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US CELLULAR FIELD FAN REVIEWS & EXPERIENCES

Submitted By: Will Grade: C
Pros of the ballpark: US Cellular Field, or "The Cell", as often referred to by Chicagoans(or still just "Comiskey" by the stubborn diehards) has come a long way since it's debut 20 years ago.

When it first opened, the park was celebrated as being the first baseball-only facility to be open in many years. However, timing is everything and when Oriole Park at Camden Yards was released shortly thereafter, it didn't take long for fans to decry a ballpark that felt like a sterilized ballmall lacking any character with blue seats, a ridiculously steep upper deck, and none of the retro charm of the new era of "throwback" ballparks.

Part of the disgust could also be attributed to HOW this park came about. White Sox owner Jerry Reinsdorf strong-armed the state of Illinois to pay for a new park behind the threat of moving the team to St. Petersburg and rumor has it that Reinsdorf rejected the design of what became Camden Yards(though, admittedly, Camden without the warehouse just isn't the same park).

Anyway, major renovations in the past decade have resulted in a roof over the deck installed while chopping off some of the top rows of that area, green seats, a Fundamentals area for kids built over the concourse in left field, a spruced up concourse featuring some attractive brick work and statues of White Sox legends, and more which has resulted in more of a "true" ballpark feel.

The result is a ballpark that is perfectly acceptable as a good place to watch a game IF you're seated in the field level area. The concessions are always tasty, the park still features the "original" exploding scoreboard, a wrap-around concourse that was ahead of its time, and getting to and out of the park can be easy if you know the area and where to park or take the Red Line train.

Cons of the ballpark: But if you get stuck with an upper deck seat, not only are you treated to a generally lousy seat, you also are struck there for the entire game. In a knee-jerk reaction to a few on-field incidents involving drunken fans, the White Sox limited all ticketholders of upper deck seats ONLY to the upper deck. Not only does this policy prevent these fans access to the "happening" area of the ballpark with the better concessions, it creates a sense of segregation between the upper deck and the rest of the stadium, a division of "haves" and "have nots". As for the upper deck itself, other ballparks may have equally high and far-removed seating, but possibly none other has an upper deck and such a steep pitch. The idea was to bring fans closer to the action, but the result was a feeling of being suspended in mid-air while you are seated. Travel up and down the aisles in this area can also be dizzying. You get acclimated after awhile, but it's still awkward and the view lousy. Speaking of views, there is none to speak of; downtown Chicago can be only be seen while travelling the endless amounts of ramps that take you to the upper levels. Otherwise, the interior of the ballpark is largely devoid of any views of the surrounding area, though there is not much to see in this part of the South Side of Chicago. The exterior of The Cell is huge and imposing, but rather bland and featureless, though the tribute to the 2005 World Series season adds some needed flavor. While the scoreboard and fireworks after a White Sox home run are a treat, the loud music and incessant pleas to "Make some noise" could be toned down.

Additional Comments: US Cellular Field will never much praise, but it is better than its reputation indicates provided you score some field level seats. The renovations have given some life and character to a ballpark sorely in need of it, but not much can be done about the bad upper deck and blandness that permeates the park.

 Submitted By: Marcos Grade: A
Pros of the ballpark: This is a very beautiful ballpark. The grass on the field is top notch. The Scoreboards are the best I've seen. The Parking was $12.00 1 block from the Stadium at a hotdog joint (gotta negotiate) The atmosphere is always high in the beginning with the AC/DC. The Fans boo and cheer when the team deserves but they always cheer for every home team player. The night games are amazing. The lights are nice and the firework shows + Fireworks for home homers are cool. The Soundtrack amazed me, I heard country, hip hop, rock , regatta, salsa, Nu Metal. The food is good. We received free Calendars and a Mark Buerhle Perfect Game Poster. overall just a great place to watch a team play. FRIENDLY
Cons of the ballpark: Okay I will be blunt.. the bars are nice, the Grandstand is a nice play to look at baseball merchandise but if you walk 2 blocks east you will find yourself in the ghetto... literally. Which i don't have a problem with but unlike the north side the South Side is not completely gentrified so if you don't know what your doing, you can get into trouble. So don't think just because you've come from a Sox game your special cause your not. The South Side of Chicago is not a joke!
Additional Comments: Great Ballpark, Great Atmosphere, Great City, Great Fans. Team is getting back to their place

