One of the most common misconceptions among sports fans when shopping for seats is assuming that a covered seat automatically provides shade. It might! But it also might not.
Covered seats offer shade when the sun is positioned above or behind them. However, if the sun is shining directly from the front, a covered seat may still be fully exposed.
Take a look at these seats. They are several rows deep under cover, yet they are far from shaded when the sun shines directly toward them in the late afternoon.
For a late afternoon or evening game at this ballpark, fans looking for shade are actually better off in uncovered seats along the third-base line rather than in covered seats like these on the first-base side.
Why Covered Seats Don’t Always Provide Shade
The reason covered seats aren’t always shaded is that the sun’s position is constantly changing throughout the day. It rises in the east and sets in the west, reaching its highest point around noon or 1:00 PM. At this peak, overhead cover can be one of the best ways to block the sun.
Think of it like setting up a large beach umbrella. When the sun is directly overhead, standing under the umbrella provides plenty of quality shade.
Early in the morning or late in the afternoon, the sun’s lower angle allows rays to sneak through, leaving you exposed even if you are standing under the umbrella.
Covered Seats vs. Shaded Seats on Ticketing Websites
Many ticketing vendors like Ticketmaster and SeatGeek now include details for some stadiums about whether a seat is covered, which can be helpful. Covered seats provide protection from rain and can give you an idea of what type of gametime view to expect.
However, cover is a simple yes-or-no detail. Either a seat is covered or it is not. Shade, on the other hand, is variable because it depends on several factors:
- Time of day
- Day of year
- Direction the seats are facing
- Other nearby structures
That’s why we have created over 100 stadium guides designed to help you make an informed choice and find a shaded seat!