Chase Field Review
It's been a week since I was in Phoenix, but I figured better late than never.
Positives:
• Ticket Pricing/Sales:
Ticket prices are really reasonable. It's nice to see a ballpark where tickets can still be bought for $5. We spent less than $100 on tickets for both games. Jeff and I sat in Bullpen Reserve for one game and Infield Reserve for the other. They do increase ticket prices for what they consider 'Premier' games, which was the case for the Dodgers series. Kind of lame, but even at the increased pricing they still beat out other ballpark's ticket prices.
• Street Closures:
Phoenix closes the streets around the ballpark before and after the games. I probably would have felt differently had Jeff and I driven to the stadium, but not having to worry about getting run over was nice.
• Ballpark Tour:
Jeff and I went on the stadium tour for $6 each. I got to see the Press Box, the Arizona Diamondbacks dugout, a locker room, a suite, and other places in the park I wouldn't have been able to see with my game ticket. I got to see the pitching rubber that was on the mound when Randy Johnson pitched a perfect game. I got to see the commemorative World Series ring that was created specifically for the ballpark with 29 diamonds (One diamond for each player on the team and four diamonds to represent each year it took for them to win the title). I learned why the hell there's a dancing bobcat for the Arizona Diamondbacks mascot, when their official logo is a snake (The park was formerly Bank One Ballpark, and fans would say they were going to the Bob when attending a game). For a baseball fanatic like me...the tour was an amazing deal. :-)
• Retractable Roof:
I hadn't been to a stadium with a retractable roof before. Spiffy. The roof was open for the tour so the tour (and therefore the away team's batting practice) wasn't air conditioned. Jeff and I ate lunch at a Friday's that has an entire side of the restaurant that faces the stadium, so we did watch the roof four and a half minute close. They close the roof three hours before game time and turn on the air conditioning, making the stadium a cool 75 degrees when the weather outside is over 100 degrees. Nice! And perfect for fireworks.
• Arizona Diamondbacks Fans:
I couldn't help but be nervous wearing Dodgers apparel to another stadium, since I know how fans at some stadiums treat the away teams' fans. Other than a few razzes by bartenders and the tour guide, the taunting was pretty tame. It may have just been my luck or the fact that I'm not an annoying drunken Dodger fan at an away ballpark, but I didn't have any issues with Diamondbacks fans. There were actually a huge number of Dodgers fans at the ballpark, so that helped as well. Hooray for no beer or peanuts flying at my head. :-)
• Outside Food Policy:
Speaking of food...I didn't take advantage of it since I had to try a hot dog, but Chase Field doesn't lock fans into pricey stadium food. Fans can bring their own food into the stadium. Nice! This allows outside vendors to line the streets outside of the ballpark selling peanuts, water, and other snacks for less than ballpark prices. So long as the food or drink is sealed when you enter the gate, they don't care. That's how I really think it should be...people should be allowed to have a choice. I didn't try, but I'm assuming this policy doesn't apply to alcohol. :-)
• Display Board:
Chase Field has the only hi-definition display board in major league baseball. We'll see what the Yankees and Mets have to say about that next year, but it was pretty awesome.
• Stadium Seats:
I wouldn't have ever noticed had I not taken the tour, but the seats in Chase Field are angled toward home plate. Just a minor detail, but still pretty cool.
Negatives:
Now, I can handle chants against the Dodgers. I've joined in a chant of "GIANTS SUCK" at Dodger Stadium before. It pisses me off, though, when the personnel at the park get involved. The young announcers paid to roam around the park all wore maroon shirts with "BEAT LA" on them. The screen at the ballpark also urged people to join in the cheer. I'm sure it's all in sports fun, but it makes fans of other teams feel unwelcome. Dodger Stadium lets its fans do the dirty work but keeps its personnel and display boards out of it. The day I see Dodger Stadium declare "D'BACKS SUCK" on the Jumbotron, I'll change my mind on this one. I did have to laugh, though, considering "L.A." is the abbreviation for Los Angeles, well LA is Louisiana. Poor confused Diamondbacks.
Whatever Floats Your Boat:
• Swimming Pool in the Park:
I rolled my eyes a bit when we came to the pool on the tour. Call me old fashioned, but I don't really like attractions in the ballpark that are built for people who aren't going to pay attention to the game. The pool is rented for $6,500 for one game and includes 35 game tickets, a $750 food and beverage package, five parking passes, and a Diamondbacks beach towel and baseball cap for each person. Cushy! There are water jets above the pool that go off when a Diamondback player hits a home run. I'd put this under negatives, but I figure when you live in an area where the temperature outdoors frequently breaks 100 degrees, you can do what you want. That, and it was pretty cool to watch Dodgers first baseman James Loney whack a home run into the pool. :-)
Positives:
• Ticket Pricing/Sales:
Ticket prices are really reasonable. It's nice to see a ballpark where tickets can still be bought for $5. We spent less than $100 on tickets for both games. Jeff and I sat in Bullpen Reserve for one game and Infield Reserve for the other. They do increase ticket prices for what they consider 'Premier' games, which was the case for the Dodgers series. Kind of lame, but even at the increased pricing they still beat out other ballpark's ticket prices.
