A's Spring Training
2023 First Practice Dates |
Pitchers & Catchers: February 15Position Players: February 20 |
Recent Attendance |
Year | Total | Average |
2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012 2011 2010 2009 2008 | 102,212 100,614 110,059 78,011 90,228 57,981 80,145 89,493 94,872 74,606 | 6,012 6,708 7,337 5,201 5,308 5,798 5,009 5,966 5,271 6,217 |
* The A's trained in Phoenix prior to 2014 |
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Spring Training Info
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Oakland A's Spring Training |
Area Info - Mesa |
Hohokam Stadium Spring Training home of the A's since 2015Ballpark address: 1235 North Center Street Mesa, AZ 85201 Opened: 1997 Renovated: 2015 Capacity: 10,000 Send this page to a friend
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Location
Hohokam Stadium is in a residential area of Mesa, directly across the street from the City of Mesa Cemetery.
Directions
From Phoenix: Take Loop 202 east to the McKellips Road exit (#12). Turn right on McKellips then right on North Center Street. The stadium will be on the left. The driving distance from Loop 202 (aka the Red Mountain Freeway) is 1.8 miles.
From the south (Chandler/Tucson): Use Highway 60 (aka Superstition Freeway), exiting at Country Club Drive (exit #179). Travel north on Country Club for about 3.4 miles then turn right (east) on Brown Road. Proceed to North Center Street and take a left. The ballpark is just ahead on the right.
Parking
There are 3,000 spaces at the stadium, the bulk of which are in grass fields that are used for youth soccer on non-game days. The fairly sizable paved lot that fronts the stadium is reserved for season ticket holders and vehicles with a handicapped placard. As for ADA parking, there are designated spaces near all gates, with the biggest allotment of them found near gate D.
Cost: $5
Stadium Information
For years, Hohokam Park was best known for its large crowds that came to see the Cubs play. During the Cubs' 17 seasons at the late 1990s opened structure there was no doubt that the "lovable losers" were the draw, as the stadium's then bland tan stucco exterior left a lot to be desired and was coupled with an expansive interior that could best be described as utilitarian in design. Cozy or friendly confines really didn't come to mind and the Cubs left the place following 2013 spring training for newer and nicer digs just a few miles away. To bring Cactus League baseball back here a year (2014) passed with no spring training, during which time $26.9 million was spent remodeling Hohokam and its associated training facilities to make them friendlier for a new team, the Oakland A's, and their followers. And so it came to be that a much greener and golder and smaller stadium reopened in 2015, as a lot of paint and the removal of plenty of seats (capacity went from 13,074 to 10,000) were among the most noticeable differences between the original and refurbished facility, which also got a very flashy upgrade in left field. That's where the largest high definition scoreboard found among Arizona's ten springtime parks resides. The new-look stadium still boasts of wonderful views of the surrounding mountain ranges from its well-shaded upper grandstand. And the name remained the same. Well, kind of. Prior to the Athletics' arrival the venue was referred to interchangeably as Hohokam Park and Hohokam Stadium. Now it's solidly known as Hohokam Stadium. The inspiration for the name is the Mesa HoHoKams, an influential local civic organization that has been the booster of spring training baseball in Mesa since 1951.
Fast Facts
Fans enter the ballpark at street level through one of three gates. Gate A is in the left field corner, Gate C is behind third base, and Gate D is slightly to the first base side of home plate.
The box office, which has six ticket windows, is behind home plate and adjacent to Gate D. A small two-window ticket office is on the right side of Gate A, but it's only open when larger crowds are expected. For those who don't need human interaction, automated kiosks (they look like ATMs) to the side of each box office can be used for either ticket sales or pre-paid Will Call pick-up.
The main concourse is behind and covered by the grandstand. An interior concourse completely encircles and is open to the playing field.
The bullpens are tiered in right field with the Athletics' closest to the playing field. Only a chain link fence separates fans from the visitors' bullpen.
The stadium's main scoreboard is the largest of its kind in the Cactus League and the 55' x 28' all high-def structure stands behind the berm in left field. Additionally, simple mini scoreboards are attached to the façade on each end of the upper level.
The playing field is named in memory of Dwight W. Patterson, the founding member of the Mesa HoHoKams.
The A's Team Store has a 3rd base side location. It's behind section 208 and adjacent to Gate C.
Practice Fields
The A's have a practice field just beyond the stadium's center field wall. Long before the game starts, there's some pre-game work going on back there -- generally stretching and other loosening up activities. Next to the full-sized field is a much lesser used half-field and adjacent to it is the team's batting cage building, which is behind the outer right field concourse, from which fans can watch players hit in the two-cage building from a distance that's further back than desirable.
