ATLANTA — 11Alive Sports offers a quick primer for enjoying tonight's home opener at SunTrust Park, pitting the Atlanta Braves and Chicago Cubs (1-2).
For those who have been sitting under a rock for three days, with their smartphones turned off and hands over both ears, the Braves have gotten off to a shaky start, getting swept in Philadelphia ... by a combined score of 23-11.
So, even though the calendar reads April 1, it's suddenly a crucial series for both teams.
PARKING
At first glance, there doesn't appear to be many earth-shattering changes with parking around SunTrust Park.
GAMEDAY PARKING RATES
DECKS: Red, Green, Purple, Yellow
0-2 Hours: FREE
2-3 Hours: $20
3-4 Hours: $30
4-24 Hours: $50
DECK: Orange
Valet parking ONLY Braves Premium Clubs
STREET PARKING (LIMITED)
0-30 Minutes: $5
31-60 Minutes: $20
More than 1 hour: $50
**"Event-day" and "Non-event day" parking rates will be posted in The Battery Atlanta section of MLB.com Ballpark app, and displayed at each garage entrance on LED monitors. Validation offered by all The Battery Atlanta merchants. Please refer to each retailer for details.
**"Event-day" will be applicable to SunTrust Park events and Coca-Cola Roxy events.
**"Event-day" rates will go into effect three hours before each event and will end after the last out or scheduled conclusion of the event.
**Event Rates will include the first two hours free for all vehicles.
**All customers parking at The Battery Atlanta who spend $50 or more at The Battery AtlantaTmerchants (including Braves Clubhouse Store and Terrapin Taproom) on the event day will be provided a validation for an additional four hours of parking directly from the tenant.
**Customers will be able to aggregate same-day receipts from The Battery Atlanta merchants to achieve $50 and will be directed to the LAZ Parking Office in One Ballpark Center for validation.
**Groups splitting checks will receive one validation per every $50 spent from The Battery Atlanta.
UBER/LYFT
The Braves have a logistical handle on fans taking/requesting Uber or Lyft rides to The Battery area.
**Off Windy Hill Parkway
**The Heritage Court pick-up area that's perpendicular to Cobb Parkway
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TONIGHT'S OPPONENT
Privately, the Braves likely weren't too happy when the 2019 schedule came out last September.
Yes, it's cool to be hosting the Cubs on Opening Day; but the Braves would have attracted a strong showing at SunTrust Park on this day, regardless of opponent.
For the most part, Opening Day is more about the festivities, dignitaries, pomp and circumstance ... than the game itself.
Here's another looming concern: With the Braves already sitting at 0-3 (only winless team in baseball), the club cannot afford a 1-2 or even 0-3 result against the Cubs – especially with the Phillies (3-0) and Mets (2-1) owning winning records in the National League East.
It's like the old saying goes: You can't win a division title in the month of April, but you can certainly lose one.
OPENING NIGHT EVENT SCHEDULE
With a first-pitch time of 7:20 p.m. EST, here's the breakdown of events, in terms of how it affects stadium entrants:
4:30 – The SunTrust Park gates open to the fans. Consider this to be an early holiday present, since most MLB parks don't open until two hours before the first pitch.
5:30 – The Braves will participate in The Battery Walk, which essentially models the old gameday walks of SEC football programs ... where the fans get to see the players and coaches up close, while they shake hands, smile for selfies and generally focus on tonight's matchup.
5:45 – The 80s band Electric Avenue will handle the pre-game entertainment at The Battery.
Personally, I've seen the band many times at various clubs through the years. It's a lively show; and it comes with a full-on guarantee of hearing Toto's "Africa" in the first 20 minutes.
TICKET AVAILABILITY
According to StubHub.com, a number of non-group tickets can be purchased for the home opener, with a price range of $60 (standing-room only or grandstand corner) to $700 (primo seats right behind home plate).
The best value among the high-end areas might be the "Chairman Seats," which run for $395.70 per ticket ... but there's also enough room for you and two friends to enjoy the fruits of Opening Day.
It's also worth noting: The majority of seats from home plate to third base extended have already been swallowed up.
The reasoning here: Cubs fans historically sit together, en masse, at road games; and SunTrust Park likely won't be any different.
The Cubs have a national following, especially in these times of annual title contention, and that includes the many fans who cheer for the Lovable Losers ... even though they're bigger supporters of Wrigley Field.
(We're joking, of course, or maybe not. After all, it is April Fools' Day.)
WEATHER FORECAST
According to the 11Alive weather team, SunTrust Park ticket-goers can expect a sunny day or clear skies, with zero chance of precipitation.
Temperatures for the pre-game fun should hover around 60 degrees, but it might be a precipitous drop, once the sun sets before the 8 p.m. hour.
In other words, bring a light or heavy jacket, if you're planning to sit through all nine innings.
