Out of every type of stadium throughout the world, baseball stadiums are definitely the most unique. Every stadium is set up differently and are of different sizes, so it allows architects to get really creative with the design of the stadium. It also may be in part because of baseball being a slower sport. Considering baseball games can drag, there's not that same level of intensity that other sporting events have. So, stadiums need to have other activities for fans to do to keep themselves occupied when they may not be as interested in the game itself.
Some fans go to games strictly to check out the stadium. Every baseball stadium is different, so many MLB fans' goals are to visit every single stadium. While they may watch the game for a little bit, they will spend a good amount of time looking around and checking out what the stadium has to offer.
Most stadiums aren't really underappreciated. Like anything, negativity is always quicker to come out more than positivity. Speaking in baseball stadium terms, fans talk more about the stadiums they dislike, as opposed to the ones they enjoyed.
It's worth checking out every stadium at some point. There are so many great things out there, you just may enjoy some stadiums more than others. We have 10 really nice stadiums on this list that are underappreciated, while 10 others that are pretty overrated. Hopefully reading through this list will allow you to know which stadiums you should put at the top of your list, and which ones you can wait a little while for.
The Gateaway Arch may be part of why people love Busch Stadium, but is that enough to visit it? It's over 10-years-old and seems to be aging as more stadiums come out.
It's always great to have a city skyline in the outfield of a stadium, but there needs to be more than that.
With Budweiser screen in center field, it seems like you're trapped inside the stadium. Yeah, there might be a nice view of St. Louis, but that once you see it you won't care. No need to rush over and see the Cardinals at home.
It's a shame that Globe Life Park in Arlington is closing its doors soon because it really is a nice stadium. One big issue with the current stadium for the Texas Rangers is that it doesn't have a retractable dome. But, the stadium is unique. The stadium is closed off, with a unique area in center field.
What may be the coolest thing about the location of the stadium, is the fact that it's right across the street from a Six Flags and AT&T Stadium. You can visit the Rangers ball park, and enjoy all the other amenities that surround the stadium.
Some people may think Progressive Field is nice, and there are nice parts in the stadium. The big screen out in left field, as well as the city skyline in the outfield both provide some good aesthetics. But one problem with going to the stadium is that there are bugs everywhere. This became a noticeable issue when the Yankees played the Indians a while back in the playoffs, and there were just bugs flying everywhere around Joba Chamberlain while he was pitching. It may not be as big of an issue for the fans, but it's still not fun for the players who have to deal with that while they're playing.
Everybody who's a baseball fan and is visiting Toronto should visit Rogers Centre. Most baseball fans like that old-school field when a ballpark doesn't have a roof and everything, but you can't deny how nice the Blue Jays' stadium is.
The dome helps keep the temperature comfortable at all times, and they can always open it if needed.
The coolest part about the stadium is the fact that there's a hotel attached to the outfield. Fans can actually purchase a room with a theme park view, and watch the ball game from their hotel room. You really can't get any more creative than that.
Having natural beauty out in the outfield with the geysers and trees don't necessarily give fans a reason to need to go to a stadium. Coors Field definitely did something unique with this, but these are things you can see all throughout the country. It's obviously different when you're watching a baseball game and they have these things, but it's no reason to rush to the stadium.
Colorado has a lot of natural beauty throughout the state, which may be more worth it to check out than a sports stadium. The idea is cool, but unless you're a Rockies fan, you aren't going to freak out over the geysers.
Minute Maid Park is a fun atmosphere, that is only getting better after the Astros won the World Series last season. Even before the Astros were good, it would be cool to come to the stadium and see the train in left field cross by when there would be a home run hit by the home team.
There are some other great things to experience, including $1 hot dogs, the Astros mural, and the scenery of the stadium itself. It has a retractable dome, but it feels like it's only covering part of the stadium. The right and left field bleachers just look like they are two separate stadiums; it's weird but unique.
Just because Comerica Park got a new scoreboard, doesn't mean that this stadium is all of a sudden nicer.
The Tigers went from having an old-school scoreboard to just adding a small screen that can be used for replays.
If you're going to replace the scoreboard, you might as well put money into it to make it worth it.
The Tigers will soon be doing renovations throughout the stadium. Maybe, they should just start brand new and build a new stadium. While it may be more expensive, it will help draw in more fans that may have not wanted to go to a Tigers game in the past.
A majority of people that aren't from Wisconsin have probably never been to Milwaukee before. Miller Park is a pretty nice stadium for a team that hasn't had much recent success, until this year, where they broke through and won the NL Central. Perhaps that will bring some deserved attention to the Brewers' beautiful ballpark. There are many unique areas to grab some refreshments and relax while enjoying the game. The best part about the stadium is that it also caters to the children, as there's a massive slide in the outfield.
Imagine taking your child to the ball game and they just see this slide in the outfield. It's the perfect way to entertain kids who may be getting bored at a three-hour baseball game.
When you take a look at SunTrust Park in Atlanta, it definitely seems like they took some ideas from Yankee Stadium. One is the Delta sign at the top of the stadium, and the other is a massive screen in the outfield. And of course, they have the beautiful skyline of Atlanta in the outfield.
But for a new stadium, does this really wow anybody? The new screen is kind of cool, and so is the skyline, but you can see the skyline from outside the stadium. It will make fans happy, but they could have done a lot more to a brand new stadium.
