Over 4,000 Hot Dogs and 18,000 Beers per Game—We’ve Got the Stats on Petco Park

2023 was a tough year for Padres fans. The team in 2023 scuffled through possibly their most disappointing season ever, let their manager leave for a division rival, had to take out a $50 million loan to address apparent cash flow issues, traded away all-world outfielder Juan Soto, and watched the Los Angeles Dodgers sign the second coming of Babe Ruth. Yet, like Lloyd Christmas, they believe they still have a chance.

“Hopefully, it’s a deal that works both ways,” said Padres president of baseball operations and general manager A.J. Preller, according to The Athletic, referring to Soto’s trade to the New York Yankees, “and we’re seeing him in the postseason next year.” Since the Yankees play in the American League, that would mean the Padres playing in the 2024 World Series. Maybe that’s not so crazy.

The Pads will bring back all-stars and fan favorites in Manny Machado, Fernando Tatis, Ha-Seong Kim, Joe Musgrove, and Yu Darvish. The Soto trade returned several solid contributors, and they signed Japanese pitching star Yuki Matsui. This core will be led by new manager Mike Shildt, who was once named the National League Manager of the Year and led the St. Louis Cardinals to three consecutive postseason appearances. The Padres have never made the playoffs in three consecutive seasons.

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Even though they’ll likely lose top pitchers Blake Snell and Josh Hader in free agency, the Pads still possess a “huge amount of talent,” said Michael Baumann, staff writer at FanGraphs. “Preller tried to build not just a good team, but a superteam.” Unfortunately, there are other super teams in the N.L. West.

The Dodgers being the Dodgers, signed two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani to a contract that exceeds the gross domestic product of ten countries. The salary structure is so team-friendly, though, it has allowed the team to splurge on pitcher Tyler Glasnow and they’re homing in on Yoshinobu Yamamoto, the prized free agent pitcher from Japan. 

For their part, the San Francisco Giants signed away star outfielder Jung Hoo Lee from his native Korea, and the Arizona Diamondbacks return more or less the same roster that steamrolled three supposedly better teams in this year’s playoffs on their way to the World Series. (There is a fifth team in the N.L. West, the Colorado Rockies, which is about all that can be said of them.)

Losing Padres’ Owner Peter Seidler

But the most impactful, and heartbreaking, development for the Padres this year was the loss of beloved team owner Peter Seidler. “The best thing a team can have is an owner that cares about winning,” Baumann said, and Seidler certainly did.

He gave Preller free rein to put together a superteam. He invested in the minor leagues and player development, which, either through promotions or trades, resulted in players like Tatis and Soto. He invested in Petco Park, making a Padres game one of the best game day experiences in professional sports. He even invested in his city, having emerged as a civic leader in the fight against homelessness. He did all this despite San Diego being a so-called “small market” team.

Following Seidler’s death in November, news trickled in about how the Padres would manage their roster. The consensus became that they still want to compete, but also need to shed high-cost players after carrying the third-largest payroll in the sport and missing the playoffs.

Looming over this strategic decision and the roster intrigue are larger questions about the direction of the franchise. Will the Padres keep pushing to win that elusive World Series championship? Or will they retreat to more familiar, more modest terrain? After trading Soto but recruiting Matsui, the jury is still out, and it seems San Diego’s other major league sports teams are at a similar crossroads.

San Diego FC Signs First Player, Duran Ferree

Earlier this month, Duran Ferree became San Diego FC’s first-ever signing, and in turn, the answer to a trivia question coming to a bar near you. Of course, local soccer fans hope Ferree becomes better known as the goalkeeper for Major League Soccer’s next great team. To the club, Ferree’s signing “underscores the Club’s commitment to identify and develop young talent, and build a youthful, dynamic and winning organization.” 

Wave FC Acquires Savannah McCaskill

SD Wave have reached the National Women’s Soccer League semi-finals in back-to-back years, and this year they were the best team in the regular season. They were primed to contend again—at least, they were before the recent NWSL expansion draft, which was necessitated by two new teams starting play next year.

