What ballparks have you been to and what was your overall impression of each?

Question

(1) Astrodome- It was a marvel when I was younger and I thought the world of it. Too bad the roof had leaks in it and you would get wet in certain sections.
(2) Minute Maid Park(my home field per se)-I love this stadium. It's got a great view, the place is very inviting and it won my heart over rather quickly. I was not very happy with the move to Minute Maid from the Dome at first but it's definetly better. You have to love a retractable roof.
(3) BallPark in Arlington- This is a pretty interesting park. They let you bring your own food in, including coolers with food and drinks in them. It's a beautiful ballpark with a nice upper terrace. The sun is daunting in the heat of the day but if you sit under the top tier, you are just fine. It's the most fan-friendly park I have been to/heard of.

A goal of mine woul be to see every ballpark at some point in my life. I hope I am well enough off someday to plan such things. That would be an amazing thing to do.

Answer 1

I've been to every teams ballpark that plays in the A.L. East and two of the N.L. East.

Fenway - The greatest stadium still standing. Even though it is old it is just amazing to be there to watch a game. Just thinking about all the great players and events that took place there is awesome. I may be a little biased as I am a Red Sox fan.

Yankee Stadium - Right up there with Fenway. The stadium is old, but even though I hate the Yankees I have almost the same reverence for this stadium as I do for the greatest stadium on earth.

Skydome - Not named the Skydome anymore, but will always be referred to forever as the Skydome. I agree that retractable roofs are the way to go if a new stadium is being built. I don't much care for artificial turf though.

Camden Yards - Not much to say. I do enjoy going there for a ballgame, but to me it is kind of sterile as are almost all of the newly built stadiums. Yes, I do count this as newly built even though it is 15 years old.

Tropicana Stadium - The look of the stadium while walking in is great with all the palm trees surrounding it. Even though it has artificial turf I like the fact that the basepaths are made of dirt.

Citizen's Bank Ballpark - Even though it is new I do like this ballpark, my feeling may be aided by the fact the only two games I've seen there the Red Sox won.

Shea Stadium - Is really dirty, which I excuse in both Yankee Stadium and Fenway. For some reason it bothers me there. I will definitely like there new stadium better.

I've been to countless minor league parks. I like almost all of them because they all seem like old school baseball to me.

I would also love to get to every park to see a game. I started a couple years ago and am going to at least a couple stadiums a year(hopefully.)

Answer 2

I too would love to see every park, but it is a long shot I ever make it to California - that is quite aways away.

I have been to Miller Park - I like the parking, though it is not walking distance from anything. They have quite a few rails that obstruct your site line.

Busch Stadium - old. I loved their old-time scoreboard. Plus as a cardinal fan it had so much history.

Busch Stadium - new. Same site line issues as MIller Park. Great downtown location. Overrated park, however.

Camden Yards - pretty nice stadium; it set the bar for what we see today.

Wrigley Field - it has been 24 years, so I can't accurately recall.

Comiskey Park (as it was called then) - very brick and mortar; I thought a boring park

Royals Stadium - my favorite; I love the outfield view and the fact you can still see the game from most concessions stands. Great parking. Just an open atmosphere.

Metrodome - not a great place to watch a game; lighting was bad. Admittedly biased because my car was vandalized in the parking lot.

Riverfront Stadium - not bad, nothing special or bad either way

I hope to go to the Skydome next year since I have a conference in Toronto.

Good question. But I am not happy your Astros couldn't beat the Cubs once, letting them get second-half momentum.

Answer 3

PNC - pnc was pretty nice. it's got a great view, good field...not the best team, but still enjoyable.
Tropicana Field - ughh. this park was hideous, i swear. i have absolutely no desire to ever go there again. if you get the chance to go, don't.
Camden Yards - camden is a beautiful park, and the fans are generally not inclined to bite your head off if their team gets behind.
Fenway Park - being a yankees fan, there are lots of biased things i could say about this park. but it is a place filled with history and carries atmosphere all its own. also, the green monster is a unique feature that adds to the park.
Wrigley Field - in my personal opinion, every true baseball fan needs to make the pilgrimage to this stadium at least once in their lifetime. it is so historically inscribed into basball that no one can deny it.
Yankee Stadium - ahhh, the house that ruth built. my favorite park. the fans are very rowdy to say the least, and there's always so much energy. also, it is a historical landmark in the bronx. if you ask the locals, they'll tell you all about it. it is an impressively beautiful park.

Answer 4

US Cellular - So nice now. It used to suck. I am amazed how good it smells (polish with onions!)
Wrigley - Why do people like it so much? The seats are cramped, looking at odd angles, and most have obstructed views.
Great American - Boy, the upper level is real high!
New Busch - They must have used the same group that built Miller Park, because they are so alike.
Miller Park - I wish this was in Chicago. What A nice park.
Citizens Bank - What an odd setup. The outfield consourse is too cramped, and the scoreboard is in such an odd location.

Answer 5

1) The previous Busch Stadium - it was okay, since it was basically the "Cookie Cutter" type stadium. I miss that place.

2) The new Busch Stadium - I toured the stadium, and it looks marvelous, inside and out.

3) Dodger Stadium - I went there when I was 10, and I still remember how classic it looks

4) Coors Field - I went there last week, and it looks amazing. The place still looks absolutely new, even though it opened just over 10 years ago.

