MLB ballpark rankings

[blackfordpu]

Interesting.....

Top 10:
Rank Team Stadium
1 L.A. Angels of Anaheim Angel Stadium
2 Colorado Rockies Coors Field
3 Pittsburgh Pirates PNC Park
4 Milwaukee Brewers Miller Park
5 Texas Rangers Ameriquest Field
6 Detroit Tigers Comerica Park
7 Cleveland Indians Jacobs Field
8 Chicago White Sox U.S. Cellular Field
9 Kansas City Royals Kauffman Stadium
10 Minnesota Twins HHH Metrodome

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2006/baseball/mlb/09/11/fvi.summary/index.html

[AppGuy04]

ofcourse RFK is last, its not even a baseball stadium

[GannonFan]

Too much focus on things like cost of going and how many bathrooms - I'm not a Red Sox fan or even from New England, but I've been to quite a few MLB parks and Fenway without a doubt was one of the best places I've ever been to for a game - you just can't beat the ambience. I've never been to Wrigley but I'm sure I'd feel the same way about that too - just a flawed measurement system if you ask me.

[AppGuy04]

Historical value is hard to measure

[ISUMatt]

HHH Metordome is a dump folks for baseball...

[Hansel]

HHH Metordome is a dump folks for baseball...
I was surprised when I saw it high as well- it can get awfully loud though..

[poly51]

I am surprised Dodger Stadium is ranked so low. It is the 2nd oldest in the National league but is kept spotless, it is a beautiful ballpark and a much better value than most sports or other baseball stadiums.

[dirtbag]

Too much focus on things like cost of going and how many bathrooms - I'm not a Red Sox fan or even from New England, but I've been to quite a few MLB parks and Fenway without a doubt was one of the best places I've ever been to for a game - you just can't beat the ambience.

Agreed, and this quote REALLY pissed me off: "But to wring every last dollar from one of the majors' most loyal fan bases is not merely hard-nosed business, it borders on the unethical."

1. They sell out every game. The last game I went to there was against Tampa Bay in April. The guy next to me had paid $90 each for obstructed view seats -- face value is $45. If the Sox management lowered ticket prices, it would do nothing but make the scalpers wealthier.

2. The Sox owners are not just lining the pockets with the money. Fenway is the smallest stadium in the majors, yet the Sox have the 2nd-highest payroll in the league. I don't mind paying high ticket prices if the money is going to be invested in the team.

[dirtbag]

I am surprised Dodger Stadium is ranked so low. It is the 2nd oldest in the National league but is kept spotless, it is a beautiful ballpark and a much better value than most sports or other baseball stadiums.

If you're doing a study that ends up rating Dodger Stadium and Fenway Park below Tampa Bay's stadium, that's a HUUUUUUGE signal that you need to go back to the drawing board and re-assess the ranking criteria you used.

[aggie6thman]

The fact that Oakland ranks right below Yankee Stadium is unreal to me. I have been to hundreds of A's games, but I would love to go to a game at Yankee Stadium. The aura of going there has to be unreal. Maybe this is Paul Forrester's first and last article, because the way he ranks these stadiums is unreal.

[goasu984Life]

I can't speak for Fenway because I have never been there, but I have been to Wrigley, and it was the most beautiful thing I have ever seen. Thos old ball parks are wonderful because of the history that you feel when you walk in there. To me, Wrigley and Fenway should be at the top of any baseball park list just for that reason. No other parks can compete with that.

(The reason that I left out Yankee Stadium is because they are building a new one. That's just wrong to me.)

[89Hen]

Nothing more than an interesting piece and not worth serious consideration IMO. Metrodome at #10 is enough to make me think it's not accurate. RFK does suck, but a couple others are football stadiums (Oakland, Metrodome, Dolphin..). They even take into account how the team is. That changes year to year, no? Really a stupid fluff piece.

[HiHiYikas]

When it comes to ranking ballparks, I tend to listen to Joe Mock...
http://www.baseballparks.com/Major.asp

If I had to rate the ones I've visited, it'd go something like...

Wrigley Field
PNC Park
Camden Yards
Yankee Stadium
SBC Park
Fenway Park
Citizen's Bank Park
Miller Park
U.S. Cellular Field
Veteran's Stadium
RFK Stadium
Riverfront/Cinergy Field
Turner Field
Shea Stadium

I'm going to try to make a swing towards Detroit and Cleveland next season. i hear those are great parks.