Forward Rachel Hill was poached by Bay FC, and SD Wave had to expend assets to get midfielder Sierra Enge back in the fold. Captain Alex Morgan was not pleased, and the team responded by signing midfielder Savannah McCaskill, a two-time NSWL Player of the Month. “We are confident that Savannah’s ability and experience will prove to be an important part of our continued success,” the team said.  

San Diego Sports Fans Set Attendance Records In 2023

San Diego has fans willing to invest in these teams. Despite their struggles, the Padres set an attendance record in 2023 and at one point saw 25 consecutive sellouts. Eight thousand people went to Snapdragon Stadium just to attend SDFC’s brand announcement event, and the Wave were the biggest draw in the NWSL this season. Even our hometown rugby team, The Legion, set a league attendance record.

What’s to be determined in 2024 is if San Diego has teams who, in the face of setbacks, continue to invest in their rosters and turn their pronouncements about winning into reality.

The Padres are the most exciting sports team on the planet. If that’s not objectively true—seeing as how other continents and soccer exist—it is in our hearts. And in no way, shape, or form were us fans emotionally prepared for this. “Act like you’ve been here before,” they say. Apologies, but we can’t because we haven’t. We’re clapping a bit too loud. Laughing in nervous bursts. Fist-bumping at dad frequencies.

Because it’s been a long, grueling ride to get here.

Growing up a Padres fan was like watching the asteroid pierce the earth’s atmosphere and still raising your “Go Dinosaurs!” foam finger. Each season it felt like part of MLB’s opening ceremonies was the mathematical elimination of our team from the playoffs. Most of our modern lineups consisted of Tony Gwynn, a couple talented young players on entry-level salaries who were contractually obligated to lend us their skills for the sake of parity (a stint with us was like a tour in the Peace Corps), a once-legendary veteran doing a retirement tour on half of one healthy knee and a quarter of a rotator cuff, and some other nice chaps with gloves.

Every year, US media would flash the names of the biggest free agents. Padres fans would kiss sacred rocks, pull muscles from all the praying, promise to be better humans if the gods would just grant us just one Machado. And every year the Dodgers and Yankees outbid us with a chortle and split those stars evenly.

So, San Diego sportswriters became pros at stories about the “untapped potential” of players on our team. How, if all the stars aligned and the earth’s gravity shifted a touch and maybe there was a light intervention from Jesus, they could be legends.

One reason San Diegans loved Tony Gwynn so deeply was that he stuck with the Padres despite the inevitability of disappointment. Just like us! We were Tony, Tony was we—lighting each other’s smokes in the foxhole of small market baseball.

At some point, you start to take pride in your identity as an eternal underdog. Your heart suffers from Stockholm Syndrome. The Padres kidnapped your heart at an early age, and you love them despite rational reasons to leave a harshly worded Yelp review and pick a favorite cricket team.

And then… that just all changed in the most drastically positive way. Owner Peter Seidler, CEO Eric Greupner, and GM A.J. Preller have been consistently, repeatedly binge shopping at the superstar store. We’re the Noah’s Ark of choice for elite athletes. And it’s not just one-year rentals. Manny Machado, Yu Darvish, Xander Bogaerts, Fernando Tatis Jr., Joe Musgrove—all are signed to play for the Padres for at least the next half decade.

It’s important for new fans to know these travails, our budget legacy of almost. It’s why this moment in franchise history feels like petting puppies in the sun with a two-beer buzz after your 23andMe test reveals that you’re 80 percent Dave Grohl. Our brains are hot tubs of endorphins.

Two things happened to create a historic opportunity for the Padres. First, the Chargers left to pursue their acting career in LA. The three most popular sports in the US are football (74.6 percent of Americans follow the sport), basketball (56 percent), and baseball (50.5 percent).

With the top two sports out of town, San Diego became a baseball city. The Padres had the chance to own almost every sports heart in town. Ownership probably still could’ve set attendance records without investing so heavily in the product. But if he could seize that opportunity and bring the franchise its firstever World Series win? Local babies of all genders would be named Peter for years to come.

