The side in which the home team sits is usually up to the team’s personal preference, although more home teams of recent have been sitting on the first base sides. This is a common practice as seen especially in the National League and American League.
Where do players sit in a game of baseball – what are dugouts?
But first things first, let’s find out about these special seats the baseball teams sit at. If you’re new to baseball, you’ll notice that most baseball players, their managers, and their coaches would sit in an area that is set below the field level. This is called the dugout – an area specifically made for baseball teams to sit at.
Most dugouts are set below the field level so spectators could have a better view of the game while it is in play, although this is specific to certain stadiums.
Dugouts are made commonly of benches for the players who aren’t on the field and provide a safe space for team managers and coaches to watch the game unfold. Most player equipment such as hats, gloves, bats, protective gear, and other miscellaneous items are also kept at team-specific dugouts.
Which side does the home team sit on in baseball – and why?
So now that you’ve learned a little about dugouts, let’s move on to knowing where the home team sits. Technically, there aren’t any set rules as to where a team’s dugout is.
You could say it’s almost by random, but since home teams usually get to pick their dugouts before the visitor team does, you’ll often notice them on the first base sides. On certain rare occasions, however, you may see the home team seated on the third-base side instead. And now, let’s dig deeper into why the home team picks where they’d like their dugouts to be.
Why do home teams sit on the first base side in baseball?
In the history of baseball, home teams would usually sit on the first base side as it allows their managers and coaches to see the game better. This allows them to guide their players on their ever-changing game strategy for the win without letting the visitor teams in on what they’re planning on.
Subsequently, managers and coaches may also believe that when they get an unobstructed view of the game from the first base side, it would be easier to reason with the umpire when there is a disagreement.
Why do home teams sometimes sit on the third-base side in baseball?
As we’ve mentioned, home teams would occasionally be seated on the third base side in a game. This is usually true if the team’s manager also doubles as a third base coach as it would mean less traveling between innings for the manager. Of course, this is purely in preference to the manager, but it isn’t uncommon to see the home team crowd the third base side dugout.
Are there other reasons why the home team picks the first base side in baseball?
In fact, there are actually more reasons behind why a home team would pick their sides of dugouts.
Weather
Home teams often pick their side of dugouts based on where they could be best shielded from the sun. This is especially important in the summer seasons as players would want to avoid getting a sunburn or feeling dehydrated after being seated on the bench throughout a game period. Most players may also want to get a good view of the field so they can watch their team in-game, and if they’re not seated in a shade, they may have to squint through the hours on the field.
Comfort
Although this may sound odd, but home teams occasionally even pick their sides based on the comforts and environment of the dugouts. As some dugouts are directly connected to the clubhouse, this allows players to quickly their lockers and facilities from the field. With that said, being able to pick their dugouts means managers and coaches can fully control the level of comfort and the environment for everyone on the team – even if they’re simply players on the bench.
Where should you sit at a baseball game?
Now that you know how the players, managers, and coaches pick their dugouts when they’re at a game, isn’t it time for you to figure out where to sit at a baseball game? Generally, you’d like to pick an area that gives you an unobstructed view of the field. This way, you’ll be able to see everything that is going on in the game, so you could cheer for your team to your best efforts. Here are the top picks of where to sit at a baseball game.
1. The Top Spot
Get a seat at the scout seat behind the home plate. If you’re an avid baseball fan, you should know that the best place to sit while you’re watching a baseball game is by the scout seats located behind the home plate. This is where you’ll get the best view of the game as it unfolds in front of your eyes, and seats here are sometimes even more comfortable than that of the rest of the stadium.
Unfortunately, getting ahold of one of these seats would really set your bank account back as tickets would never go for cheap. You’ll also have to watch the game through a net that’s been set up to protect you from foul balls, but as you get immersed in the game, you may not even notice it was there from the beginning.
2. A Second Pick:
Get a seat behind the dugouts. As we’ve mentioned, the home team usually sits by the first base side for its views over the field. Similarly, this is where you should sit at a game of baseball if you’d like a good view of the game. If you’re lucky, you may even get to see the changing of players getting on and off-field throughout the game.
Occasionally, you may even pick up a souvenir or two from the players who would toss memorabilia over to their fans while getting off-field. In the past, sitting behind the dugouts may even result in you picking up a foul ball if Lady Luck is on your side but nettings have since been put up for the safety of the fans.
Although ticket prices are not as steep as the ones at the scout seats, getting a seat behind the dugouts will still require you to dig deep into your wallet.however, will be quite an unforgettable experience, and if you’d like to impress someone without having to break the bank, these seats may just be the right pick.
3. Great Seats On a Budget:
Get a seat at the outfield sections. Despite being far out from the field, getting a seat at the outfield sections when you’re at a baseball game would give you a widely unobstructed view of the game. These are the seats that are best whenever a home run occurs as you’ll get to see the ball whizzing by, and if you’re lucky – you may even catch a ball as the crowd around you cheer in excitement.
These seats are perfect if you’d like to watch the game in-person without having to fork out too much. The only downside, however, is that most outfield seats are unshaded so you should go for the game prepared with all the sun protection you can get.
Our recommendation is to wear adequate sunblock, stay hydrated throughout the game, and arrive early so you could watch the teams practise their batting. Who knows? You would probably be able to catch a ball pre-game if the batter hits far enough and go home with the most unique souvenir ever.
Which are the seats to avoid when watching a baseball game?
Thankfully, there are generally no bad seats when it comes to watching a game of baseball. Every seat should allow you a view of the game, although it simply depends on your preference of how close you would want to watch the game from.
The seats we would recommend avoiding where possible, however, are seats that are near poles. You could always spot these as warnings when purchasing tickets, as they often come with a warning noting “obstructed views”. The last thing you’ll want is to have forked out hundreds of dollars only to be staring at a pole through the game.
Other spots you should avoid are aisle seats as fans may occasionally walk around to use the washroom or purchase food and beverages. Being seated at an aisle seat generally means you’ll consistently have to get up and allow them to exit your row, which in turn may result in you missing some highlights of the game.
Unless you think you’re the type of fan who would need to rush to the washroom often, aisle seats should generally be avoided when picking a seat for a baseball game.
