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So I have always wondered which MLB stadium has the best design and looks the best to you, not necessarily the best stadium to watch a game but you can chime in with that as well. I am a traditionalist while I like Miller Park I don't love it. The outside resembles an older stadium but inside it resembles a modern steel structure. I prefer open air stadiums like Target Field and Oriole Park at Camden Yards. They actually consider Miller Park as one of the "modern-retro" stadiums along with Progressive Field, Angel Stadium, Chase Field, Safeco Field, Minute Maid Park, Great American Ball Park, Petco, Nationals Park, Target Field and of Course Camden Yards. Then there is a classification of Retro-Classic ball parks like PNC Park and Citizens Bank Park and many more. So while I prefer open air stadiums owners and well most fans prefer a roof in colder cities like Milwaukee. So many people in WI/IL/MN love the fact there is a roof so they know if they are planning a trip to watch the Twins in Milwaukee there will be a game. I wish the Brewers went with the first design of Miller Park to resemble Ebbets Field shown below:
To me, Fenway Park is what the others are trying to recreate. If you look at the new ballparks, most are desperately trying to arrive at that old time look and feel, with asymmetric dimensions and quirks.
So, for me, Fenway is the real deal and while you may not get all the bells and whistles of a new stadium, you get the authenticity of a true vintage ballpark. All of the other cities decided they needed to tear down their old parks and build new stadiums that from the 1950s to 1980s were these concrete, circular, astro-turf monstrosities. Then about 15 years ago they started feeling guilty and sorry for what they did and started to replace those cookie cutter parks with new parks that tried to recapture the old look and feel.
Fenway has been consistent for 100 years with some updates and renovations in the 1930s and recently.
To me, Fenway Park is what the others are trying to recreate. If you look at the new ballparks, most are desperately trying to arrive at that old time look and feel, with asymmetric dimensions and quirks.
So, for me, Fenway is the real deal and while you may not get all the bells and whistles of a new stadium, you get the authenticity of a true vintage ballpark. All of the other cities decided they needed to tear down their old parks and build new stadiums that from the 1950s to 1980s were these concrete, circular, astro-turf monstrosities. Then about 15 years ago they started feeling guilty and sorry for what they did and started to replace those cookie cutter parks with new parks that tried to recapture the old look and feel.
Fenway has been consistent for 100 years with some updates and renovations in the 1930s and recently.
Agree to a great extent though think some of the newer parks deliver on much of the older quality with great new amenities.
Camden Yards started this and some others have even made the experience better.
I am a softy for old parks an love Wrigley as well
Actually, it is Shibe Park (later known as Connie Mack Stadium) in Philadelphia that many newer ballparks are trying to copy because it was Shibe Park that Fenway Park, Wrigley Field, and a slew of classic ballparks imitated when they were built. When Shibe Park opened at the beginning of the 1909, it was the first ballpark built with steel and concrete in most of the ballpark. By the beginning of 1916, 14 of the 16 major league teams were playing in new or heavily remodeled steel and concrete ballparks.
Actually, it is Shibe Park (later known as Connie Mack Stadium) in Philadelphia that many newer ballparks are trying to copy because it was Shibe Park that Fenway Park, Wrigley Field, and a slew of classic ballparks imitated when they were built. When Shibe Park opened at the beginning of the 1909, it was the first ballpark built with steel and concrete in most of the ballpark. By the beginning of 1916, 14 of the 16 major league teams were playing in new or heavily remodeled steel and concrete ballparks.
I spent many a day at Shibe Park, when it was known as Connie Mack Stadium. It was a really nice facility, as long as you weren't sitting behind one of the few dozen steel beams holding up the roof and upper deck.
Ballparks have to meet very different architectural and design criteria, both inside and out, depending on whether it can be viewed from a distance (in the middle of a parking lot) or if they are cramped into an inner city block (Houston, Detroit, etc.).
I was in Cincinnati yesterday at Great American Ball Park and I have come to realize that I like the city of Cincy a lot and I really love that ballpark but like I stated in the past I love open air stadiums with the tiers in the back of the stadium and single level of outfield bleachers. I was really disappointed in a ton of the Reds fans who attended the game got their Joey Votto bobble-head and turned right around and went home to watch the game.
The Ballpark in Arlington....with Fenway a close second
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