A's minor leaguers practice and play on the four fields found within Fitch Park, which is located about a half-mile south of Hohokam Stadium at 160 East Athletics Way (formerly 6th Place). The facility picked up the co-name Lew Wolff Training Complex with the arrival of the A's in 2015 (Wolff is an A's co-owner), so either name or Lew Wolff Training Complex at Fitch Park is used for the complex.
The fields in Fitch Park are numbered 1-4. All fields are fan accessible and have bleacher seating near their backstop area, with the bleachers being covered on Fields 3 and 4.
Prior to Cactus League play, the A's use Fitch Park as their training base. During that time, the park's gates open to the public around 8 a.m. to those wishing to watch the team practice later in the morning. Parking for workouts is plentiful in the lot with paved spaces that's near the fields' fan entrance gate, which is on "Athletics Way," as the street sign lists what is a dead end road.
Types of Seating
All seats have chair or bench backs, with the chair-backed seats all having cup holders. A berm extends from foul pole to foul pole.
Stadium seats: Sections 100-124 and 200-212
Bleachers: Sections 213-218
Berm: Can hold up to 2,575 people
Notes about the seating
The A's dugout is on the first base side. To make sure you're on the home side of the stadium, buy your tickets in any odd numbered section.
An aisle cuts through the middle of the grandstand. All 100-level seats are below the aisle while all 200-level seats are above it.
Handicap accessible seating is available on railed in platforms on the concourse at the top of sections 101-104 and 111-122. Within all, companion seats are provided alongside space for a wheelchair, with the ADA stadium seats and spaces listed as row 10 in sections 101-104; row 7 in sections 111-112; and row 12 in sections 113-122. Handicap seating is also available in a shaded area above section 209 (row 15).
The protective screen behind home plate extends from sections 100-104 and then tapers until it connects to the outfield end of each dugout, with the behind the dugout netting reaching the middle of sections 111 (1B side) and 112 (3B side).
Where the bases are on the field lines up with the following sections in the grandstand: the middle of 111 and 211 for first base, and the middle of 112 and 212 for third base.
Fans in even numbered 200-level sections (third base side) have a nice view of the Superstition Mountains.
The outfield berm is a standing room haven, specifically on the larger right field berm. There's also plenty of room to stand on the aisle between 100- and 200-level seats.
Ushers are very friendly. All members of the Mesa HoHoKams, they will generally let you sit in sections for which you don't have a ticket as long as there is availability.
Sections and rows
Rows for sections with stadium seats range as follows:
1 to 12 in section 100; 1 to 10 in sections 101-104; 1 to 9 in sections 105-110; 1 to 7 in sections 111-112; 1 to 12 in sections 113-122; 1 to 8 in sections 123-124; 1 to 11 in sections 200-204; 1 to 14 in sections 205-208, 210; 1 to 15 in sections 209, 211-212; 15 in sections 213-218
Rows for sections with bleacher seats range as follows:
1 to 14 in sections 213-218
Tickets
Sections 100-114 are sold as Infield Box (the first 4 rows are sold as Infield Box Gold).
Sections 115-124 are sold as Field Level (the first 2 rows of sections 115-120 are sold as Field Level Gold).
Sections 200-212 are sold as Terrace Box.
Sections 213-218 are sold as Terrace Reserved.
Space on the outfield berm is sold as Lawn GA (general admission).
Up until their 2nd birthday, children are admitted for free and do not need a ticket so long as the child sits on an adult's lap.
Seats to avoid
Handrails on the grandstand's entrance portals cause game viewing problems for those sitting in the seats directly behind them. Fortunately, there are only two portals in the grandstand and thus just two affected Terrace Box sections in which a total of 16 seats have serious sightline obstructions caused by the high guard rails. They are:
In section 207: seats 6-13 in row 7.
In section 208: seats 1-8 in row 7.
The worst full sections of seats are found in 123 and 124, which are the way down the outfield lines sections that are very close to the foul poles. Although sold as Field Level, the grandstand tapers upward at each end, where each section is located, so they're not actually at field level. Instead, all seats in both sections are too far from home plate and face the wrong way (towards center field), with many of them having obstructions caused by fencing on the retaining wall or the rails from adjacent handicapped seating areas. Plus, if it's a day game, occupants of a seat in section 123 or 124 are always going to be hot because they will be sitting out in the sun all game long, although it should be noted that any of the 10 sections labeled as Field Level remain fully unshaded throughout.
So if you want some respite from the ball of fire in the sky stay away from sections 115-124 in the grandstand, where sections 123 and 124 have a few additional reasons as to why you want to always avoid them.
