Shaded Seats at Great American Ball Park

The Cincinnati Reds play their home games at Great American Ball Park. What many don’t know is that the name is not a description; the name of the stadium actually comes from sponsorship by Great American Insurance Company. Of course, Cincinnati has similar summer climate to nearby Pittsburgh and St. Louis, which means summers get hot. So if you visit, you’ll want to use this guide to find the best Great American Ball Park shaded seats.

Where are the shaded seats at Great American Ball Park?

As a general rule, the seats in the shade at Great American Ball Park are located:

• On the 1st base side of the ballpark
• Farther back in one of those sections in a row that’s under cover
• In the 300-level club seats

Cincinnati’s schedule includes mostly 7:10 p.m. games, although a few get bumped up to 6:35 p.m. However, many of their Saturday home games begin at 4:10 p.m. while their Sunday games begin at 1:10. The Reds will also play midweek games starting at 12:35 p.m. if they have to hit the road immediately after the game.

Great American Ball Park Orientation to the Sun

Great American Ball Park is built so the batter faces to the southeast in the direction of the river where the sun rises in the morning. This helps keep the sunshine out of the batter’s eyes, but it also makes for a sun-drenched field in the summertime. A lot of that sun also splashes into the stands, and at times, it can be difficult to find a spot out of the sun.

The graphic below shows the approximate location of the sun throughout the day on July 1st (halfway through the MLB season).

Click or tap here to open an interactive seating chart at Great American Ball Park.

Seats in the Shade at Reds Early Afternoon Games

During early afternoon games at Great American Ball Park, the sun will be almost directly overhead, usually positioned beyond the right field wall. At this time of day, 300-level club seating is the only way to guarantee a spot in the shade, as these small sections offer a natural overhang that should keep almost every seat in the shade.

The only other seats that will offer protection at this time of day are the back rows of the upper deck. But with the sun so high, only a few rows will get the shade. As the game moves along, those sitting along the 1st baseline closest to the foul pole will be the first to get some shade, so sections 134-139, 433-436, and 533-537 may be the best options. Meanwhile, most seats in the outfield and the 3rd base side of the stadium will receive little or no protection.

Seats in the Shade at Reds Late Afternoon Games

By the time 4:10 rolls around, most seats at Great American Ballpark along the 1st baseline should be in the shade. As mentioned, seats further down the line will be the first to receive shade while seats closer to home plate may have to wait a little while to get the afternoon shade. However, fans in left field or the 3rd baseline will remain exposed to the sun for a majority of the game. The overhang in the upper deck may provide relief to some rows, but fans in sections 401-419 and 101-119 will find little escape from the sun.

Seats in the Shade at Reds Evening Games

Cincinnati is located fairly farther west in the eastern time zone. This means during the summer months, the sun doesn’t set until almost 9:00 p.m. or later on the longest days. This means 7:10 games come with plenty of sunshine. The good news is that by the first pitch, the sun will be almost directly behind the batter, providing shade to a majority of the stadium, including large sections of the 3rd baseline, which will have been drenched in sun most of the day. Of course, with little or no overhang, seats in the outfield will still receive plenty of sun until the mid-to-late innings. Left field, in particular, will get the worst of it until the sun sets.

Ready to buy shaded seats at Great American Ball Park?

Use the individual game links on the left (or bottom of the page on mobile) or click or tap here to see the Reds upcoming game list. Learn about why we recommend buying MLB tickets on Seatgeek.

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