TSN's article on stadium rankings

[BluegrassRedleg]

They have GABP #25 and worst of all the recently-built parks. I can't possibly believe that. I know it's not a Top 10 place, but there's an awful lot to like about it. Personally, I don't think there are too many better views from the upper level looking out beyond the outfield. I've seen places like the new Busch, Comerica and Turner Field. They aren't better than GABP.

For the record, here was the top and bottom five:

1. Fenway
2. PNC
3. Wrigley
4. Camden
5. AT&T

26. Rogers Center
27. Oakland-Alameda
28. Land Shark
29. Metrodome
30. Tropicana

[redsfanmia]

There is nothing special about GABP and honestly its John Allen and Carl Linder's legacy for being a horrible executive and a cheapskate owner. The most important thing about GABP was that it came in under budget.

[steig]

GABP just looks tacky to me, the steam boat and pipe just don't impress me. GABP is certainly no where close to PNC park, but then again the Pirates make trips to PNC rather bad if you support the home team.

[sivman17]

i know there is so much "history" at wrigley (except any world series wins), but that place is a dump. i have been there multiple times and there is nothing special about it. it's a cool place to go to say that you have been there, but it is nasty. everyone has to leave out of one small door so it takes about 30 minutes to leave, there are massive columns that may impede your view, the fans are all drunks. definitely not deserving of 3. i wouldn't take these rankings too seriously. gabp is a great ballpark in my opinion and it's very fan friendly. $5 tickets, great view from any seat, easy to get to your seat no matter where you are, and it's relatively easy to leave even with big crowds

[BluegrassRedleg]

i know there is so much "history" at wrigley (except any world series wins), but that place is a dump. i have been there multiple times and there is nothing special about it. it's a cool place to go to say that you have been there, but it is nasty. everyone has to leave out of one small door so it takes about 30 minutes to leave, there are massive columns that may impede your view, the fans are all drunks. definitely not deserving of 3. i wouldn't take these rankings too seriously. gabp is a great ballpark in my opinion and it's very fan friendly. $5 tickets, great view from any seat, easy to get to your seat no matter where you are, and it's relatively easy to leave even with big crowds

Agree 100% The ivy and scoreboard are pretty cool, but there's nothing particularly nice about it. And the fans couldn't be any more clueless. When we went there a few years ago, they only stayed until last call and Sammy's last steroid-powered AB. It's not a baseball town like BOS or STL or CIN.

[redsfanmia]

Agree 100% The ivy and scoreboard are pretty cool, but there's nothing particularly nice about it. And the fans couldn't be any more clueless. When we went there a few years ago, they only stayed until last call and Sammy's last steroid-powered AB. It's not a baseball town like BOS or STL or CIN.

When you go to Wrigley its fun. They have a totally different atmosphere there than in GABP. At GABP if you are yelling at the players or booing or even cheering really loud you get dirty looks from nearly everyone. GABP is nice its just not charming and there is nothing special about it, its boring. The Reds dropped the ball on their new stadium IMO. The team is stuck with a boring bland stadium for the next 40 years, thanks for being cheap Uncle Carl.

[sivman17]

i just wished they had built it closer to the river and put fewer rows in right field so we could have splash hits like in San Fran. obviously it wouldn't have been original but i think everyone enjoys seeing a ball hit out of the park

[LouisvilleCARDS]

When you go to Wrigley its fun. They have a totally different atmosphere there than in GABP. At GABP if you are yelling at the players or booing or even cheering really loud you get dirty looks from nearly everyone. GABP is nice its just not charming and there is nothing special about it, its boring. The Reds dropped the ball on their new stadium IMO. The team is stuck with a boring bland stadium for the next 40 years, thanks for being cheap Uncle Carl.

Agreed. I can't argue with GABP being called the worst of the newly built ballparks. There looks to be nothing particularly special of interesting about it, its just like a standard barebones stadium it seems like.

Maybe some fans here are old enough to remember, I'm wayyy too young as it was gone about 13 years before I was even born, but Crosley Field looked a lot like got Wrigley Field is. It had that old school feel of baseball.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/1/18/CrosleyField1968.jpg

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/5/5a/CrosleyField1970.jpg

Anyone else think it would have been cool to make an updated model of this park design?

[FlyerFanatic]

Anyone else think it would have been cool to make an updated model of this park design?

that would be awesome. definitely!

