Busch Stadium

Ballpark Visited = Busch Stadium Submitted By: John Bishop Grade: A
Pros of the ballpark = I love the Cardinals and am from Saint Louis, so I'm biased. I love the way the field looks from all perspectives, and the scenery in the outfield (jumbotron layout, etc.) Fans are incredible, and classy..
Cons of the ballpark = It's pretty ugly from the outside compared to all other stadiums in the world. The stadium looks aged, too much undecorated concrete. Behind center field is weak, crowded, expensive.
Additional Comments: Busch Stadium is pretty, and historic, and I love it, but the Cardinals deserve the best stadium in the league to go with the best fans and the best team in the league, so I'd like to see them get a new one.

Ballpark Visited = Busch Stadium Submitted By: Fred B.Grade: B
Pros of the ballpark = The upper deck is not too high and provides good shade during the day games. There's much available, inexpensive parking in decent walking distance. Even though built as a multipurpose stadium the recent renovations, such as natural grass, the out-of-town scoreboard (and a good club) makes it hard to complain for a new stadium.
Cons of the ballpark =The flying eagle is gone!!! The concourse is narrow and choked by lines to vendors.
Additional Comments: The organist-or at least the former organist, Ernie Hayes, doesn't play at the games.

Ballpark Visited = Busch Stadium Submitted By: Niko Dugan Grade: A
Pros of the ballpark = Like some of your other contributors, I was born and raised in St. Louis, so I'm pretty biased, but I LOVE this stadium.  It's ringed with statues of Cardinals greats and has Best Moments banners at every entrance.  For being a multipurpose stadium once, it has really embraced it's baseball side, with natural grass and an extended manual scoreboard.  On my birthday this year (my 21st) I was fortunate enough to sit front row just to the right of the Cardinal's dugout.  You can still chat up some of the players when you sit there.  Amazing.
Cons of the ballpark = Well, I admit, from the outside, the stadium itself does look pretty crummy because of all the undecorated concrete.  But walk around it once and you'll pick up the ambiance really quickly.  Plus, once you get inside it's amazing.  The concourses can get a little crowded with concession lines but the view is great.  Oh and since they started construction on the new stadium, parking is now $12 at the garages on either side, instead of $8.
Additional Comments: The best place to see a game of baseball -- just ask visiting teams.  They all say we have the best fans.  Just be sure to wear red, because you won't see much else there.  According to Mark McGwire, St. Louis was "the best four years of my entire career."  I'll be there for the final game.  Hopefully it'll be a World Series win.

Ballpark Visited = Busch Stadium Submitted By: Tim Creek Grade: B
Pros of the ballpark = St. Louis has the greatest baseball fans anywhere.  The stadium looks great since they converted to a grass field and renovated it. The stadium is really big but fills up with Cardinal fans. The statues of Cardinal greats around the stadium are really cool.  The atmosphere of baseball is the best of any ballpark I've been to.
Cons of the ballpark = If you sit in the outfield and don't have a first row seat, you can't see all of the outfield.  It's not very attractive from the outside.
Additional Comments: It's old and looks old from the outside, but the inside looks very modern.  There are flags of all the pennants and retired numbers in the outfield upper deck. 

Ballpark Visited = Busch Stadium Submitted By: Jake Grade: B
Pros of the ballpark = Although in the late 60's cookie cutter design, it really is a beautiful stadium with natural grass, green trim, and the red sea of seats.  Also, for only being around 40 years old, there seems to be a lot of history in the building.  Parking can be pretty easy most of the time, if you know where to go.
Cons of the ballpark = The place is aging a bit, and getting replaced.  Parts of the stadium seem like they haven't been touched since the 60's.  Also, the bathrooms are too small and few.
Additional Comments: I will be sad to see the old girl torn down, but happy because the new stadium will be absolutely beautiful, with views of the arch and downtown skyline.

Ballpark Visited = Busch Stadium Submitted By: Andre Grade: A
Pros of the ballpark = The fans.  Cardinals fans really are very knowledgeable and appreciative of their team and enjoy talking baseball with visiting fans as well.  I was there recently to see my Dodgers play a 4 game and everyone was very hospitable.  Also, the Cards did a great job turning this last of the standing cookie cutter into a baseball only facility, with the team monuments adding a final touch.
Cons of the ballpark = Some of the seats were overpriced considering some the distance and views from certain seating areas.
Additional Comments: A must see in it's final season.

Ballpark Visited = Busch Stadium Submitted By: A. Lopez Jr. Grade: B
Pros of the ballpark =St Louis has some of the best baseball fans in baseball,this is a baseball town,you can tell by the sea of red shirts in the stands..You cant tell they used to play football here cause it looks nice and is set pretty well for baseball..Leg room is decent and is actually better than some of these newer parks..Plenty of hands on fan stuff to do beyond center field like a batting cage and a speed pitch cage..Looking out and seeing the Gateway Arch is nice. Traffic isnt that bad here. Great sense of history here. Plenty of Cardinals stuff to buy,I thought I was in Cardinals heaven.Go Cards!
Cons of the ballpark =Not to attractive looking from the outside..The concourses were kinda cramped..I didnt like how they charged for the batting cage and speed pitch,this stuff is free to do at Comiskey Park.
Additional Comments: Not bad seeing this was once a multi-purposed facility. I cant comment on the parking since I parked near the arch early in the day but it cost 6 bucks I believe..If you come from outta town like I did,go see the Gateway Arch and go to the top and see the skyline then go see the Cardinals. Its easy to see why Mark McGwire and other ballplayers fall in love with the city and the fans cause their both great,thats why I have been a fan since I was a kid.

Great American Ball Park

Ballpark Visited = Great American Ball Park Submitted By: A.Lopez Jr Grade: B
Pros of the ballpark = Good views from every seat except for one area (see cons). Reds history is not forgotten here, its on the walls and the great Reds players have food concession stands named after them. I love the Home Run
smoke stack which also smokes for strike-outs, it gives Cincy its own identity. The light towers have a unique shape to them also. I like the old Longines looking clock on the scoreboard also. Third base side of the concourses was huge unlike the first base side which is odd. Food stands are everywhere and ushers are very helpful.
Cons of the ballpark = Obstructed view seats behind the Pepsi home run smoke stack in center field. The scoreboard graphics are not too great at all. First base side of the concourses was cramped. Needs more sound effects and more scoreboard games for the fans. Souvenir shops are the worst I have seen at any park, I mean they got some Reds hats, balls, and a few Reds players jerseys and thats it. No games either for the fans like a batting cage or speed pitch. Lastly they have plenty of places to get food but the
lines seemed to move slowly.
Additional Comments: Seems like something is missing and I cant put my finger on it. I couldn't tell if they wanted to go modern, retro, or old school with this park. If it weren't for the home run smoke stack it would really not be great at all, but that stack robs people in the center field
stands of views toward left field. Its better to look at than Cinergy Field and I'll rank it again in another year when all the construction is done on the old Cinergy Field site. I'd recommend sitting in the upper deck behind home cause it looks nicer from up there cause you see the river and other things. Sorry this park is not better than PNC Park, Camden Yards, Comerica Park, or Jacobs Field, at least not in 2003.

Ballpark Visited = Great American Ball Park Submitted By: Jeff Nix Grade: B
Pros of the ballpark = Great view of river, city, and past history.  This stadium is still growing with the addition of hall of fame which will include a gift shop (someone else pointed this out as a con, but will be fixed with the completion of the new building which is located by homeplate entrance).
Cons of the ballpark = I do agree with the statement that there is something missing from this stadium, and I too can't put a finger on it.  The best guess I have is it seems the crowd just wasn't into the game?  The lights in the stadium are a copy of Jacobs Field, so they lose again in the battle of Ohio.
Additional Comments: I got my ticket for free, as someone was giving a bunch away right by the home plate entrance.  They were upperdeck seats behind homeplate, which allowed nice view of river.

