ObstructedViewObstructed view seats — frequently asked questions
The short answers, up front. For the full section-by-section detail, start with the Fenway Park and Wrigley Field pages.
What does "obstructed view" actually mean?
It means something fixed — a support pole, a pillar, a roofline, a scoreboard structure — blocks part of the field from that seat. At Fenway Park it usually means a roof column in front of a Grandstand seat; at Wrigley Field it usually means an upper-deck pillar in front of a Terrace Reserved seat, or the roof cutting off high fly balls from the back rows of the upper deck. Partial and limited view are softer versions of the same idea, and different sellers use the terms inconsistently.
Which seats at Fenway Park have poles in front of them?
The poles stand in the covered Grandstand, sections 1–33. Seats directly behind a column — most often reported in the middle and upper rows of the Grandstand sections behind home plate and down both baselines — are the ones fans flag. Seats in the lowest rows, ahead of the column line, are generally reported clear, as are the Pavilion, Right Field Box, Bleachers and Green Monster areas. Our Fenway Park page ranks every area and shows the schematic map.
Which seats at Wrigley Field should I avoid?
The most reported are Terrace Reserved (200 level) seats behind the upper-deck pillars, typically from the middle rows back, and the rearmost rows of Upper Reserved, where the roofline can cut off high fly balls. Field Box seats sit in front of the pillars and are generally clear; the Bleachers have no structural obstruction of the field at all, though the video boards face away from them.
If a ticket listing does not say "obstructed view", is the seat safe?
Not necessarily. Primary sellers label many known obstructed seats, but resale labels are up to individual sellers, and the same seat can be labeled differently — or not at all — across platforms. Treat a missing label as no information, and check the seating area and row against the risk tables here before buying.
Can I get a refund if my seat turns out to be obstructed?
It depends on the seller and the platform, and policies change — check the terms of whoever sold you the ticket. Some marketplaces offer rebooking or refunds when a seat was materially misrepresented; others treat an unlabeled seat as final. That uncertainty is precisely why a two-minute check before buying beats any dispute afterwards.
Are obstructed view seats ever a good deal?
Yes, when they are honestly labeled and honestly priced. A deep discount on a seat with a partial obstruction can suit a fan who is happy just to be inside a classic park. The harm is in paying a clear-view price for a blocked view. Everything on this site is aimed at that gap between what you paid for and what you got.
How accurate is the information here?
Each note is based on publicly reported seat data — published seating guides, consistent seat-review patterns and long-standing fan reports — and is written as the pattern a seating area is known for, using reported/typically language on purpose. It is a research tool, not a guarantee about an individual seat. Ballparks renovate and seats change, so always confirm with the seller before buying.
Will you cover more ballparks?
That is the plan — Fenway and Wrigley are where the public record on obstructions is richest, so they came first. Other older parks with column-supported decks are natural candidates. If you have a park in mind, or seat reports to share, get in touch via the contact page.