Sports Illustrated's MLB Stadium rankings

[K.C.]

Sports Illustrated did their annual survey
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/baseball/mlb/specials/fansurvey/2008/index.html?eref=T1

I'm a little surprised Camden Yards is only 14th. It's still my favorite stadium in baseball that I've been too.

The Nationals are 29th, because it's based off RFK, not the new stadium. I'm actually going to check out the new Washington stadium, Pittsburgh, and Cleveland this year I think.

Maybe I'll squeeze in Cincinnatti if I can find the time.

Of the stadiums I've been to recently, I'd rank
1) Camden Yards (perfect location, great atmosphere, excellent layout)
2) Angels Stadium (a very nice throwback stadium, good home town crowd, and pretty affordable for that market)
3) Citizens Bank Park (excellent sight lines, food is solid but pricey, entertaining on several levels depending on the crowd on certain nights)
4) RFK (basically Veterans Stadium-lite, but in a worse neighborhood)
5) Shea Stadium (absolute worst stadium in baseball...couldn't get a new field fast enough).

[sailor]

i'm thinking about checking out pitt's stadium this year. i am pissed i haven't gone there yet.

my favorite random thing i noticed from this survey: bottom 4 teams for hospitality. 27 boston, 28 yankees, 29 mets, 30 phillies.

and i love the yankees and the bronx, but how are half the teams in a worse neighborhood, unless they mean the immediate vicinity (which is practically a police state)?

[A.J.]

I really want to go to PNC in Park in Pittsburgh and Wrigley. Mojo called it before in the O's thread: PNC Park is truly the best ballpark in baseball. ESPN.com said the same thing a couple of years ago. Here is their rankings of the ballparks (http://espn.go.com/page2/s/ballparks/pncpark.html).

The new Nats Stadium is pretty nice. The sightlines are great even from the standing room on the terrace level in back of center and left field. The only bad thing is the concessions are incredibly slow.

[A.J.]

my favorite random thing i noticed from this survey: bottom 4 teams for hospitality. 27 boston, 28 yankees, 29 mets, 30 phillies.

Thank you obnoxious, asshole fans!

[TheMojoPin]

Progressive is one of the most boring parks I've been to. It's not a bad place to see a game...but it's remarkably unremarkable.

PNC and then Camden, all the way.

[K.C.]

my favorite random thing i noticed from this survey: bottom 4 teams for hospitality. 27 boston, 28 yankees, 29 mets, 30 phillies.

Sounds pretty accurate to me.


and i love the yankees and the bronx, but how are half the teams in a worse neighborhood, unless they mean the immediate vicinity (which is practically a police state)?

I think they're talking in terms of the number and quality of restaurants and bars, and other things around the stadium.

In that regard, I understand it. For instance, the biggest knock on Citizens Bank Park is that it's
not around anything. The nearest place is Chickie & Petes which is probably a good 3/4 of a mile a way from the door of the stadium and that's really the only place.

[Tallman388]

Thank you obnoxious, asshole fans!

Hey, those people are passionate!

Progressive field is average at best. I've been to probably 13-14 games since I moved here. You rarely see such boredom in fans. I really think they just go to tribe games to pass the time before football season starts.

[ChrisTheCop]

I am truly shocked that Fenway fared so poorly.
I know I'm prejudiced, but it's my absolute favorite place to watch mlb baseball.
There are no bad seats, other team's fans dont have to fear for their lives, you can get any kind of food you can imagine inside the park, and before and after the game the bars and restaurants are abundant and amazing.
The only thing I give it a minus for is you have to walk for a beer.

Yankee stadium is just horrendous; too big, so plenty of crappy seats, food? what food? I'm afraid to wear anything with a Boston logo. There's one bar everyone goes to, so you can never get in, so let's just wait in over an hour of parking traffic to get home. I think the new stadium will address the food situation, but nothing else.

Camden's actually great too, but I dont go there every year.

[BoondockSaint]

The best thing about Fenway is that you can get pizza delivered right to your seat.

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[ChrisTheCop]

The best thing about Fenway is that you can get pizza delivered right to your seat.

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Lol.

They replayed that this season, and Remy and Orsillo were still laughing as hard as they did when it first happened.

[Tallman388]

...other team's fans dont have to fear for their lives...

Really? Then I must have been getting taunted by Mets fans, I guess they really don't like Paul O'Neill. I will give them an A for effort though, the food was definitely better than Yankee stadium.

[ChrisTheCop]

Really? Then I must have been getting taunted by Mets fans, I guess they really don't like Paul O'Neill. I will give them an A for effort though, the food was definitely better than Yankee stadium.