Then a second seismic change created the perfect storm for baseball hysteria: the pandemic. For a while (felt like eons), gathering in public and cheering was deemed unsafe for humankind. And gathering with thousands of people— all of us vibing on the same thing—is one of the most emotionally powerful things we do as humans. It’s why Bon Jovi was invented. That’s why people who don’t even like a sport will go see a live game for the experience, the excited human spectacle.

And the Padres are the biggest mass cheering opportunity in the market. After years of virus-enforced isolation, the emotional release of 45,137 fans losing their shit in unison as the Padres beat the Dodgers in the playoffs… was more than baseball. It was a group reclamation of self and joy.

Whether or not you support spending hundreds of millions of dollars on professional athletes, there is no denying the market has decided that value. No matter your estimation of capitalism, its existence is not in doubt. Occasionally, frugal teams win it all, but you’d have to go back 20 years to find a champ that was bottom-five in spending (2003 Florida Marlins). If you want a sane statistical chance, you gotta be in the top half.

I don’t pretend to know Seidler’s thinking. But from the sidelines, we saw all those things converge—a fanbase that loved a team despite its legacy of apologies, the fan vacuum left by the Chargers, the pent-up need for large-group human bonding from the pandemic—and knew the Padres had a historic opportunity to become the most beloved sports team to ever call San Diego home.

All we needed was ownership with the emotional and financial fortitude to push all its chips to the middle.

And, well. Meet my son Peter.

There’s never been a better time to keep up with the Padres, who have just made big waves in the trades and are setting up the team to make a deep postseason run. It’s been a while since we’ve even made the postseason (namely, 2006), so this is the perfect time to show your support and enjoy a game, even if we can’t go down to the ballpark.

 

How to Watch

Since going to Petco Park is out of the question, you’ll need to find another way to catch the game. For those of you with dish or cable TV, Fox Sports San Diego is the channel to watch. For those without, Hulu and AT&T TV Now are the only streaming services that have rights to this channel.

 

Where to Get Gear

You still have a reason to swing by Petco Park if you want to shop for Padres gear at the official team store in the Western Metal Supply Co. building. If shopping online is more your speed, you can get official licensed gear at the MLB shop or at Fanatics.

 

What to Eat

 

Phil’s BBQ

Phil’s is famous for their baby back rib dinners, perfect for the main event of your meal. Just be careful not to get barbecue sauce on your new jersey.

3750 Sports Arena Boulevard, Midway District | 619-226-6333

 

Hodad’s

A cheeseburger from Hodad’s is a classic San Diego favorite, equally enjoyable at home on the beach in OB or on your couch watching the game.

5010 Newport Avenue, Ocean Beach | 619-224-4623

 

Seaside Market

The burgundy pepper tri-tip sandwich from Seaside Market is called “Cardiff Crack” for good reason. You can get the tri-tip shipped straight to your house to put on your own sandwich or anything you’d like.

2087 San Elijo Avenue, Cardiff | 760-753-5445

 

AleSmith

AleSmith named their San Diego Pale Ale .394 after Tony Gwynn’s career high batting average from 1994, and they took his preferences into account when they made the beer. There’s no better way to pay tribute to the legacy of the Padres’ greatest player while enjoying a meal.

9990 AleSmith Court, Miramar | 858-549-9888

 

Buona Forchetta

Considering all the Italian influence in San Diego’s history, pizza makes a strong case for Padres ballpark food. Any one of the huge varieties of Buona Forchetta’s Neapolitan pizzas makes a good choice.

3001 Beech Street, South Park | 619-381-4844

 

Carnitas’ Snack Shack

If you want some mouthwatering Mexican food to go along with your Padres game, Carnitas’ Snack Shack is for you. The carnitas tacos are classics, but you can also get sandwiches and burritos.

