Bucs On A Budget: How To Take Family Of 4 To A Game Without Breaking The Bank
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) - There is nothing like walking into PNC Park on a spring evening and taking in the sounds, and smells of the ballpark.
The freshly cut grass, the popcorn, and if you get anywhere close to Manny's Place, your salivary glands send up the white flags and flow.
These are the things that memories are made of as each generation introduces the next to the joy of baseball.
"Baseball and the Pirates is about family and we're about the community and being able to provide something for the fan at every economic level is very important for us," Pirates Executive VP Drew Cloud said.
So, just how much will it costs you to take your family of four to a Pirates game?
An annual study of all MLB teams put the Pirates' cost at about $170, but it can be done much cheaper.
Parking
If you park at the First Avenue Garage and take the "T" to the North Shore, you will spend $5 to park and the "T" is free. You can also park at 6th and Ft. Duquesne for $7 and walk the Clemente Bridge to the ballpark.
Tickets
Weekday games are cheaper than weekends. Some games you can find $9 seats in left field seats below the scoreboard, but generally the cheapest ticket is $15. But, the Pirates have a number of partners including PNC, Giant Eagle, The Port Authority, and Coke that offer ticket discounts and put added value on your ticket that is redeemable for concessions.
Food
You can still bring food from home as long as it fits in a 16x16x8-inch soft sided container. Water bottles and juice boxes are allowed as long as they are still sealed.
If you choose to buy food in the ballpark, check out the Bucaroos concession stand just inside the left field gate off General Robinson Street. There, you will find kid size portions of Chicken Fries-$2.75, Nachos-$2.75, Pizza-$2.50, Hot Dog-$2.00, Popcorn-$2.00, Ice Cream-$1.75, Soft Pretzel-$1.75, Soft Drink-$1.75, Milk-$1.75, Chocolate Milk-$1.75, Kid's Candy-$1.50.
The total you will spend to take a family of four to the ballgame could be as low as $45 if you bring your own food and take advantage of the partner discount offers. Or, it will cost about $80 if you choose to eat at the ballpark and take advantage of the Bucaroos pricing.
Of course, if you want to sit more centralized behind home plate or down one of the baselines, your costs will rise with the seat price.
For an idea of the cost of tickets for the next few days check them out here.
The memories you make are at no extra charge.
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