We taunt, but Ive actually been told to "get that fucking hat off your head before I take it off for yuz" and "we'll see who's winning in the parking lot"... serious stuff. At fenway, you get "yankees suck" big deal.

[Tallman388]

We taunt, but Ive actually been told to "get that fucking hat off your head before I take it off for yuz" and "we'll see who's winning in the parking lot"... serious stuff. At fenway, you get "yankees suck" big deal.

Yeah you're right- no physical taunts. A couple of drunks outside the cask & flagon had some interesting sexual propositions, but those just made me laugh.

[epo]

#2 Representing!

https://ianpritchard.sslpowered.com/Miller%20Park%20at%20Night.jpg

[TheMojoPin]

#2 Representing!

https://ianpritchard.sslpowered.com/Miller%20Park%20at%20Night.jpg

What the fuck?

Is that a pic from a post-apocalyptic future?

[sailor]

I am truly shocked that Fenway fared so poorly.
I know I'm prejudiced, but it's my absolute favorite place to watch mlb baseball.
There are no bad seats, other team's fans dont have to fear for their lives, you can get any kind of food you can imagine inside the park, and before and after the game the bars and restaurants are abundant and amazing.
The only thing I give it a minus for is you have to walk for a beer.

Yankee stadium is just horrendous; too big, so plenty of crappy seats, food? what food? I'm afraid to wear anything with a Boston logo. There's one bar everyone goes to, so you can never get in, so let's just wait in over an hour of parking traffic to get home. I think the new stadium will address the food situation, but nothing else.

Camden's actually great too, but I dont go there every year.

doesn't fenway have a bathroom shortage as well?

[ChrisTheCop]

doesn't fenway have a bathroom shortage as well?

Never counted. But as long as you time it right (during play), Ive never waited in a line longer than 3 or 4.

[underdog]

I am truly shocked that Fenway fared so poorly.
I know I'm prejudiced, but it's my absolute favorite place to watch mlb baseball.

You definitely are prejudiced, because Fenway is a dump. It sucks to get around, its tiny, the concessions are laid out poorly, and its dirty.

I so wanted them to build a state of the art park on the waterfront, but the fucking Save Fenway shitheads stopped it.

[A.J.]

You definitely are prejudiced, because Fenway is a dump. It sucks to get around, its tiny, the concessions are laid out poorly, and its dirty.

I so wanted them to build a state of the art park on the waterfront, but the fucking Save Fenway shitheads stopped it.

What the hell are you talking about? It's "America's Most Beloved Ballpark"!!!

(BTW -- I discussed my support of the new stadium idea before in another thread and even included the link to the proposed design. I couldn't find it though.)

EDIT: Here's what the new Fenway might have looked like. (http://www.ballparks.com/baseball/american/bosbpk.htm)

[Dan 'Hampton]

I remember thinking at the time that a new Fenway would be great. But the way the stadium and surounding area's are now I'll take what we have. Obviously at some point it will be replaced.

[epo]

What the fuck?

Is that a pic from a post-apocalyptic future?

It's a stadium with real bathrooms. Unlike Wrigley:

http://static.flickr.com/35/71210422_84dbb6da4f.jpg

[A.J.]

I remember when Fenway had those. The horror.

[TheGameHHH]

I am truly shocked that Fenway fared so poorly.
I know I'm prejudiced, but it's my absolute favorite place to watch mlb baseball.
There are no bad seats, other team's fans dont have to fear for their lives, you can get any kind of food you can imagine inside the park, and before and after the game the bars and restaurants are abundant and amazing.
The only thing I give it a minus for is you have to walk for a beer.

Yankee stadium is just horrendous; too big, so plenty of crappy seats, food? what food? I'm afraid to wear anything with a Boston logo. There's one bar everyone goes to, so you can never get in, so let's just wait in over an hour of parking traffic to get home. I think the new stadium will address the food situation, but nothing else.

Camden's actually great too, but I dont go there every year.

you sure about that? ive heard there are seats where you literally cant see the field, i think theres one where peskeys (or however u spell it) pole is literally right in front of your face. i dont wanna be contorting my body for 9 innings. that sounds like a shitty seat to me.

[K.C.]

I am truly shocked that Fenway fared so poorly.
I know I'm prejudiced, but it's my absolute favorite place to watch mlb baseball.
There are no bad seats, other team's fans dont have to fear for their lives, you can get any kind of food you can imagine inside the park, and before and after the game the bars and restaurants are abundant and amazing.
The only thing I give it a minus for is you have to walk for a beer.