1004 North Harbor Drive, Embarcadero | 619-696-7675

 

Baked Bear

For dessert, Baked Bear offers truly special custom ice cream sandwiches. Choose your top and bottom, filling, and any toppings, and you have the perfect accompaniment to (hopefully) a Padres win.

4516 Mission Boulevard, Pacific Beach | [email protected]

 

Costco

Unfortunately the hot dog stands are closed, but if you want the ballpark dog experience you can buy Tarantino Gourmet Sausage at any local Costco. Tarantino is a local brand and the official hot dog partner of the San Diego Padres, so grilling one at home is just as good as getting one at the park.

4605 Morena Boulevard, Clairemont | 858-270-6920

Arrive early

The East Village Opening Day Block Party kicks off at 10:30 a.m. on J Street next to Petco Park’s Gallagher Square (formerly Park at the Park). Admission to this event is free, and there’s plenty of food and drinks for purchase inside, plus live music and games like cornhole.

 

Take public transit

Downtown parking is limited. Instead, park for free at SDCCU Stadium and take the MTS trolley to Petco Park. Or if you’re coming from North County, park for free at a Coaster station and take the train to Santa Fe Depot, then transfer to the Silver Line.

 

Eat at the park

The second best thing to enjoy at Petco Park is its concessions. Local favorites like Phil’s BBQ, Lucha Libre, and Buona Forchetta are all accounted for. The most popular dishes last season were Seaside Market’s tri-tip nachos, Board & Brew’s Turkado sandwich, and Ballast Point’s Swingin’ Friar Ale. There are more than 85 kinds of beer at the ballpark, so bottoms up!

 

Leave your hat at home

Everyone who attends will receive a free Padres Opening Day hat. Take your seat no later than 12:30 p.m. to catch the pregame ceremony.

 

Wear brown

The Padres are reviving their most iconic vintage uniforms in the 2020 season, which means it’s time to swap your blue for brown and your white for gold. At the game, take a selfie and use the hashtag #BrownIsBack for a chance to see your photo on the big screen.

 

Stay in the shade

If you don’t want to bake all day, look for seats in the shade or in partial shade. Your best bet is to sit in the stadium’s middle tiers along the third baseline. If you’re set on sitting closer, or in the top tier along the first baseline, bring lots of sunscreen! (For a helpful visual, there’s a shade map at mlb.com/padres.)

March 1:

Stop and smell the Ranunculus—all 50 acres of them—in full bloom at The Flower Fields at Carlsbad Ranch (open through 5/10).

 

March 4:

Britain’s Rosie Kay Dance Company presents 5 Soldiers: The Body Is the Front, inspired by the experiences of real-life infantry, held for four days at Liberty Station’s White Box.

Calling all dancing queens for an Abba Mania tribute concert at Balboa Theatre.

 

March 5:

Geek out for the four-day San Diego Comic Fest, a more intimate Comic-Con alternative at Four Points by Sheraton San Diego.

House of Joy at Lyceum Theatre tells an empowering story of a female bodyguard in 17th-century India (through 3/29).

Enter the buzzing world of insects in Cirque du Soleil: Ovo, bringing four days of high-flying acrobatics to Viejas Arena.

 

March 6:

Country crooner and longtime coach on The Voice Blake Shelton performs at Pechanga Arena on his Friends and Heroes 2020 tour.

City Ballet presents Balanchine and More at Spreckels Theatre, featuring works by famed choreographers throughout the weekend.

Plan your next DIY home improvement project during the three-day Spring Home/Garden Show at Del Mar Fairgrounds.

 

March 7:

Expect nontraditional perspectives and media in the new exhibit Out of the Shadows: Contemporary Chinese Photography at the Museum of Photographic Arts (through 9/6).

Electronic dance music is center stage for the two-day Crssd Festival in Waterfront Park.

Let your imagination run wild during the nine-day San Diego Festival of Science & Engineering, kicking off with Expo Day at Petco Park.

Street performers from around the world entertain audiences for the weekend at Seaport Village’s Busker Festival.