Seats in the shade
There are plenty here. The stadium's trellised roof casts shade upon all rows in sections 200-207, 209, 211 and 213. Most seats in sections 208, 210, 212 and 214 are in the shade, with all seats in those sections shaded by 1:45. All game shade is provided for a portion of seats in sections 215-216; specifically seats 11-18 in section 215 and seats 1-6 for section 216. Well into the game shade creeps well below the cross aisle so that 100-level seats behind home plate and on the third base side of the grandstand can finally enjoy the shade that the majority of 200-level seats have throughout the afternoon.
VIP seating
A patio on the third base side of the park is the most prominent group offering. Located next to the press box and above section 208, the open-air but covered Hyatt Place Patio, as it's officially known, can accommodate 30 to 90 people in its overlook environs, which are filled with patio/lounge furniture and include food service stations. The stadium also has six luxury suites on what's referred to as its terrace level, but they are all reserved for official use and cannot be booked. The unavailable suites are quite visible though, as their outdoor seating areas can be seen on each side of the press box.
Down on the concourse level, a new option for groups made its debut in 2016. Called the Right Field Lounge, the name is based on its location, which is down the right field line and behind section 119. The covered and catered lounge area itself mostly lacks views of the field since it's behind the aisle, hence groups that reserve it also receive tickets in section 119.
Game Day
The ballpark's gates open at 11:00 a.m. for a 1:05 game time and about two hours beforehand when games are scheduled to begin at a different time (so that would be 5:00 for a 7:05 start).
Food, drink and bag policy
Food cannot be brought into the stadium, but one sealed bottle of water per person is permitted.
Bags allowed inside can't exceed 16" x 16" x 8" in size.
Getting autographs
This is a good after the game autograph stadium but so-so at best before the game and lacking in opportunities during it.
For those looking to amass autographs from A's players prior to the game beginning, station yourself behind the tarp, which is near their dugout and set on the field just in front of the first row of section 113. When players start trickling out of their clubhouse in the half-hour or so before game time is when you want to be there. The guys in green jerseys gather in greatest numbers at or close to the green-covered tarp about 20 minutes before first pitch, so right around 12:45 (for a 1:05 game) is when you want to be standing at field level in the vicinity of the low-to-the-ground tarp. Those looking to secure pre-game signatures from the visitors can try their luck around the same time so many A's can be seen signing, although there's usually less of the opposition autographing, which they mostly do pretty close to the outer edge of their dugout (the side which is closer to the outfield).
After the game, the best autograph spots are a good ways from where they were a few hours beforehand. If you want autographs from visiting team players then you want to be way out in right field, standing alongside the fence where players board their backed up team bus (or busses, when there's two there). After unloading their gear bag some players make the short walk over to the white fence and sign for whoever is standing there (normally, there's very few people waiting). Meanwhile, Oakland's players are accessible in the area of the concourse that's outside of their clubhouse door, which is at the end of the first base grandstand. Fans are able to congregate quite close to the exit door of the Athletics' clubhouse, from which players emerge to head to their parking lot. A narrow path is created for them with barricades (that are only about bicycle rack-size high) and players have no choice but to pass by in close proximity. Thus the autograph getting is good, although it doesn't last long: security shoos people to the exits 25 minutes after the game ends. They do that since the stadium's gates are shut 30 minutes after the final out. But prior to being told to move on the throng gathered at the makeshift path set up outside of the A's clubhouse have phenomenal access to whichever players open the door and come out into the open.
A's Spring Training Autographs
A photo gallery of where to get them at Hohokam Stadium
Unique ballpark fare
Head to the concourse behind the grandstand for Oakland inspired or based food offerings. As for inspiration, the Oakland Links concession stand sells an Oakland Dog (green chili mac and cheese, bacon bits) and California Dog (guacamole, tomatoes, jack cheese) among its specialty hot dog options, which can be purchased on the third base side of the concourse near the main team shop. For true Bay Area flavor there's an Ike's Love and Sandwiches outpost at Hohokam Stadium in the portion of the concourse that has the best collection of concession stands, which is the area slightly to the first base side of home plate. Ike's is a popular California-based chain that has been serving up gourmet sandwiches with names that make them memorable since its 2007 founding in San Francisco. For their ballpark stand in Mesa, the Mark McGwire (turkey, bacon, jack) and Go A's (roast beef, godfather sauce, jack) sandwiches stood out on the Ike's green menu board to baseball fans in year #1 of Hohokam being an A's home. Same as during the Cubs' years here, Pepsi is the cola of choice. As for what to expect for beer choices throughout the place, the full list of beer that was available on draft in 2015 follows: Blue Moon Belgian White & White IPA, Bud, Bud Light, Coors Light, Dos Equis, Goose Island 312 & India Pale Ale, Leinenkugel's Summer Shandy, Shock Top Belgian White and Stella Artois were at fixed stands. Those 11 options were supplemented with five beers found solely on tap at portable carts: Kona Fire Rock & Longboard, Lagunitas IPA, New Belgium Fat Tire & Ranger IPA.