Yankee stadium is just horrendous; too big, so plenty of crappy seats, food? what food? I'm afraid to wear anything with a Boston logo. There's one bar everyone goes to, so you can never get in, so let's just wait in over an hour of parking traffic to get home. I think the new stadium will address the food situation, but nothing else.

Camden's actually great too, but I dont go there every year.


Look at some of the ranking criteria they used, though:
-Affordability- It's pretty well documented that it's the most expensive ticket in baseball
-Promos- Do they even do any???
-Getting to the Game- You can't drive to Fenway
-Fan Hospitality- I get the impression that it's not a friendly environment for non-Sox fans.

They also got 24th in food...I don't know what they serve, but I know a lot of these new parks have some pretty remarkable food setups (and adequately overpriced) from the old stadiums.



The two that shocked me the most are Camden and Wrigley.

[Kit the Eskimo]

I can't wait to see the new Yankee Stadium next year. I miss being on the east coast, days like today where I have nothing going on I would be hitting the road and driving to a ballgame.

Here's my rankings of the parks I've been to, based solely on the park itself as a place to watch a game. No extra points for being old....that includes Yankee Stadium.

Safeco in Seattle
Chase Field in Arizona (formerly the BoB)
Citizens Bank Park in Philly
Camden in Baltimore
Great American Ballpark in Cincinnati
Nationals Park in DC
AT&T Park in San Francisco
Comerica Park in Detroit
Yankee Stadium in NYC
Wrigley in Chicago
Fenway in Boston
McAfee Coliseum in Oakland
Shea Stadium in NYC

And these were the worst places, good riddance:
Kingdome in Seattle
RFK in DC

This year I will add the Cell in Chicago, Rangers Ballpark in Arlington, and Minute Maid in Houston

[midwestjeff]

Busch Staduim is #1 in fan IQ and hospitality.

Proud to be a part of "the best fans in baseball". I don't give a shit about food and shitters. I'm going to the game to watch the game and I will starve and/or shit my pants rather than missing any of the action.

[furie]

http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/images/baseball/mlb/logos/yankees_45.gif Hospitality 28

sounds about right.

[jauble]

I've been to a couple of cubs/reds games at Great American Ballpark in Cincy and I've really enjoyed that stadium. Looking to make my way over to PNC this summer. Only been to Wrigley once and I loved it, but Im an out of town homer I guess.

[K.C.]

I've been to a couple of cubs/reds games at Great American Ballpark in Cincy and I've really enjoyed that stadium. Looking to make my way over to PNC this summer. Only been to Wrigley once and I loved it, but Im an out of town homer I guess.

I know a lot of people who will actually say Wrigley is the best.

It's an argument that I can buy more than I can when people tell me that Yankee Stadium is the best (it's not) or Fenway is the best (it's better than is being represented in the survey, but it's not the best).

Wrigley is a whole experience.

[King Hippos Bandaid]

Wrigley is top dog for me

also loved the Jake, PNC and the Old Tiger Stadium


I think Arizona's stadium, shouldnt be ranked so low, even thoughI have never been


Shea Stadium and Yankee Stadium and that shitty Marlins Field are on my bottom, I cant wait for the new stadiums in NY

[K.C.]

Shea Stadium and Yankee Stadium and that shitty Marlins Field are on my bottom, I cant wait for the new stadiums in NY

Based some early speculation...the new Marlins stadium coming in 2011 has the potential to be the best in baseball.

[IMSlacker]

It's a stadium with real bathrooms. Unlike Wrigley:

http://static.flickr.com/35/71210422_84dbb6da4f.jpg

I've always been a fan of the piss troughs at Wrigley. No waiting!

[Bulldogcakes]

5) Shea Stadium (absolute worst stadium in baseball...couldn't get a new field fast enough).

I always thought Shea was a dump, and so do most people who aren't Mets fans.

The stadium areas of Yankee stadium are pretty awful too, mostly painted concrete filled with lousy food concessions at ridiculous prices. But the field and interior are pretty special. If for no other reason all of the history that has taken place there.

Citifield is about 5 minutes from my house, and I pass by it every day. Its gorgeous, inside and out. You can walk right up to some of the main entrances and see the inside of the place, and it is great. Very intimate, all of the seats in the new stadium are much closer to the field and the place has the feel of a small venue as opposed to a stadium. They really did a great job with it.

[lleeder]

I like how the Rays have no category for "Which player on your team is the most worth paying to watch?"

[ChrisTheCop]

Citifield is about 5 minutes from my house, and I pass by it every day. Its gorgeous, inside and out. You can walk right up to some of the main entrances and see the inside of the place, and it is great. Very intimate, all of the seats in the new stadium are much closer to the field and the place has the feel of a small venue as opposed to a stadium. They really did a great job with it.

