Big league fun and big time savings
Too often, the high cost of attending sporting events keeps fans from attending their favorite teams’ games.
There is, however, a way to watch local professional sports without paying high ticket costs or dealing with raucous crowds of people.
The Los Angeles-area is home to several minor league baseball teams.
Pessimists will immediately disregard of watching any level of baseball aside from Major League Baseball (MLB). But before you shell out $100-a-ticket for mid-level Dodgers tickets, how does $10 for executive box seats behind home plate sound?
Now that I’ve got your attention, these local minor league teams include the Inland Empire 66ers, a Class A-Advanced affiliation of the Los Angeles Dodgers, and the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes, a Class A-Advanced affiliation of the Los Angeles Angels.
Both teams play in the California League and started the 2010 season with a four-game series against each other in Rancho Cucamonga. The 66ers won the series 3-1.
It took just over an hour to arrive at Arrowhead Credit Union Park, home of the 66ers, driving from the Burbank area on a Sunday afternoon. Traffic was light, the sun was out and there was baseball soon to be played.
The 66ers were playing the Modesto Nuts in this California League matchup, a game that took 10 innings for the Nuts to win by a score of 4-1.
Although a Dodgers game was taking place just down the road at Chavez Ravine, over 2,000 piled in to watch the Class A-Advance 66ers.
Fans local to the CSUN area will, however, be forced to put some miles on their car to watch a 66ers home game. Arrowhead Credit Union Park, according to Google maps, is 85 miles, or about 95 minutes from CSUN.
A drive to the Rancho Cucamonga Epicenter, home of the Quakes, is 67 miles, or about 80 minutes from CSUN.
Seeing these future stars play now, however, will hurt you wallet far less than seeing their major league counterparts.
As noted, executive box seats behind home plate at 66ers games are regularly priced at $10 per ticket. Regular game prices for 66ers games go as low as $4 for lawn seats. These lawn seats, on certain days, are only $1.
Inland Empire 66ers
Arrowhead Credit Union Ballpark
280 South E Street
San Bernardino, CA 92401
Rancho Cucamonga Quakes
The Rancho Cucamonga Epicenter
8408 Rochester Avenue
Rancho Cucamonga, CA, 91730
Dates of 2010 Quakes v. 66ers Games:
At Inland Empire: May 14-17, June 11-13, July 23-25,
At Rancho Cucamonga: May 21-24, June 17-19, August 6-8,
2010 Parking Rates:
Inland Empire 66ers: $4 flat rate, $2 on Tuesdays, $10 for large vehicles.
Rancho Cucamonga: Quakes: $4 flat rate, $10 for large vehicles.
