Baseball fan refuses to buy cheap MLB tickets and sit in more expensive seats, despite her boyfriend's encouragement: 'To me it seems like stealing.'

Author image for Emmy Pratt
Emmy Pratt • Senior Editor
Sep 1, 2026 6:00 PM EDT

Do you go down to the nicer seats at a baseball game when you're in the top section?

I have done my fair share of moving from my cheap seat to a nicer seat. When I used to go to Broadway shows all the time, I used to look for unoccupied seats and move to them at intermission. When I saw one show, I went from $50 lottery tickets where I couldn't see half the stage to sitting in the middle of the Orchestra, 5 rows back from the stage. When I saw Parade, I went from obstructed box seat views to two great seats in the Orchestra. Unfortunately, the people who bought those tickets decided to come for only the second act, so I got booted back to my original seat. 

The way I see it, there's nothing wrong with trying to sit in a nicer seat if it's unoccupied. You always have to contend with the possibility that the seats were actually sold, and the people who bought them are just absurdly late, but as long as you can deal with that reality, you can have a much better experience at any kind of live event than you would if you just played by the rules. 

A lot of people are born-and-bred rule followers, and it's really difficult to convince them to break the rules for their own gain. The woman in this story is one of those people. She is afraid of the embarrassment of moving to better seats at a baseball game, just to get called out by the people who actually bought the seats. 

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  • People watching baseball in a baseball stadium
    via Jimmy Conover

    The perspective of somebody sitting in the bleachers of a Major League Baseball game, where the seats are much cheaper than they are in the lower bowl.

    Scene is illustrative and does not depict actual individuals or events.

  • Am I wrong for refusing to sit in different seats at a baseball game?

    This is not my main account. I (25F) and my boyfriend (27) have been dating for 5 months now. We live in a city with a MLB team that isn't very good. I consider myself a bigger baseball fan than the average girl and my bf loves the sport.
    via u/Hot_Salt_3610
  • This summer we've been trying to go to a lot of games. Since the team isn't very good the tickets are usually pretty cheap and the stadium doesn't fill up at all. My bf and I have been fighting about this and can't seem to come to an agreement. He ends up doing what I want but I can tell he's
    via u/Hot_Salt_3610
  • Rows of empty green stadium seats with one red seat
    via Zeb Zakovics

    Empty seats in the bleachers of an MLB stadium

    Still frame for contextual reference only.

  • frustrated so that's why I wanted to ask here. The ticket checkers do not check tickets. My boyfriend wants to buy the cheapest seats and then go and sit closer. I do not like doing this. I insist that we sit in the seats that we paid for and if he
    via u/Hot_Salt_3610
  • wants better seats we should buy them. He insists that "everyone" does this and they don't care. One time we did do what we wanted and sat in peoples seats. I was so embarrassed when we had to move but my bf didn't think it was a big deal at all. To me it. seems like stealing and it's just being cheap.
    via u/Hot_Salt_3610
  • Am I being weird or do I have a leg to stand on?
    via u/Hot_Salt_3610
  • nuwildcatfan Your bf is right. When there's hardly anyone there, the teams don't care if people move down. If you sit in someone's seat, just move and don't be a j The ticket holder likely won't care as long as they get to sit in their own seats. about it. However, you might want to at least start in your own seat until first pitch if you want to avoid a confrontation with the actual seat holder. Regardless, I don't think anyone here is an AH, so I'll go NAH.
    via u/nuwildcatfan
  • CRIMSON_TIDE- This is the way
    via u/CRIMSON_TIDE-
  • drivin_that_train Yep. Sit in your seats, pick the empty seats you want and if no one is there after a couple innings, get on down
    via u/drivin_that_train
  • Pendragenet Yes to this. Don't go in and immediately take closer seats and force the actual seat holders to confront you to move before the game even starts. Give them a chance to show before you move in. Go in and sit in your purchased seats. If after the 2nd inning there are seats open, then go ahead and move closer.
    via u/Pendragenet
  • Cardsfan1 How does a big baseball fan not know this?
    via u/Cardsfan1
  • perfectlynormaltyes Not just baseball. Every sport. My husband and I have done this at NBA and NHL games.
    via u/perfectlynormaltyes
  • Basketball arena with large flag
    via Ryan

    An NBA game, where fans can likely go down to the lower levels during halftime to snag a better seat. 

    Representative only.

  • Cardsfan1 Right? Everyone does this all the time. If you are up in the nose bleeds when the stadium is empty, you are making the staff's job harder and are likely looking suspicious.
    via u/Cardsfan1
  • CousinEdgar My friend and I used to do this at concerts when we got stuck in the nosebleed section at a show that wasn't sold out. Waited til the lights went down and the headliner came on, then went up to an usher and told them someone threw up on our seats and could we move down. Worked every time. Note: I learned this trick because I myself was an usher at a concert hall back then and was approached with this very request. No way was | going up there to deal with vomit.
    via u/CousinEdgar
  • lobst3r_cl4ws I don't think you're an AH but I do think you're overreacting a little. Baseball teams are not hurting from you sitting in a more expensive, unoccupied seat. Is it the most ethical? Probably not, but neither is charging $20 for little league concession stand quality food.
    via u/lobst3r_cl4ws
  • [deleted] NTA but I promise you that you don't need to be embarrassed if someone asks you to move. They will not think about it for even one second after you move.
    via u/[deleted]
  • Dizzy_Needleworker_3 I agree, I have been on both sides of this, sat in closer seats that were not mine that was never Asked to move, sat in closer seats and asked to move half/partway, and I've had to ask other people move that were in my seats. When I've asked people never had an issue they moved right away. As long as you move right away without question, imo not a big deal no harm no foul. (Pun intended) You can just play off "oh we sat in the wrong row/section."
    via u/Dizzy_Needleworker_3
  • Obtuse-Angel If they're Rockies games, it's ok to move to the better seats and be prepared to move if asked. The stadium would rather you be in the lower sections so the crowd looks more full on TV and so security and services can be consolidated. It will only be a problem when the opponents are a high interest team. If you're in a different city with a disregard everything I said. baseball team,
    via u/Obtuse-Angel
  • regross527 Used to work at a stadium -- if they are selling upper deck tickets, they already have the employees there to work security and services, so you aren't exactly helping the team with that matter. That said, I don't care if folks go to better seats. You are there to enjoy a baseball game, not to fuss over the exact number chair your bat is.
    via u/regross527

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