Where Do You Rank The MLB Stadiums?

[Camden Crazy]

Of the ones I've been to:

1. Camden Yards

2. PNC Park

3. Citizens Bank Park

4. Veterans Stadium

[DCDuck]

15. Petco Park*

I've been to Petco on several occasions and the game day atmosphere there is as good as any park I've been to - that includes Fenway, Camden Yards and Nats Park. Petco is a large park in terms of how it plays but it doesn't feel like a large park as a spectator, even in the outfield. It's as intimate an experience as any park in baseball, I dare say.

It's a shame the Padres can't put a product on the field worthy of playing in such an awesome venue.

I have to ask why you have it so far down your list, especially since you've been to a game there yourself.

[OnWis97]

I can't believe Fenway Park is so high on some lists here. The place is a Rolls Royce with a golf cart's engine. There isn't a good seat in the house, it's cramped, and the sight lines are brutal. Not to mention if you go to an afternoon game you can pretty much guarantee the sun will be in your eyes for either the first 5 innings or the last 4. Besides it's history, quirkyness, and atmosphere (inside and out) the park really doesn't have THAT much going for it.

That's good enough for me. We all have different criteria. For example, I don't care about food. If they don't have great food, it does not impact my enjoyment. As for the points you bring up, yeah, there are a lot of bad seats (last time I was there I was behind a pole). I'll live. I accept it because of when it was built. It's urban history...built before most people had cars. From a purely sight angle perspective, the Metrodome was better (though it was still pretty bad), but it was a far inferior experience.

Where I've been

1. Fenway

2. Wrigley

3. AT &T

4. Old Yankee (Yeah, I know the issues?but I loved being there)

5. Petco

6. Target Field

7. Kaufmann

8. Camden

9. Citi

10. Coors

11. County Stadium

12. Safeco

13. New Yankee

14. Oakland

15. US Cell

16. Citizens Bank

17. Metropolitan Stadium (was only 7?tough to recall)

18. Commerica

19. Miller Park

20. Turner

21. Nationals

22. Cookie Cutter Busch

23. Shea

24. Riverfront

25. Metrodome

[njmeadowlanders]

The top 10 I've been to (21 current stadiums) (factoring in food, atmosphere, history, view, etc. Not factoring in bells & whistles (I go for the game not the amusement park) or location/traffic/parking etc.):

PNC Park

PETCO Park

Dodger Stadium

Fenway Park

Oriole Park @ Camden Yards

Comerica Park

Great American Ballpark

Wrigley Field

AT&T Park

Citizens Bank Park

(Haven't been to: MIN, KC, STL, HOU, TEX, TB, MIA, ARZ, ATL)

[DaytonBlue]

Of active ones I've seen a game in:

1. SF...close view of the field in the upper deck, great view of the bay, outstanding concessions, great access with public transportation

2. KC...fantastic renovation to an already great park make it even better, unique tailgating atmosphere

3. CIN...underrated in my opinion: easy to move around, good views and food, great exhibits and decorations about Reds history, Newport and Banks areas close by, just buy your tix in advance or at one of the automated machines, their box office is always really crowded on game night

4. STL...I'm a Cardinal fan, so I like Busch III, but it's a bit on the plain side. The view of the Arch is great though. I wish they had built it right on the footprint of the old stadium. They could have played in the dome for a year. Having the stadium sit right next to an elevated highway is a bit awkward. If they ever actually build "Ballpark Village", maybe I'll change my opinion about this.

5. TB...underrated in my opinion: yes it's a dome, but they've spruced it up as much as they could and you know they will get the game in

6. CLE...felt really big when I visited in '07, must feel quite cavernous now with their small crowds

7. CHC...overrated in my opinion, way too much commercialization around the park, not in good condition, too many people not there for the game, and the worst tarp crew I ever saw

I've been to numerous parks in the minor leagues. Here are some I recommend.

-AutoZone Park, Memphis: one of if not the nicest park outside of MLB; it's so nice the team has trouble paying the bonds on it!

-Parkview Field, Fort Wayne: beautiful park, good location, and it's open during the day for downtown workers and anyone else to walk the concourse for exercise; nice to see parks being used as much as possible

-Louisville Slugger Field: great incorporation of old train station, just eat somewhere else

-Arvest Ballpark, Northwest Arkansas: using stone bricks instead of red brick is a nice change of pace

-BB&T Ballpark, Winston-Salem: great view of downtown, nicely sloped seating deck for great views from everywhere

-O'Brien Field, Peoria: just a well-done park with good seating angles and good hot dogs

-Huntington Park, Columbus: nice new park that breaks the mold a bit, concession stands look right over the field, arena district close by, just make sure to get tix in advance because it's been standing room only both times I've visited

-Midway Stadium, St. Paul: I'm going to contradict myself here because most people come to Saints games for the between-inning antics. I don't mind that so much in the minor leagues compared to MLB.

