Ticket To the Game » Camden Yards

2009 Top 5 MLB Ballparks

David B — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 17:00:52 +0000

Everyone loves a good list, right? So here’s ours. America’s top 5 ballparks for 2009. These reviews come from our personal experiences, as well as the research we continue to pour into our first book (more on that coming soon). I’ve tried to leave the

#5 -Citizen’s Bank Park, Philadelphia, PA: A great mix of a cozy downtown park, with some of the consistently best food in the majors. As the Phillies continue to succeed on the field, I get the feeling that this park will age very gracefully. Good sightlines through, great, retro-styling, particularly along the outfield walls. The Ashburn Alley area along the centerfield concourses are like a baseball carnival during batting practice, without feeling overly kid-friendly in a way that would turn off the baseball purists.

#4 – Nationals Park, Washington, DC: I recognize this may be the most controversial of the top 5, as there have been few signature moments at Nationals Park that would have brought it into the national spotlight. I took an in-depth tour of the stadium last winter, and cam away so thoroughly impressed, that I had to include the park here. Getting a chance to sample the park from so many vantage points, I was consistently impressed with how there really isn’t a bad seat in the house. The staff we met were incredibly helpful and friendly. But, one of the things that really set Nationals Park apart, was this is the first new park that isn’t “me-too retro cool”. this is a modern park in an historical setting, and that’s a nice change of pace. As the ownership group digs its way out from under the mess MLB made of the on-field product during the Expos transition years, the crowds will come, and the park will have the energy it deserves filtering through the stands.

#3 – Wrigley Field – Chicago, IL: Man, it’s tough to put Wrigley as low as 3rd, because it is a truly awesome place to see a game. As much as I have ranked two aprks ahead of it, Wrigley is still a “bucket list” experience that doesn’t disappoint. Go sit in the bleachers for an afternoon game, drink an Old Style or three, and have a dog. Once you’ve done that, you have the baseline of the American Baseball Experience upon which you can make all further comparisons.

#2 – Petco Park, San Diego, CA: You’re in San Diego, so you’ve already got a leg up on the ballpark experience. It’s not too hot, or too cold. You’ve got a modern ballpark, but there’s a building that acts as the left field foul pole. You’ve got great food, a great downtown atmosphere.. the gaslamp district for pre and post game nightlife. It’s really a tremendous setting for a game, and the city-park feel of the concourses, including the tee-ball field and grassy berms for picnics just add to the laid back SoCal experience.

#1 – PNC Park, Pittsburgh, PA. This is still America’s best place to watch a ballgame. If the team had been any good in the last 15 years, I don’t even think there’d be an argument. most of the country really didn’t experience PNC until it hosted the All-Star game, but the placement and layout really defined the aesthetic most nouveau downtown ballparks are hoping to achieve. The Clemente Bridge just frames the city perfectly in the outfield, and the in-game experience is quintessential Pittsburgh.

Honorable mentions: I know I’m going to get roasted for leaving off Fenway Park. The first year reviews of Citi Field and new Yankee Stadium were mixed, but I’m sure that history will be kind to these parks as they mature. I’m hopeful that planned renovations to Camden Yards will bring it back up the list.

Camden Yards getting a major facelift – What’s next in ballpark renaissance 2.0?

David B — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 21:09:55 +0000

So, when you’ve already re-invented the ballpark experience, what do you do for an encore?

The Sports Business Journal (link via sister publication SportingNews) reported last week that the Maryland Ballpark Authority has sent out the RFP for the first major overhauls to Camden Yards, home of the Baltimore Orioles. The exact details of the RFP were not released, but the SBJ and SportingNews are speculating about new restaurants and concessions vendors.

Fully 2/3rds of all major league stadiums were built after Oriole Park at Camden Yards set off the new wave of ballpark building that has hallmarked the last 20 years of the game. Smaller parks, more intimate settings, many with a retro feel, eschewing the concrete multipurpose donut for unique, brick and steel experiences that remind people of Ebbetts Field, even as there are less and less people around who remember Ebbetts Field first hand.

As the uniqueness of Camden Yards has subsided, and the “newer new” have sprouted up across the country, including Nationals Park in Washington DC, attendance has waned with the abysmal play on the field, and it only makes sense that the Orioles look to do some things to freshen up the park to re-energize the fan base.

So, what do you the Orioles do now to usher in the next phase of ballpark advancement? Let’s run down a couple of ideas that we’ve heard bandied about, and see if they still fit.

In seat video replay – Is this really still a viable idea? Seems like too much hardware to worry about, especially in a sea of beer, soda and nachos. Better off just providing solid wifi access in the park, and access to video on smartphones
New gourmet restaurants – apparently a trend brewing in having restaurants behind the batter’s eye in CF witha smoked glass view of the game. Not really an innovation, but more of a “me too” hand-waving.

Now, what’s on our wish list for ballpark experience improvements?

Ejector seats that get the guy in the middle of the aisle to the concourse without making everyone else get up.
Web cams that give you a look at the length of popular concession lines
Seats with 2 true armrests per person, and MORE legroom (the author is 6’7″ and really likes legroom)
Up to 3 sections per game get a visit from a staffer (one in each level of the park) Sit ‘em down.. talk to ‘em about their concerns at the ballpark. Then, over the next few days… follow up with them, and thank them for their thoughts.
Public photographer’s wells: I love taking my camera to a game… How can I get a good photo if I can’t get close enough to the field? Have Kodak sponsor some public space, specifically for taking game photos. For $10, you get 15 minutes in the photographer’s well at field level. My guess is it would be so popular, you’d need reservations.

What do you want in your next park? Leave a comment and let us know.

