buildings beyond the outfield. Tickets here, depending on the game, range from $90 (Premium) to $85 (Regular) to $77 (Value). For a unique seating choice just a little cheaper than an On-Deck Circle ticket, strongly consider the Tiger Den seats. The first of its kind in the majors, this section is located in the top of the lower level and features a table and moveable chairs in an enclosed area. It’s not a suite, but it’s the next best thing and costs $85-$80-$72. A ticket here also gives you access to a private lounge.

Lower-level tickets down the base lines are pretty standard; the farther you get from home plate, the less you’ll pay. When you get to the outfield, you’ve got a number of good-value choices. Lower-level tickets in left field are priced at $26-$21-$19 and put you nice and close to one of the coolest bullpen setups in Major League Baseball. Instead of hanging out on a bench and freezing in the elements during chilly April and September evenings in the Motor City, each team’s relievers enjoy a spacious, indoor bullpen in left-center. It’s fun to hang out in the seats around either team’s ‘pen and watch guys emerge to stretch and throw as the game wears on. Detroit’s side of the pen is closest to the left field corner. Bleacher seats and seats in the fun Kaline’s Corner section in right field are even cheaper at $32-$18-$18.

If you don’t feel the need to be overly close to the action, Comerica’s upper level seats also have a wide range in price. The Club Seats, which run at the front of the upper level around the infield, cost $41-$36-$33 and give you sensational views of the field and city. Comerica Park’s upper deck isn’t as high as many other parks, including Progressive Field and Rogers Centre, so you won’t feel a million miles from home plate. For the cheapest seats in the house, consider the Skyline section in the upper deck’s left field corner. Tickets here cost $20-$15-$12 and the added perk is that you’re literally a stone’s throw from the video board and have a close view of the Chevrolet Fountain, too.

For the prices to every section at Comerica Park, check here.

Sitting with the sun in your face gets old in a hurry, and while you might be tempted to sit in the field-level seats on the third base side to be close to the Tigers dugout, consider the first base side. Here, you’ll have the sun behind you and get to look into the home team’s dugout, which is pretty good, too.

From the seats on the third base side, you can see Detroit’s famous David Broderick Tower on Witherell Street. The 35-floor structure, notable for its enormous whale mural, sat vacant for years but is now open to residents. This isn’t the only notable Detroit landmark you can see from Comerica. In the distance beyond the center field fence sits the General Motors Renaissance Center, which includes GM’s world headquarters.

If you enjoy taking in the game from different vantage points, head to the Pepsi Porch, which is above the right field seats. This area, which is often less crowded than other parts of the park, has a bunch of picnic tables, standing room along the railing and even a small set of bleachers. And, as an added perk, there’s a concession stand right behind you. For another option, try the standing room area behind the right field bleachers. It’s roomy and close to plenty of concession stands. Other great standing room areas can be found at each end of the ivy-covered batter’s eye.

I always move from section to section during each of my ballpark visits, and found that the seats in left field combined good value with a great view of not only the field, but also the bullpens. The only downside to these seats if you have to turn to check out the video board. And speaking of video board, I loved being up close to it in the Skyline seats high in the left field corner. It’s cool to look up and see the enormous tigers atop the board and when the Chevrolet Fountain goes off, there’s arguably no better spot to be.