Inside Fenway Park – Arty 84 Baseball Park Reviews
Stadium Name: Fenway Park
Team: Boston Red Sox
League: MLB – American League East Years Visited: 1988 – Present time Opposing Team: More I have seen than haven’t Date Opened: 1912 Date Closed: NA Overall Rating: (1-10) 9
Beer Price Rank (2016): 1st highest in the MLB
Ticket Price Rank (2016): 1st highest in the MLB
Baseball, Bars & Bedlam Rank: 2 out of 33
Baseball, Bars & Bedlam Visit Order: 1 out of 33 Notable Award: The stadium is currently the oldest ball park in all the major leagues.
Review:
Growing up 10 miles north of Boston makes me a little bias for this review but the Red Sox will always be my number team. I remember being a kid and getting all excited walking into the stadium. The stadium is just part of the experience. The green line train ride there, grabbing some food before the game and walking around the stadium before, checking out the sites is what makes Fenway, Fenway. I remember being a young guy and hearing all talk about ripping down Fenway and building a new stadium and as a kid that made me sad. I seen the Boston Garden come and go and it was like a piece of my childhood was gone forever. I remember going to the game with my dad back in October of 1993. The Sox were out of the playoff run and we must of just got tickets for free. We took the train in and I remember just walking up the ramp and seeing the green monster and green grass. When you 8 years old, that means everything to you.
My first game was when I was 4 years old. I was with my mom, aunt and grandfather. We sat 3 rows back behind the owners box. It was a rainy night, the ushers kept kicking people out from the unused owners seats in front of me. Every time an umbrella was opened, the usher where on it. I don’t know how i remember this at my age but the image is clear as day. I remember every time I had been to that stadium and we are talking over 100 times in the last 25+ years. It is a great place and I have great memories there. It will always be number 1 for favorite stadiums for me.
The Fenway area of Boston is a great place to go before, after and when games are not even going on. Over the years such places as Cask, Beer Works and Ball Park Tavern have been hangouts in the Neighborhood. With several colleges surround Fenway, the crowds are usually younger, but don’t be surprised if you see some grandmothers banging back shots at the bar before the game.
Getting to the game is fairly easy, jump on the Green Line, any train but the E train and get off at Kenmore. DONE. But if you do end up on the E line, get off at Northeastern and its about a 20 minute walk through the Fens Park, but just don’t do it at night, unless you want to hang out with the large amount of homeless people living in the park or criminals looking to cause trouble or your occasional drunk college kid passed out on the path on his way back to his dorm.
If you have never been there, GO! its a great place to watch your favorite team play. Its part of American history. The Green monster, manual score board, the 420 triangle or the Fenway frank (the original was better) are things that make this stadium unique. See it before the Sox don’t play there anymore and if you need any advice feel free to reach out to me.
According to Statista, the Red Sox are #1 for highest ticket prices in 2016, see link for all MLB teams prices. They are also the 1st highest in beer prices according to business insider, see link for all MLB teams prices. If you are in Boston, take in a game. Arty tip: Drink before you go to the game at a dive bar somewhere. Beers and food will cost you a leg. Also wait to last minute and get your tickets on Stubhub or Ace Tickets. Don’t buy from the box office because you can find tickets cheaper elsewhere.
Notable Award: Like Camden Yards, its a newer model stadium with the feel of an old time baseball stadium. A batters park, with great views from any seat and the cheapest beers in the majors, 6 dollar 22oz Sam Adams, can’t beat that!
With the red brick facade, large open concourses and nice view of downtown Phillie, Citizens Bank Park makes its way into the top 5 parks in the majors. Opening in 2004 and replacing the old Vet stadium, which was a multi-purpose stadium for baseball and football, the Phillies improved their appearance over night. The Vet was built in the days of the concrete donut style which in the 60’s, cities seen as a great way to build a modern stadium for two of their pro teams and save money, but the concrete donut never made a good baseball park.
In the late 90’s, there was a movement within baseball teams to make their stadiums more of a baseball park, and less of just a building that they play in. They wanted to make the stadium park of the team, and the Phillies jumped on that band wagon.
The city of Philadelphia took over the souther part of their city and dedicated it to all their sports teams. They built several complexes to hold their football, basketball/hockey teams and of course Citizens Bank Park for the Phillies. All the stadiums have huge parking areas for tail gating and ease of travel. Also the SEPTA has trains that run right down to the fields, so if your staying downtown, you can get their in about 30 minutes with no problem.
Once inside the stadium, you’ll see easily navigable concourse that are wide, easily marked and have great views of the field while you walk around the main level. Once you get to where your seat is, you’ll find several choice of food and drinks, included those cheap 22 oz beers. Now this was in 2007, so things may have changed since then, but at the time it was the best value in baseball.
In the outfield where the bullpens are, you can stand over and watch the pitchers warm up. This feature also is found in the Phillies spring training park in Clearwater Florida. Its a nice standing room only area where you can enjoy the game and see the process a pitcher takes to get warmed up for the game. In addition to this, the park is completely accessible 360 degrees, meaning you can get to all parks of the park by walking in both directions on the main level.
In addition to a great park, Phillie is a great city. A small major town that feels a lot like Boston. Boston and Phillie are both the little brothers to NYC, but are a stones throw away if you want to go for a quick visit. Philies transit system is easy to use and gets to all parts of the downtown area. if you were going to stay the night, I would suggest staying downtown, near broadway. When your there, visit the museum of art and run up the stairs like in rocky, go check out the Liberty bell and of course have a Phillie cheese stake.
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