SAN FRANCISCO, California-
FOX40 informally surveyed fans before Tuesday night’s National League Championship Series game, and found that people who drove to the game paid anywhere between $20 and $100 in cash to park.
The official parking lots of AT&T Park offer 4,000 spaces, and charge a flat rate of $45 per car during the NLCS, up from $35 during the regular season. The price is scheduled to go up to $50 in the event of a World Series in San Francisco.
The prices at other lots and garages surrounding the ballpark vary wildly. Fans who arrive hours before game time save money because some lots raise their prices throughout the day as supply shrinks and demand rises.
Fans willing to walk several blocks to the game also save money. Some told FOX40 they found $30 parking just a 15 minute walk away from the ballpark on Tuesday. By contract, garages within two blocks of AT&T Park were charging between $80 and $100 within an hour of first pitch.
Some fans reacted to the parking prices with statements like “they rip everyone off” and “it’s getting ridiculous.”
But others resigned to the reality of the situation, saying they expect parking prices to rise during the playoffs, just like tickets to the games.
“In the heat of the moment, you gotta do what you gotta do,” said one fan who paid $100 to park within a block of the stadium shortly before game time. “We don’t have to worry about the car being taken, anything like that….You’re paying top dollar for high-quality parking.”