Photos by Paul Baker, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.29 Stony Brook Field 384 Underpass Rd Brewster, MA 02631 Brewster Whitecaps website Stony Brook Field website Year Opened: 2006 Capacity: 4,000 Whitecaps on the Cape The Brewster Whitecaps are one of two expansion teams that joined the Cape Cod Baseball League in 1988. They originally played their home games at a field located at Cape Cod Regional Technical High School. There was one problem with this field-it was located in neighboring Harwich, not Brewster. The solution-build a field within town limits. The town of Brewster chose a site adjacent to the Stony Brook Elementary School, one of two elementary schools in the town, which serves students from kindergarten through second grade. The Whitecaps have won two championships during their time in the Cape League (2000, 2017). Famous Whitecaps alumni to play in the major leagues include Sean Casey, Chase Utley, Ryan Braun and Aaron Judge. Food & Beverage 3 Nauset Dining Services operates a concession stand at the top of the hill overlooking Stony Brook Field. For a small stand, there is a good variety of food available. In addition to the standard hot dogs and hamburgers, ballpark staples such as sausage and pepper sandwiches, pizza slices and nachos are sold. Items that you may not expect at a small stand, including veggie burgers and corn dogs, dot the menu. An impressive amount of candy, ice cream treats and gourmet popcorn round out the offerings. Thirsty Whitecap fans can select from cans of Coca-Cola products or bottles of Dunkin’ Donuts Iced Coffee. Alcohol is not sold at Stony Brook Field. For something different, try “The Closer,” a grilled donut stuffed with French vanilla ice cream and rolled in chocolate sprinkles. Atmosphere 3 The Cape league is well known for its old-timey, traditional game day experience. Even by Cape League standards, a game in Brewster is decidedly laid back. As is the case at all Cape Cod League ballparks, there is little going on at a Whitecaps game to distract from the action on the field. Much of the noise and distraction present at most minor league ballparks just isn’t found here. The PA is limited to upcoming batters, pitching changes and sponsor announcements. The Cape Cod League is a baseball purists’ dream. Stony Brook Field has a playground behind it, which makes perfect sense considering this is an elementary school. It gives kids who may be getting bored with the game somewhere to blow off steam. As with most Cape League games, a large part of the younger crowd spends their time chasing foul balls. If one lands near you, watch out for the oncoming horde. Neighborhood 3 Stony Brook Field is located next to the elementary school that shares its name. Within a mile is Route 6A, also known as Main Street. Along this road are several excellent clam shacks mixed in among some bed and breakfasts, antique shops and art galleries. Brewster is a small town with a population of under 10,000 year round residents known for its beaches, golf resorts and spas. During the summer the town’s population swells to about 20,000. The first water-powered grist and wool mill in the country was built here (on Stony Brook) in the late 17th century. Brewster is a laid back, quiet place to be, even in the summer. Fans 3 Brewster usually ranks in the middle of the pack among Cape Cod League games in terms of attendance, averaging in the range of 1,100 fans per game. Crowds are much smaller in June than during the peak tourist months of July and August, so if you are looking to avoid the large crowds, come early in the season. Fans at Whitecaps games mirror those elsewhere in the league with a mix of locals, families, and tourists. Fans who come to the games generally have some sort of connection with the team, as house parents, boosters, or volunteers, so they are very knowledgeable and passionate about the action taking place on the field. It makes for a very enjoyable atmosphere. Access 4 Stony Brook Field is located adjacent to the elementary school that shares its name. The school is close to route 6A, the main drag in Brewster. If coming to Brewster from off the Cape, you will follow route 6 to route 137, and follow to Underpass Road (or “Underpants Road,” as the Stony Brook students call it). The CERTA flex bus route travels up route 137, but it is a long walk to the ballpark. Driving is the preferred and most effective method for getting to Stony Brook Field. There is ample parking at Stony Brook School. Even though some spots are a decent walk away, the helpful Whitecaps staff will shuttle you from your car to the field. Stony Brook Field has a variety of seating areas. There are several sets of metal bleachers located on either baseline. If you are sitting in the infield, be prepared to look through fencing or netting. Beyond the dugouts are more bleachers down the left field line, as well as an area with benches and picnic tables down the right field line. The best thing about these seats is that the fencing does not extend all the way down the foul lines. If you choose to sit further down either foul line, you can sit right on the edge of the playing field and enjoy a totally unobstructed view. Many fans choose to bring their own lawn chairs to the games and sit on the hills located on either baseline. These seats offer a great view of the action, and some much-needed shade on a hot summer day. There are bathrooms located in the elementary school located atop the hill on the first base side. Return on Investment 5 As is the case with all Cape Cod League ballparks, there is no charge for admission at a Whitecaps game. The team asks for a “suggested donation” of three dollars in exchange for a program and roster. Parking is also free. Fans are able to bring in their own refreshments, making it possible to watch the highest level of collegiate baseball in the country without spending a single cent. If you choose to purchase food at the game, the prices are very affordable. Extras 2 The Brewster Whitecaps do not offer a whole lot of bells and whistles in their game day presentation. As is the case throughout the Cape League, the game is the focus here. The free program is a plus, as is the extensive 50/50 raffle which offers many prizes from sponsors in addition to the opportunity to take home half the money raised. Visiting Whitecaps alumni and families who travel to the Cape are recognized throughout the game, a nice touch that adds to the small-town, family atmosphere here at Brewster. Final Thoughts The Cape Cod League is considered by many to be the top collegiate summer league in the country. 307 Cape League alumni played in the major leagues in 2017, meaning one out of every six players in the bigs today played in this league. While the ballparks may not compare to the newer facilities that dot the landscape today, the atmosphere on the Cape is a wonderful experience reminiscent of the way things used to be. All the teams on the Cape are located within an hour of each other, making the Cape a ballpark chaser’s nirvana. Add into the mix that historic Fenway Park is located less than a 90 minutes drive from the most easterly team, and the potential is there for an epic road trip. Follow Paul Baker’s stadium journeys on Twitter and Instagram @PuckmanRI.

Photos by Paul Baker, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 2.43 Forges Field 83 Jordan Rd Plymouth, MA 02360 Forges Field website Year Opened: 1972 Capacity: 500 Pilgrim Baseball The Plymouth Pilgrims, the newest members of the New England Collegiate Baseball League, play their home games at Forges Field, a town-owned complex containing 5 baseball fields, 2 softball fields, 3 soccer fields, a football field, and a golf course. The land that Forges Field is located on was once owned by the Jordan family, founders of Jordan Marsh department stores. The Pilgrims were founded in 2013 by former Newport Gulls owner Dave Dittmann. ‎ Food & Beverage 2 If you aren’t careful, you may miss most of the concessions available at Forges Field. Located near the entrance to Forges Field are two small tables selling Domino’s Pizzas and assorted snacks and drinks. But with a little searching, bigger and better things can be had. There is a concessions stand at Forges Field located a short walk from the baseball field, down by the football field. This stand is open for all Pilgrims games. Available here is a greater variety of food, including all your ballpark staples, including hot dogs, hamburgers, nachos, and assorted snacks. Coca-Cola products are sold here. For those looking to save a few dollars, combo meals are offered. Veteran fans simply bring their own items into Forges Field, saving themselves a few dollars in the process. Either way, you aren’t going to spend a ton of money on concessions at a Pilgrims game. Atmosphere 3 This is the area in which the Pilgrims shine brightest. Despite the small size of the ballpark, the staff here try to put on a show worthy of any minor league team. Gobbles the turkey roams the park, interacting with the fans and leading a trail of kids wherever he goes. There are between inning contests for the kids and a PA announcer orchestrating the whole affair. He may seem to be trying a bit too hard to be clever, but he helps to create an atmosphere that is pretty unique in the laid-back New England Collegiate Baseball League. Another area in which the Pilgrims excel is their connection with the community. The Pilgrims have a long list of sponsors who tie in with the promotional schedule and sponsor individual games. Depending on when you visit Forges Field, you may be on the receiving end of some unique and fabulous items. Promotions for 2014 include free cranberries, chocolate, hats, ice cream, golf balls, and even lobster rolls. Discounted concessions are available on selected nights, as are free movies and popcorn after some games. The atmosphere at Forges Field is one of the livelier in the NECBL. Neighborhood 2 I’ll be perfectly honest with you here. If you are visiting Forges Field, you aren’t interested in staying anywhere near there before or after the game. There just isn’t anything in the area. You are going downtown where the action is. Now, in a small town like Plymouth, “action” is a relative term, but there are many attractions in the area, especially for history buffs. Forges Field is located on the edge of the Myles Standish State Forest, the largest publicly owned recreation area in southeastern Massachusetts. Spread out over 26 square miles, the forest is filled with campgrounds, bike paths, and nature trails. It does not, however, have restaurants or hotels. For those, head to the historic center of Plymouth, where you will find plenty of museums, places to eat, hotels, and historic places of interest. Fans 2 Plymouth ranks in the middle of the pack in terms of attendance in the NECBL, averaging between 400-500 fans per game. The people who come to Pilgrim games are similar to what you will find in most of the summer collegiate games in the area. They are passionate about their team, and many have a connection with the team through volunteer efforts, hosting players, or sponsorships. There is a strong family presence, as you would expect with a summer league team. There is a lot of open space for kids to roam here at Forges Field, with several sports fields adjacent to the main ball field. There is also a playground located behind the field filled with youngsters and relieved parents. Many of the kids present spend their time chasing foul balls through the woods that surround the field. Access 2 You are not going to stumble across Forges Field accidentally. Despite being relatively close to Route 3, there are no exits close to the ballpark. Fans travelling to see the Pilgrims play will have to wind their way through several miles of winding rural roads to get to the sprawling recreational complex. There is plenty of parking near Forges Field, and the area around the field is landscaped beautifully with paved paths to access all areas of the ballpark. The field itself is not built up, and is pretty much what you would expect from a community ball field. There is no press box here, and the Pilgrims set up several portable folding tables from which they sell concessions, souvenirs, and tickets. The team and town have teamed up to make many improvements for fans since the Pilgrims landed here. Several new wooden bleachers have sprung up around the infield, giant new dugouts have been built (unfortunately, these dugouts block some prime viewing spots), and new netting has been installed along both baselines down past the infield. For fans wishing to bring their own lawn chairs, there is room to spread out along the outfield lines, past the grandstands and picnic tables. Rest rooms are available in the same building as the concessions are located, a short walk from the baseball field. Return on Investment 4 Admission to a Pilgrims game is very affordable at $2, and parking is free in the lots adjacent to the field. Concessions are affordable as well, making a night out at Forges Field a very affordable alternative to other options in the area. Veteran fans will bring their own coolers with refreshments to further decrease the cost of attending a Pilgrims game. Extras 2 Despite the abundance of activity going on at a Pilgrims game, it’s a very laid-back atmosphere at Forges Field. Extra points are earned for the plethora of giveaways throughout the season. The NECBL and other college leagues in the area present their games in an “old-school” manner, keeping the focus on the game instead of the extraneous activity found at so many minor league parks today. Final Thoughts While the facility at Forges Field is little more than a glorified community diamond, the Plymouth Pilgrims staff work hard to make the game day experience an enjoyable one for the fans. The Pilgrims come closer to providing a minor league atmosphere than most summer college teams, but they still straddle the line between that carnival-like atmosphere and old-school baseball successfully. The facility may be one that attracts only the locals and the most dedicated of ballpark chasers, but any fan will enjoy their time at Forges Field. Follow Paul Baker’s stadium journeys on Twitter and Instagram @PuckmanRI.

Photos by Eric Moreno, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.43 Reckling Park 1968 University Blvd Houston, TX 77005 Rice Owls website Reckling Park website Year Opened: 2000 Capacity: 7,000 Rice Owls – Reckling Park One of the most prestigious academic institutions in the country, Rice University has a long history of fostering educators, Nobel laureates, and Pulitzer Prize winners. The school also has a long history of success in athletics, as well, including on the baseball diamond. The Rice Owls fielded their first baseball team in 1913, and beginning in 1914 they were members of the fabled Southwest Conference until its collapse in 1996. Since 2006 – until this next season when they will level up to the American Athletic Conference (AAC) – Rice has been a member of Conference USA. In the latter half of the 20th century up until the middle of the 21st, the Owls have seen a tremendous amount of success on the field. Led by such former big leaguers as current head coach Lance Berkman , Jose Cruz, Jr. , and Norm Charlton , the Owls have won 18 regular season conference championships (the most recent happening in 2015), made the NCAA Tournament a whopping 23 times, and in 2003 they completely climbed the metaphorical mountain and were crowned National Champions. Since 2000, Rice has done its winning from within the friendly confines of Reckling Park. Tucked inside the campus of Rice University and within eyesight of the skyline of the Texas Medical Center, Reckling Park is quite frankly a gorgeous spot to see a ballgame. Food & Beverage 3 When it comes to food and beverages, Reckling Park does enough to scratch your ballpark itch by playing the proverbial hits. There are two main spots in the park to get your grub and drink on. The main concessions area is located on the concourse behind home plate, and offers the usual suspect lineup of ballpark favorites – you can get hot dogs, hamburgers, fries, candy, popcorn, soft pretzels, sunflower seeds, canned beer, bottled water, sports drinks, and fountain sodas. Nothing flashy, nothing spectacular, but solid. The second spot is a little more upscale, as down the first base line is The Roost. A de facto beer garden, this stand offers up the same food and drinks as the other stands, but in a covered patio area. The ballpark also has a Kona Ice shaved ice truck parked inside that is quite popular with fans, which makes for a nice treat during the hot, humid days of early spring in H-Town. Atmosphere 4 I will say right off the bat (no pun intended) that I’m a sucker for stadiums with a nice, clean brick façade. To me that just screams old school elegance, and harkens back to the golden age of sports. For baseball, a sport steeped in nostalgia and history, facilities like Reckling Park add to the gravitas of what is happening on the field. Once through the main gates as you take the short steps up from the main concourse to the seating area, the field opens up and you are transported into what makes baseball special. The open skies, the green grass (field turf, to be fair), and young fans crowding the fence line looking for autographs and/or foul balls; Reckling Park has all of it. In addition to the overall aesthetic, the park has a few nice features to add to the atmosphere; there’s the Roost area as well as some berm seating for fans in left and left-center field. The Owls prominently display their championship wins – naturally including the 2003 National Championship – on signage in the outfield. Also, on the main concourse is the Rice team store, for those looking to get their team/school gear. Neighborhood 5 As mentioned, Reckling Park is right in the middle of the lush and beautiful Rice campus. The tree-lined walkways leading to the ballpark are populated with public art, and crisscross the campus and its stately academic buildings. Within eyesight is historic Rice Stadium , and within walking distance is Tudor Fieldhouse . With baseball and basketball overlapping seasons, you have a good chance of double-dipping sports at Rice. That’s also totally doable if you’re interested in checking out a Houston Astros or Houston Rockets game while you’re in Space City. Speaking of Space City, the reason the city has earned this moniker is something everyone should visit at least once when heading to Houston – Space Center Houston is the hub for space exploration in the United States. Home to NASA, Space Center is a fantastic site to take in before or after catching an Owls game. Consistently rated as the top tourist destination in the city, Space Center has something for everyone. When you’re looking for food and lodging options, Rice Village, the area around the university, has plenty to offer you. Restaurants such as Miller’s Café – specializing in burgers, sandwiches, and salads – and Poke in the Bowl – which offers, of course, poke bowls – are just a couple of options that are a short drive from the ballpark. For lodging options abound, including most of the recognizable chains; within a five-minute drive from Reckling Park are Westin Houston Medical Center and Hilton Houston Plaza/Medical Center . Fans 2 For a program that has found as much success as the Rice Owls, it is quite unfortunate to see how sparsely attended their games regularly are. Since 2014 the Owls have drawn just under 3,000 fans per game; this is just about half the capacity for the ballpark. Baseball inherently needs a crowd to keep the energy up for a game. Most fans in the stands are decked out in their Rice purple, however, there are also quite a few sporting Astros gear. It will be interesting to see how the attendance is impacted when Rice moves to the AAC next season. Access 3 Rice University, like many of the other sporting facilities in H-Town, is quite convenient to get to. The campus is located between Interstate 69 and State Highway 90, and there is plenty of signage telling you how to get to the school – once you enter Rice Village you can’t miss the athletics compound. Once you get on site, parking is plentiful; I’d recommend parking near the football stadium and strolling through the campus if time permits. Parking there will cost you $10, which is a nice bargain. If you choose not to drive, ridesharing options are a good option, as is Houston’s public transportation service . As always, I like to offer the advice to visitors to Houston to be wary of the city’s notorious traffic. You will be stuck in it, that’s just a fact, so, plan accordingly when heading to the game. Return on Investment 4 Single-game tickets for Owls games start at $10 for general admission ($15 for premium matchups). The Owls regularly play host to some of the biggest and best baseball programs in the state, including the ones from Austin and College Station . You can also expect the competition to ramp up even further next season with the move to thee AAC. Given that, the low cost for parking, plus some of the most affordable concessions I’ve seen, and you are getting a really great bargain at Reckling Park, especially when you also consider the great ballpark itself. Extras 3 Baseball doesn’t normally lend itself to Extras, outside of a few things. However, Reckling Park isn’t without some special offerings to make the in-game entertainment that much more special. The main one that is offered up is a play area for kids just outside the third baseline – this area is full of inflatable bounce houses that are sure to entertain really young fans. One small feature that I truly enjoyed seeing, and it is such a small detail, are the boards behind home plate that have the day’s handwritten lineups for each team, as well as the current conference standings. Again, it is such a small detail, but it reminded me of simpler time in baseball history. Final Thoughts This was my first visit to Reckling Park, but I can pretty much guarantee it won’t be my last. The park, if I haven’t made it clear yet, is really beautiful. I can only hope more fans will start coming once the move to the new conference takes place. I can only imagine what it would be like to see it filled. Regardless, if you’re a baseball fan or just a sports fan looking for something fun to do, catch an Owls game at Rice when you can. Follow Eric Moreno's Stadium Journey on Twitter at @EricMoreno6477 .

Photos by Meg Minard, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.86 PayPal Park 1123 Coleman Avenue San Jose, CA 95110 Map It San Jose Earthquakes website PayPal Park website Year Opened: 2015 Capacity: 18,000 Vamos San Jose PayPal Park es el campo de casa de los San Jose Earthquakes de la MLS. El lugar específico para el fútbol se inauguró en 2015 como Avaya Stadium y cambió su nombre al comienzo de la temporada 2021 a su nuevo patrocinador, PayPal. La ciudad ha sido el sitio del fútbol desde 1974 con equipos en varias ligas. Los Earthquakes comenzaron en 1996 como uno de los miembros originales de Major League Soccer. El equipo ha ganado dos títulos de la Copa MLS (2001, 2003) y dos Supporters’ Shields (2005, 2012). El personal y los aficionados hacen que valga la pena presenciar un partido, ya que todos son amables y serviciales, y parecen complacidos de que hayas visitado su equipo y su estadio. Uno de los mejores partidos para asistir es cuando Los Ángeles FC viene a la ciudad, ya que generalmente hay una buena contingencia de visitantes del equipo visitante que hace que el estadio retumbe. Food & Beverage / Bebida y Alimenticia 5 PayPal Park ofrece una impresionante variedad de opciones de alimentos y bebidas. Un gran lugar para encontrar estas sabrosas y únicas opciones de comida es en el perímetro del área de césped de dos acres, llamada epi-center fan zone. Se sienta detrás del marcador masivo. Aproximadamente de doce camiones de comida locales se alinean en el perímetro y ofrecen una amplia variedad de platos: sándwiches calientes de pollo, barbacoa coreana, barbacoa ahumada a fuego lento, sabrosos tacos, teriyaki y sushi, hamburguesas y papas fritas, brochetas y otras delicias mediterráneas, y más. Los camiones varían en cada partido, así que examínelos todos antes de tomar una decisión. El estadio tiene puestos de comida tradicionales debajo de los asientos que ofrecen todos los favoritos del estadio y algo más. Pretzels, maní, papas fritas, Cracker Jack, hot dogs, hamburguesas y similares están a la venta. Las opciones únicas incluyen un asador que ofrece sándwiches frescos de cerdo o pavo, un puesto de pizza con pizzas especiales y churwaffles (waffles de pan de maíz dulces y salados). Los productos RC Cola y 7-Up son los refrescos a la venta. Las opciones de cerveza nacional incluyen Bud, Bud Light y Coors. Las cervezas importadas y artesanales incluyen Stella Artois, Sierra Nevada Pale Ale, Sierra Nevada Tornada, y 805. También se sirven licores fuertes y vino. Un puesto de margaritas especiales se encuentra en el borde de la zona de fanáticos del epicentro. Muchos puestos de comida venden más variedades de cerveza enlatada y agua mineral. Otros dos bares que vale la pena mencionar son el acertadamente llamado Scoreboard Bar, que mide más de 310 pies, lo que lo convierte en el bar exterior más grande de América del Norte. El Skyy Lounge está en el nivel superior a la izquierda al salir del elevador. Los fanáticos pueden disfrutar de una bebida viendo el partido sentados en taburetes frente a una barra de bebidas en esta área. Mi recomendación es probar la BBQ coreana y/o los churwaffles. Atmosphere / Atmósfera 4 La estructura tiene forma de U. Un enorme marcador de video está en la parte superior de la U. Detrás del marcador hay un área de césped popular (zona de fanáticos del epicentro) donde se alinean los camiones de comida locales, se realizan espectáculos y juegan los niños. Los camiones de comida emiten olores increíbles. Este es el lugar para estar antes del partido para actividades y para observar a la gente. Las sillas azules claras, azules oscuras y grises (los colores del Earthquakes) se extienden por el área de descanso. Bastante interesante es que el patrón contiene el mensaje codificado en binario “GO EQ.” !Estamos en Silicon Valley! Un fan mucho más inteligente que yo descubrió el código y ganó un viaje a la final de la Copa del Mundo de 2018. Los asientos están ligeramente acolchados, tienen portovasos y hay un espacio decente para las piernas entre las filas. Los fanáticos suben un tramo de escaleras para llegar al área de asientos y luego a sus asientos. Las secciones de asientos tienen de 28 a 30 filas de asientos. El estadio tiene un ascensor para llevar a los fanáticos a la cima y bajar caminando. La repisa/pasarela superior es estrecha y abierta. Esto asusta a los fans con acrofobia. PayPal Park Top Level Ledge, Photo by Meg Minard, Stadium Journey La capacidad es la más baja de la MLS con 18,000 sillas, lo que ofrece a los fanáticos una experiencia íntima el día del juego y otorga a cada asiento una buena vista del partido. Las suites están en el nivel inferior más cercano al terreno de juego. Es difícil entender al maestro de ceremonias y lo que está diciendo. No estoy muy seguro de si es el sistema de sonido, si es demasiado alto o si está hablando una mezcla de español e inglés. Los vendedores de comida suben a los puestos vendiendo churros, algodón de azúcar, palomitas de maíz y otros bocadillos. Asegúrese de verificar el clima antes de dirigirse al partido. El viento a veces puede hacer que sea un poco frío. Neighborhood / Barrio 4 El lugar está justo al lado del aeropuerto de San José. Hay algo, pero no mucho, que hacer a poca distancia. El centro de San José, que tiene un montón de actividades, está a solo 2 ½ – 3 millas al sureste. Un hotel Element (marca Marriott) está justo al otro lado de la calle. Un centro comercial está al otro lado del estadio y ofrece The Smoking Pig (barbacoa y cerveza), In-N-Out (hamburguesas de comida rápida), Chipotle (comida rápida mexicana) y Starbucks. Otras opciones recomendadas más lejos son BJ’s Brewery, Henry’s World Famous Hi-Life y The Farmer’s Union (gastropub). Floodcraft Brewery (en Whole Foods Marketplace) y Uproar Brewery son buenos lugares para comprar cerveza artesanal. Varias otras cervecerías también están cerca. Abundan las atracciones turísticas para el visitante o el aficionado local. Algunos puntos de interés en San José incluyen el Happy Hollow Park and Zoo, el Children’s Discovery Museum, San Jose State University, Winchester Mystery House, y el Tech Museum of Innovation . Otros deportes que puede visitar durante la temporada de fútbol son los San Jose Sharks (NHL), San Jose Barracuda (AHL), San Jose Giants (MiLB) o cualquiera de los deportes de los Spartans de la Universidad de San José. El estadio Stephen Schott , sede del equipo de béisbol de los Broncos de Santa Clara, está al otro lado de las vías del tren, justo detrás de PayPal Park, al igual que sus estadios de baloncesto y sóftbol. Fans / Fanáticos 3 Aunque parece que los asientos están vacíos, muchos fanáticos permanecen en el área del césped. Asistieron un promedio de 13.300 aficionados por partido en la temporada 2022. Todavía no hemos vuelto a las cifras previas a la pandemia. Los Earthquakes tienen dos grupos de aficionados; cada grupo se sienta detrás de cada poste de la portería. Los San Jose Ultras han apoyado ruidosamente y con orgullo al equipo desde 2003. La Seismic Union, formada en 2021, es el grupo de seguidores que ocupa el lado norte del estadio. Los grupos ondean banderas, golpean tambores, cantan canciones y se ponen de pie y animan al equipo durante los 90 minutos. Por la distancia al aeropuerto y la seguridad de los vuelos que llegan y salen, no se permite la pirotecnia. Todos los fanáticos y el personal son extremadamente amables y acogedores. Es bastante fácil entablar una conversación y charlar sobre el equipo y el estadio. Access / Acceso 4 Llegar a PayPal Park es muy fácil en automóvil, avión o autobús. Está junto a la Interestatal 880 y Coleman Ave. Hay estacionamiento disponible en el lado noroeste del estadio. Haga clic aquí para obtener direcciones e instrucciones de estacionamiento. El servicio de transporte gratuito LuxBus está disponible desde y hacia los partidos, recogiendo y dejando en el centro de Market Street y St John (cerca de San Pedro Square). Si viene desde el aeropuerto, tome el autobús 60 de VTA (sur hacia Winchester) hasta Coleman y Earthquakes Way. Es gratis desde el aeropuerto; cuesta $ 2.50 para Volver y se requiere el cambio exacto. Los estacionamientos abren tres horas antes del partido. La taquilla abre dos horas antes y las puertas abren una hora y media antes del partido. Pasar por seguridad es rápido y fácil. Un elemento menor, pero desearía que tuvieran bancos o un lugar para sentarse mientras esperan que se abran las puertas. Se permiten bolsas transparentes del tamaño de un estadio (14” x 6” x 14”). Una linea para Clear Secure está en la entrada principal. Una vez que atraviese la puerta principal, la entrada se abre y la zona de diversión del epicentro está a su izquierda. El vestíbulo de la planta baja es bastante amplio y es donde se encuentran los baños. A excepción del Skyy Lounge, ni las concesiones ni los baños están en el segundo nivel. Return on Investment / Retorno de la inversion 3 Las entradas para seguidores cuestan alrededor de $27. Los precios de los boletos suben a $ 147 más o menos para los asientos del club de campo. El estacionamiento cuesta $ 25 y más. Me parece alto, pero es California y es Silicon Valley. Mi asiento estaba en la esquina superior por $37. Es una sede de la MLS más pequeña, por lo que cada asiento tiene una vista decente. Obtener boletos de grupo (10+) o boletos de temporada reducirá el precio. Los precios de la comida, la cerveza y los refrescos son comparables con otros lugares de las grandes ligas en el Área de la Bahía. La experiencia del día del juego es agradable; los fanáticos y el personal son geniales para conversar. Es una buena inversión para su entretenimiento deportivo. Extras 4 Vale la pena mencionar algunos otros elementos. Ver aviones despegar y aterrizar desde su asiento es único. Para la temporada 2022, la organización de los Earthquakes brindó una oferta Beer and Cheer a los poseedores de boletos de temporada con todos los beneficios. Esta oferta permitió a esos fanáticos una cerveza, refresco o agua gratis en el Scoreboard Bar o en el Skyy Lounge en cada juego. El club planea extender la sección de Ultras hasta el nivel del campo para las próximas temporadas. Es bueno ver a los Earthquakes mostrar aprecio por su apasionado apoyo. Vale la pena mencionar nuevamente el patrón del asiento. Incluye tres tonos diferentes de azul/gris, así como algunos asientos rojos para rendir homenaje a la historia de la NASL del club en los años 70 y 80. Y el patrón que contiene el mensaje codificado en binario “GO EQ” es una característica única. Finalmente, un “tambor de herencia” se encuentra en el borde de la zona de fanáticos del epicentro. En el momento de su construcción en 2019, era el tambor más grande del deporte profesional. El club lo utilizó durante la temporada 2019. PayPal Park Heritage Drum, Photo by Meg Minard, Stadium Journey Final Thoughts Presenciar un partido en PayPal Park es ciertamente único. El color del patrón de los asientos, la zona de fanáticos del epicentro y los camiones de comida, el personal excepcional, el fácil acceso y el ambiente íntimo ayudan a que asistir a un partido aquí sea una velada agradable. Muchas gracias a Jim Minard por su ayuda con la traducción.

