Guide to Event Parking & Parking Passes

This post provides a Parking 101 for fans attending a live event. We offer info on how to buy the right parking pass at your next event. TicketCity has been in the live events industry since 1990, so we are experts on many aspects of the space including parking passes.


Where should I Park at my Event?

That is the question that every fan attending a live event inevitably winds up asking themselves before the leave for their event. Except for those few fans who use public transportation, the rest of fans have to figure out where they can park when they are heading to a game or show. Parking at a big sporting event or concert can be confusing, so we developed this guide to help answer the most common questions.

Every year there are more than 250,000 parking passes sold for sporting events and concerts across the country. The average price for those sold parking passes is $61 per pass. TicketCity offers parking passes for most events listed on our site, which includes over 100,000 sports, concerts or live events. Parking passes must be bought as a separate transaction, so if you plan to purchase both tickets and a parking pass then you should expect to complete separate orders.


FAQs: Event Parking & Parking Passes

  • What time do parking lots open prior to my event?
    • Parking lots at sporting events open 1 to 2 hours prior to the start of the event. Concert parking lots will also typically open 1-2 hours prior to the show, but often open earlier in the case of Music Festivals. The time a lot opens will vary widely based on the type of event, so we always recommend you check with the official venue website prior to your event. Also most event parking lots will close a short time after the event ends and the crowd has exited.
  • How do I find my parking lot at the event?
    • We offer parking lot maps for events that show the location of the venue and the surrounding parking lots. Make sure to notate the location of your parking pass before leaving for the event. Plug the exact location, or name, of the parking lot/garage into Google maps which should give you the fastest route to your parking spot at the event.
  • How much do parking passes cost?
    • The prices for parking passes vary greatly, but the average price of sold parking passes is $61 per pass. That price comes from the over 1,300 events where a parking pass was sold, so there is a wide range of prices for parking passes. They start as little as $10 per pass for many live events, but can cost well into the hundreds of dollars per pass.
  • What are the most expensive parking passes?
    • While MLB teams like the Braves and Dodgers tend to sell the largest quantities of parking passes on an annual basis, it’s football where the prices for parking passes are the highest. Some of the higher priced parking passes on an annual basis include those for home games of the Dallas Cowboys and Los Angeles Rams, where parking passes on average sell between $140 and $175 per pass. In college football, Notre Dame and Ohio State parking passes will sell for more than $250.00 per parking pass. Among the most expensive individual game parking passes are those in the Joyce Lot near Notre Dame Stadium, which often list/sell for $750.00 for a big home game.
  • Can I still purchase parking up until the day of my event?
    • Yes, on most events you can still purchase parking up until a few hours before the event beings. Although many of the best parking options often sell early as fans attending want that piece of mind to have their preferred parking pass in-hand early.
  • Are mobile parking passes the same as tickets?
    • Parking passes today come in a few varieties with more moving towards mobile every day. The majority of parking passes will require you use your smartphone and email to receive the parking pass. You may need to download an app to access your parking pass. Those mobile parking passes just require you to show the parking pass when you enter the parking lot. There are also print at home parking passes that you need to print out to display on your vehicle dashboard. Then there are still some teams and/or venues that still issue hard stock parking passes, which are the type you would put on your vehicle dashboard or hang from your rear view mirror.
  • Is tailgating allowed with a parking pass?
    • Tailgate is typically reserved for tailgate specific lots, but it will vary greatly based on the event. At most events tailgating and/or consumption of alcohol is prohibited in venue parking lots unless you have purchased a parking pass which is specifically identified as allowing tailgating.
  • Will there be a parking spot available when I arrive?
    • Parking at venues is allocated based on the number of spaces in each lot or garage, so you should have a spot waiting for you when you arrive. That said, you should arrive early to park to insure you have the smoothest experience. We recommend to arrive at least 1 hour prior to your event, which should help to avoid traffic backups in the area around the venue or from a large number of vehicles trying to enter the parking lot, or garage. Remember to bring your parking pass with you, and/or save it in place you can easily access on your smartphone knowing there may be poor cellular service at the venue.
  • What can I expect when I arrive at the parking lot/garage?
    • Just as there’s a huge variety in events and venues, there’s a big variety in parking.  Some will be large concrete multi-level parking structures with automated entry and exit, while some will be grassy (or muddy) lots or fields with a human flagging people in.  We recommend you plan to arrive to account for any uncertainties in traffic, detours or lot construction.
  • What else do I need to know about buying parking passes?
    • Parking maps are a representation of the area around the venue and may not be to scale. Some walking may be required to get from your lot to the venue. Be sure to factor in that time when deciding when to arrive for your event. Consult your maps app before you purchase to check the actual distances to make sure you know how far the lot is to the event venue. Some traffic and pedestrian restrictions are only in place on event days so make sure to check travel time the day of your event so you are aware of any changes.

Our detailed Parking Maps provide exact location of each Parking Lot or Garage around the Venue.

Top 10 Selling Event Parking Passes

These are the top selling parking passes across all sporting events, concerts and live events. The top 10 best sellers is based on the total number of parking passes sold. The top 10 selling parking passes are dominated by MLB and NFL teams, with Penn State being the one college on the list. The Atlanta Braves top the list, as Braves fans purchase the most parking passes on an annual basis. Atlanta is closely followed by the Washington Football Team and LA Dodgers. In college sports, Penn State football is the leader followed closely by football parking at LSU, Notre Dame, Ohio State and Texas. Other events where fans purchase parking are listed at bottom of this page.

  1. Atlanta Braves parking
  2. Washington Football Team parking
  3. Los Angeles Dodgers parking
  4. New York Jets parking
  5. Dallas Cowboys parking
  6. Penn State Football parking
  7. Houston Texans parking
  8. San Francisco 49ers parking
  9. Houston Astros parking
  10. Miami Marlins parking
Event parking has evolved from the old days of signs & attendants collecting cash to enter the parking lot

Which Events do Fans Purchase the most Parking Passes?

The performers here are the sports, concerts and live events that every year rank among the top sellers for parking passes. These are the events where fans have shown most likely to buy a parking pass. If you are planning to attend one of these in the near future, then you may want to consider purchasing a parking pass. The group below are those that sell the most parking passes, but they are not ranked in order (like the top 10 above).


If you need further information on parking passes, you can visit our site to get valuable event information. You also may contact us directly via email, chat or social media. A list of the venues we cover is on our website. You can also see our top selling events here. TicketCity has been helping fans get tickets, and parking passes, for their favorite events since 1990.

Note: We offer a guide on how to use mobile tickets (which is same for mobile parking passes) that answers many of the common questions about how to access a mobile ticket and/or mobile parking pass. If you still have questions, then please contact our customer service team.

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