Answer 6

Been to 8

Fenway...just the very best enviorment to see a game. Too many to list

Yankee Stadium...Lots of history, and a whole lot of jerks.

Montreal's Olympic Stadium...was nice, had great seats. Was a dome, so points off that

PNC Park in Pittsburgh...BEAUTIFUL place. Too bad the team is bad because that stadium is a winner

Citizen's Bank Park in Phili....Beautiful, but a lot of jerks there too. Actually saw people drinking shots in their seats. They brought their own shot glasses. Classless people.

Baltimore's was really nice with really good people. Another winner. See PNC park

RFK in Washington is old and musty, but I bought the Diamond club seats ($130 each) and got all I can eat and drink for free. Loved that!!

Tropicana in Tampa was like seeing handball or something. Bad team, bad stadium, catwalks WAY too close to the field of play. I hear they have free parking now to attract fans. I say spend on the 25 guys and you might get somewhere.

Answer 7

Candem Yards, just a beautiful park. A shame the Orioles are so bad.
Wrigley Everyone needs to go at least once. Not a pretty park by any means, but great atmosphere.
Miller Park, nice sight lines, great food.

Answer 8

Well - I don't think you can break it down which "league" but here is my breakdown - I've found the best way to see stadium is plan geographically - go see the Cubs on a Thursday and Friday (Wrigley Field deserve 2 games), hit Milwaukee on Sat, maybe catch a White Sox game on a Monday then Detroit on a Tuesday. Here is my rank of all stadiums (league in parenthesis) 1) Wrigley Field (NL) - great sight lines - your on top of the field, great place before and after the game - lots of bars. l love this place and was lucky enough to spend much of my youth in the Chicagoland area and used to go to Wrigley with my Dad all the time - was there last year and it was even better then I remembered - HAVE TO GO, you will agree. 2) Dodger Stadium (NL) - the stadium is classic, parking fine, traffic sort of stinks (it's SoCal), BUT it's a great family atmosphere, I'm a single dude but I was so impressed with everyone who worked there - they were happy to be there. Why not - it's Dodger Stadium, clean, bright, Chavez Ravine. 3) Fenway Park (AL) - fun place to hang out before and after game, cool tradition ballpark BUT sight lines sort of stink - lots of seats have disrupted views (pillars all over the place - same problem old Memorial Stadium had in Baltimore). If you were take this ballpark and base the experience solely on viewing a game - would not be ranked this high - unlike Wrigley which is simply heaven on earth. 4) Camden Yards (AL) - great sight lines, great place before and after games, easy access, good food, great new ballpark - it is new and doesn't have the tradition of the older parks 5) Yankee Stadium (AL) - Cool place before games, very good sight lines, I will say this - don't go with your kids - fans drop f-bombs and swear - even I have told people to chill out on the language - but there is an energy level that you will only see at Yankee Stadium or Shea. Have to leave the area stadium soon after the game - not the best neighborhood but fine while the police are there - day games on the weekend you can stay at the bars a good 2 or 3 hours after the game (not night games) 6) Miller Park (NL) - Really liked the new wave ballpark - very cool things like the bar in leftfield - where you sit and your right in left field - really neat - parking is OK and the lights that go around the promenade are REALLY BRIGHT AND ANNOYING, its bothersome but seems to be a trend in some stadiums. Fans are respectful of other fans - it is Wisconsin - the place where time forgot (especially Milwaukee, where it's 1975 all the time - the clock stopped in 1975, all I can say but very nice people). 7) Sky-dome (AL) - another really cool place - the layout is great - when you come in the stadium it kind of opens up to the field and I was lucky enough to be at one of the few games when they closed the roof during the game - also if you go to Gretzky bar and you can meet players - me and my buddy drank with the Yankees (I'm a Met fan but it was cool). It does feel a little bit industrial - not a lot personality at Sky-dome. 8) Shea Stadium (NL)- sort of a dump on every level BUT energy wise - amazing. When Shea rocks, it shakes hard - only Yankee and Shea have that energy - I know this sounds like a NY thing but the energy level and Madison Square Garden for a Ranger or Knick game (when they are good) - is like nothing I've experienced at other arenas - don't believe me - check it out. 9) Dolphin Stadium (Marlins home NL) - the Left Field is sort of neat but the product on the field is sort of bad, the fans don't show up, the sight lines are "OK" and it's really a football stadium. Other stadiums I've been too but no longer exist - Veterans Stadium, Philly - terrible, Jack Murphy Stadium, San Diego - worst place I've been to watch baseball, just terrible, The Kingdome, Seattle - small concourses and you feel like your in a cave but loud, Memorial Stadium, Baltimore - tough place to get to (no real access) and like Fenway have pillars blocking views, Old Comiskey Park - great place to see a game, Bill Veeck was great, nothing like jumping in the left field shower when it's hot.

Answer 9

Coors field is the nicest ball park ever everyone should go there i love the stadium

Answer 10

Earlier today I added my 25th major league park, Shea Stadium. Eh; it was nothing special, a relic of the "giant ashtray" era that wasn't a full ashtray but otherwise had all the hallmarks. It was better than I expected, I'll give it that, but I expect most Mets fans will be glad to move to Citi (except for the ever-higher prices) and say buh-bye to Shea.

I figured it was my last chance, and I'm glad I went with the dear wife.

Tomorrow -- Yankee, for her first and my likely last visits (and my first since 1981).