Ballparks

[DomTheAthlete29]

Trying to describe, Oakley Park home of the SJ Spice in the IBA. I was looking to get some feedback on what other people like to see in a ballpark. Anything for seats to food, or anything in between. Thanks.

[HedleyLamarr]

Well, I'd like to see a good, well-played game....

[zig]

Bathrooms...

... just kidding but i'd like to see a river or something like Mcovey cove

[DomTheAthlete29]

i would also like to see a good game, and a championship but other than that what would you like the parks overall vibe to be like.

[zig]

i would also like to see a good game, and a championship but other than that what would you like the parks overall vibe to be like.

sort of a city vibe, like fenway or wrigley

[Alphabet Man]

THe history behind it makes the stadium great and grand -Fenway, Yankee, Wrigley to name a few

[winghaz]

Oops. Please ignore this.

[winghaz]

I'll go by the things I liked best about every major league ballpark I've been to, going in order of the ones I went to first and then on:

Old Metropolitan Stadium, Bloomington, Minn.: Seeing Harmon Killebrew play. Oh, and the old Met had great hot dogs, too.

Dodger Stadium: Seeing the palm trees and mountains in the background.

Angel Stadium: The Big A (at that time the scoreboard) with the halo itself.

The Metrodome: Seeing an NCAA Final Four there. It was like dying and going to basketball heaven. As for baseball, probably the seats along the first-base line which give you great views. Otherwise, it's a lousy ballpark.

Royals Stadium (now Kaufman): Two things -- great views of the field from everywhere, and the barbecue sandwiches.

Oakland Coliseum (now McAfee): Seeing a bench-clearing brawl where Mark McGwire sprained his hand because he was on the bottom of a dogpile. As for the ballpark itself, well, I got to see it before Al Davis ruined it.

County Stadium, Milwaukee: The sausages. Not juts the bratwursts, but the other sausages, as well. Mmmmmm.

New Comiskey Park (now U.S. Cellular): Nothing good, really. Lousy seats, lousy food (including no ketchup for hot dogs). The only quality was that it was a new stadium.

The Ballpark at Arlington (now Ameriquest): The intimacy between the fans and the field of play.

Coors Field: The view of the Rockies. The mountains, not the team.

[no97]

I was looking to get some feedback on what other people like to see in a ballpark.

There is no one thing that you can "look for" in every ballpark out there, and say, it's got to have this. That's the point. You can name great things (as several people have) about most ballparks around the country, but that each has something unique is what makes them so special. If every ballpark was exactly the same, but had even just a different scoreboard, I don't think they'd have the same appeal that they have now...

The same generally can't be said about basketball/hockey arenas, or football stadiums. Sure, a select few stand out (but that's mainly because they are old - Maple Leaf Gardens, Lambeau, etc.), but they generally don't generate the same feelings as ballparks because they are more similar in construction to other arenas or stadiums than ballparks (due to the standardized size of the field of play).

The point I'm making is that what I look for in a ballpark is what is inherently there in all ballparks by there very nature (as ballparks) - uniqueness.

Moose

[ColeJ]

here i am, sounding like a puss:

i like that the ballpark in arlington has a couple sections in the shade... it's hot.

i also like ballparks with a large selection of beers, so i don't have to drink coors light or bud or something.

not a fan of the big bell at the ballpark. i know it's a corporate thing, but texas isn't phili. i just don't like it.

[DGivens87]

Just went to Oriole Park at Camden Yards, and what's NOT to love???

Boog's BBQ has the best pulled chicken and pork sandwiches. And a side of beans for 75 cents? Gimme two! Barbeque at the ballpark is the best idea since pants with pockets.

Aside from the fare, the stadium itself is beautiful, the seats and rows comfy and uncrowded (unlike my beloved Fenway Park), no obstructed views, and there really isn't a bad seat in the house. I just wish the team (O's are my 2nd favorite team because of my godfather) on the field was a little better.

[DomTheAthlete29]

Here is my first draft for the new Oakley Diamond, tell me what to add and remove and such.

Dell Diamond: The future home of the SJ Spice

The first order of business for the Spice is to change the stadium name. The highest bidder was Oakley, so they will turn the Diamond into the Oakley Diamond. With the seating capacity around 8,000 people Dom and his team of architects plan to expand the seating to about 20,000 to 30,000 people well average for a new team in the IBA. To expand by over 10,000 people Dom plans to add upper-level only seats in Center, plus add a green grass shaded area below the stands to add 1,000 more people by picnic areas. The scoreboard will be enlarged to hold a bigger video screen. In right Dom plans to add grandstand seating and The Spice it Up Café, on the second level. ?We also plan to expand luxury boxes and the press box to allow 500 more people. The dimensions of the new park will be enlarged to 340 L, 415 C, and 325 R. Dom plans on no bleachers in the stadium, just newly designed red cushioned seats. With views of downtown San Jose and the water the view are down right beautiful, being a open air stadium with a open concourse. There will also be an Californian upgrade on concessions, with the usual ballpark field and Bones BBQ, California Pizza Kitchen, Beers from around the world, and much more. A kids play ground, with a radar gun and a pool in the picnic area are plans waiting for review. Dom?s Oakley Diamond is planed to be the best in the IBA, will someone create a seating chart for me?

[DG_YouKnowWhatThatMeans]

My favorite feature at Great American Ballpark is a decent seat for $5. Really. Major League Baseball is the most democratic of American sports in that a family of four can go to a Reds game for $50 (so long as they don't eat like pigs and feel the need to buy a bunch of crap). I think that's pretty special.

[TBGKon]

I like quirky field dimensions that arent too extreme. Something like Philly, Pittsburgh, Seattle, Anaheim are really nice.

[Swiss]

All the great baseball history that could breathe the walls and the seats of every ballpark.

When the TV shows some detail of the ballpark, I'm going to imagine how were all the big plays of the past there.

[DomTheAthlete29]

Thanks you guys, could anyone make me a seating chart?

[leopard88]

Thanks you guys, could anyone make me a seating chart?

Of what ballparks? Most (if not all) team sites will include seating charts as part of the ticket purchase operation.

[Maz]

Thanks you guys, could anyone make me a seating chart?

Of a real one or a made up one?

[Roger Clemente]

I'd like to see a ballpark that's in shorter in distance from home to straight-away-center field than home to right or left field down the foul lines.

Anyone want to draw it up?

--Roger "Time?" Clemente.

[CZzyzx41]

Things I look for in a ballpark:

A ballfield

Concession stands

A press box (though not as important to me)

Bathrooms

ticket booth

I can pretty much skip on the rest and not feel like I'm missing anything.

Things I've seen in some parks that I like:

I like feeling close to the field, even if i'm in the upper deck.

I like it best if the food is not uber-expensive and actually tastes pretty good.

Some people like the city feel. I love the nature feel. Like coors field has the brook and trees. Something that's downtown but makes me feel like I'm in a forest somewhere watching a ballgame. That's pretty cool.

I like seats that fit my big american behind. With some older stadiums it's getting a little tight.

On that same vein, I'd like to sit next to my wife without our shoulders overlapping. I'm sure cutting back on the fast food and getting off my lazy arse will help this problem after a while.

I like a PA announcer's voice to be soothing and compliment the silence...not anything grating or rough or too loud. This isn't a rock concert. It's a ballgame.

I'm a bit traditional and I could do without the batter or closer intros.

I like a scoreboard that's clear and easy to read. Many new parks are like this and some older-new parks like Jacobs field have recently had upgrades.

I also like having a little district of stores and restaurants around the ballpark so I have somewhere to hang before and after a ballgame. Places with great food and TVs tuned into other games around the league.