Every baseball season, major league fans might find themselves having to balance supporting their team with having a social life. This might have many Jdaters wondering if a baseball game could be a good first-date idea. The good news? A baseball game date can hit it out of the park – as long as you follow these 5 tips.
Why Go on a Baseball Date
A baseball game date can be a great idea for a multitude of reasons, beginning with the fact that it’s probably a common pastime in your local community. Whether you’re attending a major or even minor league matchup, you have a mutual team to root for, which also represents your city or state. It’s also an informal spectator sport, meaning there are other things you can do in and around the ballpark in addition to attending the actual game. While on your date, it’s important to watch for good first-date signs to know if your significant other is into the game.
A baseball date is also a way to remove pressure in the early stages of dating or become a common retreat for seasoned couples. Because of the large crowd, numerous food choices, and excitement of the game, it’s as much about the atmosphere as it is about the date itself. Depending on a combination of things like weather, what you decide to do or eat, and the result of the game, each trip to the field can provide quite a different experience, beckoning the true fans back.
Pregame Activities
Once you’ve decided upon going to a game, baseball date ideas begin with considering what you’ll be doing before it even starts. Stadiums usually have a number of lively bars and restaurants around the grounds where you can meet prior to the first pitch, providing a source to grab some food or drinks before heading in. This will allow for simpler introductions and a way to ease into the date by planning which parts of the game day you don’t want to miss.
One of those activities may be pregame batting practice and warm-ups, where fans can walk down to field level and catch their favorite players prepping for the matchup. Here, you may even get the opportunity to catch a souvenir ball or get some autographs. This could also be a good moment for a photo opportunity.
Icebreakers and Conversation Starters
The overall vibes at a baseball game are jovial, with attendees of all ages taking in the sights and sounds. However, if you’re not as familiar with your date, you may feel alone in the crowd. Try starting by asking how or why your significant other became a fan of the team you’re watching, or if they’re new to the sport, be inquisitive about what intrigued them to join you for the game. Chances are, you both likely have stories and memories associated with the team.
You can also pick their brain regarding how much they know about baseball, but remember never to over-explain or make nuances of the game more complicated if they’re not an expert. Diving into the batting lineup or discussing the ins and outs of an opponent can also be a fun way to break down the matchup and familiarize yourself with the game you’re at that day.
Another great way to get accustomed to the atmosphere in the ballpark is by venturing around and seeing all of the unique food options, memorabilia shops, and different viewing areas in the stadium. This will be sure to strike up talking points.
Ballpark Food
One of the most widely appreciated aspects of a baseball game date is the ability to try all of the fun and sometimes ridiculous foods. Baseball stadiums are known for their classic items like funnel cakes, foot-long hot dogs, and Cracker Jacks, but nowadays, each one has its own specialty items, ranging anywhere from fried doughnut burgers to exorbitant bloody marys with items such as a pulled pork slider on top.
There are also loads of other specialty drink options, from assorted beer to wine and various cocktails, as well as fun desserts like ice cream sandwiches and extravagant milkshakes. Trying a few different foods in itself will be an excellent way to create a memorable experience and give you something that’s literally delicious to bond over.
Post-game Activities
Once the game has concluded, it doesn’t mean the fun is over. You can certainly hang around the stadium post-game to check out any shops or things you missed, but depending on the time it ends, you may be able to head somewhere else to unwind in a more private setting. Or, if the game went well and your team won, feel free to take part in the celebrations at any of the nearby establishments. They often cater directly to fans with deals specifically for when the team wins, and here, you’ll certainly find others who will share your passion for the game.
Is A Baseball Game A Home Run Date Idea?
In my many decades as an avid baseball fan, I have been extremely cautious in using a three-hour, nine-inning occasional bore-fest as the backdrop for a date. You must be prepared with a lot of conversation and some ability to entertain your match during slow parts of the proceedings – and there may be lots of them.
Advice for taking a date to a baseball game is not limited to the traditional, perhaps sexist view, that only men invite women to the ballpark. Major League Baseball research shows that for some teams, such as the Texas Rangers and Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, nearly half of their fan base is comprised of women.
In my case, other than my sister, I have taken four women to major league baseball games. My record is about 50-50, so my tips for a successful baseball date are based on a lot of trial and error.
Some of our Jdate Success Stories have had more luck – Melissa and Evan, for instance, went on an early date to Camden Yards – after which Melissa fell for baseball, the Orioles, and most of all, for Evan. Want to try it for yourself? Here’s how to hit a home run with a date to a baseball game.
5 Tips For A First Date At A Baseball Game
1. Get Tickets In Advance
Don’t wait until the day of the game and casually walk up to the ticket window with your date. Even if the game is not sold out, selecting seats while the line behind you “politely” asks you to hurry up can be difficult.
My advice is to use the online interactive seat map you will find on a team’s website and choose somewhere between the best seats (where you might rub elbows with the rich and famous) and those way out in the bleachers in the blazing sun. You want your date to enjoy the game by being able to see what’s going on. Don’t forget about parking, too; you may need to have cash on hand to pay for entrance to a nearby lot.
2. Find Out If Your Date Drinks Before Ordering
Before you flag down a beer vendor or head out to the concession stand to treat your date, it’s best to know if your partner likes beer, cider or soda. In most cases, you should already know you date’s drinking habits, but there are some fans who don’t normally drink who will enjoy a cold one at the ballpark.
Be careful, if you are sitting out in the sun, not to drink too much as the heat will intensify the effect of the alcohol. Expect high prices exceeding the cost of a six-pack at the grocery store, and again, come prepared with cash for convenient purchases in the stands.
3. Be Prepared To Leave Early
This is a tough one for die-hard fans to swallow. It’s the bottom of the seventh and the pitcher has a no-hitter going; unfortunately, your date is obviously bored out of his or her mind.
It is time to decide what you care about more: the person seated next to you (your date, that is) or the outcome of the game. If it’s the former, offer to leave and watch the replay of the game on the news. If it’s the latter, it might be strike three for that particular man or woman.
4. Consider A Double Date
A double-date can take the pressure off of you to engage one-on-one with your date throughout the entirety of the game. In some cases, it will make the experience more fun and perhaps lead to good conversation between the couples during the game.
But be prepared for the worst; I recall a double date at a baseball game when my date and my friend’s date sat in stone silence for the entire game without a single verbal exchange – not fun.
5. Don’t Explain Unless Asked
This falls under the popular category of mansplaining, though a woman could fall prey to the temptation as well. If your date is a baseball novice, then leave your knowledge of the 1973 St. Louis Cardinals starting lineup and detailed trivial knowledge of the game for your buddies at the sports bar or trivia night at the corner pub. It’s okay to answer questions, but don’t explain every little move made in the game in an effort to show off.
One final piece of advice: As George Costanza and Cosmo Kramer learned, if your date decides to wear the cap of the opposing team, it’s wise to keep quiet. Otherwise, you may wind up on the front page of the next day’s sports section.