 

March 8:

Bands from across the US and Mexico battle it out at the International Mariachi Festival & Competition in Bayside Park.

America’s Got Talent winner Shin Lim brings his mystifying close-up card magic to the Civic Theatre.

Michael Bolton performs soulful hits like “When a Man Loves a Woman” and “How Am I Supposed to Live Without You” at Harrah’s Resort Southern California.

 

March 11:

A hilarious introduction ensues when two families with vastly different political views and lifestyles meet before a wedding in La Cage aux Folles (aka “The Birdcage”) at Cygnet Theatre (through 5/2).

 

March 12:

Watch your pick of over 160 movies from Latin America, Spain, and the US during the 11-day San Diego Latino Film Festival at AMC Fashion Valley and Digital Gym Cinema.

Celebrate Holi, an ancient Hindu holiday popular throughout India, at the Red Baraat Festival of Colors at UC San Diego.

Cast members from the TV hit Whose Line Is It Anyway? take their improv comedy show on the road for Whose Live Anyway? at the California Center for the Arts, Escondido.

 

March 13:

San Diego Opera presents the West Coast premiere of Aging Magician for two days at Balboa Theatre, exploring the fantastic world of an eccentric clockmaker.

 

March 14:

Paint the town green at San Diego St. Patrick’s Day Parade and Irish Festival in Balboa Park.

The stage adaptation of Louisa May Alcott’s beloved novel Little Women at The Old Globe is a chance for audiences to fall in love with the March sisters all over again (through 4/19).

Hit the Gaslamp Quarter for the shamROCK St. Patrick’s Day block party, featuring three stages of live entertainment.

Attend the La Jolla Playhouse Gala at The Prado to hear Broadway star Jenn Colella (Come from Away, If/Then).

 

March 18:

Take in a classical music performance by the king of waltz, André Rieu and His Johann Strauss Orchestra, at Pechanga Arena.

 

March 19:

Head to the Museum of Contemporary Art for their after-hours visual and performing arts event, Downtown at Sundown, which this month features a discussion about the Tijuana River Watershed as a complement to the exhibit Oscar Romo: Recovered Stream.

 

March 20:

Stand-up comedian Steven Wright delivers his deadpan humor at Balboa Theatre.

 

March 21:

Get unlimited tastings from over 100 breweries at the Best Coast Beer Fest at Embarcadero Marina Park North, including live music and food trucks.

An Evening with Sutton Foster, the two-time Tony Award–winning Broadway star, promises a lively cabaret-style vocal performance at Copley Symphony Hall.

 

March 22:

Support North Coast Repertory Theatre at their Spotlight Gala, including live entertainment, food, drinks, and auctions at Fairmont Grand Del Mar.

 

March 26:

Join Elsa, Anna, Olaf, and friends at the Civic Theatre for Disney’s Frozen, the Broadway musical reminding us to “let it go” (through 4/12).

Root, root, root for the home team at the Padres Opening Day game versus the Colorado Rockies.

See your favorite dancers from the hit show Dancing with the Stars: Live at Sycuan Casino.

 

March 28:

Sample over 200 types of vino and cider from around the world during the Uncorked Wine Festival at Embarcadero Marina Park North.

Faceless at The Old Globe follows the story of an American teen who decides to join the Islamic State group, and the reluctant prosecutor assigned to her case (through 4/26).

Get acquainted with the traditions of Guam and the Mariana Islands during the 11th annual Chamorro Cultural Festival at CSU San Marcos.

Learn how to make three types of whiskey drinks in the Cocktail Lab mixology class, taught by whiskey educator Dutch House at The Inn at Rancho Santa Fe’s Huntsman Bar.

Sample up to 10 varieties of boba tea drinks in the San Diego Boba Festival at the Taiwanese American Community Center.

 

March 31:

Vocal powerhouse Céline Dion performs megahits like “My Heart Will Go On” and “The Power of Love” at Pechanga Arena as part of her Courage World Tour.

 

For more recommended events, check out our curated list of Things to Do in San Diego This Weekend.