Graphing on the Road - Denver, Coors Field

My name is Scott and I am a diehard Phillies fan born and raised in Wilmington, Delaware.  After I graduated college I moved to Colorado and eventually became a wildland firefighter for the U.S. Forest Service.  Through all my travels, I never lost track of my beloved Phillies and I spend every minute possible at Coors Field during their annual series with the Rockies.

Phillies fans travel very well and I thought it would be helpful for the Phillies Collector to start a series on how to graph the Phillies on the road at specific stadiums, so that you can know all the best strategies and locations to meet our team on the road wherever you are heading.  Over the past 5 years at Coors I have learned-often the hard way-many of the important lessons to have a successful graphing day at Coors Field.

Phillies Hotel:

Address:

Ritz-Carlton 1881 Curtis Street  Denver, CO

Tips for Graphing at Coors Field:

The view  from section 140

The view  from section 140

  • Gate Policy:
    • The gates at Coors Field have two opening times: opposing right and left field outfield gates A and E open 2 hours prior to the game with only the outfield concourse open; and the remaining gates opening 1.5 hours before first pitch with the entire park available.  
  • How to get players entering the stadium:
    • Taxis taking the players to Coors Field arrive behind left field at random times, so arrive as early as you like and prepare for some boredom. 
    • If you are at the main entrance at 20th and Blake, walk down the wide outdoor sidewalk that runs alongside 20th street past Gate E (last gate along third baseline) and turn the corner.  There you will find concrete barriers and fellow Phillie fans. 
    • The 2014 series was prolific for early bird fans with Cliff Lee, Ryan Howard, Marlon Byrd, and others signing heading into the park.
  • Pre-Game Graphing:
    • After the entire park opens, head to Section 140 right next to the camera well.  This is where position players and some pitchers stop to sign. 
    • My experience has been half of players signing will do so when their personal batting practice is over and half will sign when team batting practice is over. 
    • Jake Diekman told me Ryne Sandberg has a much stricter pre-game schedule so the signings do not last as long as they used to.
    • Please be aware, the Rockies do not allow fans within several rows of the dugout without tickets to those premier seats.  Do not lose a great spot trying to camp out up there because you either have to stand too far back, or the ushers kick you out if you try to sneak down.  I saw Jimmy Rollins signing there but it was for one young child and then he continued down the tunnel.
    • Once batting practice is over and the field is clear, it’s not over for graphers!  The Phillies return to the field approximately 20 minutes before first pitch. The national anthem is very early at Coors Field, about 7 minutes before the game starts. After the anthem is finished, this is when Ryan Howard and Chase Utley sign.  They prefer to sign where the tarp is to keep a comfortable distance from the crush of fans.  Your best bet is to wait in the aisle between Sections 141 and 142.  Sometimes they go right to that spot, sometimes to the middle of a section, but you will be well-positioned to slide down Row 2 and hop in wherever they choose.  Plus many fans will have left long before thinking their chance is over.

A few other interesting notes:

  • Coors Field has an MLB authentic stand similar to The Bank so you can purchase baseballs used in the game as well as Phillies locker room nameplates. The authenticator will even try to get a ball related to a specific player if you want.
  • Food is allowed into Coors so do yourself a favor and stop by Subway
  • They just renovated part of the upper deck, eliminating 2,000 seats for a party deck with craft beers and real food.  It is outstanding and I strongly suspect will set a trend for parks that never reach capacity.