Major League Baseball is a sport that has become a world wide event that features a diverse talent of professional players from all across the world. Day in and day out from March until the conclusion of the World Series in October, the fans of the sport can catch a game in 30 different ballparks across the country and in neighboring Canada. The 30 teams that make up MLB have played in ballparks, each unique to its team that have undergone transformations from small ballparks that seat up to several thousand fans to the newer versions that can boast attendance of 55,000 fans in a single game.
Never expect to see the same ballpark twice
The ballparks of baseball are designed in a variety of layouts that include
Modern - Angels Stadium, Dodger Stadium, Kauffman Stadium, U.S. Cellular Field
Retro Classic - AT&T Park, Busch Stadium, Citi Field, Comerica Park, Oriole Park at Camden Yards, Yankee Stadium
Retro Modern - Chase Field, Great American Ballpark, Miller Park, Minute Maid Park, Safeco Field
Jewel Box - Fenway Park, Wrigley Field
Contemporary - Marlins Park
Multipurpose - O.co. Coliseum, Rogers Centre, Tropicana Field
All of these ballparks, a signature to the teams that call them home offer unique elements on display for the frequent and new fans to the game. While one look at a stadium during the game can be enough for the average fan, it's the diehards who go further to tour the ballpark for a small fee.
Visitors locker room at Fenway Park
The average fan who will attend the game in said city will generally arrive at the ballpark between 30-45 minutes prior to the first pitch. This will allow enough time to visit the concession stand and make your way to your assigned seat. Depending on the game, the fan will spend about 75% - 80% of the duration of the game in their assigned seat when not making the trip to the restroom, beer stand or merchandise location. The rest of the time is left spent walking the concourses to take a souvenir photo or visiting the Field Level, if not leaving the game early depending on the score. Unknown to many are the hidden gems that provide the full value of what the ballpark is truly about. This is where I learned that the ballpark tour provides these priceless artifacts.
During the past three years, I have spent countless hours visiting ballparks across the country in planes, cars, trains and buses that has taken me to 15 of the 30 current MLB ballparks. As a tip to anyone reading this, I cannot stress the importance of researching the ballpark prior to leaving. This avoids any scenarios that could arise including the tour being sold-out or not offered the day that you would be in town. Buy your tickets before you leave home and do your research! If you are traveling by car or train, leave yourself enough time to see the host city soaking up its local culinary and historical spots between the tour and ballgame. Tours generally occur late morning 10:00AM through 3:00PM depending on the team so this is another reason why I stress to do your research. Get yourself accustom with the stadium by knowing the best stadium food that the stadium has to offer and the must see traditions, like Bernie Brewer sliding down a beer-mug style slide following a Brewers home run.
Ballpark Tour Benefits
The ballpark tour itself is the crown jewel of the experience you will have during your visit. As I mentioned earlier, if you choose to arrive to the game an hour prior to the first pitch, you will only have so much ample time to explore every corner and smell of the stadium it has to offer. Spending the money, between the price of $6.00 - $25.00, depending on the team, for the ballpark tour provides you many rare opportunities to access portions of the stadium that many are unable to reach without the team tour guide. Here you have the opportunity to visit the field, a private suite, the press box, press room and other points of interest.
Playing field at Safeco Park
Depending on the home teams schedule for the day, options can either be huge or very small on what you will experience on the tour. Legendary Fenway Park in Boston is the best example of this that I can provide for you. While on a vacation in 2011, I took a brief tour of Fenway Park on 4th of July weekend with my family. Unknown whether or not the weather played a factor, the Red Sox tour guide took us to the press box, Green Monster and the Budweiser Patio in right field. The tour itself was very worth the price. A year later, I once again made my way to Fenway Park while on vacation in Boston. Once again, I was able to visit the same locations as I did the previous year, but this time I was lucky enough to set foot on the playing field after briefly visiting the away team dugout prior to visiting the locations that TED and The Town were filmed in. Two separate tours of Fenway, two unique views of the ballpark I was able to walk away with.
Visitor dugout at Fenway Park
Still Not Sold?
Here is a quick glimpse of a few highlights from my tours:
Yankee Stadium
Monument Park, Yankee Stadium playing field and the Yankees Hall of Fame that contained over 100 signed baseballs, several World Series trophies and dozens of priceless artifacts including Thurman Munson's locker still in tack.
Interested in taking a tour of Yankee Stadium? Read about my tour here
Comerica Park
MotorCity Casino Hotel Champions Club containing Miguel Cabrera's Triple Crown Award, 1984 World Series trophy and Justin Verlander's Cy Young and MVP awards
Comerica Park tour recap
Safeco Field
Field and dugout access and the team president suite that includes a rock with an inscription from the team owner (Nintendo of America) who's desire was to keep the MLB in Seattle after the team departed for Milwaukee
For more information regarding Safeco Field, click here
Miguel Cabrera's Triple Crown Award
Conclusion
Whether you are a fan of the game or just learning it, the ballpark tour is your best option to really experience everything that it ha to offer. Spend the money, arrive early, leave satisfied. As of this entry I have visited 15 of the current 30 MLB stadiums along with several past stadiums and sites where they once existed including Ebbets Field, Tiger Stadium, Veterans Stadium and old Yankee Stadium.
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