The Average Cost to Attend a Cincinnati Reds Game

The Great American Ballpark, the name of the baseball stadium where the Cincinnati Reds field their home games, is near a business district and ensconced by a number of residential properties. This makes a visit there not just a sports experience, but also there is a slice of Cincinnati life to be found. This is found around the stadium by the unique eateries available and the opportunity for those familiar with the area to find a hassle-free parking space.

The problem for fans of the Reds is that their last 3 playoff appearances have been one and done, including the wild card game back in 2012. It’s been 28 years since the team has won wither a National League Championship or a World Series. All this means is that if you are paying to see a competitive team, your hopes, like the cost of the experience, should be objectively lowered.

Ticket prices are among the lowest in the league

We won’t go so far back as to compare ticket prices to 1990 but over the last 7 years the average ticket price has risen 58 cents. $0.58. That’s it. Currently, that average sits at $21.14, which is actually a measurement of the team’s progress and success rather than an indicator of team management frugality. There are a number of online ticket scalping websites that you can get some really cheap seats. But here’s a way to take advantage of the 13th ranked National League team in attendance that fills an average of 20,361 seats of the more than 42,000 available: buy cheap and move down. You will actually be doing the team a favor as its televised games will be showing the seats closer to the game anyway.

Concession prices range from reasonable to insanely cheap

For fans of the Reds or for people who don’t care that much about baseball and just want to get out, the Great American Ballpark is a food-friend place to go. Depending on your appetite or the number of people being toted, your cost to eat here can be as low as $0. Why? Because you are allowed to bring in your own food and non-alcoholic drinks in a soft cooler. Instead of letting those leftovers turn green in the refrigerator, pack them up and head out to the ballpark. There are enough stores within walking distance where you can pack in those bottles of non-alcoholic beverages.

There are those people who are of a positive, old-fashioned mindset and believe a hot dog and a beer is the best way to experience the ballgame. A hot dog is … umm … $1. It is the lowest price for a hot dog in the entire league. As for the beer, there are some tempting options. Interestingly, the stadium ranks 10th for highest average beer cost in the league. But the reason is that there are some of the best beers in town that can be had there. The average costs sits at $6.25, so if you’re keeping track of prices, just add 1 to the cost of the beer and you have your average cost jump to $7.25 for attending a single game.

Parking spaces can be had for free

Parking is one of those things that if you are a regular attendee of Reds games you can actually park for zilch. Technically, the average cost to park your car is $20, but you definitely can do much better. If you are athletically inclined you can bike up to the stadium and find racks for your bike. If you are visiting from out of town and plan on seeing a Reds game, there are plenty of hotels nearly that are within walking distance of the stadium. And if you are a regular attender of Reds games there are residential parking spaces nearby that you can sneak into and not worry about getting a parking ticket. There are parking lots both near the Great American Ballpark and across the river, so you have plenty of choices.

All these interesting tidbits can actually have you completely ignoring the “average” price to attend a Reds home game and park, enter, and eat for under $10. Of course, this takes a bit of planning and effort, but even if you don’t get one of the secret free parking spaces you can keep the cost for the entire day under $20. Which, by the way, is the same number of games the Reds are under .500 this season.