Ballpark Visited = Great American Ball Park Submitted By: Roger Weber Grade: A
Pros of the ballpark = Great American Ballpark is not the typical new park. Many architects don't like it because it doesn't flow beautifully structurally. However I like that aspect of it. Each portion of seats is different, and there really are no bad seats. There are interesting aspects such as the notch, a break in the seats down the third base side so people in the park can see downtown. The scoreboard is good and informative, and the river view is nice. I also, unlike many others, like the celebration machine modeled after a steamboat. There is a wide variety of food, and two restaurants in it.
Cons of the ballpark = The first deck is simply too big and too gradually sloped. There are 40+ rows and if somebody tall sits in front of you, you can't see. The scoreboard, although good, is tucked in the corner so that the left field foul pole sometimes obstructs the view. The concourse gets very crowded in the lower deck, but hopefully when the ballpark is totally finished, that will be improved.
Additional Comments: Overall, it is a nice ballpark to visit, and a nice change of pace from all the green seats. (It has red seats). If you can, sit in the upper deck. There is more space and the river view is great.

Ballpark Visited = Great American Ball Park Submitted By: Marc Grade: A
Pros of the ballpark = Cincinnati is the oldest major league baseball city and their new ballpark won't let you forget it.  There is the (under construction) statutes of famous Reds.  The huge dedication memorial outside the ticket windows.  The mosaics inside the front gates with the 1869 Reds facing the Big Red Machine.  The souvenir stands are named after the Reds former parks.  Oh yeah, and there isn't a bad seat in the house - you feel right on top of the action, even halfway up the upper deck.
Cons of the ballpark = Getting to the upper deck takes awhile and parking is kind of a mess - its a looooong walk past the Cinergy crater.  Also, the smokestacks in right center are cute and I understand the significance, but honestly it kills the view of the river.
Additional Comments: Finally a corporate name I can agree with.  I must also comment that this is the only park where the vendors ask every time how much ice you want in your pop.  Also, stand in "the notch" on the third base side - its a great view of the game and downtown Cincy.

Ballpark Visited = Great American Ball Park Submitted By: Todd Grade: A
Pros of the ballpark = The place has a really fun atmosphere. It reminds me of an overgrown minor league park and I think that is a good thing. It is very focused on being fan friendly. There are lots of places to stroll around and have a beer or stand and watch the game or take in the views of the city and the river. It is a vast improvement over Cinergy/Riverfront. Very intimate seating and great sight lines.
Cons of the ballpark = The park isn't completely finished yet so it is hard to say, but the positioning of the scoreboards is odd---if you sit in left field there really isn't a good scoreboard for you to look at. Also, the fun of the park is kind of deflated by the fact that the ownership doesn't seem committed to winning baseball.
Additional Comments: None.

Ballpark Visited = Great American Ball Park Submitted By: Mike McDow Grade: B
Pros of the ballpark = Wide concourses! Good eats at pretty decent prices. Good location on the Ohio river...wish we could see one of the older bridges with more history and character rather than the one in view of the bridge just past left center field. I do love the Sun/Moon Deck in right field! It's definitely retro as it tried to duplicate the one at old Crosley Field. The green field looks awesome against the all red seats...nice touch!
Cons of the ballpark = I wonder if a view of the beautiful Cincy skyline would have been better than the view of other side of the river in which you just see the green rolling hills of northern Kentucky.  Another critic stated they were sure what was trying to be accomplished with this park whether it is retro, modern or whatever...well, I wonder too. Many subtle things though remind me of Riverfront...a place real Reds fans loved even though it was a cookie-cutter all-purpose cement bowl. I wish though GABP had some more color/brick/stone rather than the bland white everywhere...then again, it is Ohio and you know what Jacobs Field looks like. Should be more ornamental Reds history displayed other than just around the home plate entrance.
Additional Comments: An enjoyable place to watch a ballgame! Great fans!!

Ballpark Visited = Great American Ball Park Submitted By: PJ Grade: A
Pros of the ballpark = Although a bit plain on the outside, it is absolutely gorgeous once you get inside. Every seat is red-very cool, and different than the other new parks (green or dark blue seems to be the norm). Spacious concourses and loads of food and beverage choices (bratwurst sandwich was outstanding!). Great view of the river and northern Kentucky. Parking wasn't too bad, parked about three blocks away, only cost $7.
Cons of the ballpark = As I said it's gorgeous on the inside, but a bit plain on the outside (although the Crosley Terrace is very nice). Directly west of the ballpark is still a major construction zone, so when that's completed it'll look much nicer. Also as much as I loved those bratwurst I don't think I could afford to eat them everyday!(2 brats + large Pepsi was $13) But I suppose food is expensive everywhere.
Additional Comments: The park isn't perfect, but it's advantages far outweigh it's faults. The Reds have a home they can be proud of for years.

Ballpark Visited = Great American Ball Park Submitted By: Marc Grade: B
Pros of the ballpark = I liked the Sun/Moon Roof bleacher seats in right field. It was the closest I think I have been in a Major League park. The view of the Ohio River is great either in the upper deck seating behind home plate or walking along the back of the stadium.
Cons of the ballpark = The upper deck seating seemed somewhat very far from the field of play compared to newer parks in Pittsburgh and Houston. Reminded me of Riverfront Stadium seating. I also wish there was a little bit more flare in the interior of the stadium, perhaps bringing back the outfield steep from Crosley Field would have been a great touch.
Additional Comments: After fans having spent the last 32 years at Riverfront, this is a truly great place to watch and experience a baseball game in Cincinnati. The area will only look better once construction west of the stadium is completed for the 2004 season.

Ballpark Visited = Great American Ball Park Submitted By: Matt A. Grade: A.
Pros of the ballpark = The seats, being red not green like many of the new ballparks that have opened and are really close to the field. The concourses are huge, filled with Reds history and pictures. Excellent views from nearly anywhere in the ballpark.
Cons of the ballpark = None.
Additional Comments: This ballpark is one that is sure to become one of the best in baseball. It has amenities that would suit anyone. The setting right in downtown Cincinnati, makes it a great place to visit.

Ballpark Visited = Great American Ball Park Submitted By: Jason Gibson Grade: A.
Pros of the ballpark = The stadium was obviously built with the fans in mind. Everywhere you look there is a nod to reds history, right down to the concession stands that are named things like :Pete's Pizza" or Davey's Dogs." all the seats are aimed toward the infield which makes viewing the game a lot more comfortable. I sat in the upper deck and still felt like I was right on top of the game. I also enjoyed the playing of play by play over loudspeakers outside the stadium.
Cons of the ballpark = The only cons would have to be the exterior of the park which is a little dull compared to other parks ( There is still construction left to do, so this might change(, and the retired jersey numbers of displayed in the park need to be bigger and in a better location.
Additional Comments: None.

Miller Park

Ballpark Visited = Miller Park Submitted By: Josh Thomas Grade: B
Pros of the ballpark = This park has one of the best scoreboards in the majors. The retractable roofs does not take a long time to close it is VERY unique to Miller Park. Tailgating is fun to do here and you can't really do it at other ballparks. The fans are friendly to people who like different teams (Even the Yankees my team!)
Cons of the ballpark = I have never been to County Stadium before but I heard that County Stadium was a more underrated ballpark. It rained while we were there and roof leaked a little. The roof is also painted an ugly green color. There aren't too many bathrooms there so be patient if you really have to go.
Additional Comments: I have been to 27 ballparks and this is my 16th favorite.

Ballpark Visited = Miller Park Submitted By: Marc Viquez Grade: C
Pros of the ballpark = The pros of Miller Park were the giant scoreboard, retractable roof, close sightlines, unique roof design, and the ability to walk around the entire concourse. Having the roof closed was perfect for a chilling October night!
Cons of the ballpark = The cons were that County Stadium was probably the most underrated sporting facilities of all time. I attended a game there for the first time in 2000 and it probably the best baseball experience surpassing Fenway Park, Yankee Stadium, and Wrigley Field. Miller Park should be called Olympic Park South with its flea-market like atmosphere, luxury seating blocking the view of play from the concourse behind home plate, and its empty feeling. A very modern ballpark that lacks a lot of the charm that County Stadium had to offer. Another thing that I disliked about Miller Park was the overuse of the green. Green seats from top to bottom, green painting on the ceiling of the roof, green outfield wall, and of course a green field. A touch of blue, more yellow, and something else would do wonders for the interior. I assume that a packed house would make a better feel, but with 15,000 at hand for the last home stand it was boring!
Additional Comments: More usage of color inside will do wonders, also they still know how to tailgate outside in the parking lot!

