Best and worst current MLB parks

Being a lifelong Giants fan, I am kind of biased to Pac Bell/AT&T/Oracle Park.  Such a great park to watch a game. Love walking around the stadium also. 

I agree about Fenway. I take my son every summer. The walk from Back Bay to Fenway is great and as soon as you cross the bridge it makes me feel like a kid again. 

A lot of people hate the Trop, but I kinda like it. I wish there was more hometown fan support, but the food is good and they have some decent attractions inside for the kids.

Rays fan here (there are a few of us out there).  Tropicana Field is definitely not as bad as it appears on TV.  And the neighborhood around it (well, on one side of it) is a lot of fun (or was, back when people went to restaurants and bars).  But the Trop is still pretty bad.  

I almost froze to death at Giants home game in August some years ago, but that is a very, very nice park. 

Agreed Fenway and Wrigley belong in a separate class.  Seeing a game from an obstructed view seat behind a pillar at Fenway was, ummm, an experience...   I can't imagine tearing them down, but their main draw is history/nostalgia plus in-city locations that probably couldn't be duplicated today.  (Imagine going out to the suburbs for a Red Sox or Cubs home game...  That would not be the same at all.)

I almost froze to death at Giants home game in August some years ago, but that is a very, very nice park. 

Ever go to a game at The Stick? One time I wore shorts and a tee covered by sweats and a jacket. As the weather shifted over the course of the game I was dressed in every possible combination.,

@RJM posted:

I almost froze to death at Giants home game in August some years ago, but that is a very, very nice park. 

Ever go to a game at The Stick? One time I wore shorts and a tee covered by sweats and a jacket. As the weather shifted over the course of the game I was dressed in every possible combination.,

Never had the pleasure.  But I have heard stories.  

Vendors selling hot chocolate in the stands at a mid-August ballgame was a new experience for me...

@Chico Escuela posted:

Rays fan here (there are a few of us out there).  Tropicana Field is definitely not as bad as it appears on TV.  And the neighborhood around it (well, on one side of it) is a lot of fun (or was, back when people went to restaurants and bars).  But the Trop is still pretty bad.  

I almost froze to death at Giants home game in August some years ago, but that is a very, very nice park. 

Agreed Fenway and Wrigley belong in a separate class.  Seeing a game from an obstructed view seat behind a pillar at Fenway was, ummm, an experience...   I can't imagine tearing them down, but their main draw is history/nostalgia plus in-city locations that probably couldn't be duplicated today.  (Imagine going out to the suburbs for a Red Sox or Cubs home game...  That would not be the same at all.)

I'm really hoping the Rays can work something out with Tampa for a stadium. I think they need another 10 years to really build the fanbase but they can't do it in that stadium. They are almost to the point where they can have multi-generational fans. There are a lot of great fans there that just don't go to games, which I understand. Getting from western Pinellas to the Trop is awful and the same goes for most parts of Tampa. Hard to believe it is 30 years old.

Moving the Rays to Tampa would help (although I am strongly partial to St. P). The best hope might be to move them closer to Orlando. But the Rays’ lease runs through the 2027 season, and St. Petersburg officials and the team are as far apart as ever.  

MLB in Florida may just not work.  Instead of expansion, the league could move the Rays and Marlins somewhere they’d be more appreciated. 

@Chico Escuela posted:

Moving the Rays to Tampa would help (although I am strongly partial to St. P). The best hope might be to move them closer to Orlando. But the Rays’ lease runs through the 2027 season, and St. Petersburg officials and the team are as far apart as ever.  

MLB in Florida may just not work.  Instead of expansion, the league could move the Rays and Marlins somewhere they’d be more appreciated. 

A while ago they were talking about Ybor. That wouldn't be terrible, but you'd lose most of the Pinellas fans attending games. So right there, that's what, 15 or 1600? Just kidding! I've thought the same about Orlando, but I think you risk alienating the hardcore fans they already have. 

Miami is a terrible place for baseball. There are too many other distractions there. I would argue the Rays have a much better fan base than the Marlins at this point. Tampa Bay just feels like a sports town. I'm always amazed the Lightning get as much support as they do compared to the Rays.

@RJM posted:

I’m taking a cue from a Boston Globe article. Unfortunately, it doesn’t appear the board supports polls anymore. What are your top five active MLB parks and worst dump?

I’m going to start by placing Fenway and Wrigley in the stadium Hall of Fame. Once past the history and nostalgia they’re old dumps. That said, I still get a special feeling walking over the bridge (over the Pike) to Fenway.

1) I’m partial to Camden Yards. It’s the original new old park. I’ve probably been to more American League games there outside Fenway (Whoops! Forgot about all the games at the Big A).

