Do you like watching baseball or want to get into the sport? Then you may have heard spring training is probably one of the most exciting things to find around during the spring time in Arizona! Spring training games are also low-stress types of sporting events you may enjoy while choosing to vacation out here. If you have never been to a spring training game, this is a guide I put together to help those who are on planning on making a trip to watch one.
The spring training in Arizona is also called Cactus League where all these facilities all have tickets for various games throughout the season. There are a total of 10 facilities in the state with 15 MLB (Major League Baseball) that play. With that being said, that’s a large amount of professional baseball games happening in one state alone and probably the most throughout the United States!
What is spring training?
Spring training is basically a preseason of the Major League Baseball which includes a series of practice games before the regular season comes. It started back in 1886. One of the main purposes of spring training is to help pitchers and catchers, to help teams figure out which of those they don’t need and allow new players to try out spots on the team. Spring training records do not count towards a player or team’s official records though.
Spring training usually happens around late February to up to late March. The 15 MLB teams that spring train in Arizona are: Chicago Cubs, Arizona Diamondbacks, Chicago White Sox, Cincinnati Red, Cleveland Guardians, Colorado Rockies, Kansas City Royals, Los Angeles Angels, Los Angeles Dodgers, Milwaukee Brewers, Oakland A’s, San Diego Padres, San Francisco Giants, Seattle Mariners, and Texas Rangers.
The stadiums that can be found for spring training in Arizona are: Salt River Fields, Sloan Park, Camelback Ranch, Goodyear Ballpark, Salt River Fields, Surprise Stadium, Tempe Diablo Stadium, Camelback Ranch, American Family Fields, Hohokam Stadium, Peoria Sports Complex, and Scottsdale Stadium.
How much are the tickets to a spring training game? Where can I get them?
The tickets can definitely vary in price with a few factors to keep in mind: the popularity of the team, day of the week, and the team the other team is playing against. The tickets can be as low as $10 and up to hundreds of dollars – depending on how big the team is and the demand to see it so for that, you would want to try to buy your tickets ahead. The different seatings around the stadium also affects the prices. You have options to also get lawn seats, which could be ideal for your kids that want to run around freely.
You can go over to MLB.com or download the “MLB Ballpark” app to buy your tickets. If you want to see where all the teams will be playing, with whom, and when, head over to the Cactus League website.
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Why attending a spring training game can be for you
Here are a few reasons why seeing a spring training game might be a good idea for you to come out to:
- It makes for a great plan idea for your (family, friend, romantic) dates and you’ll most likely bond on watching the sport or rooting for a team.
- The weather during this time of the year in Arizona is pretty niceee! Sometimes, some days can reach unexpected high temperatures, so you should check on the weather ahead and make sure to wear sunscreen, bring a hat, sunglasses, and layers. Sometimes, you may end up sitting in shade, which makes it cooler.
- There is good food to be had here! You will find your usuals like a hot dog, nachos, pretzels, but you may also find some interesting foods to get there like noodles, cheese curds, and more. You will also, of course, find beer from stands around.
- You may get a chance to see or meet your favorite players since most of these stadiums are smaller. Some ways to do that: Find out where your favorite players exit, come to the game early and hang around the area where the team does, and maybe make it your chance to snag an autograph!
- They are usually a fun, safe, and family-friendly atmosphere. Since most of the attendees would be in the older ages (because of the snowbirds, a.k.a a person from a Northern state that goes over to warmer states for the winter), you most likely won’t be around loud, reckless crowds.
- You can find good places to stay around since most of these stadiums take place in major cities. If you decide on a major Arizonan city to stay in, such as Phoenix, you can have the opportunity to explore the city from downtown to local trails. Check out my Arizona page to gain ideas of where to hike around and what to see in Phoenix, Mesa, Surprise, Scottsdale, and Peoria (depending which stadium you choose to check out).