Ballpark Visited = Miller Park Submitted By: John Bassett Grade: D
Pros of the ballpark = Far to little.
Cons of the ballpark = Far to much.
Additional Comments: Comiskey Park seems to garner the most responses when "What's the worst ballpark built since 1990" is the question ... but Miller Park gets my vote. While the parking lots may be full of that famed Milwaukee tailgating activity, this does not change the fact that those parking lots are very far removed from the stadium. As far away as those parking lots may be, the rest of civilization is even further.. While not an urban ballpark, I'm not even sure it even qualifies as suburban ballpark. I didn't see any houses in the area, just tress and highways, truly in the middle of nowhere ... and what's inside does nothing to energize this pretty lifeless situation. The place is dark, the team is horrible and the only thing that could possibly entertain the crowd, Bernie the Brewer and his slide, is set so high up in the stratosphere that you truly can't follow his antics without a binocular. Bernie is so high up there that the bottom tier of seats, which provide excellent views of the game, must look microscopic to him ... and that is not entirely due to the illusion of distance. That bottom tier of seats is very small, the smallest in baseball without a doubt. Above that bottom tier, three more, all filled with seats that are an identical, light green that seems more monotonous to the eye here than anywhere else, rise way way up forming a nest for fan-like "retractable" roof which covers the entire seating area even when "open." If you happen to purchase a ticket for one of these monotonous light green seats and you find yourself even moderately down one of the foul lines in any of the three upper tiers, you will find yourself with a view of less than the whole field. I'm not talking about a little blind spot. I'm talking about a major chunk due to the way the tiers curve around the foul poles, a curve which starts just a bit beyond first/third base - the worst design mistake, with the possible exception of the back rows in the Ballpark in Arlington's first tier, in any modern stadium. Add on top of all this that the ball sails out of here like Coors Field and Astros Field. The designers really can't be faulted for this though, unlike Houston where the left field wall was just obviously built too short or Denver where the high altitude was just not properly accounted for. Here it just seems that the ball gets up in certain wind tunnels and doesn't come down. So the food is pretty good. So the grass is green and real. So you won't get any rainouts. When those are the only three positive things you can say about a stadium, you have yourself a bad stadium.

Ballpark Visited = Miller Park Submitted By: Scott Powers Grade: B
Pros of the ballpark = I LOVE THIS PARK! The retractable roof is extraordinary and it doesn't even seem like the game is indoors because of the large windows and airy atmosphere. It has a great look to it, its not trying to force-feed RETRO down your throat. It has some nice touches of retro in it, though. The bleacher seats are great, they are right on the field. It felt like I was playing right field! The food is outstanding, and very reasonably priced. The sausage race is absolutely the coolest thing about this park. The fans are truly great and they love their Brewers (even though they are uh... bad).
Cons of the ballpark = I have never experienced it, but they're is a "myth" that the roof leaks when it rains outside. I sat in the area where this happens, and I was dry as a bone. Some people can say that there isn't enough for the kids to do during the game, so I have a suggestion for them... WATCH THE BASEBALL GAME!
Additional Comments: = This park is just awesome. I can't really explain it. The scenery just kind of gives you goose bumps when you walk throughout the stadium. I feel that this park is the best park in the major leagues.

Ballpark Visited = Miller Park Submitted By: J Conger Grade: C
Pros of the ballpark = My first experience here a couple of years ago was great.  Watched the Brewers and Astros and enjoyed the hotdog race.  I was impressed that almost all the seats were decent, and great layout of stadium and available parking.
Cons of the ballpark = EXTREMELY unruly fans.  Likely alcohol related. Yankee fans are not welcome here.  Tailgating in the parking areas are unsupervised and serious challenges were made before we could get to our parked vehicle.
Additional Comments: = Liked the ballpark.  Didn't like their fans.

Ballpark Visited = Miller Park Submitted By: A. Lopez Jr. Grade: C
Pros of the ballpark = The best tailgating in baseball, Brewers fans tailgate like its football, its amazing. The retractable roof is a plus cause, it prevents rainouts and the roof works now unlike 2002.The wideness of the concourses is enormous, you will not bump into other fans trying to get your food or souvenirs. I also liked how easy it was to get to and from the park cause of the closeness of the highway. Plenty of parking also. Its so much better with the roof open and the outfield panels open so you can see the Milwaukee skyline. The fans were very nice also on my 2nd trip, one guy gave me his extra pass to the 300 club and another showed me the site of old County Stadium which now has a little league park there and a monument showing the first game in Milwaukee Braves history. I also couldn't believe how easy it is to move from one area to another cause ushers don't bother you here with ticket checks.
Cons of the ballpark = The worst thing has to be that ugly olive green they use on everything. From the outside you see the roof is painted that green then you get inside and the railings and walls are that color too. The fans seemed laid back when I went also, I could hear the air conditioners blowing many times on my first trip to this park. I also didnt see quite as many vendors going up the aisles with food and drinks like other parks. The park doesnt look to great when its closed up.
Additional Comments = Where was the Brewers pride? I saw more fans wearing Packers stuff than Brewers gear. Maybe the dome needs to be open way more
often cause it looks like the grass is dying besides it just feels and looks better when its open so I'm glad they worked their problems out with the roof. I'm glad I saw this park opened up unlike my last visit and I now give it a solid B grade.

Ballpark Visited = Miller Park Submitted By: Anthony Lorenzo Grade: A
Pros of the ballpark = Miller Park is amazing.  The Milwaukee crowd is very friendly and their is a family atmosphere throughout the ballpark.  There are no bad seats in the Park.  I went up to the Upper Level to take and picture and was taken back by the view.  Miller Park's roof is amazing, watching it close after the game helps you appreciate modern engineering even more. During the game the Brewers allow the radio feed, by Hall of Famer Bob Uecker, to be fed over the PA system.
Cons of the ballpark = There are only a few bathrooms in Miller Park, although they are huge there maybe only 2 per level.
Additional Comments = The Brewers Organization, led by Ulice Payne Jr., has created a great atmosphere for a baseball game.  I purchased a t-shirt from the Brewers Fan Zone and had to return it from New York, when I called the Fan Zone with my situation they were more than happy to exchange it.  The Brewers are a very classy organization.  I wish them the best in there rebuilding.

Ballpark Visited = Miller Park Submitted By: Tom Grade: C
Pros of the ballpark = Well let me say that the Brewers have created a ballpark that has given them a lot of problems. I must mention that the game I attended was the only game in Miller Park's short history to not be played, an electrical problem cut out the lights on the concourse and the playing field. The park's roof, the greatest amenity, causes a lot of problems. It leaks, makes noises, and is not used very much. Anyway the pros. We sprung for $35 club level seats and .300 club passes. The seats and the view was awesome. We were on the 3rd level of the stadium but it felt like we could reach out and touch the field, I mean it these seats were really close. The club concourse was nice with a private lounge and bars, but the windows had no covering so the sun was really blinding. The private .300 club was very nice and the food was excellent. The in-seat wait service was great and the menu had a variety of items and it was not too pricey. We took public transportation and that was really helpful and cheap, I think 50 cents round trip or something like that,
Cons of the ballpark = No the bad stuff. The first deduction was the fact that the game was not played. Not entirely the Brewers fault, but come on. We are from MI and our travel schedule did not allow for us to catch the re-scheduled game the next day. Although I have to say the Brewers were very accommodating. The ticket lines were like a mile long and when we went to Fan Relations and told our story, out of town have to leave tomorrow morning, they got a ticket supervisor to talk to us and he gave us his card and we mailed them the tickets and they mailed us a refund check. Anyways, with club tickets, don't every put them away. They check your ticket there religiously. I think we had our ticket check about 8 times before we could get to our seats. When you thought you could put the ticket in your pocket, there was another Brewers' employee asking to see it again, I have to admit the staff was very friendly, not like Cleveland. I also did not like the 20 field level founders' suites. They took away from the views of the field from the main concourse. You only saw a nice brick wall all down the 1st and 3rd baseline. The final deduction was the fact that this place just seemed, blah. I don't know but no special charms our only Milwaukee. I thought it was just okay and kind of boring. The concourse was gray with not a lot of special touches.
Additional Comments = It is okay to go to. The place is nice but not one of the great new ballparks. The club seats are nice, avoid the Terrace level, a little too high. The loge level is the best bet as far as view and affordable. Concessions were not too high if I remember.