2) Oracle ... Being nothing but clinical this is probably the best park in America.

3) PNC ... A close second to Oracle

4) Citizen’s ... Every time I’m there I try to picture dropping Fenway’s field inside the park. 

5) Petco ... Best park with a hack franchise.

Honorable mention ... Dodger Stadium, this is how you age gracefully except in the parking lot after the game (you just age). I always went in and out a back way off Sunset.

Worst park ... It’s been a toxic waste dump since it was Oakland-Alameda Country Stadium.

There are some other nice parks I’ve seen games. But the limit is five to a customer.

Im with you.  Wrigley and Fenway almost have to be a separate discussion given history.  Of those two, I prefer Wrigley given my NY heritage, but I put admit the alterations they have made to Fenway over the past decade have really worked.  Of the new parks, I love Oracle.  I just love everything about it.  After that, PNC.  In general the Burgh is an understated American city and this park is genuinely terrific.  

@RJM posted:

I almost froze to death at Giants home game in August some years ago, but that is a very, very nice park. 

Ever go to a game at The Stick? One time I wore shorts and a tee covered by sweats and a jacket. As the weather shifted over the course of the game I was dressed in every possible combination.,

Yes!!! Good ol Candlestick Park. So true about needing every combination of clothing possible.

It is still kind of true at Oracle also. If you are going late afternoon game, you definitely need to be prepared to be hot if you are sitting in the sun and as soon as the sun goes down, bundle up. 

I heard John Miller say a few years ago on a Giants broadcast that his opinion is that Oracle is #1 and Camden Yards is #2.  That's good enough for me.

The only one I really like that hasn't been mentioned is Safeco, or whatever they call it now.

I like Citi Field well enough, but not enough to make it a Top 5. 

I'd put the new Yankee stadium in the dump category.

@ARCEKU21 posted:

Yes!!! Good ol Candlestick Park. So true about needing every combination of clothing possible.

It is still kind of true at Oracle also. If you are going late afternoon game, you definitely need to be prepared to be hot if you are sitting in the sun and as soon as the sun goes down, bundle up. 

The two coldest sporting events Ive ever attended were a Pats game in January at Foxboro, and (as the old phrase goes) a June Giants game at Candlestick. 

@JCG posted:

I'd put the new Yankee stadium in the dump category.

If you divide the quality of the park by what it cost Yankee Stadium is dead last.

Top 5 Current Parks (I've been too):

1.  Oracle Park (I still call it pac bell)- just love it, location, feel, been many times

2.  SunTrust Park, soon to be Truist Park (I work for them so I am obligated)

3. Wrigley - drinking in the neighborhood, great atmosphere, classic park, FUN

4. Camden - I will agree with RJM's call that it's the original new ballpark and a great one, been many times

5. Yankee Stadium - yes you haters, Yankee stadium.  Game 6, 2009 - awesome - Matsui!

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30 Fenway - sat behind a poll a few times, ok many great memories there I just hate them

Least favorite old stadium - Municipal Stadium Cleveland.  Went to an early season game there on way to a wedding in Gross Point Michigan (1990).  We rented a van, drove to MI and caught a game in the snow.  Upside cheap and great seats and cheap beer. Downside the ride from Cleveland to Michigan the next day.  The place was a dump.

Taking a small child to Wrigley was no fun, at least not 12 years ago - the only restrooms were on the ground level.  Try going up and down the ramps 4 times (the last time the ushers took pity and let us ride back up the service elevator).  I was not impressed, ivy or not.

I really like TCF stadium in Minnesota. Hard to find a bad seat. 

Not a fan of Skydome in Toronto. Reminds me of an airplane hangar.

@RJM posted:

I almost froze to death at Giants home game in August some years ago, but that is a very, very nice park. 

Ever go to a game at The Stick? One time I wore shorts and a tee covered by sweats and a jacket. As the weather shifted over the course of the game I was dressed in every possible combination.,

My very first MLB game was at Candlestick over a Labor Day weekend.  My aunt suggested we might want to take a sweater, since we were in summer attire.    We got to the parking lot and we saw people walking in with down coats, hats, blankets.... I knew I was in for a long night.    I wound up snuggled up under a blanket to the guy sitting beside me....that wasn't my husband.

I don't think I am qualified to rank them, but I love Camden Yards and PNC Park.  Went the Trop last summer and it wasn't THAT bad, but it was a rare sold out game.  