 Submitted By: Pat Grade: A
Pros of the ballpark: Here's a run down of some quick pros.
Atmosphere- Before, During, and after the game the atmosphere is really really good. Thunderstruck by AC/DC is always played before the start of the game which pumps up the fans. Fans are always cheering for the sox, and there is really no hostility towards opposing teams that I have seen. Fireworks go off after a white sox player hits a home run and after they win. Also every friday night game, after the game there is a fireworks show.
Scoreboard- Best scoreboard I have seen out of any field in the MLB.
Food- Almost all the food is amazing. The brats and sausage are really good as well as the pizza.
Seating- Every spot except for maybe the top corner of the upper deck is great. Outfield is good, upper box is good, lower box is really good, and the club seats (2nd level) are AMAZING. I got to sit there one time out of the many that I have gone and it was simply perfect.
Cons of the ballpark: There really is not anything wrong with the stadium. Maybe the fact that if you have upper deck seats you cant go below, but that's a very minor one.
Additional Comments: If you want to see a game with amazing atmosphere this is the stadium for you. I have see quite a few games here and they have all been GREAT! Especially the sox vs cubs games, it has the feel of a yankees vs red sox game. SEE A GAME AT US CELLULAR!

 Submitted By: Richard Santiago Grade: A
Pros of the ballpark: The ambiance and the fans. The white sox recently won a world series, so they were fired up. The introduction of players as they got on the field was awesome. The seventh inning stretch was also cool. And the fans were very nice to me.
Cons of the ballpark: No much. Though when I was there, Yankee Stadium was mentioned and the crowd booed. This offended me as a died hard Yankees fan. Also, the urinals in the bathroom were very low to the ground and looked like toilets, with no privacy. The location of the ballpark wasn't the best. I was on vacation from NY, so I thought I would walk there from Chinatown, to shop and sightsee. That turned out to be a mistake There is nothing to do out in south Chicago.
Additional Comments: Don't know which Chicago ballpark I like better, but it seems to me that Sox fans are more intence than Cubs fans.

 Submitted By: Kevin Barnacle Grade: A
Pros of the ballpark: Since the renovations made to this ballpark, the ballpark actually looks like a true baseball park. There's so much you can do here. The FUNdamentals Deck in left field, if you have children I suggest taking them there. there's the Fan deck in center field. The bullpen sports bar in right field. The Atmosphere is great as well. Just about every seat in the house is a good view. The food here is really great. I suggest getting either a hot dog or a bratwurst. Fireworks will go off every time a Sox player hits a homerun or when the Sox win the game. Every few games or so the park will have a fireworks display at the end of the game. When White Sox players are introduced the song Thunderstruck by AC/DC will play, it is an great song for a baseball game. It gets the fans charged up before the game begins. The cell's scoreboard is probably the best scoreboard in the MLB with its pinwheels lighting up with the fireworks as well. The ballpark is just a great experience. Like I said before you have to get the concessions here, its delicious. Also you'll have to see Home plate of the former Comiskey Park across 35th Street from the park. The foul lines of the former park stand out in the parking lot.
Cons of the ballpark: The upper deck seating is probably the main downside to this park. Even though in the 2003 off-season where the Park took off about 8 rows of 6,600 seats, the upper deck is still steep. I still have concerns about the surrounding area around the park with the bad neighborhood. I've heard rumors that the area has improved over the past years, but im sure it can still get a little rough if your not careful, but I rather walk around Comiskey then Turner Field in Atlanta. Turner Field's area is little bit worse then Comiskey.
Additional Comments: I've only been to the cell 2 times. Once on August 7th 2004 with White playing the Indians. The Indians won this game I believe 2-1 or 3-2. In the first game I sat in section 111 on the 1st base side. I almost caught a foul ball. A man in front of me caught it, but unfortunately for him the ball hit his ear and had to leave the game for a little bit. The second time I went was a game in late July of 06 when the sox took on the Rangers. The sox also lost this game as well. I sat in right center field in section 103. The section is right next to the Visitors Bullpen. This was still good seat to view the game.

