More than a dozen San Francisco Giants fans lined up outside AT&T Park early this morning for the chance to see a few innings of tonight’s World Series opener for free from a special spot outside the ballpark near McCovey Cove.
Fans arrived as early as 2 a.m. at the Portwalk, an enclosed area beyond the right field wall where people can watch the game for free.
The spot is popular during regular-season games and is now even more enticing, with the cheapest tickets to tonight’s sold-out game costing more than $400 on various reseller websites.
Tim Bevines and Anthony Memolo, both Sunnyvale residents, were the first to line up near the Portwalk this morning.
Memolo said they came because “we couldn’t afford tickets, but we do have Giants hearts.”
Tony Bryson and his sons Nick, 12, and Aaron, 14, drove out from Woodland at 5 a.m. to wait outside the park.
“We wanted tickets but couldn’t afford all three, so figured this was the best way to let them see the game,” Bryson said.
He said he brought his sons to watch a game from the Portwalk a decade ago when the park opened, and would consider coming back if the World Series goes to Games 6 or 7.
Joe Armenta, who traveled up from Salinas and got to the Portwalk around 7 a.m., said that won’t be necessary.
“The Giants are going to sweep,” he said.
The fans have been told by Giants officials that a group will be allowed into the Portwalk area to see batting practice by the Giants and their opponents, the Texas Rangers, this afternoon.
Those fans will be removed and a new group will be allowed in to see the first three innings of the game, scheduled to start at 4:57 p.m. That group will then be switched out and new fans will come in for the middle three and last three innings.
Everyone waiting outside the park this morning said they planned to be in the group that will see the first three innings.
Dan McMenamin, Bay City News