Photos by Meg Minard, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.86 PayPal Park 1123 Coleman Avenue San Jose, CA 95110 Map It San Jose Earthquakes website PayPal Park website Year Opened: 2015 Capacity: 18,000 Vamos San Jose PayPal Park is the home ground of the MLS San Jose Earthquakes. The soccer-specific venue was known as Avaya Stadium when it opened in 2015. It has gone by its current name (PayPal Park) since the start of the 2021 season. The city has hosted soccer since 1974 with teams in various leagues. The Earthquakes started in 1996 as one of the original members of Major League Soccer. The team has won two MLS Cup titles (2001, 2003) and two Supporters’ Shields (2005, 2012). The staff and fans make witnessing a match incredibly worthwhile as they are all friendly and helpful and seem pleased you have visited their team and stadium. One of the better matches to attend is when Los Angeles FC comes to town as there is usually a good contingency of away team visitors which makes the stadium rumble. Food & Beverage 5 PayPal Park offers an impressive variety of food and drink choices. A great place to find these savory and unique food choices is on the perimeter of the two-acre grassy area, called the Epi-Center Fan Zone. It sits behind the massive scoreboard. Twelve or so local food trucks line the perimeter offering a wide range of cuisine: Hot chicken sandwiches, Korean BBQ, slow smoked BBQ, tasty tacos, teriyaki and sushi, burgers and fries, kabobs and other Mediterranean goodies, and more. The trucks vary each match so peruse them all before making a choice. The stadium has traditional concession stands under the seats offering all your stadium favorites and then some. Pretzels, peanuts, chips, Cracker Jack, hot dogs, burgers, and the like are all for sale. Unique choices include a carvery offering fresh sliced pork or turkey sandwiches, a pizza stand with specialty pizzas, and churwaffles (sweet and savory cornbread waffles). RC Cola and 7-Up products are the soft drinks for sale. Domestic beer choices include Bud, Bud Light, and Coors. Imported and craft beers include Stella Artois, Sierra Nevada Pale Ale, Sierra Nevada Tornada, and 805. Hard liquor and wine are also served. A specialty margarita stand sits on the edge of the Epi-Center Fan Zone. Plenty of concession stands sell more varieties of canned beer and hard seltzer. Two other bars worth noting are the aptly named Scoreboard Bar which is over 310 feet, making it the largest exterior bar in North America. The Skyy Lounge is on the upper level to the left as you exit the elevator. Fans can enjoy a beverage watching the match sitting on stools in front of a drink rail in this area. My recommendation is to try the Korean BBQ and/or the churwaffles. Atmosphere 4 The structure is U-shaped. An enormous video scoreboard is at the top of the U. Behind the scoreboard is a popular grass area (Epi-Center Fan Zone) where local food trucks line up, entertainment is performed, and kids play. The food trucks emit amazing smells. This is the place to be before the match for activities and people-watching. Light blue, dark blue, and grey chairs (the Earthquake’s colors) span the seating area. Interestingly, the color pattern contains the binary-coded message “GO EQ.” It IS in Silicon Valley. A fan way smarter than me figured out the code and won a trip to the 2018 World Cup Final. The seats are slightly cushioned, have cup holders, and have decent legroom between the rows. Fans walk up a flight of stairs to get to the seating area and then up to their seats. The seating sections have 28 – 30 rows of seats. The stadium has one elevator to take fans to the top so they can walk down to the higher level rows. The very top ledge/walkway is narrow and open. This is scary for fans with acrophobia. PayPal Park Top Level Ledge, Photo by Meg Minard, Stadium Journey The seating capacity is the lowest in MLS at 18,000, offering fans an intimate game day experience and granting every seat a good view of the match. Suites are on the lower level closest to the pitch. It’s hard to understand the emcee and what he’s saying. I’m not quite sure if it’s the sound system, if it’s too loud, or if he’s speaking a mix of Spanish and English. Food vendors climb the stands selling churros, cotton candy, popcorn, and other snacks. Be sure to check the weather before heading to the match. The wind can sometimes make it a bit chilly. Neighborhood 4 The venue is right next to the San Jose Airport. There’s some but not a whole lot to do within walking distance. Downtown San Jose, which has a ton of activities, is only 2 ½ – 3 miles southeast. An Element Hotel (Marriott brand) is right across the street. A shopping center is on the other side of the stadium and offers The Smoking Pig (BBQ and beer), In-N-Out (fast food burgers), Chipotle (fast food Mexican), and Starbucks. Other recommended choices further away are BJ’s Brewery, Henry’s World Famous Hi-Life, and The Farmer’s Union (gastropub). Floodcraft Brewery (in a Whole Foods Marketplace) and Uproar Brewery are good spots for craft beer. Several other breweries are also nearby. Plenty of tourist attractions abound for the visiting or local fan. Some points of interest in San Jose include the Happy Hollow Park and Zoo, the Children’s Discovery Museum, San Jose State University, Winchester Mystery House, and the Tech Museum of Innovation . Other sports you may be able to visit during soccer season are the San Jose Sharks (NHL), San Jose Barracuda (AHL), San Jose Giants (MiLB), or any one of the San Jose University Spartans sports. Stephen Schott Stadium , home of the Santa Clara Broncos baseball, is on the other side of the train tracks just behind PayPal Park as are their basketball and softball stadiums. Fans 3 Though it appears the seating is empty, many fans remain on the lawn area. An average of 13,300 fans per game attended in the 2022 season. Attendance is not quite back to the pre-pandemic numbers yet. The Earthquakes have two supporters’ groups; each group sits behind each goal post. The San Jose Ultras have loudly and proudly supported the team since 2003. The Seismic Union, formed in 2021, is the supporters’ group that occupies the north side of the stadium. The groups wave flags, bang drums, sing songs, stand up and cheer on the team for the entire 90 minutes. Because of the distance to the airport and the safety of the arriving and departing flights, pyrotechnics are not allowed. All fans and staff are extremely friendly and welcoming. It’s quite easy to strike up a conversation and chat about the team and the stadium. Access 4 Getting to PayPal Park is very easy via car, plane, or bus. It is off Interstate 880 and Coleman Ave. Parking is available on the northwest side of the stadium. Click here for directions and parking instructions. Free LuxBus shuttles are available to and from the matches, picking up and dropping off at downtown Market Street and St John (near San Pedro Square). If coming from the airport, take VTA bus 60 (south towards Winchester) to Coleman and Earthquakes Way. It’s free from the airport, costs $2.50 to get back, and exact change is required. The parking lots open three hours before the match. The box office opens two hours before and the gates open one and a half hours before the match. Getting through security is quick and easy. A minor item, but I wish they had benches or a place to sit while waiting for the gates to open. Clear stadium-sized (14” x 6” x 14”) bags are allowed. A Clear security line is at the main entrance. Once through the main gate, the entrance opens up and the Epi-Center Fan Zone is to your left. The downstairs concourse is plenty wide and is where the restrooms reside. Except for the Skyy Lounge, neither concessions nor restrooms are on the second level. Return on Investment 3 Supporter’s tickets are around $27. The ticket prices go up to $147 or so for field club seats. Parking is $25 and up. It seems high to me, but it is California, and it is Silicon Valley. My seat was in the upper corner for $37. It is a smaller MLS venue, so every seat has a decent view. Getting group tickets (10+) or season tickets will reduce the price. The food, beer, and soda prices are comparable with other major league venues in the Bay Area. The game day experience is an enjoyable one; the fans and staff are great to chat with. It is a good investment for your sports entertainment. Extras 4 A few other items are worth noting. Watching planes actually taking off and landing from your seat is unique. For the 2022 season, the Earthquakes organization provided a Beer and Cheer offer to full-benefit supporters season ticket holders. This offer allowed those fans a free beer, soda, or water at the Scoreboard Bar or the Skyy Lounge each game. The club plans on extending the Ultras section down to the field level for future seasons. It’s nice to see the Earthquakes show appreciation for their passionate support. The seat pattern is worth mentioning again. It includes three different shades of blue/gray as well as a smattering of red seats to pay homage to the club’s 70s and 80s NASL history. And, the pattern containing the binary-coded message “GO EQ” is a one-of-a-kind feature. Finally, a “Heritage Drum” sits on the edge of the Epi-Center Fan Zone. At the time of its construction in 2019, it was the largest drum in professional sports. The club used it during the 2019 season. PayPal Park Heritage Drum, Photo by Meg Minard, Stadium Journey Final Thoughts Witnessing a match at PayPal Park is certainly unique. The seat pattern coloring, the Epi-Center Fan Zone and food trucks, the exceptional staff, easy access, and the intimate setting all help make attending a match here an enjoyable evening out.

Photos by Paul Baker, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.14 Clem Spillane Field 54 Marion Rd Wareham, MA 02571 Wareham Gatemen website Clem Spillane Field website Year Opened: 1963 Capacity: 1,200 Gatemen of the Cape   The Wareham Gatemen play in the Cape Cod Baseball League, the premier summer wood-bat collegiate baseball league in the country. Originally known as the Wareham Town Team, the Gatemen joined the circuit in 1963.   The Gatemen play at Clem Spillane Field, adjacent to the Wareham Middle and High Schools. Clement S. Spillane was a teacher and coach at Wareham High from 1947-1960. In the 13 years that Spillane served as coach of the school’s baseball, basketball and football teams, he never had a losing record. In fact, during the 1955-56 school year all three squads went undefeated during their regular seasons. Spillane is inducted in the Massachusetts Coaches Hall of Fame in all three sports.   Wareham is known as “the Gateway to Cape Cod” due to its location on the mainland side of the Cape Cod Canal. Thus, the baseball team adopted the nickname “Gatemen.”   The Gatemen have won eight championships during their time in the league, most recently in 2018. Notable alumni include Lance Berkman, George Springer, Chuck Knoblauch, Kyle Schwarber, Ben Sheets, Nick Swisher, Mo Vaughn and Barry Zito.   Food & Beverage 3   Spillane Field has two concession stands, one in left field adjacent to the football bleachers, and one on the ground floor of the press box building behind home plate.   Hot items are sold at the left field stand, including hot dogs, burgers, chicken tenders and sausage sandwiches. French fries, nachos and snacks are also sold here. The home plate stand sells popcorn, ice cream treats and slush puppies.   Cans of Coca Cola products are sold here. Alcohol is not allowed at Spillane Field. Fans can bring their own food and drink to enjoy at Gatemen games.   Atmosphere 3   The atmosphere at Spillane Field is typical of most Cape League ballparks. Going to a Cape League game is a bit like stepping back in time. Absent is much of the noise and distraction present at so many ballparks today. The game on the field is the focus here. Music is only played between innings, and PA announcements during the game are limited to lineup details and the occasional sponsor announcement. The tiny new scoreboard in right field appears to have some video capability but only shows basic game information.   Wareham fans are knowledgeable about the game, and respectful to all the athletes on the field. It’s a laid-back place to take in a game, and a baseball purist’s dream. Part of the fun at a Cape League game is watching the antics of the children in the crowd, who compete to chase down foul balls all over the ballpark.   Neighborhood 3   There is little in the immediate vicinity of Spillane Field to attract the visiting fan. Downtown Wareham is located a short drive from the ballpark along Route 6, and features several excellent restaurants and attractions for visiting fans. Families coming to the area may want to check out Water Wizz, best known as the site of the water park scene in the Adam Sandler movie “Grown Ups.”   Fans looking for an authentic Cape Cod experience while not actually on Cape Cod can head over to Onset Beach or Buzzards Bay. Many excellent seafood restaurants are located in these areas. Visitors wanting to mix in some history with their baseball can check out the old Whaling town of New Bedford, located twenty minutes to the east, or Plymouth, located a half hour to the north.   Fans 2   Wareham generally ranks down near the bottom of the Cape League attendance listings, averaging between 900-1,000 fans per game. This may be due to the team’s location off-Cape, which makes it more difficult to get to for the many tourists who descend on Cape Cod every summer. For those of us on the mainland, the opposite is true.   As is the case at every Cape League ballpark, the fans in attendance are a mix of locals, tourists and those with a connection to the team, either as host families or volunteers. Crowds here are laid back, but extremely knowledgeable about the game and players on the field. Respect is given to players on both teams, with good plays applauded no matter who makes them.   Access 3   Spillane Field is located on Route 6, a short drive from either Interstate 195 or Route 25. As the only Cape League franchise located off-Cape, it’s easy to get to from the mainland, and visitors coming during the heavier tourist times won’t have to deal with the legendary traffic in the area.   Visiting fans can park in the lot adjacent to Town Hall or along Viking Drive. Depending on where you park, you’ll enter the field in deep left field or behind home plate. Unlike most parks in the Cape League, there’s not a lot of open green space at Spillane Field. The ballpark is located just a few feet from the adjacent school.   Wareham’s seating is made up almost entirely of bleachers. There is some room behind home plate and underneath the raised bleachers where fans can set up their own chairs. The bleachers on both the first and third base sides of the field are wooden, and unfortunately in need of some TLC. The old boards have a lot of give to them in spots, and don’t feel like the safest place to sit. The football bleachers beyond the left field fence are made of aluminum and located some distance from home plate, but are still preferred by many fans. Nets and fences obscure views from all seats in the infield.   Restrooms inside Wareham Middle School are available to fans. There are also a pair of Port-a-Johns right next to the third base stands. They really should be moved to a spot further from the bleachers, or at least to a downwind location.   Return on Investment 5   As is the case with all teams in the Cape League, Gatemen games are free to the public. The team will accept donations from fans in exchange for a roster sheet. Parking is free in the lot adjacent to the ballpark. Concessions are reasonably priced, making a night at a Gatemen game a most affordable entertainment option for southeastern Massachusetts sports fans.   Extras 3                                                                                                 A good variety of Gatemen and Cape League merchandise is available at the merchandise stand behind home plate.   The Cape League boasts that over 370 Cape alumni play in the Major Leagues every year, with over 1,600 players making the majors all-time. That means that one out of every six Major League players spent a summer on the Cape. Needless to say, some of the best amateur ball being played anywhere in the world can be found in the small parks on Cape Cod. With all ten ballparks located within an hour's drive of each other, it's a baseball fan's dream come true.   The team runs a 50/50 raffle during each game, proceeds of which help fund the team’s operation. In addition to half of the cash collected, fans can win a variety of prizes, including cruises to Martha’s Vineyard, harbor tours and gift cards to local establishments.   Final Thoughts   Spillane Field is rarely mentioned among the elite of Cape Cod’s ballparks. Perhaps it is due to the ballpark’s location on the mainland, or maybe because of the field’s rickety, splinter-filled bleachers or its gravel infield. But Spillane Field has its own charm, and you won’t find better summer college ball being played anywhere.   Follow Paul Baker’s stadium journeys on Twitter  and Instagram  @PuckmanRI.

Photos by Aaron S. Terry, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.71 Joe Aillet Stadium 1450 W Alabama Ave Ruston, LA 71270 Louisiana Tech Bulldogs website Joe Aillet Stadium website Year Opened: 1968 Capacity: 28,019 The Bulldogs and Dawgzilla Joe Aillet Stadium in Ruston, Louisiana opened in 1968, replacing Tech Stadium, which had been home to the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs football team since their inception in 1901. Joe Aillet Stadium was part of Louisiana Tech’s new athletics complex, which now includes a baseball stadium, softball field, and soccer field across the street, as well as the track and field right next to the football stadium. The football stadium was originally named Louisiana Tech Stadium, but was renamed in 1972 after former head coach and athletic director Joe Aillet. The Lousiana Tech Bulldogs currently complete in Conference USA, and provide a great atmosphere for football, drawing lots of fans and providing a high level of energy during games. Joe Aillet Stadium includes the Davison Athletics Complex, Charles Wyly Athletic Center, and Dawgzilla, the 25 foot by 45 foot high def LED video board in the north end zone. Food & Beverage 4 Joe Aillet Stadium’s concessions offer plenty of options to fit most tastes – perhaps not everything you could want, but plenty of choices to meet your needs while attending a game here. Main dish options include hot dogs, Cajun sausage, nachos, pulled pork, burgers, pizza and chicken wings from Johnny’s Pizza House (a local favorite), Chick-fil-A chicken sandwiches, sandwiches from McAllister’s Deli, and tacos from The Truppy Taco food truck. These items range from $4 up to $8, with the best deal being the Chick-fil-A chicken sandwich for $4 – a bargain given this is barely more than they charge normally. Besides the above, you can also find snack and dessert items such as popcorn, peanuts, chips, pickles, kettle corn, packaged candy, Dippin’ Dots, shaved ice, cookies, and Rice Krispies treats for $2 to $7. You can also find bottled water, soda in bottles and from the fountain, and several flavors of iced tea and lemonade for $3 to $7; I did not see any alcohol for sale inside the facility. Atmosphere 4 Joe Aillet Stadium provides a great atmosphere for football, drawing large crowds wearing blue, with a little red sprinkled in (both colors are technically acceptable, but blue is much more prevalent) – you may even get gently hassled by Bulldog fans inside the local Walmart, if you try to choose the less dominant color. From the outside the facility may look a little dated, but once you walk in the bold, blue end zones, the colorful signage, the antics of La Tech’s Band of Pride, and the sound of 28,000-plus screaming fans will bring a smile to any football fan’s heart. Joe Aillet Stadium has grandstands with metal bench seating along both sidelines, with additional seating for donors and other VIPs at the top of the Davison Athletics Complex behind the south end zone. The north end zone is reserved wholly for La Tech’s video board, which is named “Dawgzilla”. The venue gets pretty full on gameday, and the fans bring a lot of energy, so this stadium is definitely worth a visit despite not being in one of the Power Five Conferences. Dawgzilla, Photo by Aaron S. Terry, Stadium Journey One of the best aspects of attending a game here is that, for night games, the staff puts on a pretty spectacular fireworks show at halftime, which is nice because that means you don’t have to stay late to watch it – check out the video below for a sneak peek: Neighborhood 3 Joe Aillet Stadium is located on Louisiana Tech’s campus, so there isn’t much in the immediate vicinity except campus buildings and other athletics facilities, such as La Tech’s basketball arena, soccer field, baseball diamond, and track. There are a couple of fast food places within a few blocks, but if you are looking for something more interesting, there are a number of local places about 10-12 blocks east along Alabama Ave, such as Nana’s Soulfood, RAW Restaurant (sushi and sashimi), and Sundown Tavern, which features craft beer and live bands. There are also some more traditional eateries, such as Applebee’s, on 1-20 at exit 85 (either exit 84 or exit 85 would be your choice to get to Joe Aillet). If you plan to be in town for the day or for the weekend, in the same area as Nana’s Soulfood are a couple of museums, the Louisiana Military Museum and the Lincoln Parish Museum. Neither is very big, and both have limited hours (the Louisiana Military Museum is only open from 10-4 Tuesday thru Saturday, and the Lincoln Parish Museum is only open from 10-4 Tuesday thru Friday), but both are worth a look if you have some time. The Eddie G. Robinson Museum in nearby Grambling is also worth a look, as it celebrates the career of one of college football’s most successful coaches. The closest hotel to Joe Aillet Stadium is the Super 8 on Tech Drive, but exit 85 has several others, including a Fairfield Inn and Suites, a Courtyard by Marriot, and a Hampton Inn. Fans 4 La Tech fans are solid – though the stadium can’t hold that many, most of the seats are full, and fans here bring a lot of noise and energy. As mentioned previously, most of the fans wear blue, and many of them stay in their seats until the end, even if their team isn’t performing particularly well that day. The student section here at Joe Aillet is particularly worthy of note – you can find them on the east side seated next to the Band of Pride, who are easy to spot thanks to the lettering over their tuba bells spelling out L-O-U-I-S-I-A-N-A T-E-C-H. In the student section, you will of course find a few diehards with their chests painted in support of the Bulldogs, but also a couple of students waving homemade flags, along with my personal favorite, the whole section waving their cell phones back and forth during night games, in tribute to classic rock bands of old. Band of Pride, Photo by Aaron S. Terry, Stadium Journey Access 4 Getting to Joe Aillet Stadium is pretty easy, thanks in part of the small capacity and general lack of traffic in Ruston. Located only about half a mile off the freeway, there is plenty of parking next to the stadium or across the street for $10 if you get there early; if not, you should be able to park for free about 5-6 or 6 blocks away, either on neighborhood streets or at the cemetery on Colvin Street. Note that will call is located on the west side, so if you don’t have your tickets with you, you may want to park on that side; otherwise you will have to walk all the way around. Once you get inside Joe Aillet Stadium, there is plenty of room to walk around beneath the grandstands, and there are plenty of restrooms and concessions stands, so lines shouldn’t ever be too long. Also, there is a walking path on each side between the upper and lower levels of the grandstand, so you shouldn’t have too much trouble getting to your seat, or getting out for a snack during the game. There is also a ramp at the end of each grandstand for those who need it. Return on Investment 4 Single-game tickets to games at Joe Aillet Stadium start at $25, which is pretty reasonable for this caliber of football, and there are plenty of concessions options for fans on a budget. In addition, $10 (or free) parking is also very reasonable, so all in all, seeing a game here represents a great value for football fans of any stripe. Extras 3 The halftime fireworks are a big plus, and the fans deserve mention for their strong support of the team. The vivid colors on both the field and in the concourse also add to the pageantry that is college football today. Final Thoughts If you live in or near northern Louisiana, you actually have your choice of 3 different college football stadiums along the I-20 corridor between Shreveport and Ruston – the Independence Bowl, Malone Stadium (home of the ULM Warhawks), and Joe Aillet Stadium. For my money, the latter is the best of the bunch, so if you are in the area, take a trip down to Ruston to see the Bulldogs in action, and be sure to wear blue. Go, Dawgs!