 Submitted By: Ryan McNeil Neal Grade: B
Pros of the ballpark: I always give big marks to a park that's accessible by public transit, and in that respect "The Cell" comes through big. I really like the work the team has put into improving the inner stadium. That upper deck overhang echoes the one in Yankee Stadium without outright copying it, and the green seats are a vast improvement over the original blues. The kosher beef dog with sauteed onions is one the best tasting snacks I've had at a ballpark. The concourses are clean and you can get all the way around the park while still keeping a pretty good view of what's happening on the field. The statues in centre are a nice touch, as is the ivy covering the batter's eye. Some things are becoming standard in every park - ribbon video boards on the tier facings, statues of all-time greats, etc, but they still make for a nice touch. I also like the idea of varying up the vantage points - by letting fans watch from the top of the batter's eye and just beyond the chain-link right field fence.
Cons of the ballpark: The exterior architecture is pretty damned boring (mostly uninspired glass and cement). While it didn't affect me, I also found it a tad strict that upper-bowl ticket holders aren't allowed down below. As if that isn't bad enough, the ramps that you have to walk to get up there/back down seem endless. The park could do with an escalator or two. I've heard stories of the neighborhood being sketchy...to me it didn't seem sketchy, just dead. The upper deck seemed a bit high, but certainly no worse than that of Yankee Stadium, Jacob's Field, or The Rogers Centre. The pep-squad that tries to get the crowd worked up is a bit of overkill as well.
Additional Comments: Some think Chicago is all about Wrigley, but I'll take the South Side any day. Watching a game in this park is as fun as any other modern stadium out there. "The Cell" had the bad luck to be the last park designed before the retro boom, but in many ways that's not such a bad thing. I like that management decided to make efforts to re-think the park rather than let it rot into obscurity. A championship banner a mere two seasons old never hurts the ballpark experience either.

 Submitted By: Harlin S. Neal Grade: A
Pros of the ballpark: Since the renovations to this ballpark, I must say the White Sox did an EXCELLENT job in improving what was once an oft-maligned park.  Please understand that when Oriole Park at Camden Yards in Baltimore first opened, new Comiskey Park instantly turned from a modern baseball facility in a lot of people's eyes to an obsolete monstrosity because it wasn't built to look retro.  Since the top 8 rows of the original upper deck have been shaved off, new seats and other amenities have been added, and more emphasis has been placed on the history and tradition of the White Sox, U.S. Cellular Field, or "The Cell" as we Sox fans like to call it, has done a "180" in presenting a great baseball experience.  Granted, it's also great when the home team wins its first World Series title in 88 years.  Still, the ballpark deserves an "A" in my book, and it can only get better.
Cons of the ballpark: As of now (5/8/06), not all the kelly-green seats have been installed in the ballpark.  The entire ballpark was supposed to have green seats in it by Opening Day 2006, but only the entire upper deck, club level, and lower level from dugout to dugout are green instead of blue.  No matter...everything else is just GREAT!!!!!  And the Sox say that by 2007, all the renovation work will be completely finished.
Additional Comments: At first, U.S. Cellular Field was scorned for not starting with or following the "retro" trend in ballpark design.  But now, it seems like the place may end up being more respected for doing just that.  With so many new ballparks opening with a "Camden Yards-like" design, it's almost as if we're reliving the cookie-cutter mega-stadium trend of the 1960's and 1970's.  "The Cell" does have somewhat of a retro look with a new roof and other amenities that remind fans of old Comiskey Park (including a granite "home plate" from the old Comiskey Park in the parking lot immediately north of the Cell that was there since the new park was built), and fans both young and old will definitely appreciate this place.  Don't believe the hype from other places about how "bad" this park, or the surrounding neighborhood is.  Come visit U.S. Cellular Field...you'll be glad you did.

 Submitted By: Bart Simpsons D.B Grade: A
Pros of the ballpark: When you first get to U.S cellular u think wow! When you arrive there you see this stadium and get to like it fast because of its modern structure. I had upper level seats and you will be thinking "man I won't see anything up there" but the seats were amazing. You could see everything and they aren't the worst views. If you get to sit in the upper level you are lucky because you get to see the beautiful view of the Chicago Skyline. The concession stands were also great because if you try to find one you'll find one immediately. There are also great ticket prices for the games, for example half price Mondays, you can get lower reserved and any other seat half price" What a deal!" There are also many other deals like dollar hot dog Thursdays, Pepsi 2 for one tickets, and Wednesdays win a free jersey. There are many more. The fireworks were also amazing especially if someone hits a homerun like Paul Konerko. Transportation is also amazing because there is a highway next to the park and there is a train nearby.
Cons of the ballpark: Since Chicago has one of the worst traffic in the u.s traffic was an issue. The park is also located in a kind of a bad neighborhood but the people there are actually nice. The bathrooms were nasty because the urinals you had to use were sticking out and you would feel ashamed if someone sees you lol.
Additional Comments: Fans were amazing true sox fans. The park keeps you entertained like the 7th inning stretch. When you enter the park you get to see history of the whitesox players. Everything was great, this is truly the best ballbark ever!

