ObstructedViewObstructed view seats: check before you buy
Answer first: at America's classic ballparks, a small number of seating areas produce most of the blocked views — the Grandstand behind the roof columns at Fenway Park, and the Terrace Reserved seats behind the upper-deck pillars at Wrigley Field. ObstructedView ranks every seating area in both parks by reported risk, so you can check your section and row in about a minute — before you pay.
Pick your ballpark
Fenway Park
Fenway Park is famous for its poles.
Seating map & risk table →
Complete obstructed view guide →
Boston Red Sox · Boston, Massachusetts · opened 1912
Wrigley Field
Wrigley Field's obstructions come from its age and its roof.
Seating map & risk table →
Complete obstructed view guide →
Chicago Cubs · Chicago, Illinois · opened 1914
The highest-risk areas, across both parks
| Ballpark | Seating area | Obstruction | Risk |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fenway Park | Grandstand Behind Home Plate (Sections 14–24) | Support poles | High obstruction risk |
| Fenway Park | Grandstand First-Base Side (Sections 3–13) | Support poles | High obstruction risk |
| Fenway Park | Grandstand Third-Base Side (Sections 25–33) | Support poles | High obstruction risk |
| Wrigley Field | Terrace Reserved (200 Level) | Support pillars | High obstruction risk |
Why this happens — and why the label fails you
Old parks were built on columns. Fenway (1912) and Wrigley (1914) hold their roofs and upper decks up with steel supports that pass directly through the seating areas. A seat a few positions behind one of those supports can lose the pitcher, the batter, or a slice of the outfield — and the seat next to it can be perfectly fine.
The warning label is inconsistent. Teams label many of these seats, but on resale marketplaces the label is up to the seller, and the same seat can appear as "obstructed" on one platform and carry no warning on another. Fans report paying hundreds of dollars for seats whose view bore no resemblance to the diagram they bought from. An unlabeled seat is not the same thing as a clear seat.
The row matters more than the section. In nearly every flagged area, the front rows sit in front of the column line and are reported clear, while the middle and back rows are where the obstructions live. Checking the area and the row is the whole game — each guide here walks through both.
How to use this site
- Start with the map. Each park page has a schematic seating map with risk zones and a full risk table.
- Read your section's page. It explains what is reported for that area, which rows get flagged, and what to ask the seller.
- Finish with the guide's 5-step check. The Fenway guide and Wrigley guide rank every area worst to safest and show how to verify a specific listing.
Obstructed view FAQ
Which ballparks have the worst obstructed view seats?
America's oldest parks are the usual suspects, because their roofs and upper decks were built on columns that stand inside the seating bowl. Fenway Park in Boston and Wrigley Field in Chicago are the two most documented cases: at Fenway, Grandstand seats behind the roof columns are the classic problem; at Wrigley, Terrace Reserved seats behind the upper-deck pillars and the back rows under the roof are the most reported. This site covers both parks section by section.
Why are some obstructed seats not labeled as obstructed?
Because the label depends on who is selling. Teams and primary sellers mark many known obstructed seats, but resale listings are written by individual sellers, and platforms use different terms — obstructed view, limited view, partial view — or no warning at all for the same seat. Fans regularly report paying full price for a seat behind a pole that carried no warning. The fix is to check the seating area and row yourself before buying, which is what the guides here are for.
How do I know if my seat is behind a pole?
Start with the seating area: poles and pillars only exist in specific areas (the covered Grandstand at Fenway, the Terrace Reserved level at Wrigley). Then focus on the row — the affected seats are typically in the middle and back rows of those areas, where the columns stand. Finally, look for a photo from the same section and a nearby row, and ask the seller for the exact seat. Our park pages rank every area by reported risk so you can do this check in a minute.
Are obstructed view seats ever worth buying?
Sometimes — when they are priced like it. A clearly labeled, honestly discounted obstructed seat can be a fair deal for a fan who mainly wants to be in the park. The problem this site exists to solve is different: paying an unobstructed price for an obstructed seat because nobody told you. If the discount matches the obstruction and you go in informed, that is a choice, not a trap.
Where does the information on this site come from?
Every note here is based on publicly reported seat data: published ballpark seating guides, the patterns described consistently across seat reviews, and long-standing fan reports for each seating area. We describe the pattern an area is known for rather than guaranteeing a verdict on any single seat, and every page carries a reminder to confirm with the seller before buying.