Updated Jan. 4, 2013, 8:09 p.m.

This post was written by Hatchet staff writer Cory Weinberg.

Baseball fans likely won’t miss the cramped metal bleachers that will be ditched for new stadium seating at Barcroft Park this year. But the experience will now come with a price tag.

The Department of Athletics announced $50 season ticket packages for all home games last week – a shift from the free entry that used to accompany the trip to the Arlington, Va. ballpark. Like all GW sports events, students can still attend for free, but the team often has a tough time drawing students to a park that is not Metro-accessible.

“GW Baseball will now play in one of the premier collegiate facilities in the region and in our conference,” Dan DiVeglio of the University’s athletics communications department said in an email. “Paid admission puts GW Baseball in line with several other schools regionally and in the Atlantic 10.”

GW began a $3 million renovation project in October 2011 to transform Barcroft Park with a new turf surface, larger dugouts, concession areas and a 500-person stadium capacity.

He said the team expects to draw a bigger crowd behind new head coach Gregg Ritchie, the former Pittsburgh Pirates hitting coach, who will hope to revive the Colonials after five straight losing seasons. Transportation to Barcroft Park will be provided for fans before some games.

“We expect that GW Baseball will put an attractive product on the field for our fans to enjoy,” DiVeglio said.

GW will offer flex plans starting Jan. 15 for fans to buy tickets in bundles. Single game tickets will go on sale Jan. 29, at $6 for adults, $4 for youth and $3 each for groups of 10 or more people.

The Colonials will take to the fully refurbished field for the first time March 1 when they square off against Quinnipiac.