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HOW TO BE THE FIRST FAN TO ENTER THE STADIUM
When you arrive at the stadium, you will see other fans crowding around or lined up at the not-yet-opened gates. Get to the front of the line!
Because I've been to so many Mets and so many Yankees games, I know which gates open early, and I know exactly where to stand outside the stadium so that when the gates open, I'll be right in front of a turnstile. At Shea and Yankee Stadiums, you can't see through the closed gates from the outside, so to remember the perfect spot, I identify a crack in the cement blocks, a gum stain on the ground, or a tiny chip in the paint on one of the gates. At many ballparks, however, like Comiskey Park and Camden Yards, the gates are see-through, so you don't need to play the turnstile guessing game.
Many people don't know where to stand, so they wait behind whoever got there first. There can be a line of a hundred people who are in the wrong place. I've seen lines that formed slightly to the side of where I knew the turnstile was, so I've walked to the front and stood a few feet to the side of the line. People have looked at me and probably thought, What the heck is this kid doin'? I've formed a one-person line because I've known. And when the gates opened, I've been in the place a hundred other people wished they were.
If there's a galaxy of people surrounding the gate, then there is no official line. Say, "Excuse me, pardon me, coming through," as you work your way to the front. If necessary, say something like, "My brother is at the front, and he's waiting to meet me." You shouldn't have a problem, because people who are waiting thirty feet away from the gate are not true enthusiasts and probably won't be heartbroken if you step in front of them and keep moving forward.
To save an additional nanosecond upon entering the stadium, take your ticket and bend it back and forth at the perforated line. The ticket taker will be able to tear the ticket easily and won't waste that fraction of a second struggling with it. You'll be ahead of the pack as you race out to a section of seats in an empty stadium for batting practice. But don't run too fast, or you might get stopped by a security guard.
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