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| Oakland A's Spring Training | Area Info - Phoenix |
| Stadium | Location | Parking | Seating | Schedule | Hotels | Restaurants |
Phoenix MuniSpring Training home of the A's from 1982-2014 Ballpark address: Opened: 1964 |
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Phoenix Municipal Stadium straddles the city limits of Tempe and Phoenix. The welcome signs for each municipality can be seen on Priest Drive directly behind the ballpark, which is bordered by Tempe office buildings and the red rock buttes of Phoenix's Papago Park.
Directions
Take Loop 202 to the Priest Drive exit. Go north and the stadium is about a mile away at the intersection of Priest and Van Buren Street.
Parking
A paved lot across the street from the stadium is your only option. The lot is a big one and is connected to the stadium by a pedestrian bridge above Priest Drive.
Cost: $5
Stadium Information
Phoenix Muni, as the stadium is most often called, is the only holdover left from the Cactus League of yesteryear after its counterpart in Tucson, Hi Corbett Field, played host to its 64th and final spring training season in 2010. Built well before amenities were in vogue, or considered necessary, the Valley's oldest stadium opened the year the Polo Grounds was demolished, which explains why light poles from that historic New York ballpark ended up in Phoenix. That fact is one of many that are written into the cement blocks that make up the stadium's concourse. History and location are Muni's two best assets. The stadium is most noted for its splendid outfield backdrop, which features the famous red rock formations of neighboring Papago Park. Desert brush is found beyond the left field wall, a stark contrast to the lush berms newer ballparks have. Cactus is a common sight near the stadium's main entrance, which is notable for its baseball covered canvas sunscreens. The desert setting theme is adhered to inside the stadium as well, thanks to inlaid stones that adorn the base of the main grandstand, which is covered by a wavy concrete roof. Originally completed for about $890,000 in 1964, the stadium underwent an $8 million renovation 40 years later that modernized it some, but the original charm has been left intact. Meanwhile, Oakland's lease to train at modern-day Muni expires in 2014 and that season will be the old stadium's spring training swan song, as the A's plan to move into a renovated Hohokam Park in Mesa in 2015, taking it over from the Cubs and leaving their longtime grounds to the amateurs at Arizona State, with the Sun Devils leaving behind their rustic Packard Stadium to make the 2.4-mile move to Phoenix Muni from Tempe.
Fast Facts
Practice Fields
Types of Seating
All seats in the stadium have backs. Traditional chair back seats with cup holders are between the dugouts, while bleacher-style benches are beyond.
Notes about the seating
Sections and rows
1 to 18 in section 1; 1 to 15 in sections 2-3; 1 to 18 in sections 4-7; 2 to 15 in sections 8-9; 3 to 15 in sections 10-13; 1 to 11 in sections A-C; 1 to 7 in sections D-H and J; 1 to 11 in sections K-M
5 to 18 in sections 14-19; 1 to 18 in sections 20-33
Seats to avoid
Steel light towers rising from within the grandstand obstruct the views from these Outfield Reserved bleacher seats:
While the obstructions blocking the views from the listed Outfield Reserved seats are permanent, those creating problems for fans in the first two rows of all Upper Box seats are temporary, as foot traffic on the concourse in front of those seats can be a problem throughout the game. That's because the Upper Box sections suffer from a long time ago design flaw: they weren't elevated enough above the grandstand's cross aisle. As a result, sitting in rows 1 and 2, but especially the first row, can be aggravating on days when big crowds are present. While smaller crowds equals far fewer moving target obstructions on the cross aisle, it's still best to buy your tickets in rows 3 & up when opting to buy them in the stadium's dozen Upper Box sections.
Seats in the shade
The stadium's roof covers rows 3 & up in all Upper Box sections (A-M). All rows in those same sections are in the shade shortly after the game starts (by 1:30). Shade continues to creep downward during the game as the sun descends behind the grandstand and by 2:30 fans in rows 12 & up in sections 1, 3, 5, 7 (first base side) enjoy freedom from the Arizona sun.
VIP seating
Two suites (each has 16 seats but can hold up to 22 people) and an open-air patio plaza (50 person capacity) are next to the press box on the stadium's first base side.
Game Day
Gates open early at Phoenix Muni - 11:05 a.m. for the usual 1:05 p.m. game time. But by then the A's have just finished batting practice and without a lot of distractions in the stadium it's ill advised to get there so early, especially since the visiting team usually takes BP before they make the trip into Phoenix.
Food, drink and bag policy
Getting autographs
The best place to get autographs is behind the bullpens, which are down the foul lines. Only about two feet separates fans from the benches pitchers sit on. A's fans should station themselves in sections 27 or 29, while visiting team fans should be in sections 26 or 28. Not only are those great places for autographs, but you can also hear conversations between players and coaches during pre-game bullpen sessions. It's one of the more intimate aspects of spring training. The normal place fans congregate for autographs is no good here, as the dugout areas provide poor access. The tunnels that lead to each team's clubhouse are at the far end of their respective dugouts, but those walkways are covered by a tarp that effectively blocks fans out. True autograph hounds should take note that the visiting team bus is parked next to the left field entry gate. Stick around about 20 minutes after the game and players will begin to emerge from their clubhouse to board the bus, which has only a small barricade set up in front of it. Many players, all in their street clothes by then, will come over and sign for those who wait around.