[Gil Dobie]

HHH Metordome is a dump folks for baseball...

Yes it is, that' why they are building a new stadium.

[Pard4Life]

Interesting.....

Top 10:
Rank Team Stadium
1 L.A. Angels of Anaheim Angel Stadium
2 Colorado Rockies Coors Field
3 Pittsburgh Pirates PNC Park
4 Milwaukee Brewers Miller Park
5 Texas Rangers Ameriquest Field
6 Detroit Tigers Comerica Park
7 Cleveland Indians Jacobs Field
8 Chicago White Sox U.S. Cellular Field
9 Kansas City Royals Kauffman Stadium
10 Minnesota Twins HHH Metrodome

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2006/baseball/mlb/09/11/fvi.summary/index.html

HHH 10? And no Pac Bell? Are they on crack?

I agree, Kauffman is underrated...

[HiHiYikas]

I agree, Kauffman is underrated...
I have only driven by Kauffman, one summer when I spent two Royals-less weeks working in the KC area. I was bummed that I didn't get to go to a game.

Joe Mock rates Kauffman among the best parks in the Majors. It's one of only 5 MLB Parks on his "10 must see" list. The list in full (it's not a ranking, so these are in no particular order):

Kauffman
Fenway
Pac-Bell/SBC
Wrigley
PNC
Field of Dreams (Dyersville, Iowa)
Doubleday Field (Cooperstown, NY)
Rickwood Field (Birmingham, Alabama)
Franklin Covey Field (Salt Lake City)
Lamade Stadium (Williamsport, PA)

http://www.baseballparks.com/TenMustSee1.asp

[goasu984Life]

I'm going to try to make a swing towards Detroit and Cleveland next season. i hear those are great parks.

My wife has family in Michigan, just outside of Detroit and she has been to the new ballpark. She said it was very nice. Hopefully, we can go up there together and I can see it.

[JoltinJoe]

(The reason that I left out Yankee Stadium is because they are building a new one. That's just wrong to me.)

Frankly, Yankee Stadium was destroyed during the 1976 renovation.

And remember that all the sportswriters lamenting about the new Yankee Stadium go to the men's room in the cushy press lounge. If you ever had to use the men's room at Yankee Stadium -- or worse, had to take a toddler to use it -- you would welcome a new facility.

The new stadium is designed to look like the old stadium. As a Yankee season ticket holder, I'm looking forward to it.

[NoCoDanny]

I really like the ballparks, the only flaw is that they play baseball in them.

[goasu984Life]

I really like the ballparks, the only flaw is that they play baseball in them.

Especially Cubs baseball. :bawling: :bawling: :bawling:

[AZGrizFan]

Here's how I'd rank the ones I've been in:

1) Pac Bell Park - San Francisco ---- by a LONG shot! Unmatched views of the Frisco skyline from the top row of seats.... :thumbsup: :thumbsup:
2) Safeco Field - Seattle ---- beautiful park when the weather's nice (rarely).
3) Wrigley Field - Chicago ---- the pure history of the place puts it close to the top.
4) Dodger Stadium - LA ---- it's like pilgrimage when going to Chavez Ravine.
5) Petco Park - San Diego ---- downtown warehouses worked into the design nicely.
6) Anaheim Stadium - Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim ---- better after re most recent remodel
7) Bank One Ballpark - Phoenix ---- take out the pool, and it's just a ballpark in an airplane hangar.
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.
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999) Kingdome - Seattle ---- thank GOD it's gone! That's what $20 million buys you!
1000) Candlestick Park - San Francisco ----- thank GOD they don't play baseball there anymore!

If you like baseball, and you want atmosphere----you can NOT beat Spring Training though. :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :bow: :bow: :hurray: :hurray:

[ngineer]

Nothing more than an interesting piece and not worth serious consideration IMO. Metrodome at #10 is enough to make me think it's not accurate. RFK does suck, but a couple others are football stadiums (Oakland, Metrodome, Dolphin..). They even take into account how the team is. That changes year to year, no? Really a stupid fluff piece.

absolutely. When I saw that I discounted the whole thing...:nonono2:

[Marcus Garvey]

:D
The fact that Oakland ranks right below Yankee Stadium is unreal to me. I have been to hundreds of A's games, but I would love to go to a game at Yankee Stadium. The aura of going there has to be unreal. Maybe this is Paul Forrester's first and last article, because the way he ranks these stadiums is unreal.