Trusting your opinion, I look forward to seeing some games there.
I've been needing a cool place to see a game nearby...forever.

[TheMojoPin]

The Wrigley bathrooms are the best bathrooms for getting your piss done and back into your seat without missing much. Wrigley will be getting massive rennovations/restoration within the next few years, and they'll be adding more bathrooms or expanding some of the pre-existing ones...if the troughs are gone, I will be so angry. Why would anyone want a bunch of urinals ? That'll just create more lines and leave you stuck in the bathroom even longer. Just walk up, unzip and unleash...quit being fuckin' pussies. If you want to hang out in the bathroom, feel free...the rest of us have a game to watch.

That said, the food and the beer at Wrigley are amongst the worst I've ever had at all the ballparks I've been to.

[underdog]

I remember thinking at the time that a new Fenway would be great. But the way the stadium and surounding area's are now I'll take what we have. Obviously at some point it will be replaced.

You like gay sex? Is that what you're talking about when you say you like Fenway's surrounding area?

And Fenway will never be replaced. Massachusetts is filled with people who feel strongly about things that they never experience.

I remember when Fenway had those. The horror.

My wife doesn't believe me when I tell her that piss troughs exist.

[Devo37]

am i the only one who actually likes Shea Stadium? sure the food an amenities suck (there's actually a mens room that has only 3 urinals, 2 stalls and 2 sinks!), but the field itself is great! great views from any seat, the outfield wall is symmetrical and the perfect distance, a good amount (but not too much) foul territory, bullpens beyond the outfield wall (i HATE bullpens along the outfield foul lines!!!), plus the homerun apple!

[Philly Franko]

seen pics of the water cube and the birds nest in China for the 8-08-08 Olympics...very Apoccolyptic looking...

[Dan 'Hampton]

You like gay sex? Is that what you're talking about when you say you like Fenway's surrounding area?

And Fenway will never be replaced. Massachusetts is filled with people who feel strongly about things that they never experience.


Red Sox play in Northampton now? That would help my commute getting there. I think that people realize that it will eventually have to be replaced. And I hope with something better than those 1999 artists renditions.

[Bulldogcakes]

am i the only one who actually likes Shea Stadium? sure the food an amenities suck (there's actually a mens room that has only 3 urinals, 2 stalls and 2 sinks!), but the field itself is great! great views from any seat, the outfield wall is symmetrical and the perfect distance, a good amount (but not too much) foul territory, bullpens beyond the outfield wall (i HATE bullpens along the outfield foul lines!!!), plus the homerun apple!



Wait till you see a game in Citifield. You won't miss Shea.

Shea Stadium is like a bad relationship. You find yourself making excuses for it, and breaking up can still be tough. Then you get a new girlfriend who's 10 times sexier and you get along great with each other. Then you look back on your ex and say "What on earth was I thinking?"

[underdog]

Red Sox play in Northampton now? That would help my commute getting there. I think that people realize that it will eventually have to be replaced. And I hope with something better than those 1999 artists renditions.

I guess I did make a joke based on Fenway five years ago.

[K.C.]

am i the only one who actually likes Shea Stadium?


Quite possibly.


But I will say that I'll always hold a special place for the Vet, even though it was obviously the worst stadium in baseball for at least the last 10 years of its existence (Olympic Stadium in Montreal may have been worse).

It's just something about the history and 'legendary' moments that occurred there.

So I can understand why someone would like Shea. I'm sure it's the same.

[TheMojoPin]

So most of you guys here are scared to use piss troughs?

Hmmmmmmmmmmm...

[BoondockSaint]

I like Shea. Saw my first game there, saw my first home run there, saw Doc Gooden in his prime there. I'll miss it but I understand that it's time to move on.

[RapistWit]

I'm a Red Sox fan who doesn't really care for visiting Fenway. After seeing a number a games at Dodger Staduim I realized that:

1. It doesn't have to be cold or hot as hell
2. Not everyone is hunched over their own scoring book
3. You can stand up to go to the bathroom without people going apeshit nuts and yelling
4. Palm trees are nice
5. Watching a game with non white anglo saxon prodestants is pretty cool
6. If I get bored I can watch the Mexicans in lthe eft field bleachers fight

[Towelie]

Out of the 20 or so parks I've been to, PNC has been my favorite. AT&T Park is beautiful as well, and their garlic fries are amazing.

Dodgers Stadium is really nice, however Petco was pretty shitty for a new park.