Usually, scenic views don't make it worth it to watch a baseball game. But no view beats the view of the outfield at PNC Park.
Looking towards the outfield, you can see the whole city of Pittsburgh, as well as the yellow Roberto Clemente Bridge.
The city itself feels like part of the stadium because the view is clear throughout the whole outfield. Just the way you see it from the stadium is perfect, with the bridge right across the city.
The natural beauty helps bring people to the game, and it just has that old-school baseball feel. It doesn't always capture fans to go, but it's hard to resist this beautiful view of Pittsburgh.
Camden Yards seems like a great place to watch baseball, but isn't it kind of overrated?
It's known for the storage units and office spaces that are in right field, which tower over the stadium. But, why would that make a stadium any nicer?
That's really the icon of the stadium, which isn't worth going to.
The area around the stadium also isn't the most desirable and a lot of the allure of MLB ballparks is where they're located. When looking at stadiums across the league, Camden Yards is one that visiting fans can afford to skip.
MLB games are great, but it's a lot of fun to watch lower level divisions while kids are in school. What's beautiful about watching those games is seeing the nice grass surrounding you, feeling the soft breeze and the relaxing atmosphere of just watching someone you know. You may not get all of that at Kauffman Stadium, but you get the feeling, considering the outfield is all natural.
Yes, there's the crown scoreboard in the outfield and some seating, but for the most part, it's very open. It has a different feel from other stadiums that make it much more relaxing to watch a game at.
Besides the Home Run Derby, it's really not all that exciting to visit AT&T Park. Years ago, it was fun during the Home Run Derby, because many fans would be in a canoe in the lake just waiting for home run balls to come at them. That is one of the cooler parts of the stadium, that people can literally just hang out in the water while a baseball game is going on.
But besides that, it's a very outdated stadium. They try to do a lot of promotions to consistently bring people in, but with a city like San Francisco, the Giants could easily build a new ballpark by the water and add a bunch of cool features that don't exist at AT&T Park.
For some reason, many people dislike Chase Field, home of the Arizona Diamondbacks. It may be because of the retractable dome, which many old school baseball fans dislike. But when it's open, it looks really cool. Having it open honestly makes the stadium look much bigger. The stadium just has such a different look, feeling very bulky.
What truly makes this stadium, is the pool and spa.
That's right, there is a pool and spa at a baseball game. Can it get any more relaxing? Fans who purchase tickets can take a dip in the pool while watching a game go on.
Every long-time baseball fan would love to go to Wrigley Field, but why? Is it because it's the oldest stadium in the majors? Because there are ivy walls in the outfield? Because of the old-school scoreboards, and history behind why they have so many day games? All of these features just prove that Wrigley Field is too old.
It's great to preserve a classic stadium, but eventually, you have to move on from it. The history was there and it's sad, but you have to keep up with the times. When you're stuck in the early 1900s, you're behind the ball.
What's great about Petco Park, is the fact that it's in San Diego. San Diego itself may be one of the most underrated cities in the United States. It's so relaxing, with beautiful weather and many furry friends that roam the streets.
Petco Park has many great spots that you can view the game, especially high up in right field. There's also a cheap seating area in center field where you can bring a blanket and food from outside the stadium, and enjoy the game. Like Kauffman Stadium, it gives you that feeling like you're at a little league stadium, at least if you're in center field.
When you're within 30 minutes of Yankee Stadium, expectations are super high. Citi Field, unfortunately, does not meet those expectations. The new Yankee Stadium was surprisingly really nice and has a lot of new additions. Citi Field does not. One complaint that many Mets fans have made is that the seats are too tight. Fans have also complained that it is uncomfortable to watch a game there.
So many variables ruin the experience for Mets fans at the new stadium.
While it is looked at as a nice stadium from some eyes, many others would have been fine with keeping Shea Stadium.
There's a lot to love about Angel Stadium. First off, the waterfall on the rocks in center field is so simple but so nice in the outfield. When you see it for the first time it's so cool because it truly stands out on television. When you first enter the stadium, you get to see all the Angels Walk of Fame on the floor, and the massive Angels cap which is the front of the stadium. It's just a great vibe there with so many fun things to do, and not to mention, it's down the road from Disneyland, which helps extend the trip.
The Green Monster, the oldest stadium in the MLB, the history of the Red Sox and much more. Yeah, there's a lot of legendary things to see at the stadium. But, like Wrigley Field, it's outdated.
Fenway Park is over 100 years old, and while the history provides a novelty, there needs to be an upgrade.
A major reason why the organization is probably so skeptical about moving on is that the location is prime for the stadium, and they don't know how the fan base would react. Remember, there was a big uproar back in the 90s when the Red Sox were considering a new stadium. Boston is about history, and Fenway Park is part of that history in the city.
If you talk to most baseball fans, they will say they hate Marlins Park if they have ever visited there. But for Miami, it's perfect. Miami is one of the biggest party cities in the world and they love their home stadium.
Marlins Park is loud, with a party-like atmosphere. In left field, there's actually a club called The Clevelander with a pool inside. When you stare about the club and through the glass, you can actually see the city of Miami. And behind the plate, there's a fish tank on the backstop. It may not be your traditional baseball field, but it's a fun time.