“I was a big Chargers fan. They left San Diego so I've just been dedicating everything to the Padres,” Chula Vista’s Christian Arangure said.
That’s a sentiment shared by many San Diegans, and there's finally some gratification for fans of the region’s major sports team.
For the first time since 1998, the Padres are in the National League Championship Series (NLCS), just one step away from the World Series.
This deep playoff run, where they knocked out the 101-win Mets and the 111-win Dodgers, is bringing national attention and big business to the city.
“We’re used to being packed for the games and everything else, but this is our first time in 11 years being here where we’re actually doing it during the month of October and in playoffs,” Bub's at the Ballpark owner Todd Brown said. “It’s zero to 60 for us in terms of October.”
Much like the last series against the Dodgers, resale ticket prices for the Padres home games are extraordinarily high — from just under $200 to over a $1000 per seat. That's making it difficult for some die-hard fans to afford watching their team.
Felipe Cataquiz Jr. and his son Felipe Cataquiz III bought tickets for the first game of the NLCS.
“It went up to like $291, so I went ahead and grabbed it,” the father told KPBS just hours before Tuesday’s game. “But then they charge you $160 service fee plus the cost of the tickets. So all in all it's about almost 800 bucks [for two tickets.]”
Even though the father and son said the steep cost is worth it, prices could go even higher if the Padres advance to the World Series. As of Tuesday, the numbers were astronomical.
“And they're starting at $1,700 and this is in Gallagher Square, which is you're just standing out there on the hill watching the game off the scoreboard,” Cataquiz Jr. said, talking about resale websites like Stubhub, SeatGeek and Gametime.
Even though some fans are having a hard time affording to watch the game inside the ballpark, the surrounding Gaslamp District has a lot going on.
Entrepreneurs are trying all kinds of ways to capitalize on the Padres playoff games.
Owner of Hey Sugar! Sweets Chan Buie said she moved her brick and mortar store near the ballpark outside, under a tent, to capitalize on foot traffic.
“We said you know what, we're going to close up the shop and go outside tomorrow,” Buie said. “We are going to have our Padre-themed cookies, we're going to have Padre themed little helmet baseball hats. We’re going to put the donuts in them then put ice cream on top.”
The Padres need four wins to go to the World Series.
The first two games will be in San Diego and then Petco Park will host watch parties for at least the Friday and Saturday weekend games in Philadelphia.
If more games are needed, game 5 will be the last one on the East Coast before it's back to San Diego for games 6 and 7.