Minute Maid Park

Ballpark Visited = Minute Maid Park Submitted By: Neil Anderson Grade: A
Pros of the ballpark = The best new ballpark I've seen yet! Wow! I was not expecting much, as the outside really isn't much to shake a stick at. Entering through Union Station was nice. It is big, spacious and climate controlled. Once inside the park, there are many features that catch the eye. The train over the left field bleachers has a nostalgic feel. Tal's Hill, the sloped hill in center field, adds a unique element to the game. I saw Lance Berkman make an incredible play on the hill during my visit. That play gave me a good perspective of how challenging that hill can be to opposing outfielders. It is a spacious outfield in the power alleys, but very short down the right/left field lines. The tall scoreboard in left is very nice. Standing there for BP, we actually hung over the field. The gas pump out in Center Field is a nice place to gather and watch the action. The scoreboard is nice, and the jumbotron was crystal clear with excellent sound.
Cons of the ballpark =There is so much brick (which looks good), but way too much concrete and drab colored steel in the area surrounding the scoreboards. It kind of contrasts the rest of the park, but it is minor compared to all the positives about the place.
Additional Comments: I've been to a handful of parks and this is my favorite by far! I live quite a ways from Houston, but would absolutely go back.

Ballpark Visited = Minute Maid Park Submitted By: John Bassett Grade: A
Pros of the ballpark = Quite Possibly the Best Looking Ballpark in the Majors.
Cons: Promotes Home Run Happy Baseball, Atmosphere not quite up to the par of the northeast or south side Chicago ballparks
Additional Comments: Before visiting this stadium in person, I despised the place and all it represented, namely home run happy baseball. Now, after visiting it, and although I'm still no fan of the brand of baseball it promotes, I would rate Astros Field as the third best ballpark currently inhabited by a major league club. They say that general design of the whole place was supposed to be inspired by the Railroad Industry in general but, asides from the restored Union Station entrance, I'm not sure I see this reflected in the facade of the building, which is unique to say the least. It's certainly not another red-brick, Coors Field-esque exterior. To tell the truth, it's so bizarre looking that I can't imagine what the inspiration for it could have been. I'm not even sure I would have recognized it as a baseball stadium if I hadn't known what to expect. But it definitely works and I definitely like it. Once you enter the facility the railroad theme becomes much more obvious. The restored Union Station with it's high arches is beautiful inside. Virtually all of the concession stands have railroad-inspired names and the food they served was actually pretty decent. The Crawford boxes make for the best batting practice experience you will get at any location in any stadium in the big leagues. You are constantly peppered with home runs. I went on a cool-for-Texas, early-April evening so the retractable dome was rolled back but even so, saying it was completely unitrusive when rolled back is light years more than you can say when you're visiting either Phoenix or Milwaukee under the same circumstances. Another knock commonly heard about the place was it being too "gimmicky" ... the train atop the left field wall really didn't scream out for attention, neither did Tal's Hill. I think it all fits in very nicely. Being used to New York baseball it doesn't strike me as odd to find the fans anywhere outside of the northeast or the south side of Chicago as tame. But even though the fans in Houston were something less that demonstrative they did seem fairly knowledgeable and the atmosphere, in all, was pretty good. I think this may very well be the best looking park in baseball but because of the superior atmospheres at Camden Yards and Pac Bell Park, Astros Field comes in third on my list.

Ballpark Visited = Minute Maid Park Submitted By: Cliff W. Grade: A
Pros of the ballpark = Beautiful design inside and out. It has lots of features that make the game more interesting like Tal's Hill and the flag pole in play in center field, and the Crawford Boxes in left field. Great views from all sections and levels.. One of the best features though is the retractable roof. The summer heat in Houston can be unbearable, but the weather in the spring can be awesome. To be able to accommodate both is invaluable. I have been to many ballparks in milder climates and found myself wishing for a roof and A/C, especially during day games in the summer. The food is pretty good and parking and access is not nearly as difficult as many people make it out to be. If you know where to look, you can even find free parking on weekends. Also, being downtown, it is very easy to find a great bar or restaurant to hang out at before or after the game. Oh ya, natural grass in Houston(the birthplace of Astroturf) is hard to get used to, but it's great.
Cons: parking, expensive concessions
Cons of the ballpark =Ticket prices seem to keep going up every year. Also it is hard to get good seats at the box office because ticket scalpers buy so many season tickets. When no one buys the over priced tickets from the scalpers, it leaves the ballpark half empty.
Additional Comments: I might be a biased 'Stros fan, but I have yet to find a ballpark that offers as much as Astros Field and is as beautiful, practical and comfortable. Thank god they tossed that Enron name. I wish they wouldn't sell the naming rights this time, but they will get more from the next sponsor than the $100 million they were supposed to get from Enron.

Ballpark Visited = Minute Maid Park Submitted By: Dan Hawkins Grade: A
Pros of the ballpark = Air conditioning is always a plus with Houston's humidity.  Being able to have that with a natural grass field is pretty cool.  They had the roof closed when I was there, but with the glass behind left field, it almost didn't feel like we were indoors.  I say almost because the sound of the bat hitting the ball still sounds different under a roof.  My four-year-old loved the train.  And I love the old-time dimensions of the outfield, short down the line, but deep in center (436 feet).  The scoreboard was also nice.  And for being downtown, I was able to park really close to the ballpark, and traffic wasn't too bad (better than in Arlington).
Cons of the ballpark = I'm not sure what the purpose of Tal's Hill is, but it never came into play during the game.  I don't know whether I like it or not.
Additional Comments: This is a big improvement over the Astrodome.  This ballpark does illustrate the absurdity of the current practice of selling naming rights.  The place has had three names now, and it's only in its fifth season.

Ballpark Visited = Minute Maid Park Submitted By: Cole Grade: A
Pros of the ballpark = WOW! This ballpark has everything. Its got a retractable roof yet you still feel like your outside. Its fairly big in terms of size, but its still very quaint. Much like Camden Yards with the downtown view. I also find it amazing how close you feel to the field in every seat. In the upper deck you have a great view. Yet their is still about 43,000 max in this park. I love the crawford boxes. I love every seat in this park! Specialties in the park include a train, a hill in play, the giant scoreboard, the flagpole in play, and it is also the first ballpark to have a visual announcement board for deaf and hard of hearing fans. But all these specialties fit in with everything perfectly. The train doesn't call attention to it self at all.
Cons of the ballpark = Food expensive, 9.00 for nacho supreme which is not that great!
Additional Comments: I can't say this is the best ballpark yet but it's certainly in the top 5. Their are so many more parks like PNC Park, SBC Park, and Camdon Yards which I also like.

PNC Park

Ballpark Visited = PNC Park Submitted By: A. Lopez Jr. Grade: A
Pros of the ballpark = Well lets see where I begin..First of all the way the ballpark is set up to see the Pittsburgh skyline,river,and bridges is top notch..its a small park containing 38,000 seats which means all seats are good..Plenty of parking to choose from around the city or ballpark..Helpful people in Pittsburgh.The video board is one of the best..Did I mention the great skyline of Pittsburgh?!
Cons of the ballpark = The only cons of this park is the corporate name of the park which is PNC which is named after a bank..The other con is that home plate is too far from the river,the only chance a home run ball hitting the river on the fly is in batting practice..Not alot of selection in their gift shops either.
Additional Comments: = Kinda cloned after Pac Bell Park but is still the best of the new parks in the midwest..For the full PNC experience I recommend going on the Duquesne incline,walking the Roberto Clemente bridge to the game then walking the river walk and walk around this beauty of a stadium..Also I don't know whats in the water out there but Pittsburgh had some of the finest young ladies I saw, just thought I would throw that in also.