Havent been to all of them, but I generally like all of them for some reason or another, even Oakland. That one reminded me of going to games in the 80s at Arlington Stadium, the pre-Camden Yards era, so there's a bit of nostalgia for the 60s-80s multi-purpose park. But yeah, it's way out-of-date, and plain weird for several reasons probably mostly due it multi-purposeness, and run on the cheap. But I can embrace weird. Fun fact, I could only find RC Cola at concessions - no Coke or Pepsi. So I can see it as the worst for sure, but I won't turn down a chance to go again if I'm in the bay area.

Fenway was cool for historic reasons, and Boston in general is a fave for me, but watching a game there kinda sucked. I hate the small seats. I've been more comfortable at Wrigley, plus rooftop seats there are a good time.

San Francisco is great. Colorado is also good. Atlanta's latest is nice with the shopping area outside, though parking can be a chore. Arizona I liked. I'm a big fan of Houston's; it grows on you. The Rangers park (just retired) was nice if not too hot and not in the upper deck (dizzying). New Comisky was just ok; didnt help that I went once on Memorial Day weekend and was hit with freezing rain. Cincinnati, Milwaukee, Philly, fine and good. Angels is getting older and doesn't get much love but I liked it too. Padres is newer and does get a lot of love, but I just thought it was ok, not top 5. 

Watching a baseball game in a "bad" ballpark is still pretty darn good.  I sure wish I could do it now.

Fenway's small seats are awful, but watching a game from the Monster Seats/Standing Area - that's a truly special view especially when in the back of your mind is this netting that used to be there. Before we left NE for NC we got SRO there - what a memory. I've also seen Billy Joel and Bruce there - great times indeed. Oh and the old Sullivan Stadium in Foxboro was definitely a wish I'd never been type experience. Went to a BC game there where it was sunny at the start and turned into windy, driving sleet/snow...

Love Camden Yards - there's so much to do in walking distance from there after a game too. You definitely get a great ballgame feel. Glad I never got to experience Memorial Park

Went to old Yankee Stadium one year and new one the next, the old one was way better. It's more than just cost of everything - there's no "real" baseball history in the new one.

The Trop is OK, but it still didn't feel like I was at a baseball game - cavernous. Should get more fan support than they do. Needing to use 7-11 promos to see cheap tix to a game, feels awkward.  Still very easy to get to and from.

The D-Backs have a decent thing going too - it's been a while since I was there (right after their WS win), so the memory is a bit hazy. 

Still on the wish-list to go to: Oracle/SF and Wrigley of course. Maybe Nats, Kauffman, Coors... I'm surprised we haven't heard from the StLouis fans yet ;-).

I don’t care who calls it a dump. Colts or Orioles, I was always happy at Memorial Stadium, especially in Wild Bill’s section. 

@RJM posted:

1) I’m partial to Camden Yards. It’s the original new old park. I’ve probably been to more American League games there outside Fenway (Whoops! Forgot about all the games at the Big A).

+1!   I much preferred Camden Yards over old Memorial Stadium.   Memorial Stadium was in a neighborhood and as such had a 1 am curfew as I recall.   Dad and I were at a game that went into extra innings.   It ended around 12:45 am.   They had just made an announcement stating if the game did not complete by 1 am it would be continued the next day.   Camden was heaven in comparison.

I vaguely remember going to Shea and old Yankee Stadium.   As I was only 7-8 years old I was happy to be at a ball game (we lived 200 miles way in Binghamton at the time).   I remember Yankee Stadium as a run down old stadium (this was decades before the new Yankee Stadium was built) compared to Shea.  Shea was relatively new at the time (late '60's).

I remember going to a ball game in Detroit around the same time.   Not impressed.

Neat story about my son's first time at Camden.   He was about 10 years old at the time.   We arrived early and were walking around after finding our seats.   An Orioles representative approached us and asked if he would like to either be part of pre-game ceremonies or change bases at the end of the 5th inning.  He chose to change the bases.   At the end of the 2nd inning I escorted him to the meeting place and went back to my seat.  At the end of the 5th he came out from behind right field with the grounds crew and changed 1st base.  He was in heaven as he was feet away from his heroes.   While he waited they showed him the club house and the bull pen.  One of the relief pitchers (I forget who) actually walked past him while he waited behind the RF wall.  It  was an experience he has never forgotten.

@Wechson posted: The two coldest sporting events Ive ever attended were a Pats game in January at Foxboro, and (as the old phrase goes) a June Giants game at Candlestick. "

Wrigley and Fenway for sure. I used to work in Fenway in college. However, I've been there so many times that it was a treat to go to Wrigley recently and watch an interesting game strategy orchestrated by Joe Maddon and show my kids the neighborhood scene. Of the other dozen or so that we have been to, my favorites have been Camden Yards and Coors Field.  Tailgating at Milwaukee's field was a great experience worth mentioning though. Professionals there...