 Submitted By: David Reich Grade: A
Pros of the ballpark: Everything. The fans are great, the field looks great, and the experience at every game is great. The tickets are not too much. Yo can sit in the lower level infield for $45! If you don't care where you sit you can have outfield seat in the lower level for just $27. The parking lots are surrounding the field so it is easy to get from the car and into your seat. The fans there never do anything bad. In fact I have some really nice conversations with some in my section. I sit in section 110. I have season tickets there. That is three sections away from the right field foul pole down the first baseline. I can see the infield and the outfield completely with no obstructions. The seats are not too small. The food is very good. I had never gotten sick there because I ate something that did not agree with me. Last but not least the people who work at the field are great. I can go to the dugout to try to get autographs, take a picture behind home plate, or just walk around the concourse. The ushers are not mean at all. I have heard complaints that Wrigley Field ushers don't let you do anything. Not true here. The only thing is they don't want you taking someone else's seat. In my opinion the people who work at the field and for the White Sox care more about the fan than the dollar. Nothing beats that.
Cons of the ballpark: The Upper Deck is high and you cannot walk to the lower levels if you have an Upper Deck seat.
Additional Comments: Best field ever. Very fan and family oriented. It is the fan that matters not so much the money. Go Sox!

 Submitted By: LaMarques Carter Grade: A
Pros of the ballpark: This park just keeps getting better and better. This park has gotten a lot of bad vibes over the years, but where are the positives?! It's more fan friendly now! Kids can test their skills in the fundamentals deck, the fan deck gives fans a beautiful panoramic view at center field, the audio system is sounds a lot better, the firework shows are entertaining, the design itself is wonderful, the roof gives the stadium that classic look and makes the stadium seem a bit louder than before, and we're getting green seats in the lower and upper decks. Let's not forget, THE WHITE SOX WON THE WORLD SERIES!! I still love this ballpark because of the growing quality which just gets a lot better year after year. This stadium is one of the only few in baseball with a Hall of Fame worthy enough to emulate Cooperstown. This park beats Wrigley Field by a landslide in every category in the book, especially cleaner bathrooms.
Cons of the ballpark: Maybe Wrigley Field will draw more fans because, after all, it is a tourist attraction, but what's NOT to love about U.S. Cellular Field? Please don't bring up the upper deck because that is much improved. Don't mention transportation because there are many options. Someone please give me a good reason why U.S. Cellular Field would be one of the worst parks to go to. Please.
Additional Comments: I've always loved this ballpark. At times, before the renovations, I thought it could be improved, and has it ever improved. Maybe it doesn't have the rich traditions like Fenway Park or Yankee Stadium. Maybe it wasn't hot at the time like Jacobs Field or Camden Yards. Maybe it doesn't have a roof like Safeco Field or Minute Maid Park. U.S. Cellular Field is a magnificent ballpark to catch a game, the World Series champs play there, and it's much more fun and inviting that that dump site called Wrigley Field.

 Submitted By: Antonio Angeloff Grade: A
Pros of the ballpark: Oh man critics of this ballpark got to shut up and eat a hot dog, this ballpark is beautiful!  I visited it in 2003 and they've made some ugly changes this year but I'll descibe to you my 2003 experience.  The ballpark debuted in 1991 and received horrible reviews after Camden yards was completed in 1992.  But I must ask why?  New Comiskey Park has a beautiful and symmetrical style and is one of a kind.  numerous suites, club level seats, and a restuarant near the right field foul pole.  The blue seats blend in perfectly to the grey outline of the overhangs and the blue outline of the field (which is now black and looks awful!).  a lot of concession stands and heaters in the club levels and lower deck to keep you warm for those April games.
Cons of the ballpark: Now in 2004, the park looks horrendous.  The grey overhang which covered about 5 rows of the upper deck has been removed along with 8 rows of seats.  Replacing the overhang is an older style overhang similar to the previous one they had in Yankee Stadium.  Only one problem, they decided to paint it black?  Did Al Davis and the Raider Nation have same say in this?  The outfield walls and the outline of the field are now black too!  It looks awful! And wouldn't you know, more renovations are to come.  I think the commission that runs "U.S Cellular Field" ought to huddle up in the dugout and make plans to restore the stadium to its natural glory it had in 1991! And for crying out loud, change the name back to Comiskey Park!
Additional Comments: Their hot dogs were pretty good, if you want to drink a beer and shoot a breeze with local Chicagoans, go to center field on the "fan deck".