 2024 A's Spring Training Schedule (only home games at Hohokam Stadium are listed) |
* For last season, single game tickets went on sale October 13. Links in calendar are to TicketNetwork inventory.
See the full 2024 A's Spring Training schedule
Ballpark Area Info
Although Mesa is the third largest city in Arizona it has the feel of a sleepy town and the area surrounding the stadium is pretty much summed up by the cemetery across the street from it. There's just not a lot happening. However, it's just a 5-minute drive to Mesa's Main Street, which is a pretty cool place to go for a variety of things. If you like art, the Mesa Arts Center houses five galleries. Baseball fans will like what's in store next door at 51 E. Main Street, the address of a formerly vacant storefront in downtown Mesa that has recently been converted into exhibition space for "Play Ball: The Cactus League Experience," a Mesa Historical Museum project that details the history of spring training in Arizona. The baseball exhibit (and arts center next to it) is just 1.6 miles from Hohokam Stadium. About the same distance from the stadium and about a block removed from Main Street are the i.d.e.a. Museum, which was long called the Arizona Museum for Youth, and the Arizona Museum of Natural History. Both are a part of the cultural enrichment experience that Mesa's downtown is noted for, and for an eclectic mix of the arts, bars, cafes, museums, shops and such just walk up and down Main Street and you'll get a chance to enjoy a little bit of everything in an uncluttered and homey environment.
Travelers' notes
The closest major highway, the Loop 202, is less than 2 miles away.
The immediate area surrounding the stadium is as safe as it is boring.
Phoenix Municipal Stadium, where the A's played their spring training home games from 1982 through 2014, is 11 miles west of Hohokam Stadium. The oldest venue in the Cactus League at the end of Oakland's long tenure there, Phoenix Muni has been taken over by Arizona State University and the perennial power Sun Devils baseball program now annually plays 30-something games at the 1964-opened stadium, with many of them (12 in 2023) in March, which enables A's fans to see how the old yard is doing while taking in a game there.
 Hotels close to Hohokam Stadium |
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Distance | Hotel | Street Address | City/Zip | Phone |
1.6 miles | Marriott | 200 N Centennial Way | Mesa, AZ 85201 | 480-898-8300 |
2.0 | Ramada | 250 W Main St | Mesa, AZ 85201 | 480-834-9233 |
2.2 | Travelodge | 22 S Country Club Dr | Mesa, AZ 85210 | 480-964-5694 |
2.4 | Knights Inn | 630 W Main St | Mesa, AZ 85201 | 480-610-1200 |
18.8 | Holiday Inn | 1200 W Ocotillo Rd | Chandler, AZ 85248 | 480-203-2121 |
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 Restaurants close to Hohokam Stadium |
Distance | Restaurant | Street Address | City/Zip | Phone |
0.45 miles | Native Grill & Wings | 318 E Brown Rd | Mesa, AZ 85201 | 480-464-4383 |
0.5 | Krazy Sub | 1211 N Country Club Dr | Mesa, AZ 85201 | 480-835-0330 |
0.5 | Dirty Drummer | 1211 N Country Club Dr | Mesa, AZ 85201 | 480-834-6371 |
0.5 | Olympus Pizza | 1211 N Country Club Dr | Mesa, AZ 85201 | 480-629-8241 |
0.55 | Wendy's | 1205 N Country Club Dr | Mesa, AZ 85201 | 480-964-0861 |
0.85 | Cindy's Arizona Cafe | 124 E McKellips Rd | Mesa, AZ 85201 | 480-655-1349 |
0.95 | Royal Thai Grill | 321 W McKellips Rd | Mesa, AZ 85201 | 480-733-9025 |
0.95 | Rally's Hamburgers | 343 W McKellips Rd | Mesa, AZ 85201 | 480-834-4715 |
8.5 | Rodizio Grill | 1840 S Val Vista Dr | Mesa, AZ 85204 | 480-813-5400 |
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 Airports close to Hohokam Stadium |
Distance | Airport | Airport Code |
11.9 miles | Phoenix Sky Harbor International | PHX |
105 | Tucson International | TUS |
169 | Yuma International | YUM |

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