SAN DIEGO — With the baseball season fast approaching, fans across the county are likely itching to once-again set foot in Petco Park.
Aside from the game itself, the act of going to the ball park is often what makes memories for baseball fans, whether it’s going to a bar with friends or playing catch with a kid.
Major League Baseball is known for the encompassing ball game experience and the San Diego Padres have been ranked second on a list of the top pre-game destinations this season by Bookies.com.
“You can’t beat the weather, and you can’t beat the location when it comes to pre-game fun,” the sports betting website wrote of the experience at the Padres’ home base. “After years of playing second fiddle in SoCal to the Dodgers, the team is a contender, adding to the vibe.”
According to the website, the list was determined by an algorithm-based analysis of scores in the following areas:
- Proximity to the city center and accessibility to fans from high traffic areas
- Tailgating ability
- Entertainment around the stadium, including the bar and restaurant scene
- Family-friendly sentiment
The number one spot this year went to the Pittsburgh Pirates. The San Francisco Giants, Cincinnati Reds and St. Louis Cardinals rounded out the top five.
Fellow Southern California teams, the Los Angeles Dodgers and Los Angeles Angels, ranked 22nd and 23rd, respectively.
Padres fans everywhere have reason to be excited about the upcoming 2023 season between the team’s “dragon-slaying” performance in last year’s postseason and All-Star additions over the last few months to aim for another run at the team’s first World Series win.
That manifested in the team capping season ticket sales for the first time in team history earlier this year due to “unprecedented demand.”
Petco Park will once again open to a sold out crowd in the season opener against the Colorado Rockies on Thursday, March 30 at 1:10 p.m.
