Looking for some good baseball in Southern California? You don’t have to shell out the big bucks for a Dodgers or Angels game. Our baseball-loving family has swapped Major League Baseball for the NCAA, heading to top-notch college baseball games at UCLA, Cal State University Fullerton, and the University of Southern California.
Whether you’re a visitor or a local thinking about going to a pro game, think again.
With Major League Baseball ticket, parking, and concession prices ballooning, combined with local disgust over the Dodgers’ ownership drama, a day at the ballpark in Los Angeles can be more of a frustration than a celebration.
We’ve found the overall experience at the college games more enjoyable. The crowd is friendly, and the colleges work hard to provide a fun experience for fans. Plus, our kids get a taste of college life and talk about where they’d like to go some day (too) soon. And while the peanuts and Cracker Jacks taste the same at a college game as they do in the big leagues, they sure cost less.
With the cost of a Dodgers ticket averaging $44.68 in 2011 compared to the average college ticket price of around $5, you can save an average of $39.68 per ticket per game.
College ball offers unique stadium settings, plus plenty of prime, unreserved seating amid smaller crowds. You can meander up to an unreserved front-row seat at UCLA ‘s picturesque stadium in Westwood for about $7 a ticket. USC offers a “pick five” ticket that gets you into five games for $20.
Alcohol isn’t allowed in the stands at college games, which helps to eliminate bad fan behavior. The concession lines are shorter that at Dodgers and Angels stadiums. You can get to know the various college food specialties, too. UCLA offers homemade chili (until they run out). Cal State Fullerton usually features a specialty food truck. Most recently, the truck was Barcelona On the Go, making spicy chicken sandwiches, tacos, and quesadillas. A sandwich and soda cost $9. Standard ballpark fare like hot dogs and popcorn is about $1-$2 cheaper at the university games than at pro ballparks.
Parking is headache-free and a steal. At UCLA and Cal State Fullerton, parking averages $7-8. At a Dodgers or Angels game, we paid $15-$20 and either had to leave early or sit in city gridlock trying to get home. At USC, we can park at a meter on the street or in an inexpensive, easy, in-out campus lot.
Sure, we still like to slip in a major league game now and again. But we don’t really miss the big leagues and feel enriched by adding the college baseball experience to our entertainment repertoire.