The Four Questions: Oriole Park at Camden Yards

David B — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 13:41:40 +0000

Welcome to a new feature for Tickettothegame.com. We’re going to go around the major leagues – one ballpark at a time – and I’m asking what I believe to be the four key questions that determine how to have a great experience at any ballgame. I’m asking for you, the readers, to provide feedback, either in the comments here, or on the facebook page.

1) Where should I sit? Regulars always know the best places to sit, and the worst. What sections do you target? Is the 3rd base line preferable to the 1st base line? Is there a specific section that’s half the price of the seats just in front, making it a great value? Is the bleacher experience not to be missed? Are there hidden ticket deals to be had?

2) What makes this park unique and special? Whether it’s the Western Metals Supply Building in San Diego, or Monument Park in Yankee Stadium, each ballpark has a “treasure” What’s not to be missed?

3) What should I eat? Part of the ballpark experience is what makes the concessions here different/unique/local? Every ballpark has its signature. If you were telling someone to get one thing, what would it be?

4) What else should I do? Before/After the game, what are the local traditions? Is there anything else in the area, or do people just vacate? Are there “amusements” within the park, like Turner Field, or is it a special watering hole that adjoins the park, like the area around Fenway?

Your answers here will help your fellow ballpark traveller in the future. So let’s start with Camden Yards… How will you answer these four questions for a first time visitor to Baltimore?

Amanda from “Baseball Stadium Reviews” chimes in with her ballpark tales

Amanda — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 17:39:23 +0000

Hello, ballpark fans! This is Amanda Lippert of www.baseballstadiumreviews.com writing a guest blog entry. Recently, Ticket to the Game posted an entry about women who make stadium road trips, so I was asked to describe my experiences with stadium road trips. Being a Yankee fan, my first baseball game was back in 1986 at Yankee Stadium. It wasn’t until 2002 that I really got interested in visiting ballparks other than Yankee Stadium. Now, in 2009, I have visited 20 Major League Stadiums and 91 Minor League Stadiums.

Generally, when taking a stadium road trip, my rule of thumb is to attend a game every night. The day is usually dedicated to traveling to the next city for a game. Prior to last year, I did some of my road trips alone. Then last year, I met someone online through a personal ad and began dating him. After we had exchanged a few e-mails, he told me he also had an interest in baseball stadiums and also maintained a stadium website (www.ballparkreviews.com) Talk about a coincidence! After that, my stadium road trips were taken with him. This past February, we got engaged in Cooperstown and we will now be continuing our stadium journeys together, but maintaining separate websites, of course! We even occasionally take separate stadium road trips since he is a little bit further along (actually, A LOT further long) than I am as far as the number of parks visited.

Last Summer, we took a 7 day trip out to Southern California and went to 7 stadiums. One of my favorite parks out in southern California is Sam Lynn Ballpark in Bakersfield. Sam Lynn Ballpark is the only park that faces the setting sun, which means evening game times need to be moved until after the sun sets. The game I attended had 808 fans in attendance with a game time temperature of 106 degrees, which made the team name of the “Blaze” seem very appropriate. Sam Lynn Ballpark is one of those types of parks which has dedicated season ticket holders and fans that are really into the game. The fans who go to a “Blaze” game are going for one reason….to watch baseball. They aren’t going for silly on-field contests, promotions, or just to eat concessions. They are going because they have a love for minor league baseball at its purest. I have found that some minor league parks can get way too carried away with their wacky promotions and contests, thus taking the focus away from the game. These types of parks tend to have atmospheres which are not conducive to actually paying attention to the game. While these parks might be nice places for families, they are not the types of parks I would prefer to watch a game, unless I enjoy the constant barrage of sound effects, kids who can’t sit still, and annoying advertisements in between each pitch. I recently wrote an entry on these types of parks in my blog which can be accessed through my site, www.baseballstadiumreviews.com.

Speaking of minor league baseball at its purest, Damaschke Field in Oneonta, NY is another park that I enjoy very much. Just like Sam Lynn Ballpark, Damaschke Field offers a relaxed atmosphere to watch a game. Instead of fans tackling each other for t-shirts being thrown into the crowd, you might actually see fans keeping score. Instead of kids jumping around on inflatables in a play area, kids are actually watching the game. Damaschke Field doesn’t even have a liquor license, that’s how pure the place is! You go there for one thing….baseball.

I tend to enjoy the parks that have some kind of distinguishing characteristic which sets them apart from the other parks I have visited. For example, Greer Stadium, home of the Nashville Sounds, has the best scoreboard ever! The guitar shaped scoreboard is definitely the most unique scoreboard I have seen in my travels. I also find it interesting to see the architecture of stadiums when other structures are assimilated into the design of the stadium. For example, the Western Metal Supply Co. building in Petco Park in San Diego and the B&O Warehouse at Camden Yards in Baltimore.

Sometimes it’s not what’s inside the ballpark that makes it a unique, but it’s what is around the park. For example, the bridges in the background of PNC Park in Pittsburgh have to be the best backdrop in Major League baseball. Also, I love the mountains in the background at The Diamond in Lake Elsinore, California and the Gateway Arch beyond the outfield wall in Busch Stadium in St. Louis.

This week, Brian and I will be heading out on a 10 day trip to visit 10 stadiums. The trips will include visits to US Cellular Field, Miller Park, Comerica Park, Wrigley Field, and a few minor league parks. Stay tuned to my website, www.baseballstadiumreviews.com for photos and reviews. I also maintain a Facebook page, so become a fan of my site using Facebook.

Thanks to Ticket to the Game for allowing me to post a guest entry!