 Submitted By: A Great Fan Grade: A
Pros of the ballpark: Alot of parking, Comiskey has the BEST SCOREBOARD in the MLB. The exterior facade is great with arched windows. The 2002 renovations are really great.
Cons of the ballpark: Nothing around the park except for parking lots.
Additional Comments: TO MAKE PARK BETTER: Delete sections 552-558 of the upperdeck (no one sits there anyway), so you can see the great Chicago skyline from the left field concourse. They should make the roof like Busch Staduim with archways so the park feels more open. Then the Sox should make a homerun porch in right field. Take down the advertising billboards in left field so you can see the ITT building from the grandstand. Then make the wall brick behind the catcher so comiskey looks more appealing on TV. They should teardown the ramps on the outside and start all over, make them smaller put more stairs and escalators in make facade on the ramps nicer. Complete Bill Veeck drive to 37 street. Make a White sox Museum were Old Comiskey was. Put a statue of Bill Veeck on the Corner of the 35 and Veeck drive. Put in restaurants, apartments, and shops where the parking lots are now and the make Parking garages near by. Jerry Reisndorf should do this if he wants to bring back the fans.

 Submitted By: Dan Paynter Grade: C
Pros of the ballpark: It was a brand spanking new ballpark at the time of my visit. It had good sight lines and you can walk all the way around the park to check out all of the various seating areas. The foods were the usual ballpark foods and it didn't have much variety at the time (1992). Basically, this was a "New" version of the Old Comiskey park. I think that's what they set out to build and that's what they got.
Cons of the ballpark:The upper deck is truly nosebleed high. If you are at all afraid of heights, do not purchase tickets in the upper deck. My main complaint was the bathrooms. Who designed these things? The neighborhood it's located in looked a little suspect and there was minimal parking. I think we parked at a church parking lot for $8.
Additional Comments: If you are visiting a park looking for the something new or interesting in a baseball park, I doubt you'll find it here. If you want to watch a baseball game in comfort and see a good team, then New Comiskey is for you.

 Submitted By: Jeff Nix Grade: F
Pros of the ballpark: I liked the history murals on the inside of the stadium, and the landscaping is nice in the parking lot.
Cons of the ballpark: Anytime someone has to mention the parking lot landscaping as a pro for a stadium you should know something's wrong.  Outrageous price ($24) for a upper deck seat.  The worst part is if you enter from across the street (as I did) you feel like you are entering a Castle surrounded by a moat and not a ballpark.  Sounds like a neat idea, but it sucks if you have upper deck seats because you can't venture down to the lower level to get a feel for the stadium.
Additional Comments: After the game I was trying to take pictures and the usher were very rude and would not let me out even in the upper deck, which is were my seat was located, to take a different angled picture.  I had to sneak behind a man in a wheelchair and his family to get out to the walkway in centerfield after the game as he was trying to get to a ramp.  To quote The Simpsons, "Worst modern era stadium EVER."

 Submitted By: Mike F. Grade: A
Pros of the ballpark: Opening Day 2004. There has been a lot of criticism of the upper deck since the park opened. This year the critics will find something else to complain about. They removed the last eight rows of the very steep top section. They also covered the area with a ornate iron canopy that covers the last 13 rows. Although the upper deck is still steep the upper deck now has more of an enclosed feel.
Although it is improved I would advise anyone who is not in the first ten rows of the upper deck to take advantage of the 20,000+ seats with great sight lines at various prices in the lower sections of the park.
I live in Oregon and have attended games here in the past with positive experiences however I can now say after 13 seasons and a name change they finally have the park looking FANTASTIC. The concrete and metal look and feel is gone. By using softer gray tones in paint and using decorative iron works throughout the park in signage they have created a great new retro look that is a big improvement. There is a new area with seating and a bar area in Center Field that looked pretty cool but was way to crowded on Opening Day. The concourse that circles the park is probably 50 feet wide and allows the  crowd to easily move around the concession areas. There are also numerous TV's so you see the game while you are waiting in line.
Cons of the ballpark: They have this area that has a lot of cool sports memorabilia called the Bullpen Sports bar. They serve alcohol and food. In any other bar/restaurant or Sports Bar in the city you can take kids for some reason they don't allow anyone under 21.Kids are allowed in the Private Stadium Club Sports Bar upstairs. Although the scoreboard looks new they could use a little more imagination in how they use the graphics. They are still using some of the same images from four years ago.
Additional Comments: Being from out of town I was surprised to see that the White Sox have almost as many off price promotions as my Triple A team. Half Price Mondays and Tuesdays on all tickets. Sunday kids 13 and under tickets a buck. Dollar Hotdogs on Thursday. Hey,I know it is not Wrigley Field but it looks like these guys are trying.

