Great American Ball Park, Downtown get ready for Reds going to playoffs

CINCINNATI - Downtown Cincinnati and the Great American Ball Park are gearing up for the Cincinnati Reds playoff run that gets underway this weekend.

Both Fountain Square and the Banks are planning major watch parties to the support the Reds as they take on the San Francisco Giants in the National League Division Series.

Each night the Reds play, Fountain Square will not only air the game on the big-screen TV that towers above the square, but will also serve beer and other alcoholic beverages for fans to purchase during the game.

Fountain Square says when the divisional playoffs come to Cincinnati and the Great American Ball Park on Tuesday, Oct. 9, they'll have the Budweiser Clydesdale Horse Team on the square to greet Reds fans.

Meanwhile, Great American Ball Park crews are busy sprucing up the ball park for the playoff games. The Reds say fans will notice special decorations and bunting all over the stadium when they arrive for Game 3 of the series, the Reds first home game of the MLB postseason.

The usual postseason cleanup of the stadium has been accelerated to get both the grounds and the stands ready for the playoffs.

"The fan experience: They'll definitely notice the decorations – the postseason decorations, the bunting,” Great American Ball Park operations manager Declan Mullin said. But more importantly will be the atmosphere. The staff are enthused, excited. 2010 was our taste, our first in a long, long time. Now, we're back again and we're very excited."

The Reds announced a limited number of tickets will go on sale by phone only beginning Saturday, Oct. 6 at 9 a.m.

For ticket information, call (513)381-REDS (7337) or 1-877-647-REDS (7337).