• Street Closures:
Phoenix closes the streets around the ballpark before and after the games. I probably would have felt differently had Jeff and I driven to the stadium, but not having to worry about getting run over was nice.
• Ballpark Tour:
Jeff and I went on the stadium tour for $6 each. I got to see the Press Box, the Arizona Diamondbacks dugout, a locker room, a suite, and other places in the park I wouldn't have been able to see with my game ticket. I got to see the pitching rubber that was on the mound when Randy Johnson pitched a perfect game. I got to see the commemorative World Series ring that was created specifically for the ballpark with 29 diamonds (One diamond for each player on the team and four diamonds to represent each year it took for them to win the title). I learned why the hell there's a dancing bobcat for the Arizona Diamondbacks mascot, when their official logo is a snake (The park was formerly Bank One Ballpark, and fans would say they were going to the Bob when attending a game). For a baseball fanatic like me...the tour was an amazing deal. :-)
• Retractable Roof:
I hadn't been to a stadium with a retractable roof before. Spiffy. The roof was open for the tour so the tour (and therefore the away team's batting practice) wasn't air conditioned. Jeff and I ate lunch at a Friday's that has an entire side of the restaurant that faces the stadium, so we did watch the roof four and a half minute close. They close the roof three hours before game time and turn on the air conditioning, making the stadium a cool 75 degrees when the weather outside is over 100 degrees. Nice! And perfect for fireworks.
• Arizona Diamondbacks Fans:
I couldn't help but be nervous wearing Dodgers apparel to another stadium, since I know how fans at some stadiums treat the away teams' fans. Other than a few razzes by bartenders and the tour guide, the taunting was pretty tame. It may have just been my luck or the fact that I'm not an annoying drunken Dodger fan at an away ballpark, but I didn't have any issues with Diamondbacks fans. There were actually a huge number of Dodgers fans at the ballpark, so that helped as well. Hooray for no beer or peanuts flying at my head. :-)
• Outside Food Policy:
Speaking of food...I didn't take advantage of it since I had to try a hot dog, but Chase Field doesn't lock fans into pricey stadium food. Fans can bring their own food into the stadium. Nice! This allows outside vendors to line the streets outside of the ballpark selling peanuts, water, and other snacks for less than ballpark prices. So long as the food or drink is sealed when you enter the gate, they don't care. That's how I really think it should be...people should be allowed to have a choice. I didn't try, but I'm assuming this policy doesn't apply to alcohol. :-)
• Display Board:
Chase Field has the only hi-definition display board in major league baseball. We'll see what the Yankees and Mets have to say about that next year, but it was pretty awesome.
• Stadium Seats:
I wouldn't have ever noticed had I not taken the tour, but the seats in Chase Field are angled toward home plate. Just a minor detail, but still pretty cool.
Negatives:
Now, I can handle chants against the Dodgers. I've joined in a chant of "GIANTS SUCK" at Dodger Stadium before. It pisses me off, though, when the personnel at the park get involved. The young announcers paid to roam around the park all wore maroon shirts with "BEAT LA" on them. The screen at the ballpark also urged people to join in the cheer. I'm sure it's all in sports fun, but it makes fans of other teams feel unwelcome. Dodger Stadium lets its fans do the dirty work but keeps its personnel and display boards out of it. The day I see Dodger Stadium declare "D'BACKS SUCK" on the Jumbotron, I'll change my mind on this one. I did have to laugh, though, considering "L.A." is the abbreviation for Los Angeles, well LA is Louisiana. Poor confused Diamondbacks.
Whatever Floats Your Boat:
• Swimming Pool in the Park:
I rolled my eyes a bit when we came to the pool on the tour. Call me old fashioned, but I don't really like attractions in the ballpark that are built for people who aren't going to pay attention to the game. The pool is rented for $6,500 for one game and includes 35 game tickets, a $750 food and beverage package, five parking passes, and a Diamondbacks beach towel and baseball cap for each person. Cushy! There are water jets above the pool that go off when a Diamondback player hits a home run. I'd put this under negatives, but I figure when you live in an area where the temperature outdoors frequently breaks 100 degrees, you can do what you want. That, and it was pretty cool to watch Dodgers first baseman James Loney whack a home run into the pool. :-)