 Submitted By: Shoeless Jeff Grade: B
Pros of the ballpark: While definitely not an improvement over it's predecessor - Comiskey Park I, the greatest baseball stadium in the history of baseball (I'm dead serious), the White Sox have made big strides in the last two years and have just announced another. It looks as if one of my big wishes for Comiskular park has just been fulfilled - green seating. This, the new canopy ('04), the improved fan deck ('03), and the always superior sound and visuals have made our park - all of the sudden - a very enjoyable place to see our beloved chisox. Another big plus is the fans - unlike Cub fans White Sox fans actually watch the game and understand what's happening on the field. The pre-game intro is the best in baseball, and the park is overall - parking & all - very convenient. That convenience comes at a price though (read on) . . .
Cons of the ballpark: The Cell is an island unto itself! The property is like Disneyland - there's an attraction surrounded by an ocean of concrete (parking lot). What others have said is true - Chicago has a spectacular downtown skyline and the clueless designers of this park really dropped the ball in not taking advantage of it. Oh, you can enjoy the skyline from the gerbil-trail ramps as you exit, but not while you watch a game. Also, so much of the seating in the park is so far from the playing field. FACT: if you're sitting in the FRONT ROW of the U.S. Cell upper deck, you are sitting FARTHER AWAY from the playing field than if you were sitting in the BACK ROW of the old Comiskey upper deck. Again though, big strides have been made in the last few years. I'm no longer the U.S. Cell hater I had been - and I've been to more games in the last few years as a result.
Additional Comments: It's not perfect, but if you're from out of town and decide to take in a game you will not be disappointed in U.S. Cellular Field. It only gets a bad rap from White Sox fans because most of us were raised going to games at old Comiskey Park, and any other stadium would pale in comparison. So, come on out. Enjoy U.S. Cellular Field as you watch the White Sox batter your team's pitching staff and take the AL central back from the Twinkies.

 Submitted By: Lamarx Grade: A
Pros of the ballpark: Unbelievable! U.S. Cellular Field is better than ever! I went for a game at the White Sox home opener, and the exterior of the ballpark just took me away. I was amazed by it's looks. The roof looks a lot better than the old one, and the interior is nicely done! The atmosphere was still great. The park was packed, and the fans were rockin! The audio system has improved, too. The upper deck (yeah, where lots of us hate to sit) is improved. With the top eight rows gone, it doesn't seem so high up there. The upper deck wasn't really a bad place to sit, but with the renovations, the upper deck is a lot better. The roof is a great idea for the weather, and it also helps keep the noise inside the stadium. I love the translucent walls in the upper deck concourse. The fan deck is a lot better (I love the fan deck). It was a great day for a game (and the Sox won, too).
Cons of the ballpark: I'd still like to see some green seats next year, and I'd like to see some shops and some bars around the park sometime soon. Other than that, I don't have a problem with the ballpark.
Additional Comments: Okay, maybe U.S. Cellular Field is no Camden Yards or Jacobs Field, but it isn't a Wrigley Field either (Wrigley Field is a dump, and it is the worst ballpark I've ever been to). U.S. Cellular Field has not only improved its looks on the inside and outside, but the fans seem to enjoy it. Maybe if the White Sox keep winning, more fans will enjoy the ballpark as the season goes on.

 Submitted By: Chicago Fan Grade: A
Pros of the ballpark: Opening Day 2005 Sox vs. Trive was great.  I was very impressed with the new renovations and the ballpark.  The changes US Cellular has undergone over the years are very underrated.  The ballpark was alive from the moment i got there.  Plenty of tailgating pre-game, live music outside the stadium, fresh dogs and sausages grilling up.  The stadium is very clean and very aesthetically pleasing.  The new fundamentals deck in left adds a nice little dimension to the park.  The scout seats also look very good and give the park more unique aspects.  The move to green seats is also very appealing. The one thing I enjoyed was the fans.  I sat in the middle of the Upper Deck with everyone else and had a blast.  Sox fans love their team and love being vocal about it.  From families with kids, to young people, to couple, and everyone in between sox fans are a nice mix.  The fans around me were very nice to talk to. A young quite couple who defiantly knew their baseball and sox.  They talked with me about players, off-season moves, spring training, and minor leaguers.  I had a blast.
Cons of the ballpark: Not a big fan of walking down exterior looping ramps from the upper deck.  Its such a long walk, if you can the escalator up, why not down?  Food is very good and with good variety but a little pricey.  Parking is a little pricey as well, should be $10 but it was $16 i think.
Additional Comments: I found it a little strange so many people badmouth the neighborhood around US Cellular.  Bridgeport is a nice classical Chicago middle class area.  We walked around 31st, 33rd, Wallace, and Sheilds before the game and saw numerous new houses and condos going for around $500k or more.  Granted across the highway is not a nice area but the Bridgeport area, while not trendy and electric, has a very nice Chicagoan feel to it.  Its defiantly underrated.  Also cheap pre-game eats, definably head to Maxwell St Polish stand on 31st & Normal!!