-Bowling Green Ballpark: basic ballpark that is nothing fancy, but they play up the theme of their nickname well (Bowling Green Hot Rods, Bowling Green KY is home of the Corvette plant)

[FiddySicks]

I didn't really get the allure of Fenway either. I went to Wrigley the week before I went to Fenway and found them to be on opposite ends of my personal list. I love how Wrigley is built around the neighborhood to the point where it's buildings are actually part of the stands. It gives it such an intimate and cozy feeling. Plus it has an amazing view of the surrounding area. It all just goes together so well and still has that whimsical old-timey feeling. Fenway on the other hand, just felt small and cramped to me. Now admittedly, for my tastes I like parks that incorporate their surroundings more than enclosed parks. Wrigley's flaws are easier to overlook IMO because the total package is so great. But I feel enclosed parks don't have the same leeway that open air parks have because when it's all about the park, the flaws that park has can turn into a bit of a nuisance. Fenway has terrible sightlines in a lot of spots in the park, and frankly it's just too damn small, both in a seating capacity sense and an on the field sense. If not for the history of the place it'd seem almost absurd to continue operating a multi billion dollar sports franchise in a building that is more than 100 years old and wedged in between small streets like that. But I understand how that can add to the allure of a place in that it's the oldest park in the bigs and it probably should be a bit exclusive. But for my personal tastes, and for the awe I expected to be struck with as I entered the park which didn't live up to the hype, I was underwhelmed.

[raysfan24]

15. Petco Park*

I've been to Petco on several occasions and the game day atmosphere there is as good as any park I've been to - that includes Fenway, Camden Yards and Nats Park. Petco is a large park in terms of how it plays but it doesn't feel like a large park as a spectator, even in the outfield. It's as intimate an experience as any park in baseball, I dare say.

It's a shame the Padres can't put a product on the field worthy of playing in such an awesome venue.

I have to ask why you have it so far down your list, especially since you've been to a game there yourself.

The reason is because when I went in 2009, the staff were horrible in my opinion. Concession workers acted like they didn't want to be there, even the ushers were rude. Nobody seemed to be in a good mood. I agree though it's a beautiful park! I updated my list so now it's not based on experience.

[raysfan24]

2. KC...fantastic renovation to an already great park make it even better, unique tailgating atmosphere

3. CIN...underrated in my opinion: easy to move around, good views and food, great exhibits and decorations about Reds history, Newport and Banks areas close by, just buy your tix in advance or at one of the automated machines, their box office is always really crowded on game night

-Parkview Field, Fort Wayne: beautiful park, good location, and it's open during the day for downtown workers and anyone else to walk the concourse for exercise; nice to see parks being used as much as possible

-Louisville Slugger Field: great incorporation of old train station, just eat somewhere else

-BB&T Ballpark, Winston-Salem: great view of downtown, nicely sloped seating deck for great views from everywhere

-Huntington Park, Columbus: nice new park that breaks the mold a bit, concession stands look right over the field, arena district close by, just make sure to get tix in advance because it's been standing room only both times I've visited

These ballparks are amazing. I visited Kansas City in 2011 and was really impressed by the renovations. Looks like a brand new park in my opinion. Cincinnati has really made GABP more enjoyable these past 4 years. Hall of Fame is always a nice place to visit. With the addition of the new parking garages, there is rarely any traffic. And with the addition of the parks, restaurants and fountains they added on the old Riverfront Stadium site is spectacular. They have really made it a beautiful park to visit which surprises me they have yet to host an All-Star Game. Parkview Field is an amazing place to see a game. Louisville Slugger Field is a great place too and is also walking distance to the Louisville Slugger Bat Factory and Museum. I am visiting BB&T Field tomorrow while I drive through Winston-Salem to see the Dash and Keys play. And last but not least Huntington Bank Park is probably, if not, my favorite baseball stadium of all-time. Living in Columbus for a couple of years, I had season tickets to the Clippers and frequently visited. The way they incorporated many of the Major League stadiums into one ballpark is amazing. Food is great too. I would recommend visiting it whenever you are in or near Columbus, Ohio. Just like Daytonblue said though, get ticket sin advance.

[illwauk]

1. AT&T Park

2. PNC Park

3. Miller Park

4. Camden Yards

5. Comerica Park

6. New Comiskey

7. County Stadium

8. The Metrodome

Dead Last. Wrigley Field. All baseball fans should attend exactly one game at Wrigley, then never, ever, go there again. The place is a dive, the concourses smell like piss... and I saw mice.

[pmoehrin]

My own personal experience with Fenway was that pre and post renovation it was like night and day.

Pre renovations I thought the place was a complete dump. Most of if not all the wooden seats were damaged. The concourses were very dark. Nearly all of the concrete was either chipped or soiled. About the only pro was the atmosphere of the place and the history behind it which you did get a sense of walking through there.

Post renovations though I can't say enough positives about the place. Outside on Yawkey Way before the game is a very fun place to be. Much more natural light coming into the concourses. All of the wooden seats have been repaired or replaced. The concrete is all new. And alot of the interior brickwork has been cleaned up as well which you wouldn't even notice was there before because of the lack of light.

