Parking Benefits Sports Franchises More Than Fans 

Parking Benefits Sports Franchises More Than Fans

Parking fees give franchises a guaranteed source of revenue. Although many people who attend events at the arena consider these fees to be unfair and a form of manipulation, there is no law that prohibits facilities from charging for parking.

There are several parking lots adjacent to HP Pavilion and none of the lots offer free parking. Fans who wish to park their cars close to the arena must pay a lot entrance fee of at least $12, which is a standard amount.

In comparison, it is less than the amount charged to park at Candlestick Park. It costs at least $20 to park in the stadium lot for a 49ers game. This is above the standard amount.

So although Sharks fans may not like paying $12 to park, they can take solace knowing that they are paying less for parking at HP Pavilion than at Candlestick.

But, then again, Sharks fans probably pay more money for parking than they do for food at the game. Fans can also buy the cheapest tickets for $7 more than the parking fee.

If fans don't want to pay a parking fee, the alternative is to take Light Rail or a similar form of public transportation to the game. Free shuttle rides are also available. Fans from outside San Jose have the option of taking Cal Train.

However, none of these ways of travel are reasonable alternatives for individuals who don't live near a Light Rail or Cal Train station and would have to drive their vehicle to one. In this case, these individuals might as well drive directly to the arena and pay the fee.

The spaces inside the lots tend to fill up quickly. Therefore, fans are advised to arrive at the arena at least an hour before every Sharks games as it's nearly impossible to find a parking space closer to game time.

On the left of most handicap spaces are areas with painted lines providing enough room for wheelchair ramps to go down. This is an excellent idea, but the only problem is that nearly all vans with wheelchair lifts have doors that open on the right side. I think HP Pavilion should re-paint the lines and put them on the right instead of the left because it would benefit disabled fans.

They should designate more spaces for the disabled, as there aren't enough handicap spaces in the lots around HP Pavilion. I have noticed that many non-disabled people take away handicap spaces from the disabled and this irritates me greatly.

I think the police need to monitor the parking lots more actively. People who park in handicap spaces but don't possess handicap stickers should be fined.

One good thing is that HP Pavilion allows free drop-offs and pick-ups. I know for a fact that it is much easier to drop off someone before a game than it is to pick up someone after it is over. For this reason, I recommend to anyone picking up a friend or family member from the game to arrive at the parking lot before the game is over.

After games, the city police block off many roads around HP Pavilion. As a result, it is difficult to get into the parking lots.

I saw this first hand three weeks ago when I went to a Sharks preseason game. A family member was able to drop me off in front of HP Pavilion without charge and did not have any problems. When my relative came to pick me up after the game, they had a difficult time getting into the parking lot because the entrance had turned into an exit.

I think I've said enough about matters of parking and would like next week to give my take on this year's Major League Baseball playoffs. It has been filled with many unusual moments and I'm sure more of the same will happen in the World Series between the surprising Marlins and the dynasty driven New York Yankees.

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Sun Oct 16, 2005 1:39 am MST by Lakers Tickets

Comment Hi Matt, I read your blog with great interest, for obvious reasons, but what really captured my attention was the reference to your problem with disabled access. I think this matter should be brought to the attention of the San Jose Sharks. If you don't mind I'm going to contact their chief attorney via e-mail and reference your blog with him. Nice blog. More soon. Zennie

Fri Oct 17, 2003 4:28 pm MST by Zennie

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