Ghosts of 1990
05-23-2009, 12:03 PM
Ok, so I sat in the Diamond Seats last night. I wanna state that I used to think this was the best viewing experience in baseball from about 2003-2006, bar none.
Here's a picture of Grady Sizemore on deck before Coco Cordero struck him out in the 9th.
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_UYl4EeW8xVg/ShgGL4fqB3I/AAAAAAAAGDw/aYP2nQM2aoA/s400/redsgame.jpg
But I really want to raise some complaints about diamond seat tickets as someone who now sees the fan being slighted by the organization.
-First thing I noticed upon arrival: the restaurant now opens at 5:40. In the past, you were in the stadium before anyone else. Baseball has made it hard enough for fans to get into the stadium early to see some batting practice and interact with the players. This was one of the perks of Diamond Seats that made it that much extra special. I remember getting in aroudn 4:30 or 5:00 PM and being able to even see the Reds take BP. In the window to the tunnel in the restaurant I'd get to see every player walk past. By the time you get in the restaurant now, none of this. When asking the guard at the gate of the Diamond Club "why?" did they make this change, he just says "economy". Okay. So when the watch hits 5:40, let us in. Don't make us actually wait until 5:42. Yes, it's a big deal.
-Overall, the food choices have really dropped off. Sure, it's better and much healthier than typical ballpark food. But overall, it doesn't hold a candle to the QUALITY of stuff that was there when I'd go to the Diamond Club in 2003-2006. Salmon is replaced with trout. Everything is just a much lower quality such as salads, soup, desserts. It used to remind me of a 5-star restaurant. Now it's a high end sports bar. The meal no longer justifies the $210 ticket.
-In seat waiter service. This is a biggie. They used to come to the seat every inning, this is what they advertise. We saw the guy 2 or 3 times, max. Each time we ordered it took 2 innings for him to bring something back. This is because they've cut down on the amount of waiters working, I believe. This is really huge too. They probably figure they're saving a few hundred items every single night but can still advertise the same service they always have. In addition, the menu items are also real poor now. I remember hearing tell that they'd added Dippin Dots and Skyline to the Diamond Seats; something fans had fought to get there. In addition to that they had a menu of high quality stuff. Not anyone. Bottled water has been replaced with TAP water in a plastic cup! I couldn't believe it! No skyline anymore. No dippin dots. No big red smokeys. Just plain old regular items oh yea and Chicken fingers.
Bottom line of this all, don't spend the money right now on Diamond Seats folks. The only thing that they haven't shortchanged us on now is the view, which is tremendous. If they're going to change all of these things, they really need to change the price of the ticket. It is not fair to charge the same old $210 they always have when the experience has clearly dropped off. I guess I really realize it because I have not been since 2006 when it truly was awesome. Just felt like getting this all out here so some of my fellow Reds fans can know that it's truly not worth it, if your gonna spend big money to go to the park, buy the seats on the Reds dugout and go out to a nice dinner before the game. Don't give the Reds big money for Diamond Seats when they are doing their best to jip the man and not thinking of the most important thing, fan experience.
Here's a picture of Grady Sizemore on deck before Coco Cordero struck him out in the 9th.
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_UYl4EeW8xVg/ShgGL4fqB3I/AAAAAAAAGDw/aYP2nQM2aoA/s400/redsgame.jpg
But I really want to raise some complaints about diamond seat tickets as someone who now sees the fan being slighted by the organization.
-First thing I noticed upon arrival: the restaurant now opens at 5:40. In the past, you were in the stadium before anyone else. Baseball has made it hard enough for fans to get into the stadium early to see some batting practice and interact with the players. This was one of the perks of Diamond Seats that made it that much extra special. I remember getting in aroudn 4:30 or 5:00 PM and being able to even see the Reds take BP. In the window to the tunnel in the restaurant I'd get to see every player walk past. By the time you get in the restaurant now, none of this. When asking the guard at the gate of the Diamond Club "why?" did they make this change, he just says "economy". Okay. So when the watch hits 5:40, let us in. Don't make us actually wait until 5:42. Yes, it's a big deal.
-Overall, the food choices have really dropped off. Sure, it's better and much healthier than typical ballpark food. But overall, it doesn't hold a candle to the QUALITY of stuff that was there when I'd go to the Diamond Club in 2003-2006. Salmon is replaced with trout. Everything is just a much lower quality such as salads, soup, desserts. It used to remind me of a 5-star restaurant. Now it's a high end sports bar. The meal no longer justifies the $210 ticket.
-In seat waiter service. This is a biggie. They used to come to the seat every inning, this is what they advertise. We saw the guy 2 or 3 times, max. Each time we ordered it took 2 innings for him to bring something back. This is because they've cut down on the amount of waiters working, I believe. This is really huge too. They probably figure they're saving a few hundred items every single night but can still advertise the same service they always have. In addition, the menu items are also real poor now. I remember hearing tell that they'd added Dippin Dots and Skyline to the Diamond Seats; something fans had fought to get there. In addition to that they had a menu of high quality stuff. Not anyone. Bottled water has been replaced with TAP water in a plastic cup! I couldn't believe it! No skyline anymore. No dippin dots. No big red smokeys. Just plain old regular items oh yea and Chicken fingers.
Bottom line of this all, don't spend the money right now on Diamond Seats folks. The only thing that they haven't shortchanged us on now is the view, which is tremendous. If they're going to change all of these things, they really need to change the price of the ticket. It is not fair to charge the same old $210 they always have when the experience has clearly dropped off. I guess I really realize it because I have not been since 2006 when it truly was awesome. Just felt like getting this all out here so some of my fellow Reds fans can know that it's truly not worth it, if your gonna spend big money to go to the park, buy the seats on the Reds dugout and go out to a nice dinner before the game. Don't give the Reds big money for Diamond Seats when they are doing their best to jip the man and not thinking of the most important thing, fan experience.