Petco Report Card

by jbox on Sep 12, 2006 11:38 AM PDT in News Comment 23 comments

Well the grades are in and Petco is the 21st best ballpark according to the fans.

It's kinda disappointing that we have a ballpark a couple years old and we are ranked so low.

The Skinny: Here's what we don't understand: After years of delays, you build a spiffy new ballpark, tie it in with local history via a unique old building next to the park, offer plenty of family-friendly sections and activities and even build a playoff-caliber club. Then you go and shake down the fans for every last penny at the concession stands. What, the ticket prices aren't high enough? Did the Padres need to feel a kinship with their higher-priced baseball brethren in San Francisco? For a park that, for all of its comforts, carries a strong scent of corporate America, it would have been nice if a day at the stadium were priced with the families in mind instead of the fat cats sitting in the luxury boxes.

So true. F'n fat cat execs!

I voted in this poll a few months ago while it was still going on.

Here's how I voted:

Accesibility:

How expensive is stadium parking?
* FREE: 5%

Is public transportation a viable option?
* Worth it if you have a lot of time and patience: 23%

How would you rate traffic getting to and from the game?
* Aside from the occasional bottleneck, it's good: 38%

From the game:
* Aside from the occasional bottleneck, it's good: 34%

I've always been able to find free street parking, but I don't mind walking a good half mile through homeless infested back alleys. It's nice to have the Trolley there, but it takes a good 45-60 minutes to actually get downtown from Mission Valley. I don't have the patience for that sorta thing. That's a long night if you take public transportation back and forth. If you know the right way to get in and out of downtown you can escape most traffic.

Amenities:

How would you rate the number of restrooms for men and women?
* It depends on your section: 9%

How long is the wait to use a bathroom?
* 1-5 minutes: 38%

How would you rate the variety of food/beer concession options?
* A nice variety but locations are spread out: 45%

How much will a meal at the ballpark cost you?
* $10-$20: 61%

How would you rate the entertainment options aside from the game?
* So many games/promotions and scoreboard highlights that the game is lost in the background: 7%

Petco has plenty of bathrooms I just don't think they are big enough. As a guy I think it's normal to never wait in line, so when I do have to wait in line I'm not satisfied. Cleanliness is an issue too with all the traffic.

There's a good variety of food, but I have a hard time spending over 10 bucks for ballpark food. There are some pretty good values if you get the right thing but the basics (hot dog, pizza, fish taco, coke) will put you in the $8-10 range. There's plenty of food that looks good but you are gonna spend $10-20+. I'd grab something to eat before the game if I were you, you aren't missing out on anything.

The entertainment (besides the game) alright. I've already complained about this before, but I think it depends on where your seats are. Sometimes the music, lights, scoreboard, claps can drive you insane. I like the Pad Squad though.

Here's the entire list. Angels Stadium is the best? That's more then a little bit surprising. I've never been, but I've never heard anybody really blown away with the place.

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Angels Stadium

I went to Angels Stadium during the WBC. It is an abomination.

by Enzo Hernandez on Sep 12, 2006 12:17 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Angels

when you read the write up on Angels Stadium it doesn't even sound that good.

by jbox on Sep 12, 2006 1:19 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I have to agree

This was my third year as a 40-game season ticket holder. The first season I prepaid parking in a cheap lot on the trolley line to save money. The long nights drove me nuts! My son loved the trolley rides, but I was not happy as we often had to leave the game early in order to get home at a decent time after the night games. The last two years I just bit the bullet and pre-paid for tailgate parking. Hurt the wallet, but has been so much more convenient. I am usually on the freeway no more than 10 minutes after leaving my seat.

Food - horrible. Reducing the size of the collector cups while charging the same price this season really pissed me off. How cheap can they GET? I long ago started bringing my own food and I DO appreciate that they allow that. On a side note - for the first time ever I went to the PCL restaurant before the last home game and it was GOOD and reasonably priced. Not that I would do that every game, but if for some reason I can't get food to bring in, I will go there instead of the concession stands to get a better value.

Bathrooms and quick concession visits are not an issue in the upper area of right field. In fact, that is one of the reasons that I have loved my seats compared to any other place in the ballpark - even the high $$ seats. But, my area is the exception.

I am not renewing my plan for '07. As my son has gotten older and more involved in his own sports leagues we don't have the time. Plus, it is just more money than I can justify. I would rather grab some good seats for games we can attend for sure. Probably we will do many Park Passes and then hang out at Western Metal. Alex really liked that.

Christina

by Christina on Sep 12, 2006 12:25 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

PCL Club

The only problem with the PCL club is that you miss a good 3 or 4 innings by going there. You can watch them on TV, but it's not the same especially since you are at the ballpark. It would be a good idea for a pre-game meal.

Here's an old write up on the PCL Club

by jbox on Sep 12, 2006 1:17 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

True

My review is based upon a pre-game meal. Considering that we normally do get to the ballpark at least an hour before game time, it works out great for us.

Christina

by Christina on Sep 12, 2006 3:36 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

They lost me at "fat cats."

Who the hell says "fat cats?"

That said, I'm still pissed that the Nationals weren't named the Fat Cats. Imagine the sweet hats.

Friar Faithful

by Richard Wade on Sep 12, 2006 12:27 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Just like the All-Star Game....

This is what happens when you let the fans vote.

21st best? Behind Oakland? OAKLAND???