Photos by Dave Cottenie, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.86 Iroquois Lacrosse Arena 3201 2nd Line Hagersville, ON N0A 1H0 Six Nation Arrows website Iroquois Lacrosse Arena website Year Opened: 2004 Capacity: 2,300 The Heart of Lacrosse South of Brantford, through the farmland of Southern Ontario, lives one of many hearts of lacrosse.  Six Nations Indian Reserve No. 40, more commonly known as Six Nations contains the town of Ohsweken and is just north of Hagersville.  At the southern corner stands an inconspicuous, warehouse-looking building that houses the hopes and dreams of countless Indigenous children.  The Iroquois Lacrosse Arena was built in 2004 by lacrosse legends Curt Styres and Delby Powless and is a lacrosse-only facility, one of the only ones built in Canada specifically for lacrosse. Several lacrosse teams call Iroquois Lacrosse Arena home and possibly the most popular is the Six Nations Arrows of the Junior A, Ontario Junior Lacrosse League.  The Arrows have been around since 1974 and began as a Junior C team.  Originally known as the Six Nations Braves, the Arrows moniker would be adopted in 1979.  Six Nations would step up to Junior B status after their first season and would remain there until 1989, culminating in the 1987 Tier II Championship.  In 1990 the Arrows would make the final step to Junior A and go on to enjoy tremendous success.  The Arrows would bring home the Iroquois Cup as Ontario Champions nine times.  The Arrows would bring home the ultimate prize, the Minto Cup as National Champions in 1992, 2007, 2014, 2015, and 2017.  The list players who have gone from the Arrows to the National Lacrosse League is a who’s who of lacrosse royalty including Cody Jamieson, Doug Jamieson, Craig Point, Shawn Evans, Cam Bomberry, Johnny Powless, Delby Powless, Randy Staats, Leo Stouros, Brett Bucktooth and Warren Hill.  Food & Beverage 3 The concession experience at a Six Nations Arrows game is better than one would expect.  Several vending machines can be found around the arena, mostly selling drinks.  However, adjacent to the arena is Bowcasters, which offers several arena offerings.  One part concession stand and one part convenience store, Bowcasters is a cash-only facility that has many different offerings.  Hot dogs, poutine, fries, sausage, burger sandwiches, fruit, mac salad, and wraps are all available. A variety of soft drink options are also available as well as ice cream.  Prices are surprisingly good.  A bottle of water, for example, is only $1. Atmosphere 5 The exterior of the Iroquois Lacrosse Arena is nothing special.  Looking more like a warehouse than a sports facility with its drab siding, the Iroquois Lacrosse Arena shares space with Bowcasters, Arrow Express offices, ILA Sports, and Leroy Jamieson Fitness Centre. Fans enter the building on the east side and are welcomed by temporary tables and booths for ticket sales, a 50/50 draw, programs, and a bit of merchandise.  From there, the Iroquois Lacrosse Arena is a treasure hunter’s dream.  There are trophy cases and displays for the Arrows, including championship team pictures.  There are also displays for the Senior A, Six Nations Chiefs  of Major Series Lacrosse, the Junior B Six Nations Rebels, and teams that Curt Styres has owned including the Hamilton and Toronto Nationals formerly of Major League Lacrosse, the Rochester Knighthawks and Styres’ current team, the Halifax Thunderbirds of NLL.  Even better, there are displays and profiles for lacrosse pioneers and a history of lacrosse and the Mann (Sr.) and Minto Cups.  Entering the seating bowl, fans will find that the floor runs from west to east with seats around three sides of the turf floor.  Orange arena seats are found at the south and east sides and orange benches are on the west side.  Purple trim is also found throughout the seating area, completing the color scheme of the traditional Haudenosaunee, formerly the Iroquois, flag.  The north side of the arena is littered with championship banners from multiple levels, fourteen of which belong to the Arrows.  Simple scoreboards are found at both east and west ends, the east flanked by the Canadian and Haudenosaunee flags. The gameday production at an Arrows game is fairly simple.  During warmups, there isn’t much in the way of music.  Before the game begins, a traditional Indigenous dance is performed with a song and drum.  No national anthems are otherwise played.  Unlike a NLL game, there is no music during the play.  There are some “Indigenous” sound effects during the game. Neighbourhood 2 Iroquois Lacrosse Arena is located approximately 10 km south of the town of Ohsweken, and north of the town of Hagersville, in a rural area at the southern tip of the reservation.  Fans will not be walking to any sort of attraction.  The Burger Barn, which was featured on the Canadian show “You Gotta Eat Here” is probably THE spot to go.  Other options include Dixieland Grill and Big Pete’s Steakhouse.  For fans looking for other sports options, lacrosse is on the menu at the ILA all the time.  The Six Nations Chiefs  of Major Series Lacrosse and the Junior B, Six Nations Rebels also share the ILA.  During the winter months, hockey can be found in nearby Brantford ( Brantford Bulldogs ), Caledonia and Hagersville.  The Friday nights at the Ohsweken Speedway are popular during the summer months also.  For fans looking for a more authentic Haudenosaunee experience, investigating Six Nations Tourism  is the best idea.  Heading to Brantford for lodging is going to be the best idea for fans wishing to stay near the arena. Fans 4 It is difficult to assess fans for Six Nations Arrows as OJLL attendance figures are not published.  It is clear, however, that the Six Nations Arrows are a draw and possibly the biggest draw out of all of the Six Nations teams that call the ILA home.  The game that was reviewed was well attended, with probably around 1,000 people in attendance.  Also, consider that the game reviewed was a holiday and the opening game of the season.  Six Nations fans are pretty quiet and not really over the top, typical for Ontario.  What puts Six Nations fans a notch above are the kids.  There are plenty of kids in attendance at an Arrows game, most of them with sticks, helmets, and gloves.  Between periods and after warm-ups, kids flood the floor with their equipment and proceed to play, whether it is one one-on-one exercise, passing or just throwing the ball against the boards.   Access 4 Getting to Iroquois Lacrosse Arena is not difficult. The Reservation is located southeast of Brantford and southwest of Hamilton.   The major routes include Highway 24 to the west and Highway 6 to the east, however, it is mainly farmland in between these cities, and a two-lane highway is the best to expect for the majority of the travel.  ILA is in a rural area, basically at the junction of Cayuga Road and 2nd Line.  There is definitely no public transit in the area.  There is plenty of free parking on site.  Getting around ILA is not difficult at all and the washroom facilities are adequate.  However, a really large crowd would make getting around more challenging and crowded.  It may be important to note that cellular service is spotty in this area, depending on the carrier, and there is no public wifi in the facility.  Also, a Six Nations Arrows game is a predominantly cash experience. Return on Investment 5 There is tremendous value in OJLL lacrosse experiences and the Six Nations Arrows are no different.  Tickets are $10 and there are discounts for students and seniors.  The concession prices are much better than expected and parking is free.  The action on the floor is among the best box lacrosse that can be found outside of the NLL and it is in a place dedicated entirely to lacrosse.  In junior lacrosse, it doesn’t get much better than this. Extras 4 An extra mark for the pipeline for pro lacrosse that the Six Nations Arrows are.  The alumni list is massive and The Lax Mag  ranked the Six Nations Arrows as the fourth-best provider of NLL talent. An extra mark for the community hub that the Iroquois Lacrosse Arena is.  The facility is very busy with various teams, minor lacrosse, and other community events. An extra mark for the authentic Indigenous experience provided by the Six Nations Arrows. An extra mark for the lacrosse focus at the ILA. Final Thoughts With regards to Junior A lacrosse in Ontario, it does not get much better than the Six Nations Arrows experience.  The Iroquois Lacrosse Arena is one of the few facilities that was built specifically for lacrosse and has a total lacrosse focus.  Taking in an Arrows game offers great value for the dollar and is an experience not to be missed. ---- Follow all of Dave’s sporting adventures on YouTube , Twitter , Threads  and Instagram @profan9.

Photos by Dave Cottenie, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.14 University of Windsor Stadium 2555 College Avenue Windsor, ON N9B 2Z5 Windsor Lancers football website University of Windsor Stadium website Year Opened: 2005 Capacity: 2,000 Lancer Life In the shadows of the Ambassador Bridge which links the cities of Detroit, Michigan and Windsor, Ontario sits the University of Windsor. Formerly a Roman Catholic private university, the name of the institute was changed from Assumption University to the University of Windsor in 1967 to take advantage of the opportunity for public funding. With the new moniker came a new dedication to athletics and the Windsor Lancers were born. Formerly known as the Purple Raiders, the Windsor athletics program would take a huge step forward in 1968 with the fielding of the Windsor Lancers football team under Canadian University star and CFL alum, Gino Fracas. Fracas is credited with building the program with his more than twenty years of service and helped bring success to Windsor with their CCIFC Championship in 1968. The Lancers would eventually join the OUA and enjoy their only Yates Cup as conference champions in 1975. Windsor has also produced three Hec Crichton winners as the top player in all of Canada. Andrew Parici, Scott Mallender and Daryl Stephenson were successful in bringing the prestigious award to the Blue and Gold. The current home for the Lancers is Alumni Field at University of Windsor Stadium. Built in 2005, the stadium is the perfect home for Lancer football. At a capacity of 2,000 fans in the grandstand, with room for more on the berms, Alumni Field also services other Lancer athletic programs including soccer and track and field. Food & Beverage 3 The concession situation at University of Windsor Stadium is not too bad. There is a BBQ on site with burgers, sausages and other items. Soft drinks and pizza are also available at another stand. The north end zone features the Lancer Garden. Fans who are of age are able to purchase and consume beer in this area which is fenced off from the rest of the stadium. Fans are unable to bring alcoholic beverages into the stands. Atmosphere 3 Compared to many other OUA football facilities, University of Windsor Stadium is a solid venue and would definitely be considered permanent. The large concrete structure is similar to Varsity Stadium at the University of Toronto. Located with the rest of the athletic facilities on campus and the Human Kinetics building, University of Windsor Stadium is well maintained and nicely landscaped. Surrounded by a mix of chain link and wrought iron fencing, Alumni Field is situated from south to north, with the grandstand on the east side and berm seating on the west side. The Ambassador Bridge towers over the university campus in the north and the traffic coming from the bridge on Huron Church Road can be seen from the seating area. Being a fully functional track and field facility also makes University of Windsor Stadium very spacious. The grandstand is far from the action as eight lanes of track are between the grandstand and the field. The simple scoreboard at the south end is functional but not spectacular. The grandstand is quite long as it stretches the entire field, but only nine rows of bleacher seats makes the stadium still feel cozy. Upon entering the stadium area from the north, fans are greeted with some inflatables for the younger fans, a band playing some game day tunes and a performer on stilts welcoming patrons to the Lancers. When the game starts, the Lancers enter the field through a large white inflatable and are aided by Winston, the Lancers mascot. A few strange items accompany the Lancer experience. The strange first down sound, which lacks description, is blasted over the subpar PA system, is not appealing to fans. The team is also flanked upon entry by a smoke-blowing golf cart. Definitely unique, but not really adding to the atmosphere. Neighbourhood 3 University of Windsor Stadium is segregated among the University’s athletic facilities and not very close to pubs or restaurants. Probably the only venue within walking distance is the McDonald’s on Huron Church Road, which can be seen from the Alumni Field grandstand. However, heading toward the riverfront will give fans the opportunity to find some decent spots on both Wyandotte St and University Ave. The Barrel House, Dominion House and Rock Bottom Bar & Grill are all good options. There are a few other spots where fans can find other sports options. The St. Denis Centre can be found right behind University of Windsor Stadium and inside, the Dennis Fairall Fieldhouse is where the very successful Lancer basketball teams play. A short drive to the Capri Pizzeria Recreation Centre will find the home for Windsor Lancer hockey. The WFCU Centre is the home for the OHL’s Windsor Spitfires and is also a short drive from campus. If none of these options are satisfying, fans may consider hopping the border where all of the sports options of Detroit, Michigan are close. Other entertainment options in Windsor include the Canadian Historical Aircraft Association and Caesar’s Windsor. For fans who need a place to stay in Windsor, the Holiday Inn and Best Western are pretty close to campus and good options. Fans 3 The Windsor Lancers have traditionally been a team that either just makes the playoffs or just misses the playoffs in the OUA. As a result, the Lancers often struggle at the gate. The Lancers usually draw between 1,500 and 2,500 fans per game, but have not ranked higher than 6th place as compared to other OUA teams. The fans in attendance can often be considered die-hard and are typical of most Southern Ontario fans. Access 4 Getting to Alumni Field is not overly difficult. The stadium is adjacent to Highway 3, or Huron Church Road, the main street that leads to the Ambassador Bridge. Fairly recent renovation of Highway 401 have brought the main highway even closer to the river, meaning traveling Highway 3, which has plenty of traffic lights, has been reduced. There is some parking available on campus on the opposite side of College Ave and behind the St. Denis Centre. Parking will cost fans a little bit, but should be less than $10 for the game. Public transit is a little bit of a walk from the stadium. There are buses that run on Wyandotte, Felix, Tecumseh and Campbell. Fans interested in public transit should check out the Transit Windsor website for maps, fares and schedules. Tickets for the Lancers can be purchased at the tent outside of the stadium. There is plenty of space to walk around and elevators are available to get to the top of the grandstand. The washroom facilities are more than adequate for the crowd on hand. Return on Investment 4 Going to an OUA football game offers great value for the sporting dollar. Tickets will run between $10 and $15, which is cheaper than some other programs. General admission tickets go for $12. Concession prices are not terrible, but parking will cost a couple of bucks. On the field, the Lancers can be an exciting experience, but can be prone to a mismatch if squaring off against the wrong opponent. However, OUA football is an excellent way to spend a sunny fall afternoon. Extras 2 An extra mark for the three Hec Crighton Award winners to have played for the Lancers. An extra mark for legendary Lancers coach Gino Fracas, who would build the program from scratch. His influence on USports football was such that the award for the top volunteer assistant coach is named after the legendary Windsor coach. Final Thoughts Catching some Windsor Lancer football at Alumni Field at University of Windsor Stadium is a great way to spend a fall afternoon. Fans have a great opportunity to pair some Windsor football with other sporting events in Windsor or Detroit to make for a fantastic doubleheader or weekend. Checking out the Lancer Life is a good idea and offers great value for the money. Follow all of Dave’s sporting adventures on Twitter @profan9 and on Instagram .

Photos by Gregory Koch, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.29 Calfee Park 700 South Washington Ave Pulaski, VA 24301 Pulaski River Turtles website Calfee Park website Year Opened: 1935 Capacity: 2,500 Along the Appalachian League Trail: Pulaski Located in Southwest Virginia, the Pulaski River Turtles are an Appalachian League baseball team that plays their home games at Calfee Park. The stadium opened in 1935 and was built by the WPA following the Great Depression. It was extensively renovated in 2015. Until 2020, the Appalachian League was an affiliated minor league at the Rookie-Advanced level, and was many players' first professional stop. The Pulaski club was affiliated with many major league teams over the years, most recently the Yankees from 2015 to 2020. After the 2020 season, Major League Baseball eliminated the Rookie Advanced level and the Appy League became a summer collegiate league for rising freshmen and sophomores affiliated with USA Baseball's Prospect Development Pipeline. Although the quality of play has gone down, the experience has stayed similar or perhaps even gotten more enjoyable as teams adopt their own identity rather than use that of the parent club they are many miles away from. Food & Beverage 4 Most of the concessions at Calfee Park are served at a food court area down the first base line by the entry gate there. At the main stand, you will find an extensive menu including chicken tenders, cheeseburgers, and a barbecue sandwich (which in these parts invariably means pork), plus hot dogs, chili dogs, and pita pizza. Healthier options include a club wrap (with ham, turkey, cheese, lettuce, tomato, mayo, and bacon) and assorted salads. Many of the meal options also come with fries or chips. Soda (Pepsi products), bottled water, Gatorade, slushies, and chocolate milk from local vendor Duchess Dairy are also available. For fans of age, "adult refreshments" (i.e. beer) can be purchased too. Other stands sell different items. One stand in the food court area sells ice cream and another sells hot candied nuts and lemonade. A stand down the third base line has cheesesteak. You will certainly not go hungry at Calfee Park as there is plenty to eat here. Atmosphere 4 Most seats at Calfee Park are chairbacks, although there are some general admission bleachers down the left field line. All seats are behind netting except part of the bleachers, although it is not intrusive. There are some club seats behind home plate which include in-seat waiter service, and reserved seats on either side, but the remainder of the seating is general admission. The lower and upper sections to the right of the club area (as you face the field) are reserved, as is the lower one to the left. Oddly enough, the lower sections down the first base line have a worse view than general admission seats, as the suites to the right of them are raised higher, inexplicably blocking the view of a significant portion of right field. Do not waste your money sitting here, although if you do, you should have no problem sitting in the general admission area instead. Many of the lower sections below the concourse are marked as reserved but no longer are. The seating down the third base line is partially covered, which is nice on a hot day, while the seating down the first base line is not. There are may on-field contests between innings, some of which involve the mascots. When not participating in contests, Slider, a river turtle, and Calf-E, a cow (named after the stadium) can be seen roving the stands and interacting with fans. They also appear in short vignettes on the videoboard. That same board, in left centerfield, shows player stats as well as the pitch speed to two decimals (which seems impossibly precise) while a smaller scoreboard in right-centerfield just shows the linescore. Neighborhood 2 Calfee Park is located in a residential area of Pulaski with several houses overlooking the field. Supposedly David Justice hit a home run to one of the houses in right field when he played minor league ball here, although this may just be a legend. In any case, there is not much to do in the immediate vicinity, so you will have to drive to the Main Street area to do anything else. Even along Main Street, there is not much going on and many local businesses have closed since the pandemic. Compadres Mexican and The Dawg House (which serves hot dogs) are some local restaurants fans might enjoy. Fans 3 The River Turtles average about 1,300 fans a game, which puts them towards the middle of the Appalachian League. The crowd is a mix of young families, longtime fans who have seen many affiliated teams come and go over the years, and everyone in between. Kids can be seen lining up along the wall by the left field bleachers or hanging out near the visitor's bullpen by the left field gate hoping to get their hands on a ball, but are generally good about not getting in the way of other fans. The crowd can get loud at times, but is generally not too involved. That is about what you'd expect for this level. The fans are just here to enjoy baseball on a warm summer's night, and there's nothing wrong with that. Access 3 Pulaski is located off I-81 in the southwest part of Virginia via exit 94. You will then drive through residential neighborhoods, up and down hills, for a few miles, and perhaps wonder if your GPS has gotten you lost. It hasn't, this is just where the stadium is. There are several lots surrounding the stadium, both behind home plate and in left field, and gates in each location. The one near home plate will put you closer to the concession stands and most of the seating area. You will have to do some walking, including stairs or ramps, to get there from the left field gate but it is nothing too difficult. Restrooms are available near both entrances and are of a sufficient size for the crowd. The concourse is pretty narrow in some places but is generally not an issue due to the crowd size. Return on Investment 5 Club seats behind home plate are $15, and as mentioned above, include in seat wait service. Availability for these seats for single game seats is very low. Reserved seats in sections 1 and 3 are $11 above the concourse or $12 below. As mentioned, some of the lower rows of Section 1 are obstructed by the club, so we don't recommend you sit here. General admission seats are $5 and will get you in anywhere except sections 1 and 3 plus club and suite areas, although some sections are still marked reserved. Seniors can buy general admission tickets for just $1, although this must be done at the box office on gameday. Concessions are affordable and parking is free Overall, a Pulaski River Turtles game is an excellent value. Extras 2 Look for the team store on the concourse selling River Turtles merchandise. A second star for all the history at Calfee Park. Baseball has been played here since 1935, and many great players have made Pulaski their first professional stop on their trip to the majors. Notably alumni include David Justice, Mike Stanton, Mark Wohlers, and most recently, Anthony Volpe, who played here in 2019 during Pulaski's final season of affiliated ball. Final Thoughts On a summer night in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Southwest Virginia, a Pulaski River Turtles game is definitely an experience worth checking out. Although the team is no longer playing affiliated ball, they have managed to form their own identity, and baseball fans in the area should definitely head down to Calfee Park for a game.

Photos by Joseph Oakes, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 4.00 Virginia Credit Union Stadium 42 Jackie Robinson Way Fredericksburg, VA 22401 Fredericksburg Nationals website Virginia Credit Union Stadium website Year Opened: 2021 Capacity: 5,000 NATional Pastime After years of playing in the decrepit Pfitzner Stadium in Woodbridge, VA, the Potomac Nationals were set to move 30 miles south to Fredericksburg and become the Fredericksburg Nationals in 2020. Since the 2020 season was canceled due to COVID-19, the move to the new ballpark was delayed by a year. The sparkling new Fredericksburg Nationals Ballpark officially opened for minor league baseball on May 11, 2021, with a 7-5 loss to the Delmarva Shorebirds in front of a crowd of 2,065, since Virginia was still under COVID capacity restrictions. The FredNats began their inaugural season in Fredericksburg with 15 straight losses, and the first win at the new ballpark did not come until a 2-1 win over the Salem Red Sox on May 21, 2021. The ballpark has since been renamed Virginia Credit Union Stadium. The FredNats have only been in Fredericksburg four years, but are already a staple in the community. The team draws well and the ballpark hosts many events throughout the year. Food & Beverage 4 Virginia Credit Union Stadium offers a wide variety of food options. While the food quality at many ballparks seems to have waned in recent years, Fredericksburg is an exception to this. Caroline Street Grill has two locations in the ballpark and serves up traditional ballpark favorites such as Chicken Tenders, Cheeseburger, Hot Dogs, Chili Cheese Nachos, Ballpark Nachos, Jumbo Pretzels, Cracker Jacks, Popcorn, etc. They even offer a plant-based Veggie Burger. Burg’s Bazaar offers taco options including street tacos, Helmet Nachos (in a FredNats Helmet), and a taco bowl. On Tuesdays, the ballpark offers $2 tacos. Other stands scattered around the ballpark include Chick-fil-A and Freddie’s Frozen Custard. There is also a large area in right field that has a liquor bar, popcorn, and Dippin’ Dots. There are two grab-n-go areas through the park, where fans can purchase bottled drinks and snacks self-serve, and use self-checkout to pay. The ballpark serves Pepsi products. There are several local brew options including the team’s own Sluggin’ Gus named for George Washington’s father and the team mascot. Prices tend to be a little high but are on par with what you would expect at most ballparks. Also, we noticed on our visit and also heard from fans that concession lines are extremely long and slow. Therefore, we suggest the grab-n-go areas. Atmosphere 5 Virginia Credit Union Stadium is designed similarly to many minor league ballparks these days, with the concourse above the single-seating bowl. Except for the areas behind home plate, there is a 360-degree concourse all around the ballpark. This is because the club level is directly on the concourse level, not above as in most ballparks. Therefore, to get from the first base to the third base side (or vice-versa), you have to walk completely around the backside of the club. There is no view of the action and it feels like you are completely leaving the ballpark. Other than that, the concourse gives you a great view of the action all around the ballpark. All seats in the ballpark are chairback and run just beyond the dugout on each side. In both the right and left field corners are terrace boxes with tables and bar stools. There are several group areas in the outfield including a scoreboard suite with a manual scoreboard operated by the fans, a field suite next to the home bullpen in left field, and several bullpen party decks adjacent to the visiting bullpen in right field. On the backside of the batter’s eye in center field is a large mural showing the “History of Baseball in Fredericksburg”. There is a large kid’s play area on artificial turf beyond the right-field foul pole. There are two ribbon boards – one above the bullpen in left field and one on the suite level overhang – and one large video board in right field. The playing surface at Virginia Credit Union Stadium is a state-of-the-art synthetic grass from Shaw Sports Turf similar to what is used by the Arizona Diamondbacks and Texas Rangers. It is the first minor league ball to use such a surface. This allows the FredNats to host several events such as concerts and youth sports without the extra cost of maintaining a natural grass surface. The team store is just adjacent to the main gate on the first base concourse. Neighborhood 4 Virginia Credit Union Stadium is located just off of I-95 in an area known as Celebrate Virginia. It consists of several stores and restaurants Target, Walmart, Barnes & Noble, Cracker Barrell, Chick-fil-A, Carrabba’s, Outback Steakhouse, Krispy Kreme Doughnuts, etc. Immediately surrounding the ballpark is a Wegmans Grocery Store, a Hilton Garden Inn, and the Fredericksburg Expo and Conference Center. The Ballpark is located at the end of Carl D. Silver Parkway, which can create a few traffic issues as there is only one way in and out. While the address is 42 Jackie Robinson Way, this is a new road so it may not show up on your GPS. Instead, point your GPS to the Fredericksburg Expo and Conference Center. Parking is available here or at the lots surrounding the ballpark for $6. While there are many restaurants and shops within a couple of miles, there is not much within walking distance, except for the Wegmans. Fans 5 In the first three years at their new ballpark, the fans have shown up in full force. One can expect a nearly full crowd for most games, especially on the weekends. Crowds average around 3,000+ during the week and 4,000-5,000 on the weekend. The fans are involved, cheer frequently, and are into the game. Being so close to their parent team in DC, there are many fans in Washington Nationals gear at Virginia Credit Union Stadium. Access 3 With only one way to and from the ballpark, plan a little extra time when going to a game. Interstate 95 is generally a parking lot from Fredericksburg to Washington, D.C., so if you are traveling via I-95, plan accordingly. Gate entry and security are pretty relaxed. Of course, you can save time by purchasing tickets ahead of time. With the size of the crowds, this is not a bad idea anyway to ensure yourself a seat. Once inside the ballpark access is a breeze on the 360-degree concourse, except the hiccup behind the club level. Return on Investment 3 This is one of the few areas where Virginia Credit Union Stadium received low marks. Ticket prices range from $15 to $22 in the seats, and are $10 for standing room only. While this is a new state-of-the-art ballpark, this is a little steep for Low-A ball. Prices like this may wear off as the newness of the ballpark fades, especially if the team stays Low-A. As previously mentioned parking is $6 in the lots surrounding the ballpark. If you are looking to cut costs, be sure to attend on Tuesdays when most tickets are $2 tickets. There are also $2 tacos on Tuesdays. Extras 4 The new ballpark receives several extra points for the following: - 360-degree concourse - Several group areas including the scoreboard suite, bullpen party decks, terrace boxes, etc. - The large kids' play area in right field - Several standing areas along the concourse with food and drink rails Final Thoughts After enduring several years of playing in a “dump” in Woodbridge, the FredNats organization now has a beautiful, brand-new ballpark it can call its own and be proud of. A night out at the new Virginia Credit Union Ballpark will be a great experience for many years to come.