Bear with me, I'm on my soapbox...

Okay, this "aura" or "mystique" about Yankee Stadium is bull*****. I never heard the term "Yankee Stadium Mystique" until 5 years ago when the D-Backs went there with a 2-0 lead in the World Series and lost all 3 games in NY.
The stadium is NOT, contrary to what baseball writers say, some historic shrine, on the same level with Fenway or Wrigley. They basically gutted the entire stadium in the mid-70's, leaving only the foundations and outer walls (maybe some of the super-structure). They basically built a brand new ballpark inside the walls. It's a great stadium to watch a game, but not the same place Gherig, Ruth, Dimaggio, Mantle, et al played at. Heck, I think the field was even lowered.

Okay, I'm done.

[Mr. C]

I think you really have to put stadiums in two categories, one for the old and two for the new.

Dodger Stadium is still magnificent and is one of the cleanest facilities you will ever see. Any rating system that put Angels Stadium (or whatever they have changes the name to THIS year) isn't dealing with reality. Big whoop, they have a fancy restaurant there. I go to the game to eat hot dogs, not some fancy, schmancy meal. Fenway Park is a dump, particularly inside the concourses and bathrooms. It is crowded, congested and has terrible plumbing. But it is a rather lovable dump and everyone should see a game there. I also loved Tiger Stadium (still around in a bad neighborhood in Detroit, last I heard). Tiger Stadium and Fenway Park opened the same day. I haven't had a chance to do Yankee Stadium, or Wrigley Field yet (I'll get to Yankee Stadium before it closes). Kaufman Stadium is also a very nice place, modeled to a large part after Dodger Stadium.

Of the new stadiums I've been to, Camden Yards is my favorite. Just nice in a lot of ways. Jacobs Field is nice for the most part, but does have some bad slight lines. The stadium in Arlington, Tx. (glad they got rid of that stupid name that George W. Bush put on it. The Ballpark at Arlington, how creative) is okay, but I never have understood why people rate it so high. I liked my experience in Arizona at what will always be the BOB to me. It was nicer than I expected it to be. I had a chance to go to Pac-Bell in San Francisco the winter before last. Was in the Bay Area, dropping my family off at the airport. Didn't see a game there, but thought it was fantastic (a Dodger fan, praising the Giants' stadium). It would easily be at the top of my list. One of the neat things about the Giants' park is they people come and eat lunch there for free (when games are not being played) and have an area where you can have parties for children. They did it right and it has as good a view as any stadium. Have heard great things about Coors Field in Denver, Safeco Field in Seattle and PNC in Pittsburgh is suppose to be awesome. Saw Detroit's Commerica when it was still being built, but it seemed like it would be nice.

Now to the bad. Obviously, RFK is a short-term solution for Washington. It is one of the last surviving multi-purpose structures, along with Oakland (when are the A's going to start clamoring for a new park?) and Florida. Both those are pretty bad, too. I've heard Tropicana Field is horrendous, as well. Not sure how good the stadium is in Toronto.

Like a lot of baseball fans, I'd like to hit them all someday.

[Mr. C]

Here's how I'd rank the ones I've been in:

1) Pac Bell Park - San Francisco ---- by a LONG shot! Unmatched views of the Frisco skyline from the top row of seats.... :thumbsup: :thumbsup:
2) Safeco Field - Seattle ---- beautiful park when the weather's nice (rarely).
3) Wrigley Field - Chicago ---- the pure history of the place puts it close to the top.
4) Dodger Stadium - LA ---- it's like pilgrimage when going to Chavez Ravine.
5) Petco Park - San Diego ---- downtown warehouses worked into the design nicely.
6) Anaheim Stadium - Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim ---- better after re most recent remodel
7) Bank One Ballpark - Phoenix ---- take out the pool, and it's just a ballpark in an airplane hangar.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
999) Kingdome - Seattle ---- thank GOD it's gone! That's what $20 million buys you!
1000) Candlestick Park - San Francisco ----- thank GOD they don't play baseball there anymore!

If you like baseball, and you want atmosphere----you can NOT beat Spring Training though. :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :bow: :bow: :hurray: :hurray:
You've got it right about the Kingdome (awful for ALL sports, ever see a basketball game there?) and Candlestick (maybe the worst ever).

[PantherRob82]

I love Wrigley. Not sure how you can leave it out of the top 10. Neighborhood is a little sketchy, but give me a break.