Didn't get to explore Citizens Bank too much, I was too busy fearing for my life...First time I've ever had people follow me out of a stadium looking for a fight. What a bunch of retards.

Dolphins Stadium is very nice, however it doesn't work for baseball.

New Yankee and CitiField are going to be great. Can't wait to see them.

[A.J.]

So most of you guys here are scared to use piss troughs?

Hmmmmmmmmmmm...

It's the stage fright thing.

[Epschtein]

I'm a Red Sox fan who doesn't really care for visiting Fenway.

if i didnt grow up going to fenway im sure i would hate it, but the nostalgia thing keeps me a fan, would love to see them play somewhere else for a season while they do a complete overhaul at fenway (wont happen).

im still trying to figure out how detroit won in the "team quality" category over the red sox, ummmm wtf?

[sailor]

am i the only one who actually likes Shea Stadium? sure the food an amenities suck (there's actually a mens room that has only 3 urinals, 2 stalls and 2 sinks!), but the field itself is great! great views from any seat, the outfield wall is symmetrical and the perfect distance, a good amount (but not too much) foul territory, bullpens beyond the outfield wall (i HATE bullpens along the outfield foul lines!!!), plus the homerun apple!



symmetrical outfields stink.

So most of you guys here are scared to use piss troughs?

Hmmmmmmmmmmm...

yes, some of us are actually heteros.

[TheMojoPin]

symmetrical outfields stink.



yes, some of us are actually heteros.

So hetero that you apparently want to hang out in men's room for as long as possible.

[midwestjeff]

So hetero that you apparently want to hang out in men's room for as long as possible.

It's not to peak at cocks, he just likes the smell. Totally hetero.

[sailor]

So hetero that you apparently want to hang out in men's room for as long as possible.

you keep saying a trough's quicker, but the same number of people can use a trough as a urinal of the same length.

[zildjian361]

i havent gone to a game this year but i cant wait to see the new construction on the new one

[BoondockSaint]

you keep saying a trough's quicker, but the same number of people can use a trough as a urinal of the same length.


But mojo is much more comfortable laying down in a trough.

[TheMojoPin]

you keep saying a trough's quicker, but the same number of people can use a trough as a urinal of the same length.

I've never seen a trough-length urinal. I would welcome such a wonderful invention. That said, you'd still be "at risk" from the cock-peeking you seem to fear so much. Why the shame? If it inspires stares of awe and shock, you should be proud of it. If you've got nothing to look at, nobody will notice...and if you're afraid of spotting some hog yourself, just look at the wall, as you should already be doing. Your business gets done, and you don't have to handle some hideous flush that is covered in God knows what.

[sailor]

I've never seen a trough-length urinal. I would welcome such a wonderful invention. That said, you'd still be "at risk" from the cock-peeking you seem to fear so much. Why the shame? If it inspires stares of awe and shock, you should be proud of it. If you've got nothing to look at, nobody will notice...and if you're afraid of spotting some hog yourself, just look at the wall, as you should already be doing. Your business gets done, and you don't have to handle some hideous flush that is covered in God knows what.

what i'm saying is if you have a trough along a wall, or have that wall filled with urinals how is the former saving time? and, i'm not concerned about people peeking, i just know nothing will come out. it's just a fact.

[TheMojoPin]

You simply can't process as many people faster with a wall full of urinals. The space it would take to put in, say, 2 urinals could probably handle 4-5 people at once if it's a trough, or those long, connected "waterfall" urinals you sometimes see.

I dunno, I prefer a system that gets me in and out of the bathroom as fast as possible. If I have to pee at a ballgame, it's because I've had a lot to drink, and that easily overcomes any shyness I may have. Get 3-4 shitty ballgam beers in me and I'm a pissing machine.

[K.C.]

You simply can't process as many people faster with a wall full of urinals. The space it would take to put in, say, 2 urinals could probably handle 4-5 people at once if it's a trough, or those long, connected "waterfall" urinals you sometimes see.


Exactly!! Someone has to piss...come on big fella, squeeze right on in here! Don't worry about crossing swords...there's nothing gay about it!


...I kid, I kid...I love the piss troughs.

[TheMojoPin]

If their hogs are so gigantic that simply standing next to each other is going to lead to a clash of the titans, that's not gay...those men will ultimately battle on a global scale to RULE THE WORLD.

[MagillaGorillaz]

It's a shame they tore down the Orange Bowl in Miami. That place had alot of history. But supposedly that is where the new Marlins ball park will be built. If done right it will have some great views of downtown Miami.

[cougarjake13]

im not worried about peeking or shyness


i just dont want some other guys splashback all over my junk