 Submitted By: Joe Nach Grade: B
Pros of the ballpark: Great sight lines and the lower deck is one of the best there is.  Bullpen sports bar in right is open before, after, and during games.  New renovation for 2003 make stadium great.  New scoreboard, new fan deck in center, new ribbon video boards, new paint scheme.  Great food one of the best.  Club level is like your at a Ritz Carlton.  Concourses were redesigned and look great, retro like.  Good parking and access to red line.
Cons of the ballpark= Upper deck way to steep and way to far from the action.  There is no overhang of the deck to bring fans closer.  The entrances to the upper deck are at the bottom. WHY???  Tickets prices have gone up while attendance has gone down.  The tickets in the upper deck should be $5 everyday to make up for the mistake.
Additional Comments: This stadium get a B instead of an A because of Jerry Reinsdorf. In 1989 and 1990 when approached by HOK to build this stadium he declined on the design exactly like Camden Yards.  HE didn't want to pay for a great stadium, all he wanted was a large capacity and two levels of sky boxes.  Well that's what he got a cheap 1970's bowl shaped design and the better design was sold to the Baltimore orioles the next year.  And the rest is history.  Way to go Jerry I want you to admit you were wrong.

 Submitted By: Anthony Lorenzo Grade: B
Pros of the ballpark: There were a ton of improvements made to US Cellular Field this offseason to get ready for the All-Star game and make the stadium a better place to watch a ballgame. The Fan Deck in center field is one of the best places in America to watch the game from.  It feels like your part of the action.  The concourse on the field level goes all the way around the stadium which is great when you want to walk off that BBQ Pork sandwich.
Cons of the ballpark= US Cellular Field has almost half of its' seats in the upper deck which is at too high of an incline.  You feel like your going to fall over.
Additional Comments: My friend and I had Upper Deck tickets and wanted to take some pictures before the game from the field level.  This is no longer allowed at US Cellular Field due to the two incidents that occurred over the past calendar year.  My friend and I went to Guest Services and explained our situation to James, the head guest service employee.  After hearing our story, we are New Yorkers touring the Ballparks, he upgraded our tickets to Club Seats with waiter service.  James did not have to do that for two New Yorkers, but his generosity and friendliness will be something I never forget.

 Submitted By: Harlin S. Neal Grade: C
Pros of the ballpark: The newly-renovated lower bowl section and concourses are excellent. There are some interesting nooks and crannies in those areas that would draw fans to the place.
Cons of the ballpark: That god-awful upper deck. That deck has to either be completely torn down or seriously trimmed. I personally have a few suggestions to improve that place...and the upper deck is the biggest albatross that ballpark has. That's the biggest reason why fans don't want to go to Comiskey Park, and the attendance is down.
Additional Comments: Here's what can happen. Cut off the top 8-10 rows of seats in the upper deck...no one wants to sit up there anyway. You can also eliminate sections 506-509 and 555-558 totally. With all those seats, you can make home run porches above the reserved seats in the outfield. Or, just make one porch over the right field seats. Also, turn those chairs from that ugly blue to a more traditional green...make that place feel more like a baseball park instead of a monstrosity. An old-time roof over parts of the upper deck would also be good. I don't have enough time nor space to further write on how I'd improve Comiskey Park. I love the White Sox, and I'm sick and tired of them playing in the crappy play they're in. Jerry Reinsdorf can take the blame for this joint...HOK wanted to give him a Camden Yards style ballpark, but he didn't want it. Instead, he only wanted a plain-jane stadium with 2 levels of luxury boxes. Well, he got what he wanted, and it'll cost him more to replace the dump than it did to build it. He got politicians to twist arms in the Illinois state capital to either build him a new stadium, or he'd move the White Sox to Florida. He got his place, and it simply stinks. Well, that's it. This isn't the first time a White Sox fan complained about Comiskey Park, and until it's improved, it won't be the last. Simply put, Comiskey Park is a monstrosity, and it'll constantly be ignored when it comes to the new trend in building retro-looking baseball parks. Or better yet, it'll be referred to the place none of the newer places want to look like.

