Goodyear Ballpark is the spring training home of the Cincinnati Reds and the Cleveland Guardians, and from late February through March it is the center of gravity in our town. We live seven minutes away and go to more games than we probably should, so we get a lot of the same questions from guests: Where do I buy tickets? Where do I park? Which seats are in the shade? Can I bring a cooler?
This is the answer to all of them, in one place.
The basics
Address: 1933 S Ballpark Way, Goodyear, AZ 85338 Teams: Cincinnati Reds and Cleveland Guardians (Cactus League) Opened: 2009 Capacity: Roughly 10,000 including the outfield lawn Website: goodyearbp.com Getting there: Just south of I-10 at the Estrella Parkway exit, then east on Van Buren or south to Ballpark Way. From our neighborhood it is a seven-minute drive.
Goodyear Ballpark is a city-owned facility, which is part of why it feels different from the corporate-sponsored parks in the East Valley. It is clean, well run and relaxed. The concourse is wide, the sightlines are good from every seat, and the right-center-field berm is one of the best lawn sections in the Cactus League.
How to buy Goodyear Ballpark tickets
There are three legitimate ways to buy:
1. Directly from the teams. Reds home games are sold through the Reds via MLB.com; Guardians home games through the Guardians via MLB.com. This is the primary market with face-value pricing. Single-game tickets typically go on sale in December or January, and both teams usually announce the date in late fall. Follow the team social accounts or sign up for their spring training email alerts.
2. At the Goodyear Ballpark box office. Open on game days, with hours posted at goodyearbp.com. Fine for weekday games. Risky for weekends and marquee opponents, which can sell out.
3. Resale. MLB's official resale marketplace and the usual secondary sites. Expect to pay more than face value for weekend games, especially when both the Reds and Guardians are home the same weekend. Our advice: Buy from the team the week tickets go on sale. The best lawn spots and shaded reserved seats for Saturday games are gone within days in a good year.
Seating: where to sit and why
The lawn (berm)
The grass berm in right-center field is the signature seat at Goodyear Ballpark. It is general admission, so you spread a blanket wherever you find room. It is the cheapest ticket, the most relaxed and the best for groups and kids who need to move around. Downsides: no shade, and it fills up fast on weekends. Arrive when gates open for a spot near the fence.
If you are traveling with little ones, the lawn is also the easiest place to let them wiggle. We put together a full family guide to Goodyear and the West Valley with more ideas for kids between games.
Reserved seats
The main seating bowl wraps from the left-field line around home plate to the right-field line. Sightlines are good everywhere; the park is small enough that there is no bad seat.
For shade: Day games start at 1:05pm and the sun sits high and then moves west. Upper rows under the roof overhang get the most shade, and the first-base and right-field side tends to shade earlier in the afternoon. If anyone in your group is heat-sensitive, pay a few dollars more for a higher row with cover.
For sun: Lower rows anywhere, and the third-base side, stay sunny longest. In late February that is a feature.
For foul balls: Lower sections down either baseline past the dugouts. Pay attention.
Premium and group areas
Goodyear Ballpark offers party and group spaces for larger crowds. Worth it for a company outing or a big family group, and the teams' group sales offices can bundle tickets with food.
Parking at Goodyear Ballpark
The ballpark has surface lots on site. On game days, parking is paid. Recent reports put the fee in the $10 to $25 range depending on lot and game Lots open before gates. Arrive 60 to 90 minutes before first pitch for a close spot and a short walk; arrive 20 minutes before and you will walk from the back.
A few practical notes:
Cash or card? Bring both to be safe.
Accessible parking is available near the main gate.
Rideshare drop-off and pickup zones are marked. After a game, walk a block or two away from the stadium before requesting; surge pricing and wait times are both lower.
Oversized vehicles and RVs. [CONFIRM: whether permitted and where.]
Honestly, the parking is one of the easiest parts of a Goodyear game. The lots are big and flat, the exits are straightforward, and you are on I-10 in five minutes. It is nothing like the East Valley parks.
Gates and timing
Stadium gates typically open 90 minutes before first pitch. For a 1:05 game, that means 11:35am. Early arrival gets you batting practice, autograph chances along the rails, and your pick of lawn spots.
Practice field gates at the team complexes open in the morning on workout days. This is where to go for autographs before the game.
Most spring games run two and a half to three hours, so a 1:05 start has you back in the car around 4:00pm.
What you can and cannot bring
Policies are set by the ballpark and can change; check goodyearbp.com before you go. Common guidelines at Cactus League parks:
Bags: Small bags and clear bags are usually fine; large backpacks and coolers often are not.
Water: Sealed water bottles are typically allowed. Bring one.
Food: Some parks allow small amounts of outside food; many do not.
Sunscreen and hats: Yes, always, non-negotiable.
Blankets and seat cushions: Yes for the lawn.
Umbrellas: Usually no. A hat and sleeves are the shade plan.
Cameras: Personal cameras fine; professional lenses may be restricted.
Food and drink inside
Goodyear Ballpark's concessions cover the standards (hot dogs, nachos, beer) with a few local touches. Lines are shortest right when gates open and during the first inning. Prices are ballpark prices. If you are feeding a crew, eating a big breakfast at the house and a late dinner after the game is the budget move.
The weather
Late February through March in Goodyear: highs in the 70s and low 80s, lows in the 50s, almost no rain. The sun is strong and the air is dry. Bring more water than you think you need, wear sunscreen even when it feels mild, and keep a light jacket in the car for evening games.
Rainouts are rare but not impossible. Ticket policies for postponed games are set by the teams.
Staying near Goodyear Ballpark
There are a handful of highway hotels within 10 minutes of the park and the Wigwam resort in Litchfield Park. During spring training they fill early and rates climb.
If you are coming with a group, consider a home instead. Our private-pool home sleeps 8 and is seven minutes from Goodyear Ballpark : four bedrooms, six beds, a full kitchen for pre-game breakfasts, free parking for multiple cars and a heated pool for the post-game float. Our February and March dates are usually gone by December, so if you have tickets, book the house next.
Quick-reference checklist
Buy tickets from the Reds or Guardians via MLB.com the week they go on sale
Pick the lawn for groups and kids, upper reserved rows for shade
Arrive 60 to 90 minutes early; parking is paid.
Hat, sunscreen, sealed water, blanket for the lawn
Practice complex in the morning for autographs
Walk a block before calling a rideshare after the game
Book your stay by December
Last word
Goodyear Ballpark is one of the easiest, friendliest places to watch spring training baseball. Buy early, arrive early, sit smart and drink water. The rest takes care of itself.
If you have a question we did not answer, text us. We are seven minutes away and we probably know.
