The (Un)official Atlanta Braves Spring Training guide
You’ve got your tickets, now what?
The ESPN wide world of sports complex in Orlando offers much more to do then just watching a baseball game. Aside from baseball, the facility hosts many amateur events throughout the year.
Your purchase of a ticket gives you access to a wide swath of fields across the practice complex. While you can’t actually walk onto most fields, you can get rather close to the action.
By some of the fields, minor leaguers will walk around near fans, and many are happy to sign autographs for the people hanging around. My favorite thing to do in the practice complex is watching batting practice.
Last year, I got to the fields around 10:30 for a 1:30 game, and I got to watch Ronald Acuna take BP. I hadn’t really seen much of him before, but that moment was when I knew he was going to be a star. He hit moonshot after moonshot over the fence, and I was in awe.
One of the coolest parts of the experience is something that I don’t see many people doing. You can actually walk pretty far behind the first field to about the center field fence, but at that point there is security and you can’t go further.
When players are hitting BP, balls will go over that fence. Me and my dad just sat behind the right field fence and got about ten baseballs from the hitters on the field. We even had a short conversation with Ozzie Albies while he shagged fly balls at the fence.
For those people who are autograph collectors like myself, there is a short fence by the 3rd base side of the first practice field that players will sometimes walk by and sign.
In the same area that is by the right field fence of the first field, you can walk down to one of the minor league practice fields. It offers a good insight into what spring training is like for the players that don’t get the spotlight of being on the main field. As a former player myself, I really enjoyed watching the various drills that get run on that field.
The Game
That’s why you bought the tickets right? Games at Champion Stadium are a much closer knit affairs then those at Suntrust Park, with a stadium capacity of 9,500 people.
There isn’t a bad seat in the building, from the dugout seats to the grass berm in the outfield. Personally, I’d take the opportunity to sit by the dugout, because those seats are a fraction of the price of tickets in the same place at major league stadiums.
Honestly, I enjoy spring training games much more than regular season games. The atmosphere is just more inviting. The players are having fun, the fans are (usually) laid back, and overall it just feels different. I know that sounds like a cliché, but if you go you’ll understand.
Another note for autograph hunters: there’s a gate by center field that can be accessed via the outfield berm. I’ve seen players stop by that gate and sign autographs quite frequently. Last year I got to witness one of Ronald Acuna Jr’s mammoth spring training home run versus the Blue Jays, and it was truly special.
One more thought: while visitors may be just happy to escape the frozen north country, bring your sunscreen! A few hours in even a March Florida sun will rip the hide off of you.
Other Stuff
If anyone going to Orlando has kids, consider a trip to Disney World. If the kids aren’t too interested in baseball, I’ll bet they’d be willing to go to the land of the Mouse. Universal Studios is also a great amusement park to visit if you’ve got time and money on your hands.
Orlando has plenty of great places to eat. Personally, I’d recommend Giordano’s, an outpost of an amazing Chicago Pizza point.
If you want some cool spring training gear, the shop inside Champion Stadium has some cool stuff. I try to grab something for each year I visit.
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I hope this guide helps you make the most out of your visit to Orlando!