Let's have some fun out here! This game's fun, OK? Fun goddamnit.

by Drama on Sep 12, 2006 2:49 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

god damn f*ckin' disney

the only thing angels fans love talking about more than the 2002 world series is their freakin' stadium. my angel-fan lawyer-friend and i had a much-too-lengthy email debate about halos concessions vs. padres concessions, which i will recap for you here (not because you particularly care, but because i really don't want to get back to working right now):

Angel Fan: Padres food concession stands are staffed by Little League coaches, Marines, etc. You miss a whole inning trying to get a hot dog. Good luck trying to find a beer that's not a Bud Lite. At the Big A food service professionals take care of you - they get you in and out and don't waste your time. At Anaheim there is much variety, better and more beers, helmet sundaes, pizza, Panda Express, Carl's Jr., fresh grilled brats and Italian sausages, . . . I could go on and on. So don't get me started.

Me: Panda Express? Carl's Jr.? You say this like it's something to brag about? Am I so wrong for expecting more from a baseball stadium than the goods proffered at a mall food court? And at last count Petco also sells exotic things like helmet sundaes and that obscure Italian import, "pizza." I hear if you know the right people you can also score Cracker Jacks and peanuts.

Angel Fan: Those grease-laden slabs of cheese and canned tomato sauce resting on half-cooked dough passed off as "pizza" at Petco Park bear no resemblance to the fine pizza available at the Big A. Panda and Carl's are simply outstanding and people vote with their stomachs for them at the Big A. These chains operate in food courts because people like them! "Give the people what they want" - this is one of the keys to Arte Moreno's success. If the motto were, "Give the people mediocre ballpark food served up slowly by off-duty Navy enlisted men and senior citizen bridge club members," then your Padres prevail.

[He then went on to proclaim the Angels' superiority by invoking their hallowed Rally Monkey, which I argued did nothing to bolster his case for Halos dominance. He replied...]

Angel Fan: I'll take the simian over the clownish, dopey Swinging Friar (and his goofy puppy-chow-sponsored dog-and-cat sidekicks). The Rally Monkey is a phenomenon. Kids the world over love him. The Swinging Friar finished second recently in the "Most Hated Mascots" survey published in an authoritative magazine (OK, it was FHM. . . or was it Maxim?), with only Barney garnering more votes.

In the end, the stadium debate proved inconclusive. But hopefully we can all agree on one thing: THE GODDAMN HAT SHUFFLE AND SAILBOAT RACES HAVE GOT TO GO!

also: I just shivered my way through Friday's Pads/Giants game last week, and I have to say Giants fans are some of the weakest, least spirited "fat cats" I've ever seen. In that respect, at least, I'll take Petco over PacSBT&T Park any day of the week.

by PeavyPorPresidente on Sep 12, 2006 2:57 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

That was very entertaining

by jbox on Sep 12, 2006 3:19 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Crappy poll

Everything was based on ticket prices. You're telling me you would rather watch a game in KC than San Diego. That team has been terrible for years, but you can get the average seat for $13. What does that tell you? They can't give their tickets away.

AT&T is probably the best ballpark around and look how low they were ranked. I think people know what to expect price-wise when they go to a game. If it's not an event for you, you can get a $5 seat and get by without food for 3 1/2 hours.

It's not like we are pasty fat-ass Wisconsonites that eat as much as they breath.

by FUBYU on Sep 12, 2006 3:46 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Dog and a Beer

Last time I got a Dog and a Beer at the stadium it set me back $14.75....crazy. I only "treated" myself because it was my birthday

by Jonny Dub on Sep 12, 2006 3:47 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

"Dog"

You bought the Randy Jones Big Dawg. That's a half pound hot dog. A hot dog anywhere else is a quarter of that.

by Dex on Sep 12, 2006 4:26 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Costco

That "Dog" at Costco comes with a soda for $1.50.

by Jonny Dub on Sep 12, 2006 9:54 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

With all the great restaurants...

...in the area, eating at the ballpark seems like kind of a waste (I'll get the garlic fries every now and then, but that's about it). In any event, there's no way there are 20 better big-league parks.

Geoff @ Ducksnorts

by Geoff on Sep 12, 2006 6:58 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Crazy

Been to almost every ballpark, (hit every city, just need to go back to some of the newer ones) this list is crazy. It could not be further from right.

by sandiegometfan on Sep 12, 2006 9:31 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

oakland at 20?

i went to a game in the coliseum back in early july. actually it was independence day fireworks night, so i got to enjoy the rare experience of a sellout in oakland. anyway, the place is terrible. it's a football stadium (and a humongous one at that), the walkways are enclosed and tight and smell terrible. the seats are at weird angles because it's designed for football. and the scoreboard gives little to no information at all. petco has definitely spolied me, so it's ridiculous that it's ranked so low, and especially behind the coliseum.

i also went to a game at dodger stadium this season (the one where peavy hit a home run), and that place is better than the coliseum, but not by much. they don't let you move from section to section, and you have to enter the ballpark at a gate corresponding to where your ticket is. also that day the gametime temperature was 103 and the security guards wouldn't let me bring my broom in. luckily we smoked them or else it could've been a pretty poor experience.

also i went to safeco a few years back, and that is a top notch facility. same with pac bell park. i'd give both (and petco too) top ten rankings.

by Bryan on Sep 12, 2006 11:04 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

better bring an O2 tank

I went to the Oakland Coliseum once ... but I don't remember much of it because by the time I reached my upper-deck seats, my nose had started bleeding and I soon passed out from lack of oxygen. i highly recommend spending a few hours acclimating on the second deck before heading up there -- kinda like Macchu Picchu, or maybe Everest.

but then again, what's a little altitude sickness when you get to watch a hot babe like barry zito? yummy.

by PeavyPorPresidente on Sep 13, 2006 3:49 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs