Turner Field: 19th best MLB Stadium?
SI.com has a new feature article/report on fan experiences at MLB stadiums and Turner Field, home of the Braves, ranks 19th out of 30 venues.
I’ve never been a huge fan of “The Ted” but I don’t dislike it either. It just seems to lack some of the character of an older stadium, the neighborhood feel of some of those same stadiums and it comes off a bit vanilla.
Don’t get me wrong. The old Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium was as cookie cutter as they come, but isn’t “The Ted” just a newer version, following a different trend.
Sure, this trend is better, but it just lacks character.
Of course, cheap ticket prices and a winning tradition make any experience above average, but on the whole, I think ranking solidly in the middle seems about right to me.
What about you? How does “The Ted” stack up against other ballparks in your mind?
For the record, I like Wrigley Field, but I have roots in the Midwest and I saw my first game their at age 6. I also watched a game at the old Comiskey Park in it’s last season, but was unimpressed.
Technically, it’s not a winning tradition: 9708-9732 = 0.499. And they aren’t exactly improving that record this year. Yeah, yeah, the last decade and a half. Right.
Anyway, Turner Field is an anodyne circus in the middle of a wasteland. To me, there’s something terribly wrong with a ballpark that can’t stimulate the businesses around it. You walk out of the Ted and you’re met with vast parking lots and boarded up buildings. If you want to go have a beer after the game, you’ve got three options: 1) The terrifying liquor store across the street, 2) The terrifying Chinese restaurant on the other corner, or 3) Pile into your car and drive far, far away. It’s white flight, played out on a daily basis at high speed. Gah.