Photos by Paul Baker, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.86 Eldredge Park 78 Eldredge Park Way Orleans, MA 02653 Orleans Firebirds website Eldredge Park website Year Opened : 1913 Capacity : 4,000 Filling the Hill for Over a Century Eldredge Park, in Orleans, MA, is the oldest ballpark in the Cape Cod League, and one of the oldest continuously used ballparks in the country. Featured in pictorials in Sports Illustrated and Baseball in America, it was named the best summer collegiate ballpark in the nation by Baseball America in 2004. Eldredge Park has been described as a “Norman Rockwell painting come to life”. The land for the park was donated to the town of Orleans by baseball enthusiast Louis Winslow "Win" Eldredge, “in consideration of [his] affection for and interest in the young people of Orleans and [his] desire to provide a playground for them.” The park quickly became a popular community gathering place. Thanks to the nearby transatlantic telegraph cable station, fans at Eldredge were among the first Americans to receive the news that Charles Lindbergh had touched down safely in Paris. Constructed in 1913, Eldredge Park is a most uniquely designed ballpark. There is virtually no permanent seating anywhere at the facility. Most of the seating here is located on a large, terraced hill, known as “The Hill at Eldredge Park”, which runs the length of the first base side of the field. Fans coming to watch the Firebirds play are encouraged to bring their own blankets or lawn chairs and pick out their favorite spots from which to watch the action. For much of their existence, Orleans’ team was known as the Cardinals. In 2009, several Cape League teams decided to cease sharing names with a Major League squads, and their name was changed to Firebirds. The team has won 4 Cape League championships in the Modern Era, which began in 1963, and is the only league franchise to boast two baseball Hall of Famers (Carlton Fisk and Frank Thomas) among their alumni. In 2022 42 Firebirds alumni played in the Major Leagues. Food & Beverage 3 Nauset Food Services operates a concession stand at Eldredge Park. The "Fire Pit" is located in the parking lot atop the right field berm. The menu here covers all the basics, including burgers, hot dogs and sausage and pepper sandwiches. Veggie burgers, nachos and pizza slices are also sold here. A good variety of snacks, featuring chips, candy, peanuts, popcorn, pretzels and ice cream novelties are also available. Fans looking for something a little extra can top their hot dog or burger with cheese, peppers and onion for an extra dollar. Coca Cola products are sold at the Fire Pit. Alcoholic beverages are not sold at Eldredge Park. Atmosphere 4 The atmosphere at a Firebirds game is very similar to what you will find in other Cape Cod League venues. The bells and whistles present in so many minor league ballparks today are nowhere to be found on the Cape. PA announcements are limited to upcoming batters, lineup changes, and sponsors advertisements. Children have room to play and chase foul balls. Families and locals mix, enjoying a laid-back night at the ballpark. It’s a baseball purist’s dream. Neighborhood 4 Orleans is a small town located on the “inner elbow” of Cape Cod. It has a population of just over 6,000 year-round residents, and swells to several times that size during the summer months. Eldredge Park is located next to Nauset Regional Middle School, about a mile from downtown Orleans. Fans looking to explore what Orleans has to offer should head north on Route 28 South (you read that right, don’t try and understand, it’s a Massachusetts thing) to where routes 28, 6, and 6A come together. There you will find numerous fine seafood restaurants and tourist attractions. If you wish to avoid the large summer crowds, come to the area early in the season in June before schools let out. Everything will be open, and the crowds will not have arrived yet. The area boasts several excellent beaches and seasonal tourist attractions. Many beautiful homes dating back to colonial times are present along the waterfront. The destination town of Provincetown is located a half hour to the north through the Cape Cod National Seashore. Fans 4 Orleans consistently ranks at or near the top of the Cape League’s attendance rankings, averaging about 1,500 fans per game. They have a dedicated fan base with some interesting traditions. Since virtually all of Eldredge Park’s seating is general admission lawn seating, fans are allowed to come to the ballpark early, in some cases VERY early, to leave their blankets or chairs on the ground and reserve their spots in advance. The fans then return at game time to the spot they chose hours earlier. One complaint that is heard at times is that some fans will reserve their spot early in the day, only to not show up until the game is well underway, thus depriving other deserving fans of a prime location. During the season’s prime dates in July and August, these spots can become very valuable indeed. Seeing Eldredge Park’s terraced hills filled with locals and tourists alike enjoying a game under the stars is a fantastic sight and gives Orleans a well-deserved reputation as one of the top ballparks in the league. Access 4 Eldredge Park is very easy to get to, located about a mile off of route 6. Simply take the exit for Route 6A, follow it to Eldredge Park Way, and the ballpark will be on your left. Adjacent to the ballpark is a skate park, basketball courts, tennis courts, and a playground. There is ample parking beyond the right field fence, and plenty of room for fans to spread out their lawn chairs and blankets. As mentioned earlier, most of the seating is in the form of lawn seating. The team has placed a new set of bleachers near home plate, and another new set of bleachers beyond the right field fence. While the many children attending the game scale the terraced berm like mountain goats, fans with an unsteady gait should be careful, as there are no paved paths anywhere at Eldredge Park. The field is located very close to Route 28, necessitating large nets to be placed around the infield to protect passing cars. The screens at Eldredge Park extend from home plate 180 feet down each baseline. They are an inconvenience to fans, to be sure, but they are a necessity here. The placement of the field so close to the road also means that there isn’t a whole lot of room for fans to sit on the third base line. The great majority of fans will choose seats on the roomier first base line. Fans wishing to not look through the nets will have to sit far down the baselines. With the presence of a busy road (Route 28) so close to the field, children who are chasing foul balls must be reminded to not chase the balls into the street, which the Firebirds do throughout the game. In addition, there are several signs present reminding fans of this important safety rule. Return on Investment 5 As is the case at all Cape League games, there is no charge for admission at Eldredge Park. The team welcomes donations from fans, and in return you will receive a yearbook and roster sheet. Parking is also free, and regular attendees at Firebirds games will bring their own cooler with drinks and snacks. It is entirely possible to see a game being played by several future major leaguers without paying a cent. For those fans purchasing food at the Fire Pit, concessions are reasonably priced. Extras 3 A recent addition to Eldredge Park is “The Catch,” a statue located on the top of the hill near home plate, which depicts a young fan stretching to catch one of the numerous foul balls that land in the area. The original configuration of Eldredge Park located home plate in what is today its left-field corner. After generations of batters struggled to hit against the visual backdrop of a setting sun, the orientation was changed in the mid-1960s. The newly reconfigured park opened for the 1967 CCBL all-star game. The hill was terraced in the mid-1980s, giving the park its current look. Final Thoughts Baseball has been played at Eldredge Park since 1913. As a member of the Firebirds' staff put it, "we have three things going for us in Orleans. We have the best beaches on the Cape, we have the hill, and we have the history." While many towns on the Cape will debate the merits of their own beaches against those in Orleans, there is no disputing the unique nature of the terraced hill at Eldredge Park. Being a part of a late summer crowd in Orleans alongside virtually the entire town is indeed a special experience. In the 2022 major league season 362 Cape Cod League alumni suited up in the major leagues. That's almost one out of every six players to play in the majors. Needless to say, some of the best amateur ball being played anywhere can be found in the small parks on Cape Cod. With all ten ballparks located within an hour's drive of each other, it's a baseball fan's dream come true. Follow Paul Baker’s stadium journeys on Twitter and Instagram @PuckmanRI.

Photos by Paul Baker, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.71 Veterans Field 702 Main St Chatham, MA 02633 Chatham Anglers website Veterans Field website Year Opened: 1923 Capacity: 8,500 The Right Angle Veteran’s Field is located near the center of Chatham, a town at the “elbow” of Cape Cod. Teams representing the town of Chatham have played at the site of Veteran’s Field since the inception of the Cape Cod League in 1923. Chatham’s squad was known as the A’s from the beginning of the ‘Modern Era” of the Cape League in 1963 to 2009, when several teams decided to stop sharing names with Major League squads. The team was rebranded as the Anglers. This allows for the team to continue to be informally called “The A’s,” while invoking a most appropriate nautical theme. The A’s/Anglers have won five titles in the Cape League’s “Modern Era”, most recently in 1998. Food & Beverage 3 The Snack Shack serves as Veteran’s Field’s snack bar. Located directly behind the first base dugout, standard ballpark fare can be found here. Hot dogs, burgers and pizza slices are the main attractions. Fans wanting their hot dog with a little more oomph can upgrade to Coach Schiffner’s famous Chili Dog. There’s a decent variety of snacks available here, including popcorn served in a souvenir Anglers cup, Cracker Jacks, assorted candy, Cape Cod Chips (of course) and Angler’s cookies baked with the Chatham logo on the top. There is also a selection of ice cream novelties sold here. Cans of Coca-Cola products are sold here, as well as Powerade and Vitamin Water. Since it can get very chilly here in Chatham at night, fans can purchase coffee, tea or hot chocolate. Chatham doesn’t feature the most extensive menu around, and their prices are a bit on the high side when compared to other Cape League ballparks. On the plus side, they grill their dogs and burgers to order. Fans looking for a bargain can wait until near the end of the game, when “dollar dogs” are announced. But be warned, quantities are limited, so be ready! Atmosphere 3 As is the case at all the Cape Cod League venues, teams in this league present their games in an “old-school” manner. Absent are silly between inning promotions and ear-shattering music played in between innings. Fans looking for elaborate game-day productions will undoubtedly be disappointed with this simple approach, but baseball purists will enjoy every last second of it. PA announcements are limited to lineup changes (with the occasional sponsor shout out), and a simple scoreboard in left field displays basic game information. There is a lot of room to roam at Veteran’s Field, both in the large berm that stretches from the right field foul pole to deep centerfield as well as the open grassy area on the first base side of the facility. There is a large playground located in this area, where kids can release some pent-up energy while their parents can still watch the ballgame. Neighborhood 4 Veteran’s Field is located just west of Chatham Center, a quaint neighborhood full of shops, cafés, and antique stores. Fans interested in doing touristy things without the commercialism that has crept into some of the other Cape Cod destinations should check out Chatham. Remember, a town this small and this popular is bound to get crowded, so if you are wishing to avoid the largest crowds and resulting traffic, visit the area in June, before schools let out for the summer and the tourists arrive en masse. Veteran’s Field is located within walking distance of several popular eating establishments and lodging choices. In fact, many fans choose to simply walk to an Anglers’ game, find a bite to eat, and enjoy the area. Downtown Chatham is a great place for people watching and enjoying the small town vibe. The Chatham Railroad Museum is located just beyond the right field berm. After the game just walk across the parking lot and stop in at the Red Nun, a popular restaurant located right next to Veterans Field. Fans 4 Chatham annually ranks among the top 3 or 4 teams in the Cape Cod League in terms of attendance. Crowds at Veteran’s Field are similar to those elsewhere on the Cape, meaning that there is a strong presence from the locals, who often have a connection with the team as a booster, house parent, or volunteer. If not connected with the team officially, many of the fans present have been coming to see the Anglers play for years. Mixed in with the locals are tourists visiting the area and spending a relaxing night out at the ballpark. As one of the most complete “ballparks” in the Cape League, it’s a popular destination for ballpark travelers. A popular diversion during many Anglers games is the nightly discussion about when the fog is going to roll in. A night at Veterans Field without fog is a rare one, indeed. Chatham’s location on the elbow of Cape Cod makes it an ideal location for fog once the sun goes down. For those wondering, the fog usually rolls in around the fifth or sixth inning. Access 4 The town of Chatham is located at the elbow of Cape Cod, making it the furthest team to visit for any fans visiting from off-Cape (that’s anyone not living on Cape Cod, for those of us who don’t speak Cape-ese). Despite this, it’s relatively easy to find Veteran’s Field. It is located right on Route 28, which follows the entire southern coastline of the Cape. Veteran’s Field itself is located in a natural bowl, with hills surrounding the playing surface. Fans who have not been to Chatham in some time will notice some wonderful changes to the facility. The whole seating area has been cleared, landscaped, and new, more accessible (read: less steep) bleachers have been installed. There is plenty of room at both the top and the bottom of the bleachers for fans bringing their own lawn chairs. There is plenty of standing room atop the grandstand area. Also located behind home plate is the press box and souvenir stands. Running down both baselines are more bleachers. Unfortunately, there are screens surrounding the field to protect neighboring houses from errant foul balls. Fans wanting an unobstructed view of the action will need to sit on the furthest grandstand down the lines, or beyond. Many fans at Chatham choose to sit on the large berm in the outfield. There is enough room out here for several thousand fans on a busy night, or for kids to run around when it is less crowded. You will find many fans sitting on top of the berm along the Doyle Street sidewalk or even in their vehicles, listening to the game on their radios. Parking is available in a pair of small public lots adjacent to the ballpark or on the surrounding streets. There is a building behind the first base hill, which contains restrooms. Be warned that not all areas surrounding Veterans Field are well lit. Return on Investment 5 As is the case at all Cape Cod League ballparks, there is no charge to attend a Chatham Anglers game. The team will accept your donation, which they use to fund their operating costs. In return for your donation, the team will return the favor by giving you a program. Parking is free in either of the two lots next to the field, or on any of the neighborhood streets. Just pay attention to the signs to make sure you are not in a restricted zone. Many fans bring their own coolers stocked with items to enjoy during the game, making a night out at the Anglers totally free. Extras 3 Displayed on the façade of the old-timey press box are four retired numbers for persons who were instrumental in the long history of Chatham baseball (John Schiffner, Ed Haird, Matt Fincher and Eddie Lyons). Also be sure to check out the display of every Chatham A/Angler to play in the big leagues. It’s an enormous list with plenty of familiar names. A small plaque dedicated to former Chatham player Thurman Munson can also be found on the press box. Final Thoughts In a league full of unique parks, Chatham offers an experience that may top them all. It has a real vintage charm, and the view from the top of the outfield berm simply can’t be beat. Even though Chatham is the most remote team in the league when coming from off-Cape, all ten teams are located within an hour of each other. In 2022 a total of 377 Cape League alumni played in the major leagues. That’s about one of every six players to suit up in the Majors. When taking in a Cape League game, it’s likely that you will be watching a bunch of future first round picks or all-stars in the making - for free! Follow Paul Baker’s stadium journeys on Twitter and Instagram @PuckmanRI.

Photos by Aaron S. Terry, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.57 Wildcat Stadium 145 Main St Durham, NH 03824 New Hampshire Wildcats football website Wildcat Stadium website Year Opened: 1936 Capacity: 11,015 130+ Years in Durham The New Hampshire Wildcats have fielded a football team since 1893, and currently play at the FCS level in the Coastal Athletic Association. The Wildcats play their home football games at Wildcat Stadium, an on-campus facility which includes a running track around the field – the venue is also used by the school’s lacrosse and track and field teams. The stadium holds 11,015 fans and was opened in 1936. This is the third football venue used by the Wildcats during their history.   Food & Beverage   5 The main concession stand (603 Eatery) at Wildcat Stadium has a large selection of choices, including hot dogs, burgers, chicken sandwiches, steak and cheese subs, pulled pork, chicken tenders, pizza, mac ‘n cheese, and chili as main dishes, plus snacks such as fries, nachos, popcorn, pretzels, cookies, candy, and brownies. The prices are reasonable, as the most expensive main dish item is only around $9, which is pretty good nowadays as sports stadium prices go. Drinks include soda, PowerAde, bottled water, coffee, tea, hot cocoa, and seven choices of beer and hard seltzer ($7 and up) – on the home side, alcohol is only sold at separate “quick stands”, which also sell popcorn, hot dogs, and pretzels, so if you are looking for a little shorter line for food, you can grab something to eat at one of those quick stands instead of at the main stand.   Atmosphere   4 Wildcat Stadium is a great venue, especially for the FCS level – what you may notice as you first walk in is all the different sections of seating. The home side has a subtle press box, faced with brick and bracketed by peaked roofs on each end, so it blends into the stands. The student section is below the press box, on the left side if you are facing it, easily visible due to the UNH banners being waved by the students in the front row. There are also field-level suites behind one end zone (white tents), as well as the Bud Light Beer Deck next to the visiting stands – the beer deck has white Christmas strung over blue tailgating tents, so would be a great place to visit (standing room only) if you need to get out of the sun. You can also watch from the small hill in front of the videoboard. The field itself is surrounded by a dark blue and grey track, and the medium-blue UNH end zones really pop against the green of the field and the surrounding trees.  There is a large videoboard behind one end zone (the ticket booth/will call is underneath it) – a single videoboard works fine here, as there isn’t any real seating behind that end zone (although a few people do watch from the grassy area on that end). The Wildcats have a great mascot, and of course cheerleaders, both of whom mostly hang out in front of the student section. But what really sets Wildcat Stadium apart is the pre-game festivities – the cheerleaders lead the team onto the field, which is pretty typical, but the honor guard sports a 13-star flag representing New Hampshire’s status as one of the 13 original colonies. The band also spells out “USA” as the National Anthem is played, and “UNH” prior to that, which is always fun to snap a photo of. The aforementioned honor guard also fires off a vintage cannon every time the Wildcats score.   Neighborhood   3 Wildcat Stadium is surrounded by several of the school’s other athletic facilities, but there are a bunch of restaurants starting about a mile away along Main Street toward the east-southeast, including Hop + Grind for burgers or The Spot for health food, plus a couple of pizza places.  There are several hotels in that area as well. In terms of attractions, there are a lot of parks and other nature areas for those who want to take a hike or otherwise enjoy the local scenery – New Hampshire has a lot of natural beauty and a lot of greenery for visitors to enjoy. There is also a children’s museum and the Woodman Museum about six miles away, the latter being a collection of four historic houses showcasing local history. And if you want to visit the coast, the beaches of New Hampshire and Maine are less than half an hour away.   Fans   3 Wildcat Stadium has a pretty loud student section, and the stands are pretty full on the home side – certain games can easily sell out. The visiting side may appear mostly empty during some games, depending on the opponent, although you will see plenty of fans in the aforementioned Bud Light Beer Deck, some of whom likely walked over from the home side, as you are allowed to walk all the way around the field at Wildcat Stadium. There is also a pretty solid tailgating scene before the game, mostly in the large parking lot behind the videoboard, but also some tailgating in the lots behind the visitor stands.   Access   3 There is a lot of traffic around the stadium even if you arrive several hours before the game, and there doesn’t appear to be any cash parking nearby – all the lots I saw were reserved and/or had to be pre-purchased. I did see some fans walking from further away, so there is parking around, but just not close. Once you get into the stadium, however, moving around is pretty easy – there are bathrooms and concessions on the home side, although no bathrooms I saw on the visiting side. There is of course the aforementioned beer deck on the visiting side, and you are welcome to walk around the stadium as you please during the game.   Return on Investment   4 Tickets to UNH football games at Wildcat Stadium start at $31 using the UNH athletics website – this a is reasonable price for FCS football, and lets you attend a game here for between $50 and $60, per person, including parking and typical food and drinks. I consider this a good return on investment for the modern stadium, as well as the amenities and festivities you will see here.   Extras   3 The Bud Light Beer Deck is a nice feature, and is something you may not often see at a college football game. The multiple different seating options are also a plus, in case you want to watch the game from a few different vantage points – even though there is a track around the field itself, it stills feels like you can get really close to the action at Wildcat Stadium.   Final Thoughts There aren’t many great football experiences in this particular part of the country, unless you want to drive down to Massachusetts and see Boston College or the New England Patriots . But if you are looking for a pleasant day or evening in a scenic country setting, you can’t do worse than taking in a Wildcats football game in Durham, NH. The stadium is great, and you will have a wonderful time. Go C-A-T-S!

Photos by Jared Goodman, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.57 Knoxville Civic Auditorium and Coliseum 500 Howard Baker Jr. Ave. Knoxville, TN 37915 Knoxville Ice Bears website Knoxville Civic Auditorium and Coliseum website Year Opened: 1961 Capacity: 6,500 Good ‘Ole Hockey Top When one mentions Knoxville, Tennessee, the first thing that comes to their mind probably isn’t hockey. Football, the Volunteer brand more likely than not, is what’s usually at the front of everyone’s brains. But hockey has a decent following in the region nonetheless, perhaps fueled by the success of the nearby Nashville Predators of the NHL. Two hours east of Music City, fans are coming out in droves to see the independent Knoxville Ice Bears tear through their league each night at the Civic Coliseum. The Ice Bears were founded in 2002 as one of the charter members of the Atlantic Coast Hockey League. They spent just one season before moving to the South East Hockey League for the 2003-04 campaign. After another single-season stint in the SEHL, the Ice Bears finally joined their present circuit, the Southern Professional Hockey League, in 2004. During their tenure in the SPHL, Knoxville has become the league’s winningest team, securing four President’s Cups and an equal number of regular-season titles. For the entirety of their existence throughout three leagues, the Ice Bears have called the Knoxville Civic Coliseum their home, ripping through opponents here on a nightly basis. The multi-purpose arena was built in 1961 and has a capacity of 6,500. The building has hosted hockey since its opening from the Knoxville Knights (1961-1968), and Knoxville Cherokees (1988-1997), and since 1992 has been the partial home to the Tennessee Vols hockey club. Before the 2019-2020 season, the coliseum went through $11 million in renovations that included the replacement of the original ice floor, the installation of a center-hung scoreboard, remodeled restrooms, the LED sports lighting has been updated to reduce glare and shadows on the rink. Food & Beverage 5 There’s an unprecedented amount of variety present among the concessions at the Civic Coliseum, so you don’t ever have to worry about going hungry during Ice Bears games. Some of the main dishes available include cheesesteaks, ultimate nachos, chicken or beef tacos, barbecue sandwiches, Polish sausages, pizzas, and hot dogs, which no venue is considered well-rounded without. There are still other items from flatbread pizzas, smoked sausages, taco salads, grille chicken salads, taco salads in a tortilla bowl, and chicken tender baskets with fries. Snacks are also served at most of the counters, from peanuts and popcorn to pretzels and potato chips. Dippin’ Dots has a cart in the arena too, as does a local coffee shop called Pedal Java. The Hockey Top Sundae is a brownie topped with ice cream, whipped cream, chocolate syrup, and peanuts. Alcohol is also prevalent throughout the building and includes beers, cocktails, and bottled beers from brands like Yuengling, Budweiser, Michelob, Miller Lite, Shock Top and Blue Moon are on tap for anywhere from $5-$15. Pepsi-branded sodas are $4.50 and bottled water is $4. Atmosphere 5 The Knoxville Civic Coliseum, while itself a dated venue, is a genuine old-timey barn that’s fantastic for hockey. Built-in 1961, the Coliseum had seen three franchises take the ice before the arrival of the Ice Bears in 2002. In general, the venue was already accustomed to the sport when the team made its debut. Entering the arena, you’ll be funneled into what’s called “Exhibition Hall.” This part of the building is non-ticketed, so you’ll need to get your hand stamped if you enter the seating bowl and wish to get back to the main lobby. There are a few concession options in Exhibition Hall, but there are also plenty of options in the two concourses located behind the sidelines. The Coliseum’s seating bowl consists of folding wooden seats, with enough space to hold 6,500 spectators. However, an entire end zone (sections FF through KK) has a partially obstructed view of the ice. Any fans sitting in these areas are unable to see part of the surface behind the goal line. Also, underneath this end zone is where you’ll find the venue’s restrooms. Wooden Seats at Civic Coliseum, Photo by Jared Goodman, Stadium Journey Whatever the Civic Coliseum lacks in flair, the Ice Bears have made up for in the area of the fan experience. The team has nailed their game day presentation, from the pre-game festivities to the in-game effects. One of the coolest bits comes during the ceremonial puck drop when orange lights flood the ice and Rocky Top is blasted over the sound system. This hit is instantly recognized by Tennessee Volunteers fans, as it’s popularly played at all Vols sporting events. It’s pretty great that the Ice Bears have adopted this tradition as well. During the game itself, the PA announcer and the sound effects work in tandem to create an amusing and fun atmosphere for everyone. One example where this is executed perfectly is when a fight breaks out on the ice: the PA guy declares the scuffle a “minor disturbance,” and the Beastie Boys’ Fight for Your Right to Party starts playing immediately. Neighborhood 4 The Civic Auditorium and Coliseum are located just east of downtown Knoxville off of the James White Parkway, a stone’s throw from Volunteer Landing on the Tennessee River. It’s a quick 3 or 4-block walk to Gay Street, the site of most of Knoxville’s happenings. Here, you’ll find the famous Tennessee Theatre, the popular shopping and dining spots of Market Square, and the retro excitement of the Sunsphere. A remnant leftover from the 1982 World’s Fair when it was held in the region, the Sunsphere is today the most recognizable structure on the Knoxville skyline. It’s worth the short elevator ride to the top to take in the commanding views of the downtown area. Additionally, sports fans must take the opportunity to visit the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame when in Knoxville. The Hall of Fame is the only facility of its kind dedicated solely to women’s basketball, and that’s thanks in part to legendary Lady Vols’ coach Pat Summit. This informative museum is also home to the world’s largest basketball, a fiberglass monstrosity that weighs approximately 10 tons. Fans 3 Although the crowd, in general, is pretty mellow, there are a few groups of fans that are die-hard Ice Bears fans. One particularly loud devotee chants “ICE. BEARS.” when the pre-game skate begins. The PA announcer, seemingly aware of his presence, gives pause to let the guy do his thing. A small group, cleverly named “Knocksville", is also parked behind the away team’s bench. During the game, they yell in chorus about how much the visiting team “sucks.” One fan even occasionally bangs on a drum to get the team, and the crowd, involved in the action. There’s never a dull moment during Ice Bears games, thanks to these supporters who never say die. Access 4 Knoxville is the heart of eastern Tennessee and is situated at the intersection of three major interstates. I-40, which runs west-east, provides access to Nashville and Asheville. I-75 goes to Kentucky in the north and Chattanooga in the south, while I-81 terminates just east of the city and winds in a northeasterly direction toward Virginia. The James White Parkway provides direct access to the Civic Coliseum from I-40, so the quick flow of traffic means getting to the game couldn’t be easier. Once you’re within spitting distance, you’ll find ample parking available at the venue’s lots and garages. The cost is $5, and only cash is accepted. Return on Investment 2 Ticket pricing is broken into four tiers: Silver, Gold, VIP, and Box for adults, seniors, and youths. Adult tickets range from $18-$36, seniors are $16-$36, and youth prices are $10-$36. Depending on your price points the choice is yours as to how much you want to pay for a ticket but with your prices as low as $10, it makes for an inexpensive night for a family of four. Parking is $5. Once at the game, you’ll find the food options to be fairly priced as far as sports venues go. Extras 2 The Knoxville Civic Coliseum earns a point for being able to maintain an old-timey feel while still offering modern amenities. The coliseum earns points for having just created a new mobile app, showing that the Ice Bears are committed to staying current and retaining relevance with their fan base. Final Thoughts Whatever the Civic Coliseum lacks in flair, the Ice Bears have made up for in the area of the fan experience. The team has nailed their game day presentation, from the pre-game festivities to the in-game effects. While it’s not the most glamorous hockey barn out there the Bears still offer a rewarding game day experience for fans of all ages. Anyone who enjoys the sport should find a way to get to a game on “good ‘ole Hockey Top.”

Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 4.14 TD Garden 100 Legends Way Boston, MA 02114 Boston Celtics website TD Garden website Year Opened: 1995 Capacity: 19,156 The Gahden The Boston Celtics are the most successful franchise in NBA history, having won 17 championships, 21 conference titles and 22 division championships during their time in the league. The team has qualified for the playoffs 57 times. 40 individuals associated with the team have been enshrined in the Basketball Hall of Fame. The TD Garden is the home of both the Celtics and the NHL’s Boston Bruins . When the facility was under construction in the mid-1990s, plans stated the arena would be located “just north” of the Boston Garden. “Just north” ended up being nine inches away. The privately financed facility was built for $160 million in 1995. Food & Beverage 4 Concessions at TD Garden have never been at the forefront of the Celtics gameday experience. Over the years, the concessions have improved here in both variety and quality. Along with the physical renovations to the TD Garden, visiting fans will notice improvements to the food and beverages available for the 2019-20 season. Stands at the TD Garden are organized by their menus, so hungry fans may have to do some searching to find what they want. All the expected arena staples can be found at the many stands that line the concourse. Vegetarian, vegan, kosher and gluten free items are available throughout TD Garden. For your best value, try a super slice at Sal’s Pizza. Hub Hot Dogs offers a family-friendly menu without alcohol sales. For some of the more unique items on the menu, head to the Test Kitchen stand on Level 4. Coca-Cola products are featured at TD Garden. A more in-depth description of the menu, including a map of all concessions, can be found here . Fans looking for an adult beverage will have no problem finding what they want at TD Garden. In addition to draught and bottled beers available at both permanent and portable concession stands, there are several spots dedicated solely to adult refreshments. The Coors Light Hub Bar and Sam Adams Brew House, located on Level 4, as well as the Bud Light Blue Zone and Craft Beer Garden on Level 7, offer a wide selection of national brands and local craft brews for thirsty Bruins fans. New social areas for the 2019-20 season include The Rafters Club on Level 9 and the Back Row Bar at the top of the Balcony seating area. Be warned that concession prices at TD Garden are among the highest in the NBA. Atmosphere 5 Somewhere, Red Auerbach must be rolling over in his grave. The old Celtics philosophy of just opening up the gates and rolling out the basketballs is a distant memory. Watching an NBA game today is an all-out assault on the senses, and taking in a Celtics game at the TD Garden is no different. The game-day presentation at a Celtics game is a non-stop mix of music and visuals designed to appeal to the casual basketball fan. The Celtics put on as good a show as anyone in the NBA. All the usual features are here, including a scantily-clad dance team, a cheerleading squad (kudos to having a mixed-gender squad who perform some nice stunts), and to many old-timers’ dismay, a mascot. However, the Celtics do not employ your standard furry creature, but an actual human dressed in leprechaun gear. “Lucky” takes part in stunts and routines, and has some good moves of his own. A significant portion of the in-game presentation is directed towards younger fans, with play stoppages filled with fan cams on the jumbotron, t-shirt tosses, performances by Li’l Phunk, the team’s youth dance troupe, face painting booths, and more. Youth teams can even take the court to play before the game. The TD Garden is a family-friendly venue. Parents can feel very comfortable bringing the entire family to a Celtics game. Neighborhood 5 The TD Garden is located in Boston’s historic North End, the city’s version of “Little Italy.” Among the many outstanding restaurants along these narrow, crowded streets is Bruin legend Ray Bourque’s restaurant, Tresca. Be sure to grab a couple of cannolis from Mike’s Pastry while here, or head to Regina’s Pizzeria, one of the top places to get a slice of pizza in the country. Many visiting fans enjoy walking down Hanover Street, taking in the sights and smells. There are no shortage of options for Celtic fans looking for a spot to eat near the Garden before or after a game. Halftime King of Pizza, right across Causeway Street, is always loaded with fans grabbing a quick slice. The Four’s was named the best sports bar in the United States by Sports Illustrated in 2005. Boston Beer Works is popular for their wide selection of craft brews, including the Bunker Hill Blueberry Ale. Fans flock from all over Greater Boston to The Harp, The Greatest Bar, Sports Grille Boston, Hurricane O’Reilly’s, and many other fine dining establishments in the immediate area. Walk a few blocks further south, and you will arrive at Faneuil Hall, a collection of restaurants, shops and clubs that is one of the city’s most popular tourist attractions. Be sure to check out Union Oyster House, Boston’s oldest restaurant and home of the city’s best clam chowder. Statues of Celtics legends Red Auerbach and Bill Russell can be found here among all the historic sites. Fans looking to explore Boston’s rich history can follow the Freedom Trail, which passes only a few blocks from the Garden. The Freedom Trail is a 2.5-mile-long brick-lined route that connects 16 of Boston’s most significant historic sites. This walking tour winds throughout the city and is one of the best ways to explore Boston. Several points of interest are located near the Garden, including the Old North Church, Faneuil Hall and Copp’s Burial Ground. Fans 5 The Celtics are averaging over 19,000 fans per game during the 2019-20 season, more than 100 percent of capacity. This figure easily places the Celtics in the top ten in the NBA attendance rankings. Celtics fans are known around the league as some of the most passionate, dedicated fans in the league. The give the Celtics one of the greatest home-court advantages in the NBA, and the TD Garden can be one of the loudest buildings when the Celtics get rolling. The crowd at the Garden is a mix of longtime fans who can still recall the Celtics glory days of Cousy and Russell, fans from the original Big Three (Bird-McHale-Parish) era, and younger fans who came aboard with the new Big Three (Pierce-Garnett-Allen). Games at the Garden today are family friendly, and the crowd is filled with the next generation of Celtics fans. Access 2 Boston is certainly not an easy city for visitors to navigate. City streets, which date all the way back to colonial times, are laid out in seemingly random directions. Traffic jams and never-ending construction projects are the norm here. While the Garden is located adjacent to Interstate 93, even the most direct route off the highway (Exit 26-Storrow Drive) requires several twists and turns to reach the arena. The best way to get to TD Garden is to take public transportation, known in Boston as the “T.” The arena is located directly on top of the North Station MBTA commuter rail station, bringing in fans from all parts of suburban Boston. For fans taking the subway, both the green and orange lines stop at North Station, right across the street from TD Garden. The $2.75 one-way fare makes the “T” Stadium Journey’s recommendation for avoiding the hassle of driving. Although there are many options for parking in the area around the Garden it can be quite expensive to park here. There is a 5-level garage located directly underneath the Garden which charges $52 for event parking. There are several surface lots and garages in the immediate area which range from $30-$50 on game night. Despite the Garden’s downtown location, there is little on-street parking to be found. The big news over the summer of 2019 was the completion of the renovations that have been in progress over the past several years . In addition to the new entrance and atrium that debuted last season, additional parking was added to the North Station garage. Concourse space was increased by twenty percent, additional bathrooms were added, and new seating areas and concessions points were added in the balcony level. Gone are the old yellow seats, replaced by sleek new, ergonomically advanced seats throughout the facility. Yet somehow fan comfort took a major hit despite these “improvements.” The seats that were installed featured increased seat and back padding, a new armrest design and higher seat backs that made them feel significantly smaller than their predecessors. Many fans can no longer fit comfortably in the new seats, ether due to decreased legroom or seat width. The Garden’s initial reaction, “it takes time to get used to such major changes,” didn’t help with fan backlash. Even though the facility backed off from these statements and will be replacing these torturous seats over the summer, there’s nothing that can be done until after the Bruins and Celtics wrap up their seasons. Return on Investment 3 The Celtics utilize variable pricing for their home games, dividing their schedule into several tiers. Tickets start as low as $39 for the least expensive seats, with the average ticket costing about $145. Check out the Celtics website for more details on ticket pricing and availability. There is an active secondary market for Celtics tickets with bargains to be found. Inflating the price of attending a Celtics game is above average concession prices and parking prices that are among the highest in the league. Parking in the garage beneath the TD Garden costs $52, with surface lots and garages a short distance from the arena priced between $35-50. Fans looking to avoid the exorbitant parking prices, not to mention the always present Boston traffic can take the “T” to the game, which drops fans off at North Station, right across the street from the Garden on both the Green and Orange lines. Fares from most spots in and around the city cost only $2.75. Extras 5 History -A trio of extra points is awarded for the sense of history that permeates all corners of the TD Garden. There is a statue of Red Auerbach smoking one of his legendary victory cigars in Fanueil Hall, and a statue of Bill Russell in the nearby City Hall Plaza, the site of so many Celtics’ championship rallies. A statue of Larry Bird can be found inside the Garden, in the Boston Sports Museum. No other team in the NBA can match the Celtics’ 17 championship banners, all of which hang proudly from the rafters of the Garden. There is no room for mere division title banners or even conference title flags here. It’s an NBA title or bust here in Boston. Also joining the championship banners are three banners honoring Celtic retired numbers from throughout their storied history. In all, 23 former Celtics have been honored by having their jersey numbers retired. There are so many retired numbers here, in fact, that the honored players do not have their own unique banner. All the numbers are simply laid out on a trio of grids. No names, no frills, just three banners full of the numbers of some of basketball’s all-time greats. Kevin Garnett’s number 5 will join the legendary lineup in the 2020-21 season. The signature floor at the TD Garden, properly named the Red Auerbach Court, has been linked to the Celtics and the Garden since 1952. Built during World War II when lumber was prohibitively scarce and costly, this floor actually pre-dates the Celtics, and was originally used at nearby Matthews Arena. Legend has it that the Celtics knew which way the ball would bounce on certain parts of the floor, and would defend their opponents accordingly. Although the floor was rebuilt in 1999, pieces of the original floor were incorporated into the new floor, which accurately recreated the oft-imitated look of the original court. The Sports Museum -Perhaps the greatest hidden sporting gem in Boston, it’s a must see for any sports fan visiting Boston. Located on levels 5 and 6 of the Garden, The Sports Museum features items celebrating the city of Boston’s long and storied sports history. Exhibits include the penalty box from the Boston Garden and an open theater with original Garden seats. Items from local high schools share space with Boston’s many professional teams. Gino Time -If you are lucky enough to attend a game in which the Celtics are assured of victory, you will get to experience Gino Time. In a nod to Red Auerbach’s tradition of lighting a victory cigar near the end of certain Celtics victories, the team shows a video of an old American Bandstand clip from 1977 intertwined with shots of people in the crowd dancing. The clip, played to the Bee Gee’s “You Should Be Dancing”, has achieved cult status in major part due to a dancer with a legendary 1970’s perm and a tight shirt emblazoned with “Gino” on it. Kevin Garnett even admitted to being a big fan of Gino Time during his time with the team. Final Thoughts Boston may not be thought of as a basketball hotbed in some circles, but the combination of a team contending for the Larry O’Brien Trophy, a rabid fanbase, an outstanding gameday atmosphere, unmatched history and tradition makes “The Gahden” one of the must-see venues in the league. Follow Paul Baker’s stadium journeys on Twitter and Instagram @PuckmanRI.

Photos by Paul Baker, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 2.57 Byrne Field at Maxfield Sports Complex 120 Lesle Dr White River Junction, VT 05001 Upper Valley Nighthawks website Maxfield Sports Complex website Year Opened: 2016 Capacity: 1,500 Nighthawks of the Upper Valley The Upper Valley Nighthawks are the newest team in the New England Collegiate Baseball League, one of the premier summer leagues in the country. Run by former Laconia Muskrats General Manager Noah Crane, the team plays their games at Byrne Field at the Maxfield Sports Complex in Hartford, Vermont. The Maxfield Sports Complex is a community recreation center containing regulation baseball and softball fields, four little league fields, a multi-purpose baseball/softball field, tennis courts, basketball courts, a walking/jogging trail and several multi-purpose fields. The baseball field at Maxfield Sports Complex is named for Jack and Dorothy Byrne, local residents and philanthropists who have donated millions of dollars to agencies throughout the Upper Valley of New Hampshire and Vermont. Food and Beverage 2 There is no permanent concession stand at Maxfield Sports Complex. For Nighthawk games, some local food trucks are brought in to feed hungry baseball fans. Local favorite Wicked Awesome BBQ is the centerpiece here, offering pulled chicken and pork sandwiches along with sausage and pepper sandwiches. The sandwiches are very popular, selling out on the night this writer visited. If BBQ doesn’t do it for you, there is a hot dog cart here selling Kayam franks, and a snack cart selling cotton candy and kettle corn flavored with local maple syrup. Cans of Coca-Cola products along with bottled water and Gatorade are sold here. A popular item with the younger fans was the chocolate milk sold at the popcorn stand. There are no alcoholic beverages sold at Maxfield Sports Complex. Atmosphere 3 Veteran fans of the NECBL will find the game night atmosphere in the Upper Valley very familiar. It’s a low-key, laid-back atmosphere, with the game serving as the center of all attention. Much of the extraneous noise found at minor league ballparks is missing here. For the Nighthawks’ arrival in 2016, many improvements were made to the facility, including lights, bleacher seating and a pressbox. Most fans will seek out the bleachers behind home plate, with many fans choosing the unobstructed views further down the right field line. The team does hold some between innings contests for the younger fans, including the very popular race against the mascot. The team also holds a nightly 50/50 raffle, proceeds from which go towards the operation of the team. Neighborhood 2 Maxfield Sports Complex is located on Route 5, just two miles from the intersection of Interstates 89 and 91 and downtown White River Junction. As you might expect at the junction of two interstates, there are several hotels in this area. There are several places to eat in the area, both in White River Junction and across the Connecticut River in Hanover, New Hampshire. Many visitors to the area choose to head a little further north to Dartmouth College, where the downtown area of Hanover has numerous fine dining options. Fans 3 The Nighthawks are averaging just under 400 fans per game in their inaugural season in the Upper Valley, good for the middle of the pack in the New England Collegiate Baseball League. As is the case in most summer leagues, the crowd at a Nighthawks game is mostly made up of locals, many of whom have a strong rooting interest due to their connection with the team. It’s not unusual to find yourself sitting next to a house parent or team sponsor. Access 3 Maxfield Sports Complex is located in the small town of Hartford, Vermont. Hartford is located in the Upper Valley region of New England, at the junction of the White and Connecticut Rivers. Interstates 89 and 91 meet here, and the sports complex is just a couple of miles from I-91. There is parking at the complex for 215 cars in either of two lots. One lot is located near the entrance, with the larger lot located a short walk from Byrne Field. Beware the spots right near the field, as they are prime foul ball (and smashed windshield) territory. The grounds are nicely manicured, with paved sidewalks accessing the areas between the various fields. Seating at Byrne Field is in the form of several differently shaped metal bleachers scattered around the ball field. There is room for fans to bring their own chairs to set up and watch the action, and fans can circle the entire field if they desire. There is plenty of room for children to roam and chase foul balls. With another field located adjacent to Byrne Field, many children choose to organize their own game here rather than watch the big boys play. There is a small building next to the field containing a pair of new, clean restrooms. Return on Investment 3 Admission to a Nighthawks game costs five dollars, with free parking in either of the two lots near the field. With reasonable food prices, a night at Maxfield Sports Complex will definitely not break the bank. Extras 2 On the night this writer visited White River Junction, there was a live band set up next to the field that played in between some innings. I am not sure if this is a common occurrence at Nighthawks games, but it’s definitely worth an extra point. It’s something a lot of teams should consider doing rather than the same old piped-in music. An extra point for the lovely Green Mountain backdrop to the ballpark. Final Thoughts Veteran fans of the NECBL will find Maxfield Sports Complex a very comfortable, familiar place to watch some quality baseball. With the Green Mountains providing a picturesque backdrop, it’s a great place to spend a summer evening. Just hope that the wind is not blowing in from the sheep farm next door… Follow Paul Baker’s stadium journeys on Twitter and Instagram @PuckmanRI.

Photos by David Hegler, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 2.71 Kaiser Permanente Arena 140 Front St Santa Cruz, CA 95060 Map It Santa Crus Warriors website Kaiser Permanente Arena website Year Opened: 2012 Capacity: 2,505 Sea Dubs Right down Highway 17 and near the Pacific Ocean in Santa Cruz, California resides an unassuming-looking metal barn. But don’t judge something by its outward appearance. Once you step inside, KP Arena (Kaiser Permanente Arena) is anything but unassuming.  Amazingly, it was built in just 78 days between September and December of 2012 for just $3.5 million, opening just two days before Christmas 2012 with a Santa Cruz Warriors win over the Bakersfield Jam. The arena proved to be an instant draw, cashing in on 39 sellouts in its first 53 games. The arena is used for much more than the Santa Cruz Warriors (who are locally known as the “Sea Dubs”). It also serves as the home arena for the UC Santa Cruz men’s and women’s basketball, has hosted team USA’s FIBA World Cup games and, due to the coronavirus causing wide ranging restrictions in Santa Clara County, was home to Stanford University’s men’s and women’s basketball teams for several games during the 2020-2021 season. Speaking of COVID-19, it even served as a vaccination hub in early 2021.  Still, what most endears fans to this simple arena is the Sea Dubs. To date, the Golden State Warriors G-League affiliate has just one championship under its belt, in 2015, but what it lacks in championships it makes up for in heart and community. Night after night, throngs of supporters pack KP Arena to capacity and applaud as their beloved Sea Dubs battle for supremacy while trying to prove themselves to the rest of the NBA. After all, every game is an audition for bigger and better things for each of these young men.  Food & Beverage 3 The arena serves all of the usuals as well as locally brewed craft beer. They ingeniously neglect to label the prices for the food mart, rightfully thinking that once a customer seizes the item and brings it to the cashier that their minds will have already been made up (or maybe that’s just the case for this particular writer!).  The food is pretty standard arena fare with warm pretzels and nachos. Interestingly, despite it being so close to the Pacific Ocean, none of their food is inspired by the sea. Atmosphere 3 From the outside, KP Arena looks like a metal barn. Inside is a different story as it’s filled with activity and vibrancy. Hired rooters romp, stomp and cajole the crowd to cheer louder and louder. It’s a special feeling knowing that you contributed to the outcome of a game just by stomping your feet on the bleachers. Three of the four sections that surround the court are plastic-covered bleachers (which is much better than unforgiving metal) with a smattering of fold-down seats in front. There is a good-sized video board that features each squad’s starting lineup. Interestingly, there are two disco balls that hang on either end of the court. Perhaps the operators of the facility want to be prepared for any schools that want to hold dances there? Neighborhood 3 While it can get crowded, this part of Santa Cruz is safe, friendly and scrumptious, with several well-regarded restaurants scattered throughout town. Just a little over a mile north of KP Arena and across the San Lorenzo River on 1020 Ocean Street is Marianne’s Ice Cream , long regarded as one of the best ice cream shops in Santa Cruz County and quite possibly all of Silicon Valley.   Marianne's Ice Cream, Photo by David Hegler, Stadium Journey Marianne’s is far from the only well-regarded restaurant in town. Just down Front Street from the arena is Pizza My Heart and Oswald Restaurant. If you’re in the mood for a quick tour of a museum, then the Santa Cruz Museum of Art & History (also on Front Street, just past Oswald Restaurant) just might be for you.  There are numerous hotels throughout the city, including two right on nearby Cowell Beach, the Sea & Sand Inn and the Dream Inn, each boasting a three-star rating. They are both within walking distance of the famed Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk . Fans 3 The arena is about 90% capacity on most nights, with the majority of fans sitting in their seats the whole game. All through the contest, hired rooters liven up the crowd, implying the fans to cheer louder and louder. It truly gives the arena an electricity that all teams hope for. Access 3 At $2 an hour, parking is very cheap near KP Arena. Most of the parking garages and parking lots roll with that price and are within half a mile from the arena. There are bus stops all along Front Street, including one right in front of the arena. There is a bag check and metal detector at the entrance. The concourse can get pretty crowded at halftime as the food is good enough to draw quite a crowd. There are handrails at the ready for those that need assistance getting to the top of their section. While the bathrooms are small, they are well lit, clean and all essentials are in good shape. Return on Investment 3 The bleachers behind the basket are just $35 and while they are not padded, the plastic covering is certainly better than the unforgiving metal that often greets guests at other venues. The most expensive seats in the arena come with armrests and they usually go for around $60. As they say, you get what you pay for and whether it’s $35 or $60, the overall experience pays for itself. With the Sea Dubs’ mascot, a giant turtle named Mav’Rik, roaming around the arena taking selfies with fans and riling up the crowd along with the hired rooters, it certainly feels like a family-friendly atmosphere. Extras 1 At the game of this review, there were not a lot of extras, but after the game, the organization allowed fans to stick around and attempt free throws. I’m not sure if this is a regular occurrence, but the lines were quite long, so obviously this was a popular extra. Final Thoughts All in all, this is a very good environment to watch a basketball game. With NBA tickets being so very expensive these days, the G-League offers an excellent source of excitement in the sport as each player on both squads gives their all to reach the bigger league.

Photos by Sean MacDonald, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 4.00 Mazda Zoom Zoom Stadium 2-3-1 Minami Kaniya Minami-ku, Hiroshima, Japan Hiroshima Toyo Carp website Mazda Zoom Zoom Stadium website Year Opened: 1962 Capacity: 56,000 Zoom Zoom Over to Mazda Stadium The Hiroshima Carp are the first team in my time in Japan to build an entirely new stadium to replace an existing one. The previous incarnation was an old-style ballpark right across the street from the Atomic Bomb Dome, and many locals were outraged that it would be replaced. But the new ballpark should silence all but the most strident objectors, as Mazda Stadium is the best baseball stadium in the country, a fitting result as Hiroshima is one of Japan’s best cities too. The official name is Mazda Zoom Zoom Stadium Hiroshima but this is usually abbreviated to just Mazda Stadium, thankfully. It was opened in 2009 to rave reviews and has been called an “American-style” ballpark. This is true to a point, at least as much as possible in rigid Japan. Food & Beverage 5 The food options here are exceptionally varied and it is worth trying as many as possible. I considered the Philly Cheese Steak until I saw the cheese they were using, which was of the melted processed variety and consequently not that appealing. I sampled a number of light options over the three days I spent here and particularly enjoyed the Carp Udon (noodles) for 500 yen. There are tables nearby the concession stand as it is difficult to eat noodles while holding the bowl; one poor lady dropped hers all over the floor and to add insult to injury, her cell phone fell into the pile of noodles as she bent down to clean up the mess. The concourse is rife with different concession stands, each one offering something unique. Definitely take the time to look around beforehand before choosing as you will be surprised at the variety. If you want to bring food in, there are small street vendors selling food items right next to the stadium, including draft beer that you can take inside. It’s half the price you’ll pay once you’ve entered, so well worth it if you plan to imbibe. Atmosphere 3 The cheering sections are separated from the rest of the seating bowl which is a unique layout in Japan and one that I personally prefer, but it might hurt the overall atmosphere for a first-time visitor. I also found the stadium to be extremely hot during day games with little opportunity to cool off. A minor quibble as Hiroshima is a very hot place at the end of August, but I found it tiring. Still, it was packed with great fans for all three games and there is a good local flavor here that is difficult to find in any of the larger cities ballparks. Wear red if you want to fit in. Neighborhood 4 There is little in the immediate vicinity of Mazda Stadium, but within a few minutes’ walk are a number of small eateries that might make for good post-game choices, if you can get a seat. Hiroshima Station is not that far away, but even then, it is not the typical downtown that you see elsewhere in Japan. There’s little nightlife around the station and not much worth seeing. Still, most of Hiroshima’s interesting points are not that far from the ballpark when taking the tram. Do take the time to view the underground shopping area right next to the station though, as there are many Carp-related posters, including some on the poles which shows how crazy this town is about their team. Fans 5 Carp fans are my favorite. They have the most energetic cheer, which involves their fans alternating standing up and sitting down while chanting. Keep in mind that about half stand while the other half sit, then they quickly reverse roles. It is quite an eye-catching act and given that the Carp haven’t made the playoffs in nearly 20 years, they get full points for maintaining good spirits in the face of adversity. Access 3 Mazda Stadium is a 10-minute walk from Hiroshima Station and well-signed in English. Or you can just follow everybody else; there are plenty of red-clad fans making the trek even two hours before game time. As you draw near, you’ll walk up a bridge that leads to the main entrance. However, you’ll need a ticket if you choose this approach as there is no box office here. If you need to buy a ticket, stay to the right of the bridge and walk over to the ticket window, which is not immediately obvious and requires you to cross a couple of streets. Although the gates open 4 hours before game time on the weekend, the reserved seating areas down below are closed off until 2 hours before, which is rather silly. That is a long time to spend walking around, so most fans sit in the shade and wait patiently for the aisles to be opened. When they do, it creates a funny scene as hundreds of fans make their way down the aisles at the same time. The infield concourse is not that wide, particularly when the crowds are meandering before the game. There are other minor annoyances as well. To get to your seat, you have to enter the exact aisle that is printed on your ticket. But they don’t have ticket checkers at every aisle, so they’ve added some fencing and created one entrance for every 3 aisles. This pushes the standing areas back quite a bit and reduces the amount of available space for standing as the pillars now block the view in many spots. As well, once you are in the main bowl, you can’t move from section to section as there is no walkway. So taking pictures in a variety of areas can be difficult once fans are in their seats. Oh, and don’t bother trying to get into a section for which you have no ticket, even well before the game. This is Japan and rules are rules. Restrooms are plentiful and there were no waits at any time, despite a nearly full house. Return on Investment 4 As I was walking back to my hotel before the Friday night game, I chanced upon a kinken shop. These are stores that offer a variety of tickets that involve discounts on items such as shinkansen trips, movies, or drinks. They also have sports tickets on occasion so I decided to see if anything was available. Surprisingly, they had one seat in a section called the Royal Box for 5,000 yen. These tickets are usually not available to the general public, so I was intrigued, but the saleslady wouldn’t show me the ticket itself, which I found peculiar. She pointed out the approximate location on a stadium map, and it seemed to be behind home plate in the first few rows, so I chanced it and forked over the money. Turned out to be a fortunate decision as the seat was three rows behind the plate. The only problem is that the first two rows are those that are shown on TV, so most of the evening I was surrounded by idiots who would come down, get on their cell phone, and then wave as the pitch was tossed. Then, having been spotted by their friend on the other end of the call, they’d leave satisfied with their fleeting fame. Morons. But still a great price for a great seat. Of course, there are plenty of other seating options, 17 in all, which I won’t list here. Some of them are very interesting though; the Coca-Cola Terrace seats are sold in sets of 5 for 20,000 yen and allow you a table to enjoy your food while the Nesoberia Seats are large cushions in the outfield that are sold in pairs only for 7,000 yen. The Carp are a big draw here and most sections are sold out on game day, so if you want to sit in a certain section, make sure to buy tickets well in advance. Otherwise the best bet is the infield unreserved seats at 1,600 yen. These are in the second deck but if you get there early you can pick your spot and sit in the shade for the whole game, and it’s not that far from the field. The cheering groups each have their own special section called Carp Performance and Visitor Performance, which sit as entirely separate areas from the other sections. Brilliant idea that opens the outfield seats to fans that prefer to sit there without the music blaring and also allows for a wider variety of seating options in general. This gets them a bonus point in this section. The unreserved seats in the second deck are open at the same time as the gates since fans want to get there early to save their favorite spot. At this time, you must have a ticket to go upstairs but once the rest of the seating area is open, you can go up to take pictures. There is no upper concourse in the second deck, there’s just a small walkway for getting between the sections. Again you need to know which aisle to use as you can’t walk between sections. Since these are unreserved seats, make a note of your seat number and aisle and leave something on top of it should you wish to go touring. You get a nice view of the surrounding hills and can see the trains going by beyond the left field fence, and it is a bit cooler here too. Extras 4 One of the features I like here is that the scoreboard highlights the baserunners in green so you know who is on what base. Just a little thing but something I’ve not seen elsewhere. In the outfield concourse there are a couple of statues of Soichiro Amaya making great catches, complete with a fake fence. These aren’t related to the two incredible plays that happened during the 2010 season, but just an interesting coincidence. They’ve set it up so that you can pose on this side of the fence and act surprised. There’s even a popcorn tub spilling its load or a soda pop with the contents in the air to complete the illusion. Very cool. After the 5th inning, fans sing a song while doing a silly dance, led by their mascot Slyly. What I found interesting is that all the beer vendors have to do the dance too. Each one goes to the bottom of the aisle, removes his keg, and then dances and sings. We all know that selling beer is the noblest profession and these fine individuals shouldn’t be forced to perform such humiliating antics. One point penalty for that. Final Thoughts Overall, this is a great place to watch a game. A beautiful setting, close to transit, excellent sightlines that aren’t ruined by protective netting, plenty of good eats, and a wide variety of seating options. Yeah, it’d be better if you had more freedom to explore before the game, but what can you do. Mazda Stadium definitely makes Hiroshima a key sports destination in Japan; let’s hope that it begins a trend towards fan-friendly facilities around the country.