Ballpark Visited = PNC Park Submitted By: Scott Grade: A
Pros of the ballpark = Very nice park.  Sandstone on the front of the park makes it much different from the new retro parks.  Tickets are cheap compared to a lot of other parks (dont know what the one lady was talking about, and food at most all sporting venues is gonna be expensive).  The view of Downtown Pittsburgh, and the bridges leading into it is great.  Not a bad view in the park at all.
Cons of the ballpark = Unless you can deal with it, you can tell the people in the bleachers (where I sat at for one of the games I went to) are definite beer drinkers.  I have also parked downtown instead of around the park, so if you dont like taking walks, park beside the stadium.  Other than that, there are no real bad cons on the park.
Additional Comments: = Great stadium overall.  If the owner of the Pirates was more concerned on at least stocking the minor leagues with great talent, and taking a path like the Twins or A's usually do, and less concerned on what the Yankees are spending their money on, im sure they can draw more than 10,000 on weekdays, and 20,000-25,000 on weekends.

Ballpark Visited = PNC Park Submitted By: T.S. Grade: A
Pros of the ballpark = I was able to see the final two home games at PNC this weekend (Sept. 20-21).  The view is absolutely beautiful with the Pittsburgh skyline.  It is really just a very aesthetic sporting venue.  I had seats behind homeplate in section 117, and the view from there was very good.  I really liked the megatron screen in left field.  Although I love the Cubs, the Pirates opening movie with the pirate ships was very entertaining.  You know, where the opposing team's ship gets sunk by Pitt's pirate ship.  Great animation.
Cons of the ballpark = I can't think of too many cons for this sporting venue.  It was a really enjoyable experience.  I am a diehard Cubs fan, so I guess the con would be the Cubs and Bucs splitting the series...especially at this point in the season where the Cubs need to win.
Additional Comments: = If you get a chance to visit this park, do so.  The view is really great and the parking prices around the park were not really too bad.  I think it was about $7.00 where I was, and not too far from the park either.

Ballpark Visited = PNC Park Submitted By: Wesley Kring Grade: A
Pros of the ballpark = Retro was spectacular. Intimacy of seating. Walk around the park, and able to follow the game all the while. BEST- skyline and Roberto Clemente Bridge. Nestled in with river and surroundings. Nestled into surrounding neighborhood: felt like going to a ball park. Concession food was terrific. Parking was close, and efficient. Ticket prices reasonable. Beautiful scoreboard, and fun animations (without becoming obnoxiously frequent). Vince L organ music! Coming in from street, up the main steps, opens into a view of the field from behind home plate. Right field scoreboard was fun to watch current games' scores. Limited number of entrances, all of which feel open and present field of play right before you as you enter. Post-game fireworks over the river with skyline in background!
Cons of the ballpark = None- the Pirates even won half the six games I've attended! Oh, there is one- traffic getting into the park and parking lots is snarled and difficult.
Additional Comments: I was wishing Great American Ballpark would be as fantastic. I was so disappointed when I went to my first game there, though. What should have been a similar experience (Ohio River setting, e.g.) came up short in nearly every detail compared to PNC Park.

Ballpark Visited = PNC Park Submitted By: Dan Grade: A
Pros of the ballpark = Light-years ahead of old, retired Three Rivers Stadium. Nice sandstone facade sets it apart from the other new ballparks with brick facades. The sandstone plus the dark blue steel makes for a nice color scheme. The food selection is excellent, with everything from your basic soft drinks, hot dogs and nachos to local Pittsburgh icons such as Primanti's and Quaker Steak & Lube, andan Outback Steakhouse overlooking left field. You can reach the park by car, by foot from downtown Pittsburgh, or by riverboat (there will also be a light-rail link built nearby within the next few years). The farthest seat is only 88 feet from the field. You can watch the game and hang out over on the left field rotunda. The statues of Honus Wagner, Roberto Clemente and Willie Stargell commemorate our past, and let fans of other teams know that the Pirates actually have a history in spite of their performance in the past ten years.
Cons of the ballpark: Um...the team that plays in it is atrocious (62-100 in 2001), and the ballpark was largely taxpayer-subsidized. (Pardon me for stepping on the soap box, but I view stadium subsidies as a form of corporate welfare, and the problem is not just in Pittsburgh, but in several other cities that have professional sports teams. The teams themselves should be able to pay for these stadiums.) Additional Comments: Before ANY of you decide what you think the best ballpark in Major League Baseball is, visit PNC Park!

Ballpark Visited = PNC Park Submitted By: John Bassett Grade: B
Pros of the ballpark = Skyline view, Primanti Brothers Sandwiches and a crystal clear scoreboard ..vast vast vast improvement over it's predecessor.
Cons of the ballpark = Bad team (good start, i'm sure, will soon be a faded memory) sucks the life out of the fans and thusly the atmosphere could be better. The green that they used for the outfield fences is putrid but this is an otherwise very nice park.
Additional Comments: PNC Park has drawn raves since it's opening. Many place it on even or higher ground than Camden Yards and Pac Bell Park so I came here with great expectations. What I found was that, aside from the putrid green that they painted the outfield fences with and the horrid team that calls it home, PNC Park is a very nice park but I don't think it quite makes that Baltimore/San Francisco echelon. The most stand out aspect of this stadium is the skyline, river and bridge view that it affords you beyond the outfield fence ... in my opinion, this is the best backdrop in all of baseball. Simply stunning, particularly when viewed from the third base side. But you have to realize that this skyline does not belong to PNC Park. It belongs to the city of Pittsburgh. And when you imagine this park without that skyline you are left with a rather average venue highlighted mostly by a shockingly crystal clear scoreboard and the delicious Primanti Brothers sandwiches. While the actual structure of the place may be similar to the other new retro ballparks in baseball, just on a bit smaller scale, it's obvious that steps were taken to distinguish PNC Park from it's peers. While the facade of most retro parks is red brick, here it's sandy limestone. While the seats elsewhere are green, here they are blue. This is a good thing. I'm sure all these new parks will never be looked upon with the disdain of the infamous cookie cutters of the early 60s and late 70s, one of which PNC thankfully replaced, but it's nice to see one of the new places take these kind of steps to distinguish itself, on a color-scheme basis at least. All in all, you cannot discount the view PNC Park affords you, so it has to rank up there pretty high, but since it relies so heavily upon a feature that is not actually rooted on it's real estate, it falls a bit short of elite status. .

