Thanks to Wednesday night’s wildcard win at Chavez Ravine, the Los Angeles Dodgers will face the San Francisco Giants in the playoffs for the first time ever this weekend, a National League Division Series that is expected to draw a standing-room-only crowd.
Game 1 and Game 2, scheduled for Friday and Saturday in San Francisco, are sold out, the first sellouts for Oracle Park (which seats 41,915) since the start of the pandemic. They’re actually beyond sold out — as of Wednesday night, standing-room-only tickets were going for just over $100.
Dodgers and Giants fans won’t be the only ones in the city this weekend though — throngs are expected to pack into the city during Fleet Week, as well. And the Golden State Warriors play the Los Angeles Lakers at Chase Friday night. This likely means a traffic, parking and public transit nightmare for Giants fans and anyone trying to get around.
During the pandemic, the Giants have recorded their lowest attendance since moving to Oracle Park 21 years ago, with an average of about 20,000 people at games this season. Capacity was initially limited to allow fans to socially distance, but even when full capacity was allowed in June, the Bay Area's residents stayed away, likely due to some combination of COVID-19 caution and limited public transit options. But last Saturday when the Giants hosted the San Diego Padres, Oracle Park was packed again, with more than 36,000 fans; even the bike valet had a line. It was a sign of what’s to come this weekend.
Parking could be especially challenging at the upcoming games, and anyone who hasn't been to a game in a year (or much longer) might be unpleasantly surprised to discover that the lots that originally served Oracle Park in Mission Bay are mostly gone, and even Lot A spaces have been drastically reduced because of construction, amounting to hundreds of spaces lost.
Knowing parking could be a mess, we checked in with the Giants for help on navigating the logistics of getting to and from the game. Staci Slaughter, a spokesperson for the Giants, reassured SFGATE that there are still thousands of parking spaces available to the public throughout the area around Oracle Park, especially in SoMa, but she advised that you should get a reservation.
Below are more tips, and you can also check out this guide from the Giants.
- Arrive early. Gates will open for fans 2.5 hours before the first pitch at both Game 1 (6:37 p.m.) and Game 2 (6:07 p.m.). "Given that it is Fleet Week this weekend, we encourage fans to plan accordingly, arrive early and take public transit when possible," Slaughter said.
- Take a train. At past games this season, taking public transit has been problematic with limited service due to the pandemic. Muni and Caltrain are all running extra service to Oracle Park for games throughout the playoffs, and on Oct. 2, Muni service was extended to midnight on weekdays and Saturday. BART is operating with normal service to and from the East Bay and Peninsula (closing after midnight Monday through Saturday).
“We strongly recommend riding transit to Oracle Park if it is an option,” Slaughter said.
- Hop on a ferry. Ferries are running extra service to Oracle Park from Larkspur, Oakland, Alameda and Vallejo to Oracle Park. "Fans are encouraged to buy tickets in advance," Slaughter said.
- Reserve parking. There are four official Oracle Park lots, all operated by Impark — Lot A/Pier 48, Lot C, Pier 30/32 and One Bryant — providing 2,000 spaces. Third-party lots and garages throughout the area provide thousands more spaces.
“We strongly recommend reserving parking ahead-of-time through SpotHero, which folks can do via sfgiants.com,” said Slaughter, noting that SpotHero allows fans to book parking ahead at many third-party lots. “SpotHero has inventory at lots and garages throughout the area, and we recommend that people find facilities along their routes into the area.”
A SpotHero reservation, parking pass or ADA placard is required for non-employees to park in official Oracle Park lots.
- If you ride your bike, bring a hefty lock. If you want to use the bike valet, arrive early as it can fill up at high-attendance games. "If it does, we encourage fans to use public bike racks between Second and King and Seals Plaza, or bike racks throughout the neighborhood," Slaughter said.
- Use a ride-hail service. Uber and Lyft will direct fans to passenger loading zones in the area for drop-off and pick-up around Oracle Park, Slaughter said.
Giants, Dodgers fans prepare for nightmare parking at Oracle - SFGate
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