Unique ballpark fare
Your taste buds will scorn the lack of creativity here. The menu is almost exclusively standard stuff (hot dogs, nachos, peanuts, etc.). For something done (meaning cooked) differently, visit the elevated grassy picnic area at the end of the left field line concourse, where the grills there flame broil the standard stuff. You can wash whatever food you choose down with a decent selection of beer on tap. Included in the mix in the past has been Blue Moon Belgian White, Killian's Irish Red and Pabst Blue Ribbon. The non-alcohol selection is pretty good, with Arizona Tea, Gatorade and Pepsi leading the way.
2014 A's Spring Training Schedule(only home games at Phoenix Municipal Stadium are listed) |
| February/March | ||||||
| Sunday | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Saturday |
| 27 Brewers 1:05 |
28 Giants 1:05 |
1 Rangers 1:05 |
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| 2 | 3 Dodgers 1:05 |
4 Brewers 1:05 |
5 | 6 | 7 D-backs 1:05 |
8 |
| 9 White Sox 1:05 |
10 | 11 | 12 Royals 1:05 |
13 Rockies 7:05 |
14 | 15 Rangers 1:05 |
| 16 | 17 Cubs 1:05 |
18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 Mariners 1:05 |
| 23 Cubs 1:05 |
24 | 25 Reds 1:05 |
26 Angels 12:05 |
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* Single game tickets went on sale Friday, December 6.
See the full 2014 A's Spring Training schedule
Ballpark Area Info
An outdoor lover's paradise is quite literally across the street from Phoenix Muni. That's where the southern edge of 1,200-acre Papago Park begins. The park is well-known for its geologic formations, the most famous of which is the appropriately named Hole-in-the-Rock. In addition to other red rock formations, the park is home to the Phoenix Zoo, Desert Botanical Gardens, Municipal Golf Course, hiking and biking trails, and Hunt's Tomb, the white pyramid burial place of Arizona's first governor. For those who prefer a different type of post-game activity, the Valley's top party area is a few minutes' drive to the south, where bars and other nightlife hotspots reside on Tempe's Mill Avenue. Basically, there's a little bit of everything nearby.
Travelers' notes
 Hotels close to Phoenix Muni |
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| Distance | Hotel | Street Address | City/Zip | Phone |
| 0.6 miles | Motel 6 | 5315 E Van Buren St | Phoenix, AZ 85008 | 602-267-8555 |
| 1.3 | Hyatt Place | 1413 W Rio Salado Pkwy | Tempe, AZ 85281 | 480-804-9544 |
| 1.3 | SpringHill Suites | 1601 W Rio Salado Pkwy | Tempe, AZ 85281 | 480-968-8222 |
| 1.8 | Radisson | 427 N 44th St | Phoenix, AZ 85008 | 602-220-4400 |
| 1.8 | Motel 6 | 1612 N Scottsdale Rd | Tempe, AZ 85281 | 480-945-9506 |
| 1.8 | Hampton Inn | 601 N 44th St | Phoenix, AZ 85008 | 602-267-0606 |
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 Restaurants close to Phoenix Muni |
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| Distance | Restaurant | Street Address | City/Zip | Phone |
| 0.5 miles | Filiberto's Mexican Food | 1158 W Washington St | Tempe, AZ 85281 | 602-267-1422 |
| 0.5 | Sami's Gyros | 1158 W Washington St | Tempe, AZ 85281 | 602-244-9667 |
| 0.5 | Port of Subs | 1158 W Washington St | Tempe, AZ 85281 | 602-220-0775 |
| 0.85 | Samurai Sam's Teriyaki Grill | 4801 E Washington St | Phoenix, AZ 85034 | 602-286-9311 |
| 0.85 | Hap's Pit Barbecue | 4801 E Washington St | Phoenix, AZ 85034 | 602-267-0181 |
| 0.85 | Cousins Subs | 4801 E Washington St | Phoenix, AZ 85034 | 602-220-9393 |
| 0.95 | The Stockyards Steakhouse | 5009 E Washington St | Phoenix, AZ 85034 | 602-273-7378 |
| 0.95 | Honey Bear's BBQ | 5012 E Van Buren St | Phoenix, AZ 85008 | 602-273-9148 |
| 1.1 | Draw 10 Bar & Grill | 5444 E Washington St | Phoenix, AZ 85034 | 602-273-1061 |
| 1.1 | First Class Cafeteria | 4949 E Van Buren St | Phoenix, AZ 85026 | 602-275-9882 |
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 Airports close to Phoenix Muni |
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| Distance | Airport | Airport Code | ||
| 4.7 miles | Phoenix Sky Harbor International | PHX | ||
| 109 | Tucson International | TUS | ||
| 162 | Yuma International | YUM | ||
