An Insider’s Guide to the Best Seats in Citizens Bank Park
Here are the best seats in Citizens Bank Park, whether you’re looking to cheer on the Phillies, high-five the Phanatic, or just be closest to the Crabfries. / Photograph by Colin Lenton
This year marks the 20th birthday of 42,901-seat Citizens Bank Park — in our view, the best-designed ballpark in the country. Michael Harris, Phillies VP of marketing and new media, agrees. “It feels like a cliché,” he says, “but it’s 100 percent true that there isn’t a bad seat in the place.” Are we all a little biased? Hell, yes. But this CBP seat cheat sheet makes a pretty good case. Go Phils!
An Annotated Map of Citizens Bank Park
A: For shade: “This was built to be a very open facility,” Harris says; shade can be hard to come by. But “that third-base line gets shade before anywhere else during summer evening games” since the sun sets behind the foul pole there. (P.S.: You’ll find sunscreen dispensers around the stadium.)
B & E: For a little protection from the elements: Club seats may have premium views, but sections 119-128 are better at guarding you from drizzle and the harshest sun. Same with 233-237, the 400 level, and the back rows of the 100 level.
C: If you want to land on TV, sit here, behind the right-handed batters (they come up more often!), in the front of sections 130 & 131. Or sit behind either dugout — there are permanent cameras there, Harris says. And of course, the CP Rankin Diamond Club seats right behind home plate get a lot of screen time.
D: Prime Phillies dugout view: Celebration dances! Frustration! Top-steppin’ it! See into the Phils’ dugout from sections 129-132.
F: Where to hang while traffic clears: Pass and Stow and Kona Big Wave Bar at the third-base gate plaza stay open for business after the game.
G: Excellent cheap(er) seats: Sections 420 & 421 offer a straight-on, unobstructed view of the strike zone from above. And up here, it’s easier to catch a breeze.
H: The best read of the ball off the bat: Sections 122-125 & 220-224.
I: Wanna catch a foul? Physicist Meredith Wills says sections 214-217 & 227-230 are your best bets, statistically: “If you can pick seats based on the lineup, position yourself on the non-pull side of the best hitters. Foul balls are frequently the result of batters being late on fastballs.”
J: For face-to-snout action with the Phanatic, go for the front of sections 116 & 117. He’ll dance on the dugout right in front of you after the seventh inning. (He also walks through the 100 level sometimes, but this is the most reliable.)
K: The best city views: “From the terrace level, you see the entirety of the ballpark and the Center City skyline,” Harris says of the 300 level. “So picturesque.”
L: Close to the action: “I love the lower-level outfield seats,” Harris says. “You get an up-close view of all the great catches, and it’s a fantastic value.” Sections 101-107 & 142-148.
M: Standing-room ticket? You might still find a seat at the high-tops on the CP Rankin rooftop above Ashburn Alley.
N: Extra-close proximity to Ashburn Alley and its food. Chickie’s & Pete’s Crabfries! Campo’s cheesesteaks! Sections 101-103 & 146-148.
Psst! Get your handy cheat sheet here.
More Tips for Sitting at Citizens Bank Park
Mobility issues?
There’s wheelchair (and companion) seating throughout CBP. But they do sell out! Plan ahead.
The ultimate cheap tix pro tip
If it’s looking like rain, scoop up super-cheap tickets on the secondary market, then wait. The game will be rescheduled, and you’ll have arbitraged some nice seats from someone with a less flexible schedule.
When is it okay to seat-jump?
It’s the bottom of the fifth, and those seats in front of you — so much closer to Schwarber! — are still empty. Can you take ’em? Official park policy says no. (Exceptions can sometimes be made for “reasonable requests,” offers the Phils’ Michael Harris — say, to snap a quick pic.) But unofficially? One longtime worker at CBP weighs in: “I work every game, and I say that by the eighth inning, you can move down if the Phils are up big.” The trick, he adds, is to note when the crowd is leaving: “That’s when it’s safe. Also, the worse the weather, the sooner you can move.”
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Published as “The Seating Chart: Citizens Bank Park” in the July 2024 issue of Philadelphia magazine.