 Submitted By: Lamarx Grade: A
Pros of the ballpark: The renovations this park has been through. The new designs are great, and I really love the fan deck. The season before last, I came into this park and felt almost nothing. The first game I went to last season was against Minnesota.. I was a lot more excited. To make it a great evening, Frank Thomas hit a walk-off home run. What I love about U.S. Cellular is the fans. The crowd really knows how to get into the game, and it's nice to see a lot of Sox fans know baseball. The lower deck reserved seats are the best seats in my opinion. I love the firework shows.
Cons of the ballpark: The upper deck. I've been there three times (even the highest seat in the house). The view isn't really that bad. There is a nice view of the lake; however, that's all there is to see. I felt like I was away from the game (needless to say the Sox lost that game, and they only lose when I visit the upper deck). They're taking the top eight rows down because of the steepness, and it will actually look more interesting when it's done.
Additional Comments: U.S. Cellular Field isn't a bad park to visit. Maybe if Reinsdorf was more of a shrewd businessman, he would've found a way to get fans into the park a long time ago. It would be nice to see bars around the park. As far as the renovations go, I think the park will look great after part of the upper deck is gone. I think the new look would help make U.S. Cellular Field a better place to catch a game.

 Submitted By: Brian Lee Grade: A
Pros of the ballpark: AUGUST 2004.
I love the renovations they did to this park since it opened. The look of the park has improved 100%.Gone is the suburban/cookie cutter/football stadium look. It now has that old Comiskey Park feel to it. This park has the best sight lines. The Fan Deck in center field is the best place to watch a game. The new roof and the smaller upper deck is a great improvement. The Bullpen Sports Bar in right field is a fun place(21&over) with it's outdoor seating behind the right field fence and it's outside patio above the bar. The food is the best in baseball with its wide variety of anything you have a taste for. The wide concourses make it easy to get around. The Club Level concourse is like walking through a 5 star hotel lobby with its comfortable chairs & couches, wood tables, carpeted floors & the HDTV flat screen tv monitors. Also, hey allow tailgating in the parking lots 2 hours before game time which is loved by all Sox fans. The exterior of the park is breathtaking with its old-Comiskey look.
Cons of the ballpark: The only thing I could say is that the way the park is facing, you don't get to see the world-class Chicago skyline view.
Additional Comments: In 2005...
The Fundamentals area will be located above the left field stands and accessible from all levels of the park. This is a great idea and a will look good. They will replace those awful looking blue seats with green seats in 2005.Also,a Scout-Seating area will be replacing the umpires tunnel behind home plate.

 Submitted By: Jody Ezernack Grade: B
Pros of the ballpark: Not a bad seat in the house.  With unobstructed sight lines and plenty of aisles this is a great place to watch baseball.  Easy access to I-90\94 and I-55 as well as the CTA Red Line and Green Line elevated trains.
Cons of the ballpark: The alignment of the stadium is flawed with the outfield facing away from the skyline of Chicago.  From the ramp to exit the stadium on the north end of the park one begins to question why that view was not incorporated into the layout of the ballpark.
Additional Comments: Parking lots are generally full of tailgaters before games who often return to their cars to finish the beer before exiting the lot.  Great place to watch baseball, but not the same social atmosphere of Wrigley.  Cheapest beer and food prices I have seen anywhere.  Neighborhood is quickly becoming hip and the scheduled demolition of nearby housing projects will only improve things.

 Submitted By: Bguy Grade: B
Pros of the ballpark: They have made this so much better than recent years. The Fan Deck in Center Field. The Food is the best out of any other park I have been to. Its easy to get there and get out.
Cons of the ballpark: As a Cub fan, I hate the white sox. I dont like this field very much. Its an advertisement where a baseball game is being played. As much as I dont get along with sox fans, I must say they are the best, most enthusiastic fans I have ever seen. If you wear the opposing teams or cubs apparel, they will let you know it. Too much flashing lights and sounds, its distracting. Change the name back to Comiskey. Chicagoans hate "the cell".
Additional Comments: They have begun to clean up the neighborhood of Bridgeport around the park. You can now walk one or two blocks west and see an area similar to wrigleyville with bars and restaurants and decent houses. walk any farther and if your out of town, it wont be very welcoming at all. dont even cross the Dan Ryan. I dont like this park or their fans but they have made improvements and their fans are at least into it.

 

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