Ballpark Visited = PNC Park Submitted By: Kurt A. Grade: A
Pros of the ballpark = Where to start?
1st: Intimacy. The two deck design (first since Milwaukee's County Stadium) is the most intimate setup in baseball. I've sat in the "upper deck" as well as the boxes behind homeplate and have also viewed the action from other points around the park. The sight lines are excellent everywhere. You can even see the action when walking the concourse, unless you are facing away from the field when at the concession stands. All seats are angled toward home plate and the even the second deck seats are close to the field. The highest seat in only 88 feet from the playing surface, less than the distance between the bases.
2nd: The view of surroundings. The Pittsburgh skyline is gorgeous, with diverse building designs and excellent lighting at night. The Roberto Clemente )6th street bridge sits beyond centerfield and leads right up to the outfield ticket window and entrance.. In the upper seating levels, you can also see the river with Pittsburgh's trademark riverboats steaming by. Gateway clipper ships often blow their horns when passing the stadium, rousing the fans to a loud cheer.
3rd: Rich sense of history. From the right field concourse, one can look out over the former sites of two of the three previous Pirate homes; Exposition Park (the first home of the Alleghenies/Pirates) and Three Rivers Stadium. Unfortunately, those sites are parking lots now. By the way, you can also see Heinz Field, the new Steelers stadium. There is a Pirate Hall of Fame, statues of Honus Wagner; Roberto "The Great One" Clemente, and Willie "Pops" Stargell; the aforementioned Clemente bridge, and the  21 foot right field wall, also a tribute to Roberto.
4th: Excellent food and beverage selection. You can get the traditional ballpark food, but also local favorites like Premanti Brothers sandwiches, prerogies, and Rolling Rock and Iron City beer. There are also a couple of Beers of the World stands where you can get all kinds of imported beer for an around the world experience.
5th: Unique from other neo-retro ballparks opened in the last ten years. The facade is limestone, not brick and the blue seats and steel provide a Pittsburgh heritage feel.
Cons of the ballpark = The primary con is the financing for this park and the Steelers' home, Heinz Field. The original plan was to implement an increase in the Allegheny County sales tax, but this was defeated by the voters in a referendum. Yet, these stadiums were funded anyway by state grants. Where does that money come from? The taxpayers of Pennsylvania, of course. Some of which voted against higher taxes to finance these venues in the first place. So the people said no, but the government did it anyway; not exactly democratic. This next one is a con anywhere these days, and that is the prices. Tickets aren't cheap, and concession are terribly expensive. However, when compared to other ballparks, the prices are decent. For example, I recently attended a game at Jacobs field in Cleveland, one of the first in this ballpark renaissance. My seat was in the low part of the upper deck and cost 32 dollars. The same money will get you a seat about 4 rows off the field up the baseline at PNC. Also, I bought a foot long hotdog at "The Jake" for four dollars, and it was very thin and drowned in a large bun. Another major con is that the Pirates are lousy and have been for some years. When they finally get back on track, I hope the fans will come back to this gorgeous facility for the baseball as well as the venue itself. Finally, the Pirates have done a good job of turning people off with more than just the team's poor performance. There was a big snafu in its first season when fans were not allowed to bring in containers larger than the microscopic size set by the team's rules. At Three Rivers, fans could bring large containers of drink and food into the stadium; not anymore. This is just one example of poor PR.
Additional Comments: Ok, I'll admit I'm a little biased. I am a lifelong Pirates fan and am from the Pittsburgh area. That is why I waited to write a review on my home park until I had experienced another park in this latest generation of new baseball stadiums. As I mentioned before, I recently went to Jacob's Field in Cleveland, one of the first in this movement of new parks. The Jake is a very nice park, but too massive, more expensive, and not quite a pretty. Also it is on the very edge of downtown Cleveland, whose skyline is very dull with only a couple of high-rises of notable design. Perhaps that's why they have that mammoth scoreboard in left. The Jake is still very clean, but lacks the intimacy of PNC. The seats are also cramped. Also, I am backed in my opinion of PNC by many baseball writers and broadcasters, as well as other insiders, players, and even out of town fans (some of which have already written their reviews of PNC Park on this site). I freely admit to my bias, and concede that there are 29 other ballparks in the major leagues, with more new ones being built. But as far as I can tell from going to the Jake and seeing other ballparks on TV, PNC Park is at least on par, if not better than, any other park in Major League Baseball. I could be wrong, since I haven't been to them all. But that's my opinion and I feel blessed to have a beautiful park to cheer on my home team at, even if it was built against taxpayers' wishes and despite the team's performance. Hopefully, the latter will change soon and PNC will be sold out night in and night out, the way it should be.

Ballpark Visited = PNC Park Submitted By: Unknown Grade: C
Pros of the ballpark = My children not being allowed to bring in their little canvas lunch boxes. They are smaller than most purses.
Cons of the ballpark = Costly concessions, monochrome facade, small dimensions, two deck design causing it to look minor league.
Additional Comments: We are finding this in most "family" places in Pittsburgh. We live about 45 minutes away from that area. My husband and I have 3 children. I am a stay-at-home mom, by choice. It feels like one income families are being punished when they attend games/entertainment places in Pittsburgh. Fortunately we were able to go with a group and get a group discount to attend. If we hadn't, I doubt that we could have gone. I packed snacks for my kids, because I assumed that the prices would be very high to get them anything there. I am not only talking about PNC Park, since we recently had free circus tickets for the Mellon Arena....and their prices were unbelievable also. Since they couldn't take their little bags in...we had to hand carry their snacks. Then they saw others eating nachos, fries and such, so they asked for that. We scrounged up some extra money to get that for them. I just don't understand that if these events are for families, why is everything so expensive that average families can't afford the extras? It is almost as if you chose to be a stay-at-home parent to be with your children as they are growing up, you are punished since you can't afford snacks , let alone any souvenirs there! We would love to be able to show our children fun places to go, however, the cost is so incredible. I know there is nothing that anyone can do about this, I just wanted to voice my opinion.

Ballpark Visited = PNC Park Submitted By: Tom Grade: B
Pros of the ballpark = The view is awesome. The park was really nice, but some things I had to give it a B for- see cons. The good stuff- when we went I purchased $55 seats in the PBC- Club level. The seats were nice, extra wide and padded. The concourse was nice- air conditioned, great food, and lots of places to just chill. They even had pool tables if you wanted to play a game. The main concourse was really big and had a variety of food choices. The parking situation wasn't to bad and I remember an easy time back onto the freeway. The outside of the park is made of limestone and it is kind of nice not to see a stadium made of red brick. The staff was fairly helpful and friendly and the food service was quick.
Cons of the ballpark = The cons, a few but must be mentioned. The first con which is a big one in my opinion, the main concourse is not at street level. When you walk in the main gate, you go up an escalator to get to the main concourse, that kind of annoyed me. The next con, the food prices were sky high! A 20 ounce coke cost $3.25, the highest I think I have seen in a long time. A baked potato cost $6.50 and nachos were around $5.50 or so. The other thing that really annoyed me was the service, or lack there of, that we got with the $55 club seats. The seats were padded and the concourse nice but that is about it. No in-seat wait service, no private entrance, no concierge service. We had to walk up long ramps to get to the seats. We had our hands stamped so we could not pass tickets to other guests our something, I thought it was kind of annoying.
Additional Comments: The Pirates did a really good job with this place. The only thing they need to do is improve is the amenities in the $55 club seats- no wonder they give season ticket holders a free game, they can't sell them. If you go, and you should, don't buy the club seats, two people I talked to had $16 grandstand seats and went I walked up there, the view was well worth it.

Ballpark Visited = PNC Park Submitted By: Chris Nichter Grade: A
Pros of the ballpark = The positioning/location of the park offers a perfect view of the Roberto Clemente Bridge and downtown Pittsburgh.  The architecture is reminiscent of older ballpark construction, yet modern and sleek; it blends in with the contemporary look of Pittsburgh really well.  Game atmosphere is lively and fun -- fans are fun to be around.  Parking is easily accessed: the best lot is where Three Rivers Stadium used to be -- it is walking distance, cheap, and plentiful.  Lots of convenient concessions and clean bathrooms.
Cons of the ballpark = Depending where you sit, you will have little to no view of the scoreboard... the best seats for the average visitor are located along the first and third base lines in the upper deck; they are truly a bargain in price and offer unobstructed views of everything.  Typical city traffic makes getting out of downtown difficult after games let out (however construction is underway to help alleviate this).
Additional Comments: PNC Park is a really fun place to watch baseball.  It's beautiful, enjoyable, and clean.  Ticket prices are very reasonable.  The Pirates are lucky to have such a great place to play!

Ballpark Visited = PNC Park Submitted By: Psisler Grade: A
Pros of the ballpark = PNC Park is very nice. I really like the how open it is in the outfield, and how you can see the city and the river. I attended the home opener last year against the reds, and it was awesome. I really like the grass. I was at a game when they honored Bill Mazeroski, and had his name in the outfield grass. It is also really clean, and right up close to the action. Hope the Pirates can have a better season this year! GO BUCS!!!
Cons of the ballpark = Nothing bad.
Additional Comments: None.

Wrigley Field

Ballpark Visited = Wrigley Field Submitted By: A.Lopez Jr Grade: A
Pros of the ballpark = The ivy on the walls, the bleacher bums that throw opposing team home runs back, the history, the manual scoreboard, the 7th inning stretch, and the Cubs fans.
Cons of the ballpark = Parking is tough to find around the park and is pricey..I also didn't like the fact that the ushers wont let you walk through the outfield bleachers even though I had more expensive seats and all I wanted was a picture (very rude ushers).
Additional Comments: An age old classic

Ballpark Visited = Wrigley Field Submitted By: Neil Anderson Grade: A
Pros of the ballpark = Wow! Wow! Wow! I have never walked into a stadium before in total awe! Wrigley was the first. Wrigley sits right in the middle of bars, shops, streets etc. There is no main concourse or anything like that. That is unique. I liked that feel. The monumental Wrigley Field sign is an American icon. The grass is striking. It is so green and well kept. We had seats a couple of rows from the field right next to the Cubs bullpen. Very close. The atmosphere is great. One of a kind. Wrigley is the only field that made me say "WOW"!
Cons of the ballpark = If you are coming from the airport (south side of town), it is a long haul to Wrigley. You can take the trams, but allow for plenty of time. The only negative experience I have is that I haven't sat in the bleachers yet.
Additional Comments: A must-see park. You simply cannot compare Wrigley to any of the new stadiums being built. It is in a class all of its own.

