PROGRESSIVE FIELD

The Bleacher Bound Guide to Progressive Field

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Progressive Field in 90 seconds

The renovation is the current park. A project of more than $200 million, finished before the 2026 season, took seats out of the upper deck and turned much of the outfield into open decks and bars you can stand at with any ticket. You can find more about it in our History section.

The train drops you next door. The RTA Rapid’s Red, Blue, and Green Lines all stop at Tower City downtown, including the Red Line from the airport, and an enclosed walkway takes you from there past Rocket Arena to Ontario Street, next to the ballpark.

East 4th Street is about two blocks away. The pedestrian-only East 4th Street dining-and-entertainment district is about two blocks from the ballpark, and Thirsty Parrot, a sports bar on Huron Road, is closer than that.

There is no roof, and April can be cold. April by Lake Erie runs cold and windy, sometimes with early snow, so the calendar matters here.

Read the full history

If it’s your first visit, do these three things

Go cashless and put your ticket on your phone. Progressive Field is fully cashless: cards, Apple Pay, Google Pay, and the Guards Wallet, with reverse ATMs that turn cash into a prepaid card. Entry is mobile-only, so paper tickets, PDFs, and screenshots won’t scan. Set the tickets up in the MLB Ballpark app before you leave.

Pack to the bag rule. Any bag up to 16 by 16 by 8 inches clears security, so you do not need a clear bag. Each person can bring one clear, factory-sealed water bottle up to 20 ounces, or a small juice box for a child under 12, and you can bring outside food in, though not into the premium clubs and suites.

See the statues on your way in. Bob Feller, Larry Doby, and Lou Boudreau stand in the plaza outside the right field gate, where East 9th Street meets Eagle Avenue. Jim Thome’s statue is inside on the concourse beyond center field, and Frank Robinson’s is in Heritage Park, also in center field.

Full first-timer playbook

At a glance

Quick answers

When do gates open at Progressive Field, and which one do I use? During the regular season, gates open 1 hour before Sunday through Thursday games and 90 minutes to 2 hours before Friday and Saturday games, depending on the month. Use whichever of the three gates is closest to where you arrive; the walkway from the Rapid comes out on Ontario Street.

How do I get to Progressive Field? Take the RTA Rapid to Tower City. The Red, Blue, and Green Lines all stop there, the Red Line runs from Cleveland Hopkins airport, and an enclosed walkway takes you to the ballpark. Driving works for small groups, using the Great Day Improvements Garage or the Carnegie Avenue and Ontario Street surface lots. Full transit guide.

What’s the alcohol cutoff at Progressive Field? Beer and liquor sales at the stands and in the seats stop at the end of the seventh inning, or three hours after the scheduled first pitch. The Corner Bar, including its Fat Head’s Brew Deck, keeps pouring to the end of the game, and so do the premium areas, including the Infield Lounge.

What’s the best time to see a Guardians game? Pick a clear summer night, when the downtown skyline lights up beyond the outfield with no roof in the way. May and June are a comfortable stretch, after the cold start to the year and before the mid-summer humidity. April by Lake Erie runs cold and windy, sometimes with early snow, so bring real layers instead of skipping it. Full month-by-month.

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