Photos by Paul Swaney, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.57 Munn Ice Arena 509 Birch Rd. East Lansing, MI 48824 Michigan State Spartans men’s hockey website Munn Ice Arena website Year Opened: 1974 Capacity: 6,470 The Funn of Munn Munn Ice Arena, opened in 1974, provides the perfect home for Michigan State Spartans hockey. The exterior of the building is rather nondescript and would be easy to miss if it’s your first time in East Lansing. The arena is named after former football coach and athletic director, Clarence “Biggie” Munn. It is great for MSU to have a facility dedicated only to ice hockey, but it was built in a way that many remarks that it resembles a bomb shelter. Even with the unremarkable exterior, however, the modest capacity of 6,470, combined with outstanding sightlines and a festive atmosphere inside make a trip to Munn Ice Arena a must for fans of college hockey. Food & Beverage 3 There are four large concession areas located in each corner of the concourse above the seating area. It's a rather uninspired menu, with just the standard arena basics available. The quality is probably a little better than expected with Kowalski hot dogs being a good bet. Fans will also find Johnsonville brats, slices of pizza, soft pretzels, and standard nachos Drink choices include Pepsi products. Combo meals are available and will save you $1 compared to items purchased individually. For example, the hot dog combo includes a hot dog, 32-ounce pop, and a box of popcorn. Atmosphere 4 The bottom line is that Munn Ice Arena is a fantastic place to watch a hockey game. Fans enter at the concourse level and all of the seats (except the suites above) are below you. Ten sections of green plastic seats line each straightaway. The majority of these seats were installed in the summer of 2015, providing much better comfort for fans, Legroom here is about average, and unfortunately, there are no cupholders with the seats. The seating areas at the ends of Munn Ice Arena consist of five rows of the same plastic seats, and then 13 rows of metal bleachers. There is a bit more legroom here and a fantastic pitch between the rows. However, with no backs to the bleachers, they can get a bit uncomfortable as the game progresses. If this is an issue for you, consider purchasing a seat in Row 18 (the back row) so you can have a little support. The sightlines are terrific, so this should be your target if you end up in the bleachers. A new video board was installed over center ice in December 2014. The video screens are mainly used to show live-action, replays, hype videos, and advertisements. Standard game stats are shown on digital scoreboards in each corner. More advanced stats are included in the ribbon boards along the fascia of the luxury suites and press box. Neighborhood 4 Munn Ice Arena is nestled within the heart of the sports complexes at Michigan State. Nearby you will find Spartan Stadium , McLane Baseball Stadium, DeMartin Soccer Stadium, and the Breslin Center, among other athletic facilities. Your go-to spot when in East Lansing is the Harrison Roadhouse, located just a little over a ½ mile from Munn Ice Arena. They have wonderful burgers and a good beer selection, along with TVs to keep up with the games. It's an easy walk if the weather isn't too bad, but this is Michigan, and it can be frigid on the right day. The main drag in East Lansing is along East Grand River Avenue, where you can find several familiar restaurants and bars. Try Dublin Square, which is just off Grand River on Abbot. They are a fairly typical Irish-style pub, as the name suggests, and offer really good sandwiches, and a decent selection of local and Irish beers. Fans 3 The Michigan State Spartan hockey program has struggled somewhat under the tenure of coach Tom Anastos, with their last appearance in the NCAA tournament coming in 2012. However, the fans continue to fill the majority of seats in the arena and cheer on their team. This includes a solid student section and the always entertaining Michigan State pep band. However, attendance has been dropping, and there is a little less buzz inside Munn Ice Arena than there was when Michigan State was competing for conference championships and NCAA tournament bids. Access 4 It is easy to get to Munn Ice Arena, as it is just northeast of I-495, and just south of Michigan Avenue. Being so close to the football stadium offers ample parking available for game time. Parking is $5 at Spartan Stadium. Inside the arena, moving around is no problem at all, and the washroom facilities are just fine. Return on Investment 4 The green plastic seats found along the sides of the area, as well as the first five rows of the corners, cost $22. If you sit in the corners on the metal bleachers, then the cost is just $20. Sections P, O, and N are the "family" section, with seats going for just $10. The Spartans shoot just once on this end, but otherwise, the seats are just as good in terms of the view of the game. Keep in mind entrances to the arena are behind each end section, so if you sit in the back rows, you'll likely want to have your jacket on for the whole contest as cold winter air blows into the seating section. Combined with $5 parking and typically-priced arena concessions, everything comes out to be just about the right price for the entertainment value as compared to other similar Division I hockey experiences. Extras 3 An extra mark for the Spartan band adds a richness to the game that makes it different from your average hockey game. A good pep band helps to make college hockey special. An extra mark for the vast history on display at Munn. There are large murals commemorating Spartans who have played in the Olympics and National Championship winning goals, and National Champion team pictures. The two Hobey Baker Awards awarded to Ryan Miller and Kip Miller are on display. There is a huge collage of pictures of MSU championship teams and a collage of Spartans in the NHL. There are also two memorial displays for former athletic director "Biggie" Munn, and former hockey coach, and the winningest coach in the NCAA, Ron Mason. The Spartans have won three National Championships in hockey (1966, 1986, and 2007), which adds some mystique to the building and game day experience. Final Thoughts Munn Ice Arena is a great place to see a college hockey game. The sight lines are fantastic, the pep band is energetic, and the program has a great deal of history on display. If the Spartans can get back to their winning ways, Munn Ice Arena will once again be rocking.

Photo Courtesy of Katie Gimore Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.57 Bill Snyder Family Stadium 1800 College Ave Manhattan, KS 66502 Kansas State Wildcats website Bill Snyder Family Stadium website Year Opened: 1968 Capacity: 52,200 Putting the Wild in Wildcats Bill Snyder Family Stadium, home to the Kansas State Wildcats opened in 1968 and has become one of the loudest football places on the plains. The seating capacity here is 50,000, and most of that noise stays inside the stadium making it a big home-field advantage for the Wildcats. Over the past 25 years, the Wildcats have enjoyed a near .800 winning percentage at home. The facility has had many upgrades over the years since being constructed for a mere $1.6 million. These upgrades include a new press box, a playing surface, and upgraded seating areas. The major renovations before the 2013 season are just the second in a five-phase master plan that is expected to be completed in 2025. The Wildcats have not sat idly while the rest of the college football teams race to build the most significant and fanciest facilities. Future phases of their plan could include a new strength gym, retail and condo space, seating additions, sound and video upgrades, a recruiting lounge; everything but a literal football factory that spits out more gritty underdog players to continue the Snyder legacy of teams that surprise the nation’s collective football conscience. Food & Beverage 4 There are many options inside the stadium to have a nice meal while enjoying a Wildcats football game. Standard stadium fare such as hot dogs, burgers, nachos, and pizza is sold throughout the stadium. Prices are on par with most other big-time college football venues. The south end of the stadium offers a wider variety of items such as BBQ, ice cream, kettle corn, turkey legs, and vegetarian options. The BBQ sandwich here is quite tasty, and for $8, you get your choice of three styles of meats with the option of fixings. Pepsi products are sold here for the typical stadium prices. A souvenir cup is worthwhile so you can wet your whistle while cheering loudly with the K-State faithful. Concession stands are abundant throughout the facility and wait times are minimal, even at peak times. Atmosphere 5 The atmosphere here at Bill Snyder Family Stadium is something to be seen live rather than on television. Nicknamed the “Little Apple,” the entire town of Manhattan is decked out in grey and purple on game days. The population of Manhattan, Kansas, is around 56,000, but that doubles on game days. Traffic is heavy going in with fans arriving super early to tailgate. Outside the stadium on all sides, tailgating can be seen as far as the eye can see. The smells and sights are as good as you will see in the Big 12. Inside the stadium, heavy metal music plays over the loudspeaker at key times to get the fans cheering loudly. A song, such as “Crazy Train” before a kickoff is enough to pump any football fan up. On this day, a hundred or so motorcycles rode around the perimeter of the football field before the game for the once-a-year Harley Day at the stadium. Willie the Wildcat is the official mascot and does an admirable job with fans at the game. After each Kansas State score, he will do as many pushups as K-State has points followed by a pose and chant. This can get quite entertaining during high-scoring games. The biggest tradition of them all here at Kansas State is the Wabash Cannonball. This song gets fans bobbing back and forth in unison. This may seem silly but when 50,000 people all do it at once, it’s a sight to see. Neighborhood 3 The stadium is not quite on campus, which makes for more tailgating room, but less college culture. Fraternity houses, which can always be counted on to contribute some debauchery, are much too far from the stadium for people to enjoy their antics. Instead, the area surrounding Bill Snyder Family Stadium is a lot like the rest of Kansas; expansive and flat. Fortunately, the next three phases of the master plan promise to bring vast improvements to the neighborhood immediately surrounding the venue. A neighborhood that needs no improvements is Aggieville, the downtown district diagonally across from the main campus gates. This place has everything you’d expect in a college town: local boutiques, fun restaurants, numerous bars, and plenty of people milling around. If coming to town for a morning game, stop at Varsity Donuts and bring a dozen to your tailgate. Their unique and various treats are sure to please everyone. Fans 4 Kansas State football fans suffered through some historically bad years, yet have always been supportive. The Bill Snyder years have been a reward for fans' persistence. Fans are into the game from the opening kick until the end of each game. It is a loud venue and enjoyable yet nothing over the top towards opposing fans. The Wabash Cannonball is one of those fan traditions that you must see live once. Fans also take part in a first-down chant when the Wildcats earn a first down. Access 3 The only bad part of attending a game is the commute. Manhattan sits about five miles off I-70, and on game days, the side highway from the interstate to town is clogged with traffic. Although lots surround the stadium, most of them are reserved, so expect to pay a bundle for parking within a few blocks of the stadium, or wear comfortable shoes for a long walk from the car. Free parking can be had in residential areas around the stadium but watch signs carefully. Some streets do not permit street parking without a residential permit. I was able to find a spot by the soccer stadium for free while the church across the lawn was charging $30. Renovated bathrooms and concessions mean short lines, but the line to get out of town after the game will make you forget how much you enjoyed the stadium experience. Bill Snyder Highway (really, K-177 is named after the coach) could use the same expansion that the stadium has gotten. Return on Investment 3 Tickets for most games are reasonable and on par with most power five conference schools. The games against Texas or Oklahoma will be a little pricier than a random mid-September game vs a non-conference opponent. Parking seems a bit high ($20-$30), but the ability to tailgate can make it worth it. Inside the stadium, food and beverage prices are on par with normal stadium prices at any division one football game. Extras 3 The west side of the stadium is a beautiful sight on its own, but if you climb to the highest levels of the stands and look out beyond the field and north end zone, you get a fantastic view of the Kansas landscape. A grain elevator stands guard over a golden pasture, and in the near distance, hills of flint rock meet baby blue skies chock full of puffy clouds. Anyone who naively says Kansas isn’t scenic or beautiful doesn’t know what they’re missing. The pregame presentation by the Wildcats band is a good one and worth a couple of bonus points. Final Thoughts The experience at Bill Snyder Family Stadium is pleasant and unassuming unless you see it in person. It truly is electric and even the most hardened traditionalist will find themselves having a superb time here.

Photos by Marc Viquez, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 4.29 Climate Pledge Arena 334 1st Avenue North Seattle, WA 98109 Seattle Storm website Climate Pledge Arena website Year Opened: 1962 Capacity: 13,500 Storm Season Hits the Climate Pledge Arena The Climate Pledge Arena is a brand new building, not quite. The $1.5 billion redevelopment has transformed it into a state-of-the-art and one of the most highly sustainable sports facilities in the nation. The changes to the infrastructure have made attending a Seattle Storm game quite an experience in the WNBA. The arena opened in 1962 as part of the World’s Fair and featured a distinctive tent-like roof that is still prominently displayed today. The building would be known as the Seattle Civic Coliseum (1964-1994), and after the first major renovations, the Key Arena (1995-2018). The Storm would debut in 2000 and adopt the colors of their former NBA tenant, the Seattle Super Sonics of green and gold. Sadly, the Sonics left for Oklahoma City in 2008, and the ladies have been the only source of professional basketball in town but have captured four WNBA championships. Also, having legendary players Lauren Jackson and Sue Bird helped promote the Storm brand; both have their numbers retired in the rafters. Food & Beverage 5 The food and beverage options at Climate Pledge Arena up the ante on the typical stadium food and combine local flavors from a series of Seattle-area restaurants. The combination offers fans a unique look at items such as pizza, burgers, and corndogs. All of the food and beverage options are located on the main concourse, and many of them are easily visible by signage in space. Fans can enjoy crispy chicken sandwiches on brioche buns that feature various sauces, 1st Avenue nachos serve up chili lime carnitas and ancho chicken along with a ton of other vegetables to pour on your nachos, and the Uptown Market provides all beef hot dogs, chicken tenders and fries, and the local Seattle hot dog. The Din Tai Fung Market is a popular location specializing in Asian cuisine. You will find sweet and sour spare ribs with rice, popcorn chicken, pork and vegetable buns, chicken fried rice, and spicy chicken wontons. A few of the items come in portable boxes that make transportation of it to your seat a little more effective than the standard hot dog and chicken tender and fry basket. Just Poke offers Hawaiian ahi poke bowls and spam musubi. Molly D Burger Grill cooks mouth-watering burgers and homemade peanut butter and jelly corn dogs. The Impossible Burger is for vegetarians and vegans and serves burgers and Korean bowls, and Sound Pizza has pillowy focaccia-like square slices with garlic and parmesan fries. The arena also offers a wide range of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages. Besides Pepsi brands, fans can enjoy plant-based energy tea, sparkling water, and Aquafina in non-plastic containers. If you're looking for a beer or something a bit stronger, various grab-and-go locations have Pacific Northwest breweries. They include variances: Black Raven, Georgetown, Fremont, Pike, and Hop Valley. If you're looking for a macro brew, grab a course, Corona or Modelo. Atmosphere 3 Climate Pledge Arena is a venue where fans enter at the top and then make their way down to the main concourse. Don’t be fooled by the lack of atmosphere at the top of the building; it gets lively on the bottom floor. It is where fans will find various spots for food, beverages, trendy sections, and a living wall. The building’s goal is to be the most progressive, responsible, and sustainable arena in the world. It includes the absence of fossil fuel consumption for daily use, solar panels on the arena’s atrium, waterless urinals, a 15,000-gallon cistern to convert rainwater to ice at the hockey rink, and a 95 percent diversion rate on waste and recyclable materials. The Living Wall is worth viewing when at a game. It measures 1,700 square feet and boasts 25 to 30 different species of plants from the Pacific Northwest. It stretches 200 feet and is 14 feet tall. It is a popular photo op for fans and is watered through recycled plastic bottles and rainwater. The lower seating bowl is open for WNBA games, featuring the distinctive dual-suspended scoreboards that provide digital content. Its design is unique to the building and connects fans to the opposite sides of the seating bowl. They’re also banners of the Storm’s retired numbers and championship titles. Neighborhood 5 The Climate Pledge Arena is in the Seattle Center, the arts, educational, tourism, and entertainment center in town. It is on the site of the 1962 World’s Fair and is within a few yards of the Space Needle and other places to visit while in town. The International Fountain, also built for the World’s Fair, runs all year long; the Artists at Play playground is ideal for kids, along with the Seattle Children’s Museum and Pacific Science Center. The Museum of Pop Culture is home to pop culture experiences that include iconic TV moments, rock n roll music, science fiction, and much more. The Armory Food & Event Hall houses a Seattle Kraken team store plus places to dine: Blue Water Taco, Kabab, Cool Guys Fry Bar, Wing Dome, and Premier Pies. The Fishers Pavillion is home to summer concerts and music festivals. During our visit, several artists sponsored by radio station KXEP performed on stage. Samples of drinks, food, and merchandise were available. Memorial Stadium is also located in Seattle Center and is home to the Seattle Cascades of the AUDL. The Seattle Monorail provides patrons a short trip to downtown Seattle and drops fans off at the Westlake Station, providing access to the Seattle Market and piers, along with the light rail link to T-Moible Park and Lumen Field for a Seattle Mariners and Seahawks game, respectively. Fans 4 Attendance figures are down from the previous year, but the Storm are still averaging well above the league average of 5,646. They are currently welcoming 8,000 plus fans to home games that include only lower-bowl seating. The support is strong, with a tradition of everyone standing until the first basket is scored by the home team. Many cheer passionately and jeer when the Storm turn the ball over. Access 5 Climate Pledge Arena offers free public transit to all county buses and water taxis, Sound Transit buses and light-rail trains, the Seattle streetcar, and monorail to all events, including Storm games. The free passes are available two hours before and after the event; fans will have to link their Ticketmaster account to the Climate Pledge Arena app. The Seattle Monorail connects fans to the arena from downtown at the Westlake Center Mall light-rail stop. The Westlake stop is also accessible to city buses and a few blocks from the City Market. If driving to the event, the arena offers 1,110 spaces in the Underground Arena, 5th Avenue, and 1st Avenue North garages for parking. The price can range from as low as $20 to $50 within reasonable walking distance. The Skyway Luggage Employee Lot 2500 Elliot Avenue can be as low as $5. All tickets should be purchased before the event to secure a spot. If parking downtown and using the monorail, the price tag could be closer to $10. Return on Investment 4 The price of a ticket changes per game and, depending on who is in town, could be in the $30 range; however, closer to game time and select nights, a ticket could fall to $11. It is based on the website TickPick , which I use and never charges additional fees (Stadium Journey is also not endorsed by the website). Fans can upgrade their tickets to either the Symetria or WaFd Bank Club for an additional $25. The private, premium club space provides locale Seattle craft beer offerings. Food prices are on the higher side, with a Hop Valley Kraken Stash IPA selling for $16.99 a can. Their food is of first-class quality with many items locally sourced and made fresh on the spot. The price of public transportation is free to and from all games, but concession prices are high in price. The food is of high quality and varies from traditional to local cuisine. Perhaps it provides a fan to splurge due to savings on tickets and transportation fees. Extras 4 An evening at a Seattle Storm game at the Climate Pledge Arena is advantageous for free public transportation, touring the living wall along the main concourse, and visiting Seattle Center stores. The area offers restaurants, museums, a children's playground, and the Space Needle, among the options before or after a basketball game. Final Thoughts Climate Pledge Arena is a building that stands out among the rest of the WNBA and the nation. The interaction with fans and the team provides an ideal atmosphere for a first-time visitor, and the neighborhood is worth spending a few hours at before or after the game. When you add free mass transportation to the game, visiting the building is a must in Seattle. ----- Follow all of Marc’s stadium journeys on Twitter @ballparkhunter and his YouTube channel . Email at Marc.Viquez@stadiumjourney.com

Photos by Michael Davis, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 4.57 Alex Box Stadium at Skip Bertman Field 3277 Gourrier Ave Baton Rouge, LA 70820 LSU Tigers website Alex Box Stadium at Skip Bertman Field website Year Opened: 2009 Capacity: 10,326 Tigers in the Box Alex Box Stadium at Skip Bertman Field is located on the Louisiana State University campus in Baton Rouge. Alex Box Stadium has been the home stadium of the LSU Tigers baseball team since 1938. However, the current ballpark was constructed in 2009 and lies 400 yards south from the original site. Alex Box Stadium is named for Simeon Alex Box, an LSU letterman on the 1942 team, who was killed in North Africa during World War II. Alex Box earned the Purple Heart and Distinguished Service Cross during his service. Skip Bertman Field was added to the stadium’s official title on May 17, 2013, prior to a game against Ole Miss. Skip Bertman was a former LSU head baseball coach and athletic director. Alex Box Stadium has a natural grass playing surface featuring a seating capacity of 10,326. There is artificial turf in the foul territories. The field size is 330 ft down the lines with a 365 ft power alley, and a 405 ft center field with a 10-foot fence. Alex Box Stadium continues to lead college baseball in attendance, as it has for 23 consecutive years. The Box has hosted 25 NCAA regional tournaments, 10 NCAA regional series, and 4 SEC tournaments. The largest paid attendance according to LSU is 12,844 against Notre Dame, although there is a statement by LSU that the largest actual attendance figure is 11,401 on June 8, 2013 vs Oklahoma in a Super Regional matchup. Food & Beverage 4 There are numerous concessions stands available throughout the stadium. There are permanent concession stands on both sides of the baselines on the lower level concourse and the main concourse above the first level seating area. These concessions have your ballpark favorites, as well as a few regional items. Entree items include the Tiger burger ($7), hot dogs ($4), sausage po-boys ($8), and chicken tender baskets ($10), with the regional item being the Cajun Jambalaya ($8). The rest of the menu consists of snacks and sides, such as nachos ($5), chili cheese fries ($6), French fries ($4), popcorn ($5), and peanuts ($4.50). In addition, for the frugal person a bottomless popcorn for $8 is a great way to snack during the game. The options besides the main concessions are located on the lower level with a Chick-fil-A stand selling $7 chicken sandwiches and $3 waffle fries. BurgerSmith’s food truck is also on the lower level (third base side) and serves great burgers ($9), fried okra ($5) and alligator sausage ($9). LSU concessions serves Coca-Cola products – a 22oz soda costs $4.50, but for $7 you can receive a 32oz souvenir cup with a free refill. There are two choices of Dasani bottled water; a 1-liter bottle is available for $5.50 while the 1/2-liter costs $3. There are plenty of water fountains to refill bottles, so the smaller bottle would be frugal. Other beverages sold are frozen lemonade, Powerade, and both coffee and hot chocolate; these beverages range around $5 in cost. There’s no alcohol sold inside Alex Box Stadium, but overall, the food and beverages here are above standard, and provide fans with enough options while inside The Box. Atmosphere 5 From the moment you arrive at Alex Box Stadium the atmosphere begins. The main entrance gives fans an opportunity to visit Gerry Lane Championship Plaza, which pays homage to the LSU baseball national championship teams. The next item for fans is a large Mike the Tiger statue and the Wally Pontiff Jr. Baseball Hall of Fame. As you enter the stadium, you can either walk the outer concourse along a fence that has a baseball design, or make your way up to the main concourse between the lower and upper tiers behind home plate. As you look out over the stadium’s ballfield, you see the Intimidator billboard in right field, LSU’s Tiger Stadium in center, and the new updated video-scoreboard over the left field landing. In addition, if you walk down to the lower level concourse, at each end in the outfield you’ll find a large playground. LSU fans that arrive when the gates open also collaborate near the Tigers pitching mound in right field; this area has plenty of players warming up and they are available for photos. The LSU game day crew keep fans engaged between innings with low-key on-field events and piped in music, but during the game it is all about the LSU faithful. The LSU fans energy and spirit are very well in tune with what the Tigers are doing on the playing field – there are plenty of L-S-U or Geaux Tigers chants throughout the game. The large active crowd inside a beautiful college ballpark that could outdo some professional ballparks creates an atmosphere that is simply the best in college baseball. Neighborhood 4 Alex Box Stadium is on the LSU campus, a few miles south from downtown Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The campus enrollment is close to 31,000 and consists of more than 250 buildings constructed in the style of Italian Renaissance architect Andrea Palladio; the campus occupies a 650-acre plateau on the east banks of the Mississippi River. The area just off the interstate isn’t much to see, but on the north end of campus off Highland Road is Chimes Street – Chimes Street is a good place to find many local bars and restaurants to enjoy yourself. There are plenty of food options available with Chinese food, sushi, BBQ joints, southern cuisine, and sports bars where you can watch other games. The closest spot for a pre-game or post-game meal near The Box is Walk-On’s Bistreaux & Bar on Burbank Drive. Walk-On’s is a great spot for food and drinks, but others nearby on Burbank Drive are Mellow Mushroom for pizza, or if you’re looking for buffalo wings, there is Plucker’s off Nicolson Drive. For fans who enjoy local breweries, try visiting Tin Roof Brewing Company. No matter where you are in Baton Rouge, you will be able to find food and beverage to your liking within a short drive. Baton Rouge has plenty of lodging, but there are a couple of places within walking distance from campus. Near Walk-On’s and down Nicholson Drive from the stadium is a 3-star hotel, Staybridge Suites Baton Rouge, while on the east side of campus is the Cook Hotel and Conference Center at LSU. There are plenty of attractions near the Louisiana State University campus – the first attraction is inside Alex Box Stadium in the form of the Wally Pontiff Jr. Hall of Fame. The Hall of Fame is a place that provides fans the history of LSU baseball. However, a trip to LSU wouldn’t be complete unless you take a visit to Mike’s habitat to see Mike the Tiger. Mike the Tiger is a famed live Bengal Tiger residing between Tiger Stadium and the Pete Maravich Assembly Center. There are also plenty of options off campus, such as the Magnolia Mound Plantation, a wonderful tourist spot to visit between the LSU campus and downtown Baton Rouge. Downtown Baton Rouge also has both the old and new capitol buildings, the latter being one of the tallest buildings in Baton Rouge, and there is also the L’Auberge casino, Baton Rouge Zoo, and much more to see in Baton Rouge besides the game. However, one of my favorite tourist spots is the USS Kidd, a Fletcher-class destroyer from WWII, now a National Historic Landmark/museum ship berthed on the Mississippi River. Fans 5 The LSU Tigers fan base is one of the loudest and most dedicated, and possibly the best fan base in college sports, across the board. Tigers fans are loyal baseball fans that consistently fill The Box for home games – LSU has dominated NCAA baseball attendance, leading the nation in average home crowd since 1998. In fact, the back side of the Intimidator sign states, Baseball at The Box: College Baseball’s Greatest Fans. The fans are always involved in the game from clapping in support of the pitcher when the batter has two strikes, or the Geaux Tigers chants throughout the game, and the fans energy just continues beyond that. LSU fight songs are also piped in, including “Fight For LSU” and “Hey Fighting Tiger.” There are very few college baseball fans that match the fan participation at LSU’s Alex Box Stadium. Access 4 Alex Box Stadium is located on the southwest side of the LSU campus. Nicholson Drive is the main route to the stadium and can be directly accessed from I-10. The lots directly around Alex Box Stadium are reserved primarily for season ticket holders and can only be purchased as a full-season pass; otherwise the parking cost is $10 per vehicle if space is available. There is free parking available in Gourrier South, The Hayfield, or Levee South to the west of the stadium, and there are two ways to reach these parking lots; drive on Gourrier Ave past the stadium’s reserved lots and the parking lots will be towards River Road and the Rec fields. Or, to avoid congested traffic at the stadium reserved lots, take Skip Bertman Drive to River Road, then turn onto Gourrier from the west heading east. No matter which direction you decide to take the free parking is a short walk to the stadium. Alternatively, the “Old Front Nine” grass lot at the corner of Nicholson Drive and Burbank Drive across from The Box also provides free parking, and this a great spot to utilize for accessing both Walk-On’s sports pub and Alex Box Stadium. The main entrance to Alex Box Stadium is located directly behind home plate via the Gerry Lane Championship Plaza. The Wally Pontiff Jr. Hall of Fame and LSU ticket windows will be located to your left (third base side). There are entrance gates down both first and third baselines, but these entrances are on the lower concourse and show no view of the ballfield. The upper concourse, though, is above the seating levels and has a view the game as you walk around. There are plenty of restroom facilities throughout the ballpark and lines are non-existent. An elevator is available behind home plate for the club suites. In addition, despite the stadium being close to capacity daily, there is plenty of room to navigate. Note that LSU’s security measures follow the Geaux Clear policy, meaning nothing is allowed in except clear totes (plastic, vinyl, or PVC) no larger than 12”X 6”X 12”, 1-gallon clear zip top bags, or small clutch purses no larger than 4½” X 6½”, and seat cushions with no pockets and not larger than 16” (see www.LSUsports.net/GeauxClear). Overall, the access is easy for the number of fans that attend Tigers baseball. Return on Investment 5 There are a couple of ways to look at the return on investment at Alex Box Stadium. For as low as $12, you can have a ticket to one of the premier college baseball venues in the country, and if you are lucky enough to obtain a bleacher or reserved seat, the cost will be $18. There is also plenty of free parking near the ballpark. The concessions costs are reasonable but not overly cheap, however the atmosphere for attending a Tigers baseball game at The Box is unmatched in college baseball. Extras 5 The LSU baseball experience is unheard of in college baseball – the whole LSU baseball experience is an extra that only a couple of other baseball programs could possibly match. The LSU fans dominate in attendance over the last two decades and the atmosphere is simply amazing. In addition, the Wally Pontiff Jr. LSU Baseball Hall of Fame is a wonderful museum for fans to learn about the Tigers baseball program. The museum is open throughout the game for fans to visit, however, Tigers fans are loyal, so you won’t see many fans walking around the stadium during the game action. One of the first things you’ll notice when entering The Box is the “Intimidator” billboard in right field. The image of a growling tiger and the six National Championship years listed is like walking into Boston’s Fenway Park and seeing the iconic Green Monster. There are also multiple large playground areas for families attending the game, as well as the availability to buy LSU apparel around the stadium with two LSU SportShops. Another plus is the honor that LSU has for the country’s military – the Chair of Honor on the concourse is an unoccupied seat in honor of those who are still Prisoners of War (POW) or Missing In Action (MIA), and symbolizes there will always be a place in the stadium awaiting their return. Final Thoughts The atmosphere at Alex Box Stadium is impeccable – all the great things that sports fans hear about watching a game at LSU’s Alex Box Stadium don’t match the reality. The reality of a game at The Box is much better. A trip to LSU’s Alex Box Stadium should be on every college baseball fan’s list, as it is one of the best stadium experiences in all of sports.

Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.71 Arrowhead Stadium 1 Arrowhead Dr Kansas City, MO 64129 Kansas City Chiefs website Arrowhead Stadium website Year Opened: 1972 Capacity: 77,000 KC Masterpiece The Kansas City Chiefs were one of the original members of the AFL, although they spent the first two years of their existence as the Dallas Texans. They moved to Kansas City in 1963 and were one of the most successful franchises in the AFL, playing in both Super Bowls I and IV, winning their one and only Super Bowl on their second attempt. The original home of the Chiefs in Kansas City was the old Municipal Stadium, where they spent their first nine seasons. In 1972, they moved into the brand new Arrowhead Stadium located in the Truman Sports Complex alongside the Kansas City Royals’ Kauffman Stadium. Its seating capacity of 77,000 makes it the largest sports facility in the state, based on capacity. Food & Beverage 4 Like most NFL stadiums, Arrowhead serves up your typical sports fare of hot dogs, nachos, hamburgers and popcorn. But this is Kansas City, so let’s focus on what the city is known for… barbeque! The Chiefs have created BBQ Alley featuring food from KC’s top BBQ restaurants. Smoke Brewing offers up its deep-fried burnt ends; Plowboys BBQ presents its pulled pork sandwich and The Little Pig features its BBQ Sundae (BBQ beans topped with coleslaw, pulled pork and a pickle wedge). Finally, Dickey’s Barbeque Pit serves up chopped brisket, half pound of rack ribs and Frito Pie. On the beverage front, Arrowhead serves Coca-Cola brand sodas. Adult beverages are available at the Craft Corners or Kansas City Cocktail Company locations located throughout the stadium. Atmosphere 4 Arrowhead Stadium has one of the best game day atmospheres in NFL football. The team has done a great job in keeping the stadium as competitive as possible with the newer stadiums in the league. A $400 million renovation in 2010 added many of the extras today’s fans have come to expect as a part of their game day experience. A number of luxury seating areas were created, and the electronics package was upgraded with LED message ribbons and football shaped HD video boards at each end of the stadium. The Chiefs play in the wide open Western Division of the AFC and have done very well under Coach Andy Reid in recent seasons. As a result, the stands are full every Sunday in the fall. Several legendary NFL athletes had their career years while playing in Arrowhead Stadium. They include Len Dawson, Willie Lanier, Derrick Thomas, Nick Lowery, Tony Gonzalez, Priest Holmes, Alex Smith and Emmitt Thomas. Hall of Fame coaches Marv Levy and Hank Stram also paced its sidelines. All of these individuals are immortalized in the Chiefs Hall of Honor found on the concourse level. The Hall is an interactive space recalling the greatest plays and players in Chiefs history and is well worth a visit. Neighborhood 4 Arrowhead Stadium is located in a suburb of Kansas City and does not offer much in the way of dining options or attractions in the immediate area of the stadium. Downtown Kansas City is just 15 minutes away and offers a wide variety of restaurants and tourist attractions. Kansas City offers some of the finest restaurants in the Midwest. Arthur Bryant’s Barbeque has been around for decades and is known as the best… in a town known for its BBQ. Boulevard Brewing Company is an outstanding choice for sampling the craft beers of the region. One of the real treasures located in Kansas City is the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum. It provides a fascinating look at the teams, players and leagues that existed before Jackie Robinson broke baseball’s color barrier. Cross Country Plaza offers just about everything a visitor could ask for in Kansas City… great architecture, more than 180 shops, galleries, restaurants and nightlife. If you are in town for a game after Thanksgiving the nightly Holiday Lights are spectacular. There are two hotels, the Four Points Sheraton-KC Sports Complex and the Drury Inn and Suites-Stadiums, located within walking distance of both Arrowhead Stadium and Kauffman Stadium. Fans 5 Simply stated… the Chief fans are the most loyal and the loudest fans in the AFC. They never give up, no matter how many times their hearts have been broken by a playoff loss or how brutal the late November and early January weather is. They are certifiably loud, as the Guinness Book of World Records ranked Arrowhead Stadium as the loudest stadium in the world at an ear shattering 142.2 decibels. The fans start to charge their energy levels at the Ford Fan Experience. This area provides pre-game entertainment, the Bud Light Beer Garden, a performance by the Chiefs cheerleaders and appearances by Warpaint the Pony and KC Wolf. If that is not enough, the tailgating scene in Kansas City is top rate due to the city’s love affair with its own style of barbeque. The Chief fans crank it up early, as they react to the drumbeat from a Chiefs icon calling them to war. During the National anthem, they change the last words of the refrain to the “land of the CHIEFS!!!” They do not let up after that as they follow the lead of the Chiefs cheerleaders and the team mascot, K.C. Wolf. The attire of a Chiefs fan is nearly as loud as the volume, as the stands are a sea of red and gold. Access 3 When the Chiefs ownership was scouting a place to build their stadium, no land met their needs within the Kansas City limits. Land was identified in suburban Jackson County near the I-70/I-435 interchange that offered enough room for both the baseball and football stadiums. Being close to this interchange offers two major routes to get to the game. There is plenty of parking surrounding the stadiums, but it comes at a steep price. For those who want to avoid the high cost of parking at the stadium, the Kansas City Area Transit Authority offers bus service directly to Arrowhead Stadium. Take Route #47 (Broadway Line) to the stadium. For schedule information go to www.ridekc.org . Once at the stadium accessibility is excellent. There are seven major entry gates at Arrowhead and gates open two hours prior to the game. The concourses at the stadium were widened as a part of the 2010 renovations and the number of restrooms and concessions areas were increased at the same time. Return on Investment 3 The success of the Chiefs franchise comes at a high cost, as the face value of tickets is $35-$200. However, once the season is in full swing the tickets escalate to $500 or more due to high demand. Parking at the Truman Sports Complex is $35 for a pre-paid space, or $60 cash if purchased on game day. Extras 3 One credit must go to the fans in Kansas City for holding the title of loudest stadium. Arrowhead Stadium is one of only four stadiums in the NFL that does not have a corporate name. In addition to the Chiefs games, Arrowhead Stadium has played host to five Big XII Championship games, the annual Border Showdown game (Kansas Jayhawks/Missouri Tigers) and MLS Soccer from 1996-2007. Final Thoughts Despite being one of the oldest stadiums in the NFL, Arrowhead Stadium has stood the test of time well. It keeps reinventing itself by adding such amenities as the Hall of Honor, premium seating locations and a concessions menu featuring BBQ from some of Kansas City’s finest restaurants. They also have one of the most loyal, and officially the loudest, fan base in the NFL, if not the world.

Photos by Marc Viquez Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.29 Franklin Field 7035 S. Ballpark Dr. Franklin, WI 53132 Milwaukee Milkmen website Franklin Field website Year Opened: 2019 Capacity: 4,000 Milk & Baseball in Milwaukee Franklin Field opened in 2019 on the site of the former Crystal Ridge Landfill in Franklin, Wisconsin, in the Milwaukee metropolitan area. It is home to the Milwaukee Milkmen of the American Association. Known as Routine Field during its inaugural season, but after a legal dispute about naming rights left the baseball stadium with a temporary moniker of Milkmen Stadium before settling on Franklin Field in 2020. The stadium blends in well inside The Ballpark Commons, a mixed-use development, home to live, work, and play areas that will include a beer garden, taco restaurant, brew pub, apartments, senior living housing, a hotel, an indoor sports complex, and a performance and wellness village. The Rock Sports Complex features six baseball fields and is home to 2,000 baseball games annually inside the Ballpark Commons. The stadium adds its name to big, bold, and distinctive facilities to the American Association and Wisconsin Brewing Company Park  in Oconomowoc, Wisconsin, and Impact Field  about an hour south in Rosemont, Illinois. All ballparks are spacious, detailed for large social areas, and are alternatives to major league baseball in the metropolitan area. Food & Beverage 3 A main area for food and drink is behind the backstop which offers an array of options for the customers at the game. The food stand is called the Burger Company and sells burgers, fried chicken sandwiches, hot dogs, chicken tenders, brats, nachos, fries, and cheese curds. The unique options are truffle parmesan fries, milkshakes, and milk and cookies. The Barcadi Bar offers alcoholic beverages from beers, hard seltzer, vodka, whiskey, tequila, and brandy. A few of the can and draft varieties include products from MillerCoors, Vizzy, High Noon, Happy Thursday, Terrapin, and Angry Orchard. The ballparks offer additional portable stands throughout the concourse that sell popcorn, grilled corn, and cupcakes. A Mexican food truck is set up near the main entrance. A few more stands are visible but were closed during our visit. Atmosphere 3 The 4,000-seat ballpark offers areas of seating for fans on the wraparound concourse. The Leinenkugel Hop Yard is an impressive two-level area on the third base side of the venue that incorporates repurposed shipping containers, and the semi-private cabana seats behind the seating bowl of the concourse offer lounge seating and service. Visitors enter Franklin Field from the outfield entrance in the left-field corner. They’re welcomed by the Leinenkugel Hop Yard area and the team’s official gift shop as they make their way to the main concourse. Visitors can buy an all-you-can-eat-and-drink ticket to the Hop Yard and choose from an array of local beers and food while enjoying the game from various viewpoints of the enclosed area. The colors of black and white are evident throughout the building, which also extends to the advertisements on the outfield walls. The game day staff members are dressed as milkmen with black bow ties, offering services at portable stands and the main concession area behind the backstop. The seating bowl offers plastic theater-style chairs in the colors of gray and yellow that add a welcome change in look not commonly found at other professional ballparks. On the top of the concourse is private cabana-style seating for groups. A video scoreboard is above the grass berm seating in left field, known as the pasture. The words “popcorn” can be heard over the sound system whenever there's a foul ball. The club offers a free bag of popcorn with every foul ball returned. There is still more grass seating down the first baseline that also features trees that add to the natural beauty of the surrounding area of the neighborhood. In the distance behind the left field wall is a large grassy hill that blends in with the large open areas in the outfield of the stadium. There are plenty of promotions: cow racing, cookie tossing, dizzy bat race, and frozen t-shirt contests. Bo-Vine is the team’s official mascot and can be seen during many of these promotions and in the stands during the game. Neighborhood 3 Franklin Field is inside the Ballpark Commons, a mixed-use development that will be home to live, work, and play areas that will include a beer garden, taco restaurant, brew pub, apartments, senior living housing, a hotel, an indoor sports complex, and a performance and wellness village. Luxe Golf Bays rises above the ballpark down the left field line and is connected to the Dog Haus and Brick Pizzeria & Ristorante. The Dog Haus offers burgers, hot dogs, and sausages with a variety of toppings, along with an impressive menu of draft beers. Brick features Neapolitan pizza and calzones baked in wood-fired ovens. There is also an open-air plaza that is perfect for families to eat and play. Across the street is Coffee Blend Cocktails that will satisfy your sweet tooth. However, a trip up north to Milwaukee is where you will find more attractions, including tours of the Fiserv Forum , the Milwaukee Arts Museum, the Harley-Davidson Museum, and the Miller and Pabst Breweries. The Milwaukee Waterfront is also worth visiting on a nice summer day. The Historic Third Ward is home to restaurants with sidewalk tables, scenic river walks, the Milwaukee Public Market, shops, and the National Bobblehead Museum and Hall of Fame. There is also a collection of local breweries in town: Good City Brewing, MobCraft Beer Brewery, Third Space Brewery, Lakefront Brewery, Sprecher Brewery, and Great Lakes Distillery. Fans 3 There is a good showing of fans who are there for an affordable night out at the ballpark and a few taking a curiosity in the new independent club in town. Fans are keeping score from their seats, many are mingling with friends, and folks are enjoying the new car smell of the ballpark. Access 4 Franklin Field is located 15 miles south of downtown Milwaukee off of S.R. 36 and near the interstates of 94 and 43. General Mitchell International Airport is less than 10 minutes to the east. The best option is by car to a Milkmen's game. The stadium is wide open, and the concourse wraps around the seating bowl. It can become a little congested near the concession stands, but the rest of the stadium offers plenty of room to move around and vantage points for photos from visitors. Return on Investment 4 The Milkmen tickets start at $11 for their version of grass berm seats dubbed “The Pastures” and bleacher and terrace seating sell for $14. Other ticket prices include the Dugout Seats for $18 and Scout seats for $20. The Leinenkugel Hop Yard includes an All-You-Can-Eat area until the 7th inning. Merchandise ranges from shirts for $22 to ball caps for $30, concession items are as low as $4 for a locally made hot dog to $8 for a fried chicken sandwich, and the parking is free of charge. There are daily themes at the games: Thirsty Thursdays, where beer is a buck, Buy-One-Get-One-Free ticket nights, Freinds & Family Deals, and Mexican Fiesta, where the Milkmen become the Lecheros de Milwaukee and wear specialty jerseys. It is incorporated with additional tables, stands, and in-between innings of entertainment. Extras 3 The Milkmen earn a few extra points for creating an atmosphere that blends well with is "America's Dairyland" theme. The team and ballpark's colors of black and white are distinctive throughout the venue. The Ballpark Commons is an active area with restaurants, stores, and golf bays that can create full-day activities for fans at the game. The stadium earns a final point for free parking. Final Thoughts Franklin Field is not your ordinary baseball stadium. It blends in well with the neighborhood, and it will only be challenged by the imagination of its architects. The enthusiasm by the game day staff dressed as milkmen, and the numerous dairyland themes make for an alternative to watching professional baseball in Milwaukee. ------ Follow all of Marc’s stadium journeys on Twitter @ballparkhunter   and his YouTube channel .  Email at Marc.Viquez@stadiumjourney.com

Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.71 Mercedes-Benz Stadium 1 AMB Dr Atlanta, GA 30313 Atlanta Falcons website Mercedes-Benz Stadium website Year Opened: 2017 Capacity: 71,000 The Mercedes-Benz of Pro Football Stadiums Mercedes-Benz Stadium has served as the Falcon’s home nest since 2017. It replaced the Georgia Dome, which was located right next to the new stadium before it was imploded. It has been seen as the stadium of the future due to its unique design and the many high-tech features it includes. The current stadium has a capacity of 71,000, including 193 luxury suites. It offers a wide variety of advanced technology to enhance the fan experience on Sunday game days. Food & Beverage 5 The food and beverage program introduced when the stadium opened in 2017 has truly been a game changer, and it has inspired the other NFL stadiums to follow suit. The main element of the concessions program is its fans-first pricing structure for the most popular items. The low prices for items including sodas, hot dogs, and popcorn make it possible for a family of four to be fed at a game without taking a bank loan. The results have been very impressive, as sales volume makes up for the revenue lost by selling items at a lower cost. The concessions innovations also include the streamlining of the order process so that fans do not miss any of the action on the field when they go to the concession stand. Items are priced at whole dollar levels and the sales are on a cashless basis. This means that there is no need to make changes for the customer. Numerous ATM devices at the stadium can convert cash into a debit card for gameday purchases. Drink orders for sodas and water require that the concessions workers simply hand the customer a cup, which the customer can fill at a dispensing station located away from the stand, which reduces the backups that sometimes occur. An added perk for the fans is that refills are free. The food and beverage program at Falcons home games is also fan-friendly due to the wide variety of food categories offered at the stadium. The generic stadium foods are found at the stands known as Atlanta FanFare. The remaining vendors are made up of a wide variety of Atlanta-based restaurants. Examples of these vendors include local favorites Farm Burger, J.R. Crickets, Molly B’s Restaurant, and Williamson Brothers BBQ. The concessions program also offers food for persons with certain dietary restrictions, such as vegetarian or gluten-free dishes. The drink selections at Mercedes-Benz reflect the definite loyalty to a certain local bottler whose world headquarters is right down the street from the stadium. Yes, Coca-Cola products are featured at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Beer is sold at stands reflecting the various brands sold in the stadium. Budweiser is sold at the Budweiser Beer Garden, at Bud and Burger stands, and at the Bud Light Neighborhood Bar. There are similar stands for the other beer brands Atmosphere 4 Mercedes-Benz Stadium has received excellent reviews from visiting teams, their fans, and the press. It is truly a next-generation facility, as it features some of the newest innovations in stadium design. The halo board is one of a kind, as it provides fans with information about the game on the field, as well as out-of-town scores and any upcoming events at the stadium. It is hard to ignore, as it is 58 feet tall and measures 1,100 linear feet around. This makes it the largest non-transparent video display in the world. The stadium also has a feature that allows for the roof to be open or closed depending on the weather. The position of the retractable roof also helps to determine how much crowd noise is contained within the stadium. Neighborhood 4 The home of the Falcons is in downtown Atlanta, near some of the city’s top tourist attractions. These attractions include Centennial Olympic Park, the College Football Hall of Fame, the Georgia Aquarium, the World of Coca-Cola, and the Center for Civil and Human Rights. In 2024, the new Signia by Hilton Hotel opened adjacent to Mercedes-Benz Stadium, adding a convenient place for visiting fans to stay on football weekends. Other lodging options in the area are the Embassy Suites at Olympic Centennial Park and the Holiday Inn Express and Suites Downtown Atlanta. Restaurants in the area include the Hudson Grille and Der Biergarten. Fans 3 Falcons fans are fired up for the 2024 season, as the team has a new coaching staff and has added two new quality QBs in Kirk Cousins and Michael Penix. The Falcons play in the Southern Division of the NFC Conference, which no longer has a dominant team. The Falcon faithful get especially fired up for their annual pair of games against their hated rival, the New Orleans Saints. Longtime Falcon fans will want to head up to the 300-level concourse. This area has a wide selection of food stands as well as the “100 Yard Club. The concourse floor has the appearance of a football field, with yard markings and yard lines. The pillars throughout this area feature the likeness and stats of some of the team’s greatest players. The team’s Hall of Fame is known as the Ring of Honor and there is a display that features each Ring member’s stats and their photo. Both team owner Arthur Blank and former QB Matt Ryan were initiated into the Ring of Honor in 2024. Access 3 Atlanta traffic, especially on weekends, can be tough. However, with a little planning, and some great resources, fans can be at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in plenty of time for the opening kickoff. Parking at the stadium opens 4.5 hours before the game and there’s usually a good showing of fans getting ready to tailgate even at that early hour. Hopefully, you pre-purchased your parking space ahead of gameday and you are all set. Let’s say you got a late start. You are stuck in traffic. What do you do? The Falcons partner with the traffic app WAZE, so you check the app and get real-time info on any trouble on the road ahead and it also suggests alternative routes to get to Mercedes-Benz. Cutting it a little close, but you get there. Let’s say you are from out of town and know very little about the streets in downtown Atlanta. You are staying in the suburbs; the front desk tells you about a MARTA light rail station nearby. MARTA is Atlanta’s rapid transit system with both a north/south line and an east/west line. The fare is a flat fee of $2.50 per ride, regardless of the distance. MARTA has two light rail stations (Vine City and GWCC/Phillips Arena/CNN Center) Both are within a block of Mercedes-Benz Stadium. You use Uber/Lyft or other rideshare services back home. Choose the ride service you refer to and leave the driving to them. The rideshare services have two drop-off and pickup areas near Mercedes-Benz Stadium (one is on Northside Drive on the western side of the stadium, and the second is along the eastern side of the stadium along Centennial Park Drive) Now that you’re at Mercedes-Benz Stadium you can relax somewhat. There are four main gates with multiple lines available at each gate. The gates open 90 minutes before kickoff. Simply have your phone ready with the ticket showing, and the ticket reader will quickly let you into the stadium. Congratulations! Return on Investment 3 Your return on investment at Falcons football game can be greatly enhanced by making some simple choices. Parking in one of the stadium lots can cost you more than $40. Taking the MARTA light rail system to the stadium will cost you $5.00 roundtrip, no matter how far you’ve ridden the system. Choosing items listed on the Family’s First menu costs a family of four less than $40. A concession next door might charge you $15-$20 for just one entrée. Ticket prices start at $40 for upper-level (300-level) seats. Seats on the 100 and 200 level can cost upwards of $150. Frankly, the view from almost anywhere in Mercedes-Benz Stadium is pretty good, plus you have the multiple-story Halo Board showing replays of important plays on a huge screen that is larger than one in a movie theater. You can also save money by attending a game where the opposing team is not a member of the Falcons division or conference. Games against New Orleans and other Division opponents are always more expensive, as the visitor’s fanbase has a relatively easy drive to attend a game. Extras 4 Mercedes-Benz Stadium hosts a wide variety of sports events in addition to serving as the home field/ pitch for the Atlanta Falcons and Atlanta United. There are several NCAA football games on the venue’s calendar, including the Chik-Fil-A Kickoff Classic, the SEC Football Championship Game, the Chik-Fil-A Peach Bowl, and the Celebration Bowl, which pairs the top HBCU team from the MEAC against the top SWAC team. In 2025, the NCAA National Football Championship Game will also be played at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. In 2026 the facility will host several soccer matches during the World Cup competition. The home of the Falcons has also been recognized for its efforts to minimize its carbon footprint and be friendly to the environment. It is the first LEED-certified facility in the NFL. Its efforts to trap rainwater, recycling of materials, and use of composting of leftover food make sure that 90% of waste never makes it to a landfill. Mercedes-Benz Stadium has an above-average collection of art both outside and inside of the venue. The gate closest to State Farm Arena has a four-story steel Falcon sculpture just before you go inside. His wingspan is 64 feet, making him the largest bird sculpture in the world. A second art installation is located near the gate closest to the Home Depot Backyard pregame area. It is a large soccer ball with several mirrored surfaces. It is known as Telstar, and it salutes Atlanta United, the other main tenant at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Once inside you’ll notice paintings, photography, and mixed media along each of the concourses. There are several fan participation activities available both inside and outside of Mercedes-Benz Stadium. The Home Depot Backyard hosts a pregame pep rally, trivia contests, and various sports skills contests on the north side of the stadium. Once inside the stadium, head to the 100-level concourse where you can take part in the run, pass, and kicking activities. There is also a photo opportunity at section 221 with the AT&T fan cam. You can have your photo taken with projected images of Freddie the Falcon, or one of your favorite Falcon players. Final Thoughts Mercedes–Benz Stadium is continually looking for ways it can serve its community while tweaking its game day procedures to improve the fan experience. It has a strong record in this regard, as it annually hosts the SEC Championship game, is in the rotation for the College Football National Championship game, and hosts a Peach Bowl Game on New Year’s Day, it is a serious contender to host one or more World Cup games in 2026.