Ballpark Visited = Wrigley Field Submitted By: Terry Walters Grade: A
Pros of the ballpark = Sight lines; history; the neighborhood. Unlike newer stadia, the upper deck is not in the flight path of the local airport.
Cons of the ballpark = Be prepared to either walk a fair distance or pay high parking fees near the park. Best bet, however, is to park elsewhere (Howard St. park & ride lot if coming from the north) and take the "el".
Additional Comments: The roofs across Waveland and Sheffield were much nicer when occupied by ordinary fans. They have become "yuppified" in recent years and are now rented out to corporate types. They have erected mini-bleachers where in past years ordinary fans sat on lawn chairs. Still, I hope the Cubs never do what Connie Mack did 70 years ago at Shibe and put up a "spite fence". It would disconnect the fans in the park from the neighborhood.

Ballpark Visited = Wrigley Field Submitted By: Scott M. Grade: D
Pros of the ballpark = The only pro of this park is the historical purpose.
Cons of the ballpark = The biggest con was the people that work at the park, as a native of Philadelphia I thought I knew rudeness, then I went to Wrigley Field.  History (read nostalgia) may be kind to the park, but weather has not been, the park needs many repairs and just better general housekeeping.  They sell out nearly every game, and its still one of the most expensive stadiums in MLB, and the Cubs still stink....where is the money going?  Drunken fans were bad, but not as bad as some people would say, your worst experience at Wrigley Field with drunken fans would probably happen at any stadium, its just more common at Wrigley.
Additional Comments: The main reason I rate this park so poorly is for one reason, the people that work there.  They think they are gods over the suckers who spent 40 dollars for a bad ticket just because they work at Wrigley park.  The game was sold out (as usual) that I went to, and luckily I had extra tickets (friends who couldn't go) I really didn't feel like scalping them so I thought I'd be a really nice, good and honest baseball fan for once and just give them away.  I've done this before (numerous times at the vet and a few other parks) and have never had a problem.  Usually I go near the ticket window and say "hey, want a free ticket" and no big deal.  Things don't work like that at Wrigley.  When I tried it there, one of these high and mighty stadium employees got in my face and started to yell to the nearest police officer to come over.  So much for doing a good deed daily.  The next issue I ran into was bringing a bag in.  I had a bag that conforms to the size regulations with MLB rules (that day it was raining so I had a towel and poncho, and also binoculars, cameras...usually out of town fan stuff) and they refused to let me in.  What was really insulting was that I've used the exact same other back and nearly every other ballpark I've been to and there has never been an issue with it.  Luckily since it was a rainy day, I left that entrance, put my poncho on, and put the bag under the poncho and went in a different gate.  Same game, different employees, more rudeness.  The cubs were playing the brewers that day (you know if you lose to the brewers your team stinks) but the brewers players turned out to be pretty nice.  I was sitting on the first base side and all of the brewers were signing everything any kid would give them, I now have a lot of respect for those players.  Like I said, it was rainy, hardly anyone was at the game, and none of the seating area where the players and kids were was occupied.  Can you believe it took 4 ushers to continue to chase those kids away.  It would have been one thing if they were bothering the players, but the players were they trying to do something nice. I'd think every fan might have a bad experience with a particular ballpark, for me it was Wrigley.  I think I'll give them another chance though.  By the way, the Tribune Co (owners) are all about money.  Its way to obvious, they don't care about baseball or the fans at all.  I heard they are planning on putting up a spite fence and are currently in litigations with most of the owners of the homes where people can watch the games from the rooftops.

Ballpark Visited = Wrigley Field Submitted By: Erick Jonhson Grade: A
Pros of the ballpark = Everything is totally awesome I mean this is like the best ballpark ever with that Ivy in the bleachers and the scoreboard makes it look like you are in some time in history. And also those fans are great and make it look even better because the Chicago Cubs have the best fans ever.
Cons of the ballpark = The things I didn't like about it its that when you go there and you're sitting down watching the game you cant see some parts of the field with the posts that they have in there and bad weather is also something that sometimes bothers you a lot but that's just sometimes but the rest is just awesome.
Additional Comments: Don't listen to what other people say and Wrigley might not be the best park to visit for some of you but you always have a great time at Wrigley.

Ballpark Visited = Wrigley Field Submitted By: Shari Benscoter Grade: A
Pros of the ballpark = Truly the "Friendly Confines", Wrigley is a baseball national treasure.  The ivy-covered walls and old-fashioned score board take you back to baseball's golden age.  Transportation to the games is a breeze when you take the red line train from the loop.
Cons of the ballpark = Even in May, you may need jackets, blankets, and extra clothing to weather the stiff lake "breeze" from the east.
Additional Comments: Wrigley is the perfect destination for a great afternoon of baseball.  For the love of God, don't drive, take the train for $3 round trip.  It's the Cubs - we love them whether they win or lose (but we're happier when they win).  If my own city had a park like this that was easy to get to, I'd go to every game that I could.

Ballpark Visited = Wrigley Field Submitted By: Illini Guy Grade: C
Pros of the ballpark = Wrigley on a ballpark ratings system is well just average.  Most of its draw and charm doesn't come from area in which you would consider desirable for modern amenities.  The biggest physical draw to this park is that the seats proximity to the field is closer than most.  Although that also comes with drawbacks of obstructed views.  Nevertheless, Wrigley does have its old time charm and nostalgia with classic look and appeal, but it just not one of those nice clean comfortable relaxing parks.
Cons of the ballpark = Like I said earlier the closeness of the seats to the field is great, but many seats are obstructed views.  There are support poles halfway up the lower and upper decks in your vision and in the lower deck half of the seats have a low level roof over your head.  You cant see fly balls.  The stadium itself is well old and dirty.  Its cramped, slow moving, and not clean.  The food is just ok nothing special.

The atmosphere inside the stadium is unique but I didn't find it desirable.  Its more of rowdy crowd.  Not very diverse, the crowd seems to wait for the 7th inning stretch and then leave (or get quite).  I saw a lot of younger people seemingly spend their time walking around and socializing and drinking not even in their seats.  True there are a lot of tours its too, but they aren't they rowdy ones.  The thing that bothered me was the large number of young people there for a day game getting drunk and socializing.  What happened to work or school for the 20 something year olds?
Additional Comments: Wrigley is OK it has a lot of nostalgia and classic ballpark feel.  Its charm is in its history not its fan pleasing amenities.  Parking is a nightmare, there just isn't any.  The neighborhood is nice and more upscale, but a bit rowdy with those 20 something year old crowds I was talking about.  All and All is just well AVERAGE!!!

Ballpark Visited = Wrigley Field Submitted By: Maurice Grade: F
Pros of the ballpark = Close to public transportation.  The immediate vicinity of the park is yuppified, but several blocks west of the park is a nice, old German neighborhood with traditional beer halls to match.
Cons of the ballpark = Most overrated park in baseball.  The place is falling apart.  Long lines, rude ushers, plumbing from the 1800s, no parking, and "fans" who stand in the aisle, blocking the view of the minority of people actually trying to watch the game.  Lots of "baseball tradition," but all of it bad.
Additional Comments: An architectural masterpiece almost 100 years ago, Cubs ownership really let the place go some time back, and the park has never recovered.  Advanced age, space limitations, and landmark designation make effective renovations impossible at this point.  A very uncomfortable place to watch a game, especially for actual baseball fans.  It's primarily populated by young adults, who come to drink and be seen, not to watch the game.

