What gets you out to the game? What makes you fly across country just to see a team/stadium? After traveling to about half of the ballparks in this country (and lusting after the other half), I think I have found the secret to success.
10. Fireworks—Nothing draws the fans quite like post-game fireworks. We make a trip to L.A. every year to sit on the grass in Dodger Stadium and watch the Fourth of July show.
9. T-shirt toss—Just about every stadium does this. Colorado shot them via sling shot, which was the first time I had ever seen people in the upper deck catch something from the field level (baseballs included).
8. Mascots—Some are quite clever (Wally the Green Monster, for one), and some (like D. Baxter the Bobcat) make me cringe but the kids seem to love them, and whatever junior wants, junior gets.
7. History—The more famous the park, the more people want to go. Wrigley and Fenway don't compare much to PNC and SafeCo, but both seem to be more beautiful and more important than any HOK construction.
6. Great fans—If you are not a Yankee fan, you dread going to Yankee Stadium. The fans are rude and drunk.
I got into a fight on my honeymoon with some drunk Yankee fan because I was wearing Dbacks gear. Great fans like in St. Louis and Boston who harass the opposing team's players and fans without being vulgar or throwing punches make hometown fans smile and out of towners appreciate the rivalry.
5. Food—I can't say it enough, but ballpark delicacies like those found in San Fran, Seattle, and Baltimore really make the game fun. Sometimes, I want something local and different.
4. Running food/presidents—Sausages, pierogi, Tomas Jefferson, Miss Taco, etc ... all are insanely stupid but the crowd is never more aware at a Brewers game than when the sausages are running down the line.
3. Stadium Quality—Well-built parks make me want to fly 2,000 miles to see them. Camden Yards was one of the tops on my list. Turner Field was one I should have ignored.
2. Quality of Play—For some reason, there are teams that, no matter how good they are, they can't sell out and there are teams that lose every year (*cough* Cubs *cough*) and still sell out.. But, despite that, you want to see a winner on the field.
1. Bobbleheads—I thought this craze was over but these games still double the draw in places like Pittsburgh and Arizona. The wind-up-walker is the next big craze, though, just wait and see.
4 comments Last one added about 1 year ago — Leave a Comment
Nino Colla about 1 year ago
I'm kind of sick of fireworks. The Indians do it every Friday.. It's rather old, they change it up with different shows, but once you've seen t he awesome show a few times you kinda get tired of it.
Great list.
Edit Comment Cancel
Frank Negron about 1 year ago
Im a Yankee fan and work right across the street from the stadium....so to say that Yankee fans are drunks is just wrong. yes there are drunks, just like at every other stadium but by seein this with my own eyes, boston fans are alot more rowdy..now that could be just bc theyre in enemy territory. but yankee fans r respectaful and unless the yanks were playing the d-backs at the stadium the day u went then WHY in the world would u wear d-backs gear at YANKEE STADIUM?? you're asking to get picked on! I see it all the time and honesty, ppl who wear gear of teams who have nothing to do with the game is dumb. Just bc your going to a baseball game doesnt mean you have to wear any baseball gear. Dress approiate for the event you are attending and maybe you hear fans get on you. wear a pair of jeans and sneakers to a formal and you'll get picked on. See my point?
Edit Comment Cancel
Glenn Darby about 1 year ago
I think my point was not that I didn't expect to be harassed (it's not like I sat in RF!). I harass other team's fans when they come in to Chase. It is part of the game. If you love and believe in your team, you are ready to support them no matter what. The issue was the vulgarity of the harassment. Creative and clever fans (Boston, St. Louis) make remarks about the team. Vulgar and rude fans (Yankee) make comments about you, your sexual orientation, your mother, your wife, and what you like to do with your dog at night. Again, there is a place for this kind of lashing but it isn't in front of children at a baseball game. I'm a big believer in using the F-word but I don't throw it around when there are children. Yankee fans use it as adjective, noun, verb, and pejorative.
That being said, MOST Yankee fans are not bad, not all Red Sox fans are great (actually, 99% of the groupies suck), and Dbacks fans couldn't explain the infield fly rule.
Edit Comment Cancel
Dave Leopardi about 1 year ago
Hey man, don't worry about the D-Backs gear thing, they're gonna be better than New York this year anyway.
Edit Comment Cancel
Leave a Comment
You must register to post a comment.