Photos by David Welch, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.43 E.S. Rose Park 1000 Edgehill Ave Nashville, TN 37203 Belmont Bruins website E.S. Rose Park website Year Opened: 2011 Capacity: 500 It’s Bruin Time Baseball was first played at Belmont University in Nashville, Tennessee starting with the 1953 season. The then Belmont Rebels would begin intercollegiate baseball as a National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) program, spending time in the Volunteer State Athletic Conference for 30+ seasons before heading to the Tennessee Collegiate Athletic Conference for just over a decade, prior to joining the ranks of independent programs for the 1996 and 1997 seasons. Following their jump from NAIA to Division I, Belmont would change their name from the Rebels to the more alliterative Belmont Bruins. The Bruins would spend four years as a D1 independent before joining the Atlantic Sun Conference (ASUN) in 2002. After 11 seasons in the ASUN, Belmont would jump to the Ohio Valley Conference where they would play until 2022, before finally moving to the Missouri Valley Conference (MVC). The E.S. Rose Park athletic complex was built in partnership with the City of Nashville; Belmont University contributed $9 million to the construction and upgrade of the athletic facilities at the city owned park, which the school leases. While not actually on the Belmont campus, the park is just blocks away.   Food & Beverage   3 Outside of the grandstand seating and located between the softball and soccer fields and track, the concession stand here is built into a brick and aluminum structure along the left field side of the stadium. The building also houses restrooms and other park facilities. Concessions at E.S. Rose Park take care of the staples, with hot dogs, candy, chips, and canned soft drinks from the Pepsi family of beverages, as well as Gatorade and bottled water. The menu does go a bit beyond with hamburgers and cheeseburgers as extra entrée, while snacks also include whole pickles and granola. Since E.S. Rose Park is a public city facility, alcoholic beverages are not available.    Atmosphere   3 E.S. Rose Park is made up of three individual brick seating areas – the two sections on either side of home plate are made up of rows of aluminum benches with back supports, and individual chairback seats in the small section behind home plate. A relatively large scoreboard sits next to the visiting team’s bullpen in left field, which gives fans basic line score and ball-strike-out information, but the accompanying videoboard above is not operational. Even though not part of the stadium, a covered picnic area sits upon a grassy berm in left field, and might be one of the best places to watch the game from, as it is the only location that provides a significant amount of shade and protection from the elements. Given the amount of tree growth beyond the berm, the grandstand’s skyline view of downtown Nashville is a bit obstructed, however, a short walk up the right field line does highlight what has come to be known as the iconic “Batman Building” that dominates the Nashville skyline. Other than mid-inning ad reads there is not a lot to distract from the game. There are not a lot of audio drops between pitches or following outs; doing such would appear forced and not add a lot to the game experience, and also doesn’t seem like it would elicit much of a reaction from fans. There really is not a bad seat when it comes to baseball at E.S. Rose Park, but the seats along the home side of the field do have the best views of downtown Nashville, even if this view is a bit blocked by trees. If the need for shade is necessary, the picnic area in left field does have tables that sit higher than the fence line, so it does provide a decent vantage point for the game.   Neighborhood   4 E.S. Rose Park is in the heart of Nashville’s Edgehill neighborhood. Its location on Kirkpatrick Hill, one of Nashville’s highest points, provides fans with amazing views in every direction. The Belmont campus is visible behind home plate, Vanderbilt’s West End Tower rises above the landscape along the third base side, downtown Nashville is not far off in the distance beyond the left field fence, and the gatehouse to the historic 8th Avenue Reservoir is visible beyond the first base side of the field. The area is adorned with both signs and statues of polar bears, which at first impression might just seem like a fun, artistic addition to the area, but actually holds historic relevance to the neighborhood – dating back to the 1930s, polar bear statues were created to advertise Polar Bear Frozen Custard  shops. Two of the four bears currently sit on the corner of Edgehill and 12th Avenue, just outside of the park’s northwest corner. The Edgehill area is no stranger to baseball, being the one-time home of the Nashville Sounds ; Hershel Greer Stadium once stood just across I-65 adjacent to the Civil War-era Fort Nagley. Despite being torn down in 2019, the outline of the infield is still visible. While the immediate area surrounding E.S. Rose Park might be a bit light on locations of interest, there is a bit of everything for everyone within 5 miles of the ballpark. Within a mile are Music Row  (the historic focus of country music), the trendy Gulch district, and Vanderbilt University. Broadway, the heart of Nashville’s entertainment district, and the 12 South neighborhood, with its several boutique shops and restaurants, are both just under 2 miles away from the stadium. Also, visitors wanting to keep up a baseball theme might venture downtown to First Horizon Park , to catch the Nashville Sounds.   Fans   2 Belmont baseball typically draws 100 to 200 fans per game, with the lesser number being typical for early season game before the weather takes a turn for the better. In a bit of an oddity for baseball, there does not seem to be a lot of kids in the crowd. An interesting dynamic is created by the field being in a public park, and there is no fee charged to access the stadium. The game attracts passersby who might just want to sit and watch the game for an inning or so before carrying on with their day. There also doesn’t seem to be a large student contingent of regular supporters, primarily just family and friends of players.   Access   4 The City of Nashville has a highly developed sense of both public transportation and bicycle accessibility. Multiple bus stops can be found along the streets that form the perimeter of the park on Edgehill Avenue and 9th and 12th Streets. Dedicated bicycle lanes make E.S. Rose Park easily accessible for those coming via any type of transportation. The Edgehill neighborhood is just off the junction of I-65 and I-40, so the ballpark is also easily accessible for those arriving from outside Nashville. The main challenge is contending with Nashville traffic, which even on weekends can be considerably backed up. Once at E.S. Rose Park, two smallish parking lots can be found along either side of the adjacent recreation facility. Despite being more convenient, the lot closest to the stadium does presents a bit of foul ball danger, and there also needs to be consideration given to the fact that the park is heavily used by community members, so is a popular place on sunny weekend days, making finding a parking spot for late arrivers a bit more challenging. While the grandstand seating is easily accessible, the sections on either side of home plate are closed-ended. While this is a minor inconvenience, trying to sit near the ends of these sections can create some awkward situations, by making others get up so you can sit past them – the burden this puts on those sitting on the aisle, who constantly have to get up so people can move past them, in essence eliminates sitting on the aisle as a seating option.   Return on Investment   5 With no charge for parking or admittance, the only charge is for whatever concessions might be desired. Like most concession menus, prices are hit or miss when it comes to what seems to be reasonable ballpark prices. There does not seem to be any restriction on bringing outside food or drink, however, so concession prices are only as prohibitive as fans  allow them to be.   Extras   4 A display on the exterior of the seating recognizes the 100th anniversary of Negro League Baseball; the plaque there honors Nashvillians who either played or owned a team in the Negro Leagues. Only a handful of other college baseball stadiums can provide a backdrop that is comparable to that of E.S. Rose Park, though it is a bit unfortunate that as winter turns to spring, the foliage of the trees that border the park block the view of the Nashville skyline. Banners are hung recognizing Belmont regular season and tournament championships, as well as their 2011 and 2012 NCAA regional appearances. Also, the retired number 21 hangs in honor of former coach Dave Whitten, who led Belmont for 29 seasons and to 663 wins. Given the ballpark’s location within the park, there are several other activities to help keep younger fans entertained if the game might not be enough – a playground, basketball court, track, and softball field all surround the outside of the E.S. Rose Park.   Final Thoughts Belmont baseball is a very basic experience that is not going to wow spectators, but what it does is highlight the nature of college baseball and what is beautiful about the game; the chirping and chattering is on full display, and is complemented by the ping of the bat. E.S. Rose Park is probably not a ballpark that visitors will flock to, but given Nashville’s position as a tourist destination, stopping here to complement a visit to Music City is definitely a consideration to make, if looking for an outdoor activity to fill an opening in a weekend schedule.

Photos by Marc Viquez, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 4.00 Kapco Park 12800 N Lake Shore Dr. Mequon, WI 53097 Lakshore Chinooks website Kapco Park website Year Opened: 2012 Capacity: 3,000 Watching Baseball by the Lake The Lakeshore Chinooks were a trendsetter in the Northwoods League, becoming the first franchise to play in a major metropolitan area and the first to share a modern venue with a university. Kapco Park is located on the campus of Concordia University of Wisconsin, just 20 miles north of downtown Milwaukee. Almost a decade later, the club has not looked back. Kapco is a 3,000 seat facility that hits all the right notes from fan experience, game day promotions, concessions, and social areas that give the ballpark positive word of mouth from visitors in the area. Its location within a few yards of Lake Michigan is also a nice touch and provides either a cool breeze or a chance to put on a light jacket. The Chinooks have a Milwaukee connection that consists of former Brewer and Hall of Famer Robin Young, Brewers announcer Bob Eucker, and former Bucks GM John Hammond making up a quarter of the twelve investors of the club. The Chinooks is a joint venture between the college, private businesses, and community-minded individuals. The outfield dimensions also add a nice little nod to Brewers greats jersey numbers–left field is 317 for Jim Ganter, center field is 344 for Hank Aaron, and right field is for Young at 319. The club has dedicated the 2019 season as the Summer of Yount with several promotions for the all-time great including bobble heads and several games where the club will play as the Rockin’ Robins. When the Brewers are on the road, do yourself a favor and make the trip up north for a Chinooks game, it’s baseball that offers quite a bit of fun and affordable pricing. Food & Beverage 5 There is quite a selection of food and beverage at the ballpark that includes a collection of food trucks that make their way to each game. There is a main concession stand directly underneath the main grandstand near the entrance that has almost everything imaginable. The stand offers hot dogs, burghers, jalapeño cheddar brats, grilled chicken breast and spicy chicken sandwiches, a chicken BLT sandwich and a few local delicacies – foot long cod and smoked salmon sandwiches. The price points are $3.50 to $10 for each sandwich. There are also boneless wings ($7-$10) that fans can top with one of numerous local Larry Legends’ wing sauces, including spicy bacon barbecue, garlic parmesan, honey barbecue, and scary Larry. I tried them all and the garlic parmesan was something unusual but very tasty. Snacks include fried cheese curds, fried pickles, and jalapeño poppers and the ballpark offers German nachos that are pretzel balls topped with cheese, brat slices, and sauerkraut. Pepsi products are available at the ballpark. The food carts feature the Bullpen BBQ that has sandwiches and platters of brisket, pulled chicken, and pulled pork. They also have loaded mac and cheese and a half-pound angus burger. Next door is a food truck that offers quite the opposite, the impossible burger and vegan bites. Then there is the Italian truck that creates personal pizzas with 9 different toppings, meatball subs, and sausage sandwiches. Beer sells for $5.50 for both domestic and craft varieties; the craft selection offers varieties from Broken Bat Brewing Company: Chinooks 19 IPA, Straight Ahead Apricot Pale Ale, Corre Corre Mexican Lager, and Golden Sombrero American Pilsner. Atmosphere 4 Kapco Park has an atmosphere that reminds me of minor league ballparks from 25-years-ago. The stadium does not offer a wraparound concourse or sunken seating and you would not be able to find any private suites above the seating bowl, but what you will find is a wonderful selection of affordable concessions, prize wheel games, a children’s play area, and the popular Fishin’ Hole bar down the third baseline. There are 3,000 seats in the stadium that are separated by a middle concourse that features table seating with full wait service. Each table also has specialized condiments that includes mustard from Luxembourg. There are also two private group decks for parties of 40-50 along with the Robin’s Nest and Backyard Patio behind the right field fence that are $30-$35 per person and offers an All-You-Can-Eat menu. Fishin’ Hole area is down the third base corner. It is accessible to all fans and offers a bar area with flowers, lights, and table top seating. It is an ideal place to enjoy the game with friends and other baseball fans in a very well decorated area of the stadium. The bar is fully stocked with both domestic and craft beer cans. The rest of the seating in the ballpark provides great views and there are a lot of in-between promotions that take place with tire races, t-shirt tosses, mascot races, and many other gimmicks. If seating in the upper portion of the ballpark you can get a view of Lake Michigan and at times, a nice breeze during hot summer games. However, some nights can get cold enough where you might need to bring a jacket. Kapco Park Lake Michigan, Photo by Marc Viquez, Stadium Journey Other features of the ballpark include inflatable rides for kids down the right field line that also includes open grass space for kids to run around or toss a baseball to one another. The bathrooms are also kept very clean and even feature potted plants in the men’s room–I assume there are flowers in the ladies room. Visitors can even play a few carnival games to win prizes that include ring tossing on bobbleheads. The only complaint might be the team’s official team store located underneath the first base grandstand. It is a nice size area but it feels that there could be more items sold, including powder blue t-shirts and navy blue caps featuring the Rockin’ Robins logo. Neighborhood 3 Kapco Park is located on Concordia University just off I-43 and 30 minutes north of downtown Milwaukee. The ballpark is near the Grafton Commons shopping mall where a collection of regional and nationwide restaurants exist. Charcoal Grill, Water Street Brewery, Flipside Cafe & Grill, and Juice’s Ghost Town are a few places to grab a bite to eat or drink when in the area. The stadium is within walking distance of the lake offering plenty of views of Lake Michigan. A few miles north and south by car are areas to hike along the body of water including Lion’s Den Gorge Nature Preserve and Virmond Park. Being 18 miles north of downtown Milwaukee, there are more sports options that include taking in a Milwaukee Brewers game at Miller Park , checking out a Milwaukee Milkmen baseball game at Routine Field , or taking tours of the Milwaukee Bucks new home Fiserv Forum . Since you are in the Sud City, there are various beer tours that include Miller, Pabst, Lakefront, and Specher breweries. Fans 4 Attendance for Chinooks game rank in the top half of the league attendance numbers and the crowd is vibrant during the game, despite poor play in the field by the home club. Many in attendance enjoy the in-between promotions by the club and socialization of being at the game with friends and family. Access 4 Kapco Park is located off of I-43 on the campus of Concordia University Wisconsin. There is signage that leads motorists to the parking lot and then up to the ballpark itself. There are shuttle service rides to and from the game and once inside the stadium, all your concession and information is presented on the outer concourse of the stadium. Return on Investment 4 The price of a general admission ticket in advance is $8, a grandstand ticket is $11, and box seats are $14. All ticket prices go up $1 the day of the game. There is a large parking lot near the ballpark that is free and there is a shuttle service to and from the game for people who have trouble walking. Concession prices are extremely reasonable and a tall boy can of locally crafted beer is only $5.50. Most of the concession stands do take credit cards and there is an ATM in the team store. Extras 4 Kapco Park’s earns an extra point for its Fishin’ Hole area down the third base corner. It is accessible to all fans and offers a bar area with flowers, lights, and table top seating. It is an ideal place to enjoy the game. Kapco earns a second point for the variety of food that is offered at home games from pizza, barbecue, and eight varieties of wing sauces. The basics are all here along with local favorites brats and fried cheese curds. You can also wash it down with a Chinooks 19 IPA or a glass of wine from Luxembourg. Kapco earns another point for its mascot Gil who is one of the better ones in the business. He is active, funny and even holds a “small” grudge against Rocky Robin who makes an appearance one day a year when the club plays as the Rockin’ Robins. Gil also has the ability to speak, but perhaps can only be understood by other chinooks swimming in Lake Michigan. Kapco earns a final point for plants in the men’s bathroom near the entrance. They are also freshly cleaned. If this is the case for the men’s room, I hope the same can be said for the ladies room. Final Thoughts I was told recently by several people from Milwaukee about how great Kapco Park is for a baseball game. It is not a fancy facility that offers a wraparound concourse or sunken bowl seating, but it offers great concessions and an atmosphere that reminds me why I enjoy traveling around the country visiting ballparks. The ballpark had been on my list for about 5 years and I am glad the wait was worth it, a fine ballpark experience.

Photos by Lloyd Brown, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.14 College Park Center 600 South Center St Arlington, TX 76019 Dallas Wings website College Park Center website Year Opened: 2012 Capacity: 7,000 Winging It In Dallas The College Park Center is a part of the University of Texas at Arlington. It was built in 2012. It is primarily used as the home for the University of Texas-Arlington Mavericks men’s and women’s basketball teams and the volleyball team. The building is LEED Gold Certified as it is environmentally friendly in all phases of its use. The Center holds 7,000 fans in its basketball configuration. The Center's average attendance for Wings games is 3,788. It has served as the home court for the Dallas Wings since 2016. After stops in Detroit and Tulsa, the Dallas Wings arrived in 2016. The Wings play in the Western Conference of the WNBA. The team has had some of the top players in women’s pro basketball don the Wing’s colors. These players include Deanna Nolan, Glory Johnson, Skylar Diggins-Smith, Liz Cambridge, and Odyssey Sims. The team has gone to the playoffs four times since moving to Dallas. Food & Beverage 3 The University of Texas-Arlington contracts with local caterer Ted E’s for its concession stand programs. There are four concession stands located around the seating bowl of the College Park Center. There are two Ted E’s Kitchens, along with one Ted E’s Grill and one Ted E’s BBQ. Ted E’s Kitchen features chicken fingers, fried fish sandwiches, 13 different types of burgers, as well as French fries. Ted E’s menu includes cheesesteaks, chicken fried steak sandwiches, and grilled Chicken Wraps. Ted E’s BBQ stand features brisket nachos, pulled pork nachos, brisket fries, and pulled pork fries. Atmosphere 4 The College Park Center provides an excellent home court experience for the Wings and their fans. The seating bowl at the arena allows fans a close-up view of the game action no matter where they are seated. The seats are very comfortable and provide drink holders. The College Park Center also features an excellent electronics package with very a clear sound system and a center-hung videoboard. Even though the College Park Center is primarily used by the University of Texas at Arlington, there is little evidence of that at Wings games. The court fully features the Wings color pallet and the team’s logo at midcourt. The team store also carries only Wings merchandise during WNBA contests. The fans seem to love the antics of Lightning, the winged equine mascot for the Wings. They also enjoy the playlist of the team’s DJ during breaks in the action. Neighborhood 3 The College Park Center is located on the University of Texas Arlington Campus. So, most of the neighborhoods surrounding the arena are college classroom buildings. One on-campus building worth a visit is the UTA Planetarium. It offers several special programs on Saturdays that are free and open to the public. We did find a few non-fast-food options that are unique to the area. The Twisted Root Burger Company offers a wide variety of burgers, with several special seasonings to choose from. Pie Five Pizza is just a block from the College Park Center and cooks up a delicious variety of pizzas to fill any Wings fans’ pie desires. Afterwards, head over to the La Tapatia Ice Cream and Fruteria for a cool treat to finish your day. Fans 3 The Wings have one of the more enthusiastic fan bases in the WNBA. They show up early and cheer the team on even during the pregame warmups. Most of them are wearing the blue and neon green colors of the team. The pregame introductions give the fans another opportunity to energize the Wings players. The Wings have several 3-point sharpshooters, and there is a definite celebration when a basket goes in from long range. The team markets itself heavily to families and children. This is very evident at games, as many of the promotions during breaks are aimed at children. The Wings frequently offer matinee games on weekdays at noon during the summer months of the WNBA season when school is out for the summer. They also hold a Summer Camp Day at a Wings game to give the camp counselors a break from outdoor activities in the hot Texas sun. The Wings have an average attendance of 3,788, placing them near the middle of the WNBA in attendance. Access 4 Getting to a Wings game is relatively easy, as it can be accessed by either I-20 or I-30. Directions from I-20: Exit I-20 onto Cooper Street (FM157) and head north. Go 4 miles until you reach UTA Boulevard. Turn right onto UTA Boulevard. Turn right onto South Center Street. The parking deck is on the north side of the College Park Center. Directions from I-30: Exit I-30 onto Center Street and head south. Go 2 miles. End at 600 South Center Street. The parking deck is on the north side of the College Park Center. There are four entrance gates at the College Park Center. Doors open one hour prior to the tipoff. This allows you plenty of time to get something to eat or to find your seat location. The concourse is located at the top of the lower level of the venue. Concession stands are at this level, with the concourse open to the action on the court. Return on Investment 3 The College Park Center uses the AXS ticketing system. All tickets are electronic. There are five price points for Dallas Wings games. These are $45 (center court), $37 (side of the court), $28 (corners of the court), $25 (ends of the court), and $22 (seats in the 200 level if needed). Parking at the College Park Center is $18 if repurchased or $20 for day of the event purchases. The food at the College Park Center is reasonably priced. Extras 2 The College Park Center holds a variety of events throughout the year. This includes concerts, wrestling matches, and graduation ceremonies for both the UT-Arlington and area high schools. AT&T Stadium (Home of the Dallas Cowboys) and Globe Life Field (Home of the Texas Rangers) are also located in Arlington and are very close to the College Park Center. This makes it possible for you to get a two-sport doubleheader if there is an overlap in their home schedules. Final Thoughts The Wings home at the College Park Center is easy to get to from almost anywhere in the Dallas metroplex. It provides the team with an arena that is right-sized for the average WNBA crowd. There is little or no evidence that the arena primarily serves as a college sports venue, as the team’s blue and green color scheme is carried throughout the facility for their home games.

Photos by Meg Minard, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.71 Sinsheimer Stadium 900 Southwood Dr San Luis Obispo, CA 93401 San Luis Obispo Blues website Sinsheimer Stadium website Year Opened: 1968 Capacity: 2,000 Hot Sauce! San Luis Obispo Blues is a member of the California Collegiate League, a summer wood-bat baseball league in which top college ball players participate.  The league began in 1993 and currently has 13 teams.  The San Luis Obispo Blues began in 1946 as the Merchants but the name was changed to the Blues within a few weeks of operation, because of the colors on the uniforms.  Originally, WWII veterans played on the team.  The Blues h ad some ups and downs throughout the years and eventually  changed to a college summer team.   The Blues play at Sinsheimer Stadium, a part of city-owned and operated Sinsheimer Park .  Besides the stadium, the park has many other fun-filled activities like disc golf, a swimming pool, hiking trails, volleyball and tennis courts, an impressive playground, trails, and a BBQ area.  Residents of San Luis Obispo (SLO) immensely enjoy the park as well a s the baseball team. Food & Beverage 3 Mouthwatering ‘Old SLO BBQ’ provides most of the food choices at the stadium.  Smash burgers run $6.95 – $11.95.  Gluten-free choices include chicken tenders, fries, and garden salad ($4 - $12.95).  The BBQ options include tri-tip sandwiches, pulled pork sandwiches, chicken tenders, fries, and five varieties of hot dogs ($5.95 - $15.95).  Sodas cost $2.85 and water is $4.45.  They even place items purchased in a brown bag with handles to make it easier to carry to your seat.  Sweet!  Snacks include peanuts, chips, seeds, Cracker Jack, cotton candy, ice cream, etc., and generally run $3 - $4.50.  A kiosk on the first base side sells beer. You won’t go hungry or thirsty at this baseball venue.  Fans can bring in sealed bottled water. Atmosphere 4 The field itself is sunk down a hill.  Five rows of faded plastic stadium fold-down seats run from dugout to dugout.  The seats, albeit old, are comfortable and have decent legroom.  A m iddle-thickness net extends from dugout to dugout, protecting the fans from foul balls.  The grounds are not suitable for those uneasy on their feet.  The venue has a small, paved  walkway with a few steps to get down to the seating area and on top of the hill.  I did not see a ramp down to the seating area.   The venue has plenty of uneven grassy berms where fans spread their blankets and watch the game.   If the ground is wet, I suspect it gets messy.  Many fans bring their lawn chairs and perch on the cement path at the top of the hill to watch the game.  For those with mobility concerns, I’d recommend getting to the stadium early and parking in this area with your wheelchairs or lawn chairs. The announcer does a decent job.  He’s not too loud, has a clear voice, and is very conversational. He even convinced me to buy one of the programs.  He introduces and recognizes the bat boy.  He misses some calls, but I’m probably the only one who notices.  Plenty of activities occur besides the ball game:  Baseball bingo (more baseball stadiums should have this), dizzy bat race, player-involved prizes, e.g., a catcher throws to a cardboard figure on second base, or a player tees off on a golf game.  Depending on the outcome, a fan wins a prize.  When an opposing batter has two strikes, fans start shouting ‘hot sauce!’  If the player strikes out, one lucky fan wins a bottle of hot sauce.  Be sure to buy a program ($3); each program has a lucky number that can win you prizes! Some ‘noise’ is played b etween some, but not all, pitches.  It would get tiresome if they did that.  The music person plays the tunes loud but is not quite obtrusive.  Sometimes the music is too noisy and played over the announcer, so fans can’t hear what the announcer is saying. The scoreboard, located in center field, is a basic dot matrix with the line score.  A picturesque mountain view is beyond right field. Once the sun sets, it can get chilly.  Remember to bring a sweatshirt or jacket. It is a fun, enjoyable evening out. Neighborhood 4 Downtown San Luis Obispo is two+ miles from the park, with plenty of shops, dining, breweries, and wineries.  Click here for a list of all the fascinating choices. Pick up a sandwich at High Street Deli & Market, or some Chinese from Mee Heng Low Noodle House. Bang the Drum Brewery is less than a mile from the stadium.  Or visit Beda's Biergarten for some yummy German food and beer.  The downtown area has several fashionable hotels, but they are not for those on a budget.  I stayed at the Avenue Inn Downtown (just on the outskirts of the city).  It is nothing fancy, but it is clean and comfortable, and more affordable.  For other things to see and do in the area, visit Mission San Luis Obispo de Tolosa or the San Luis Obispo Children's Museum.  For something different and icky, visit Bubblegum Alley .  Feel free to contribute to its ‘art.’ For outdoor activities, the Pismo and Avila beaches are 10 – 15 minutes away.  Or take a hike in the Irish Hills Natural Reserve or Reservoir Canyon.  San Luis Obispo is quite a lovely area of California. Fans 4 It’s a big community party at a Blues game.  Families, multiple generations, companies, and friends all come out and watch and cheer on the Blues.  Several fans keep score.  The stands were full the night of this review, with more than 1,000 folks in attendance. Access 3 San Luis Obispo is about halfway between San Jose and Los Angeles.  It is off the U.S. 101 highway.  The swim center and the ballpark share the parking lot.  It’s very congested, with only one way in and out.  Parking is free. Pine trees give the exterior plenty of shade, and the park has benches and picnic tables to wait for your late-arriving friends. A small regional airport (SBP) with limited service (Alaska Air, United, American Airlines) to a few western cities is two and a half miles from Sinsheimer Stadium.  The city has a bus service with route 1A stopping at Laurel and Southwood, about a ½ mile from the stadium.  Be sure to check late-night and weekend schedules.  The ground is uneven.  I recommend staying on the cement path if you are prone to tripping, though the path does get crowded.  The venue has restrooms and port-a-potties.  Return on Investment 5 The San Luis Obispo Blues provide an outstanding value for your sports entertainment dollar.  Seats are general admission - first come, first served.  Tickets are $10.  Students, military, and senior tickets are $5; children 12 and under get in free. The admission doubles on fireworks and special events nights. The program is $3, and the parking is free.   Food and drink prices are decent. The game day ambiance is spectacular, and you’re bound to have a fantastic time. You really can’t beat the price of attending a Blues game. . Extras 3 San Luis Obispo Blues has several other items worth noting. First, a very cool-looking logo. Second, the team, organization, and game day are a community event with plenty of local business and individual sponsorships and donors.  Kudos to the whole city and its residents for supporting the team. Last, the program.  It has news articles, a scorecard, the schedule, and local sponsor advertisements.  Plus, a lucky number! Final Thoughts San Luis Obispo is a small but vibrant, entertaining town to visit and well worth a stop for any traveller.  Attending a game at Sinsheimer Stadium provides an excellent baseball experience in  a community that supports it well.