[Captain Hook]

i know there is so much "history" at wrigley (except any world series wins), but that place is a dump. i have been there multiple times and there is nothing special about it. it's a cool place to go to say that you have been there, but it is nasty. everyone has to leave out of one small door so it takes about 30 minutes to leave, there are massive columns that may impede your view, the fans are all drunks. definitely not deserving of 3. i wouldn't take these rankings too seriously. gabp is a great ballpark in my opinion and it's very fan friendly. $5 tickets, great view from any seat, easy to get to your seat no matter where you are, and it's relatively easy to leave even with big crowds

Why do you think they fill up GABP whenever the Cubs are in town?

[BluegrassRedleg]

:eek: at the foul ground at Crosley.

Very unique dugout positioning, too. I've never seen them where they're behind home plate like that.

[George Foster]

I have never seen so much foul territory...wow.

[mlh1981]

Why does every stadium have to face downtown? While I think that presents a nice backdrop, I don't mind the pastoral effect created by the backdrop of great american ballpark.

I like it there. It's nice, modern, clean, and easy to get around. I don't like how the first base seats have a different seating bowl arrangement than the third base ones, but...........whatever.

[BigPoppa]

On a related note, I'd love to see us hang 8 on the Cardinals by the 5th inning sometime. :beerme: :redszone:

[Newman4]

I think one of the reasons why GABP gets such low rating is because of PNC park. Two cities that are small markets, play in the same division and the ballparks built relatively in the same time frame. GABP gets compared to PNC and almost always comes up on the short end of the discussion. I like GABP personally, but would have still liked to see it more unique or more upscale. Too much white steel beams and tacky stuff like the steamboat, although it is an upgrade from the ridiculous big, black batter's eye. St. Louis and Philly have lots of brick which makes it look more upscale.

[Jack Burton]

Wrigley and Fenway are dumps.

[OesterPoster]

Agreed. Wrigley is nice for nostalgia, but it's a freaking dump. The seats are tight, views are obstructed all over the place, the climb to upper decks is stressful, no escalators, no elevators, concessions are small and overcrowded, and the restrooms are small and nasty. The bricks, ivy, riding the train, and the views are cool, but I think the place needs a major overhaul.

[nineworldseries]

I love GABP, and I don't see why everyone (outside of Cincy) constantly trashes it. It's everything one could ever want in a baseball stadium - clean, new, great sight lines, river views, convenient parking, the reds hall of fame (unrivaled in any other park) , great concessions, and not a bad seat in the house (have you ever sat out in no-man's land at Progressive? Give me the $5 seats a GABP any day).

Also, I just got back from a weekend at the Metrodome in Minneapolis, and I thought it was AWESOME. Why does this place get no respect either? The entire time I was there, I was loving seeing baseball in 70-degree air conditioning. Give me that over 102 degree heat and humidity in Cincy any day.

Finally, I visited Wrigley Field in May for the first time, and it is indeed a total piece of crap. If you enjoy getting completely tanked on Old Style, sitting in decrepit, cramped, obstructed view seats, wallowing in the 100-year old filth and grime encrusted everywhere, eating inedible food, and "swordfighting" with other dudes at the troughs, knock yourself out. I'll never go back.

[Boston Red]

I love Wrigley and Fenway for what they are, but living in Boston and getting to go to half a dozen games a year, I'd be just fine if they bulldozed Fenway. It's a very uncomfortabe place to go see a game (unless you're in the suites....which is VERY nice). Great for the tourists, but if you go more often I think you'd prefer more of the creature comforts of the new parks.

[BluegrassRedleg]

I love Wrigley and Fenway for what they are, but living in Boston and getting to go to half a dozen games a year, I'd be just fine if they bulldozed Fenway. It's a very uncomfortabe place to go see a game (unless you're in the suites....which is VERY nice). Great for the tourists, but if you go more often I think you'd prefer more of the creature comforts of the new parks.

One of the things they didn't do back when those parks were built was angle the seats specifically to the mound-plate area like they do now. I was shocked when I went to both Wrigley and Fenway that you have to sit kind of sideways in your seat or risk a crick in your neck if you actually want to watch the game.

[Boston Red]

My seats in the CF bleachers are aimed just left of first base.

Strangely, there is the same issue at Louisville's newish stadium. If you sit down the LF line, the seats are aimed at shallow CF.