When it comes to leaving a game, there are generally two conflicting principles involved. The first is to beat the crowd to the exits and avoid having to wait an extra hour or two to make it out of the parking lot. The second is to be loyal and not bail early on your team. While some uphold one or the other of these principles regardless of the consequences, most experienced fans have ways of managing both. For those new to the pleasure of attending games, here are some tips on how to stay to the end of games without enduring too much post-game traffic.
Never get caught in an upper deck seat when the game ends.
Unless you happen to be one of the lucky few who always sits close to the action and never has to consider the price of your ticket, it is likely that you will spend much of your life as a fan in the upper decks of stadiums and arenas. When that happens, one must always be on guard to avoid being trapped in your seat when the game is over. Otherwise, you will wait an eternity with the rest of the bitter-enders to file down to the lower level where you can leave the building, at which point the traffic jams in the parking lots/garages will be well under way. A little strategy at the right time can save you up to two or three hours in your journey home.
Find a place to stand to finish watching the game
Getting out of your seat doesn’t mean leaving the park, however. Usually in the middle of the eighth inning of a baseball game, or maybe five minutes remaining in a fourth quarter in basketball or football, you can get up and make your way down to the lower level. There will generally be places not far from an exit where you can stand and see the remaining action, such as the right and left-field corners of AT&T Park or the main concourse behind the north basket at Golden One Arena. Being tall helps in these circumstances, but unless if its a playoff game when even standing-room-only spots tend to be occupied, one can usually find a spot with an unobstructed view. Most of the time you don’t have to stand too long unless your game unexpectedly goes into OT or extra innings, but that’s a risk worth taking. When the game is over, you can get to the exit quickly and beat most of the crowd to your car without missing anything important.
Other points to consider
Make sure you won’t need a restroom before leaving the game. The minutes you use to relieve yourself will absolutely spoil your plans if engaged at the wrong time. Timing is crucial for making a successful getaway.
If your car is in a garage, park with your front end facing out. It may be more of a hassle initially, but it makes it much easier to get out of your parking place and gently nose your way into the line for the exit.
If you’re in a outdoor lot, park close to an exit rather than near a stadium/arena entrance. Once you’ve made it outside afterward, a sprint to your car will allow you to beat most of the post-game traffic. If you have kids with you, this can even be a fun exercise.
Times when one should break one or all of these rules
Sometimes it’s OK to bail early, mostly when the game’s outcome is absolutely not in doubt. A five-run or greater lead in the ninth inning qualifies, especially if it’s your team that’s ahead. If the lead turns out not to have been safe after all, and your heroes perform a giant choke job, you’re better off missing the carnage. A 15-point lead or greater with five minutes remaining or less is a reasonable standard for basketball, but the ultimate clue to whether the game is over is when the starters are pulled off the court and the reserves put in to soak up the garbage time. When that happens, it is within reasonable standards of etiquette to head for the exit.
Other times, it’s vital to stay to the end and not cut the experience short in any way. This is the case when you have a kid with you for the first time ever at a game or some equally special occasion, such as seeing Stephen Curry in person for the first time. In those situations, the priority is making a memory that your kid will have for the rest of their lives. Not only should you stay in your seat to the end, you also can use the extra time filing out to talk about what you’ve seen and absorb the experience. Concerns about traffic only get in the way on these occasions and are thereby unworthy of consideration.
This can apply to your own memories as well, not just for your kids. One should never leave a seat early during a championship series game or an extraordinary performance such as a no-hitter in baseball. The one game in my experience that truly rose to this level was the World Series game I saw in 2002. Not only was the game exciting, with the Giants coming back in the late innings to win and tie the series, it was also the first time the Giants had won a World Series home game in forty years. In that case, making the most of the experience was the absolute priority, and I quickly agreed with my brother when he asked if I wanted to stay in our seats for a bit after the game was over.
I even remember fondly the hour it took to get out of the park once we did depart. Everyone seemed oddly quiet as we filed down the stairs and through the concourses, as if we were coming down from an intense spiritual experience. It was as close as I’ve ever come to regarding a sports venue as a sacred space.