Ballpark Visited = Wrigley Field Submitted By: Erick Grade: A
Pros of the ballpark = I mean its Wrigley Field, who doesn't love it. All those people that gave it a low grade are all haters because they dont have a beautiful stadium like the Cubbies have. The reasons that I think Wrigley Field is the best stadium in the majors are:
1.The Ivy covered walls make it look different from all the other ballparks and also make it unique.
2.The atmosphere there is the best it feels like if you were in the 20's or 30's.
3.The scoreboard also makes it look like if you were in the 20's or 30's because its one of two hand worked scoreboards in the majors.
4.And last but not least its the team, even if we havent won a world series for years this stadium will always be recognized because of the Chicago Cubs.
Cons of the ballpark = I did not find many cons in the friendly confines but here are some of the things that i didnt like:
1.Parking is a really major issue, they should demolish some buildings an make a parking lot.
2.Bathrooms are very crowded and also very long lines.
Additional Comments: Wrigley field is the best ballpark in history.Some people say they would prefer that the Cubs would play in a new stadium and if that happens at least convert Wrigley into a museum or something that would commemorate the Cubs.

Ballpark Visited = Wrigley Field Submitted By: Brad Fender Grade: A
Pros of the ballpark = The pros of this field in my opinion are too numerous to count. The loyal fans who yes at times can be rowdy, (but name a field where you dont find these people.) The beautifully manicured field, the seventh inning stretch, the ball hawks, bleacher bums rejecting opposing home run balls back onto the field, the wind, the ivy and where else are you going to find a field that is pretty much void of any kind of advertisement.
Cons of the ballpark = Well of course the cons will be parking ,in most cases, about a mile away unless you take the am track which still involves some walking. (heaven forbid) and sometimes lake Michigan can dish out some pretty strong winds. And roaming afternoon shade can turn a generally warm day game into a cool one.
Additional Comments: I'm not going to harp on those few ball fans who unfortunately had a bad experience at Wrigley because I feel that if ones main concern at a baseball game is how comfy the seats are or that some 70 year old usher upset you by doing his job then maybe you should stick to watching ball games at home.. that way you wont be depriving a REAL baseball fan their seat. And risk getting your pants "dirty".. the horror!! YES its an old stadium...and im pretty sure its not structurally superior to the other more modern fields, with their waterfalls and such, but thats what sets it apart from everyone else. A sense of history and tradition..a sense of pride Because win or lose (More than likely lose) that stadium WILL ALWAYS be packed full of die hard fans. Fans who dont mind paying 40dollars to watch a team they love in a stadium they love. Apparently some people cant handle the petty little inconviences an old stadium poses. For anyone else who has ever wanted to visit Wrigley Field its quite an experience. And I think one of the most enjoyable experiences Chicago has to offer.

Ballpark Visited = Wrigley Field Submitted By: T.S.
Grade: A
Pros of the ballpark = The atmosphere.  A beautiful park without all the bells and whistles of a new, commercialized park.  I usually go back to Chicago every year and try to catch at least one Cubs game.  And when I step into Wrigley Field, it's like it is for the first time.  The view still puts me in awe.  I have been to other ballparks, but none of them compare to The Friendly Confines.
Cons of the ballpark = I don't really remember too many cons of this ballpark.  I've never even had any problems with the ushers.  However, it was freezing one day in June with all the wind blowing off of the lake.  But, that still didn't deter me from having a great time.
Additional Comments: I have never run into some of the problems the non Cubs fans have posted here.  When I go to a game, I don't usually leave my seat.  I stay put and watch the entire game.  I agree, a lot of the food and beverages are overpriced, however, I expect that.  And the prices are like that at every ballpark I have been to.  My point: if you can go to a ballgame and complain about the price of food, the restrooms, and the ushers then you are not that much of a baseball fan to being with.  Especially if that is your most memorable experience.  Wrigley Field is truly an icon in baseball.  If you haven't been there, you need to experience it at least once.

Ballpark Visited = Wrigley Field Submitted By: Anthony Lorenzo Grade: A
Pros of the ballpark = Baseball the way it should be.  No music before players come to bat, no jumbotron, no sponsorship.  Watching a game in Wrigley Field from the Bleachers was an amazing experience, not ruined by the fact the Cubs lost 10-0 to the Pirates.  Wrigley offers an atmosphere unmatched by any other ballpark. I felt like I was watching a game from the 1950's.
Cons of the ballpark = The bleachers can be a tough place, especially for kids.  The ticket prices are also high, but the experience is worth it.  If you have bleacher seats you can not access any other part of the ballpark.
Additional Comments: The "Friendly Confines" is exactly that. Wrigley Field is like a block party centered around the game.  An amazing place that I suggest all true baseball fans try to experience.

Ballpark Visited = Wrigley Field Submitted By: George Randford Grade: F
Pros of the ballpark = Access to public transit is decent.  Lots of days games.  The seats are right on top of the action.
Cons of the ballpark = Very expensive from tickets to parking to concessions.  Atmospere similar to a college bar...plenty of DePaul kids and recent grads from your Big Ten college of choice at Wrigley spending first paychecks playing in the city.  The two worst things are the bathrooms and the concourses.  The mens room floor is often covered in six inches of urine, vomit, and spilled old style beer which all seems to drain out into the dungeonlike concourses.  I wonder how the stadium passes fire code...it takes easily half an hour to leave the game.
Additional Comments: The Cubs are terrible and their so called fans dont care about winning.  The Wrigleyville section of the Lakeview neighborhood is full of a bunch of VW driving kids playing grown up in the city.  There is nothing more disgusting than some 24yr old from Northbrook sitting in daddy's season tickets at a cubs game and drinking about 12 beers.

Ballpark Visited = Wrigley Field Submitted By: BGuy Grade: A
Pros of the ballpark = Being a huge Cub fan from Chicago I have a huge bias towards this park. I like how there's no advertisements in the park (well like 4). I also like how theres a lot of afternoon games. The way baseball was and was meant to be played. The old scoreboard. No jumbotron. It makes you actually watch the game.
Cons of the ballpark = It saddens me to see the Cubs fans turned into what they are today. Frat boys and yuppies who claim to be cub fans yet the only thing they know about the cubs are: Wrigley Field, Harry Caray, and Old Style, yet when asked who Hack Wilson was they would be silenced.
Additional Comments: This was to correct many people's review comments. One said that Chicago airport was on the south side of town. Well, we have 2 airports. Midway is on the west side a bit south, and O'Hare is northwest. You also don't take the Amtrak to Wrigley. you take the L. Yea the park is old and back when it was built, they needed those columns to hold up the UD. The throughs are awesome and the ivy is unique. If you don't like our park, don't come here. Also, the area boys town is south of Wrigleyville and Lakeview. And someone suggested that they demolish some neighborhood buildings to make a parking lot. Well I don't know if he realizes that most of those buildings are our homes. You wouldn't want someone knocking down your house just so out of tourists can park at the ballpark. Come on.

Ballpark Visited = Wrigley Field Submitted By: John Kruck Grade: F
Pros of the ballpark = Ok, it's historical and it's got poison ivy in the outfield.  However, what History can this park actually claim other than it's ancient age, and the fact the Cubs haven't won a title since 1906?  The bleacher Bums are literally Bums and make the ballpark experience somewhat rewarding but other than that, please see cons.
Cons of the ballpark =Oh man this place is the smallest, ugliest, dirtiest, and most unfriendliness place on Earth!  Please, stay home and watch the game on your 25 inch, no wait, watching it on your pocket TV would be better than sitting in a dirty seat at Wrigley Field.  I sat on the field level and found 2 concession stands and one bathroom in which I had to stand in line for 10 minutes.  This place is absolutely atrocious.  I tried to move out towards the right field foul pole and the Ushers forced me back inward!  Oh yeah, if you look up you'll find there is a hidden upper deck that is covered in complete darkness.  Not many fans sit up there.  Probably because there is no access to it other than a latter (that's a joke if you don't see, but I couldn't figure out how the hell you do get up to the second deck).  Wrigley Field and Fenway Park ought to be turned into Farmers Market.  The Red Sox can go play in the fleet center and the Cubs can play at the ugly renovated Soldier Field.  I think that's far better than what they both play in now!
Additional Comments: The dugouts are for little leaguers, how does Sammy Sosa put up with this nonsense?