I still would have prefered the Red Sox get a new stadium by South Station (as they've been proposing going back to the 60's) but for what they've done with Fenway, I can't complain. It doesn't have the feel of some old broken down ballpark like it used to.

[BigEd76]

The only thing I didn't like about AT&T Park was the parking. I didn't mind the cold coming from the bay, but unless you find a spot down one of the city streets, you have to park on the other side of the bay for $30-$35 and walk back over a bridge to get to the stadium.

[FiddySicks]

The only thing I didn't like about AT&T Park was the parking. I didn't mind the cold coming from the bay, but unless you find a spot down one of the city streets, you have to park on the other side of the bay for $30-$35 and walk back over a bridge to get to the stadium.

It's essentially done that way on purpose to discourage people from driving to games. It's so much easier and cheaper to park at a BART station in East Bay, pay the 6-8 bucks for a round trip ticket, and then walk from Bart to AT&T (or transfer to Muni for direct access). It helps keep the streets less congested in a very small city and outlets the majority of game day traffic to across the bay and avoiding the bridges.

[raysfan24]

Dead Last. Wrigley Field. All baseball fans should attend exactly one game at Wrigley, then never, ever, go there again. The place is a dive, the concourses smell like piss... and I saw mice.

The only reason I liked Wrigley was because of the atmosphere. It was kind of like a time machine. I agree though about the concourses. I didn't see any mice but they do indeed smell like piss.

[pmoehrin]

The only thing I didn't like about AT&T Park was the parking. I didn't mind the cold coming from the bay, but unless you find a spot down one of the city streets, you have to park on the other side of the bay for $30-$35 and walk back over a bridge to get to the stadium.

It's essentially done that way on purpose to discourage people from driving to games. It's so much easier and cheaper to park at a BART station in East Bay, pay the 6-8 bucks for a round trip ticket, and then walk from Bart to AT&T (or transfer to Muni for direct access). It helps keep the streets less congested in a very small city and outlets the majority of game day traffic to across the bay and avoiding the bridges.

The only time I take issue with parking rates is when teams are charging $30 for a spot and there really is no other way to get to the stadium outside of driving there. You tend to get that more with football though then baseball. I don't know of too many baseball stadiums where rates parking are high and public transportation is really not much of an option. I can think of plenty of football stadiums though. Gillette, Meadowlands and FedEx all come to mind quickly.

[bosrs1]

Of the parks I've been to that still host MLB I'd rate them thus

1. PETCO Park

2. Fenway Park (post-reno)

3. SAFECO Field

4. AT&T Park

5. Angel Stadium (post-1996 reno)

6. Dodger Stadium

7. Oakland Coliseum (post-1995 reno)

[ElwoodCuse]

There really aren't any more truly awful stadiums except Tropicana Field, Oakland Coliseum, and arguably the Skydome.

[The_Admiral]

It's lonely here at the bottom, being the only guy who's glad the Oakland Coliseum is still around. Gotta love that vast foul ground.

[walby2]

On a related note, I always appreciated the irony of how everyone got sick of the generic look-a-like nature of the 1960s multipurpose stadiums and they quickly got replaced by a bunch of generic look-a-like faux retro stadiums of the 1990s.

Other than the small handful of new parks that really throw their local identity in your face (hello Pittsburgh), the new breed of parks are every bit as faceless and interchangeable as the generation they replaced.

(And oh yeah, to answer the original question, the best is IMO Target Field. No other park I've been to even comes close.)

[bosrs1]

15. Petco Park*

I've been to Petco on several occasions and the game day atmosphere there is as good as any park I've been to - that includes Fenway, Camden Yards and Nats Park. Petco is a large park in terms of how it plays but it doesn't feel like a large park as a spectator, even in the outfield. It's as intimate an experience as any park in baseball, I dare say.

It's a shame the Padres can't put a product on the field worthy of playing in such an awesome venue.

I have to ask why you have it so far down your list, especially since you've been to a game there yourself.

The reason is because when I went in 2009, the staff were horrible in my opinion. Concession workers acted like they didn't want to be there, even the ushers were rude. Nobody seemed to be in a good mood. I agree though it's a beautiful park! I updated my list so now it's not based on experience.

Wow you must've gone on the one bad day they've had in 8 years. I've been to dozens of games at PETCO and I'm always amazed at how cheerful and friendly the staff is at concessions, in the stands, and in the offices. I've often wondered if they don't lock them all in a room before a game and pump in some kind of happy drug before sending them out into the stadium.

[bosrs1]

It's lonely here at the bottom, being the only guy who's glad the Oakland Coliseum is still around. Gotta love that vast foul ground.

I will pop a bottle of champagne the day the Coliseum closes for good. The A's deserve better than the POS that place has become since 1995. I used to look forward to fall as an A's fan because playoffs were coming and the A's were going to be in it. I now loathe fall because it just means two months of torn up field and sportscasters commenting on it, players complaining about it, all thanks to the goddamn Raiders.