The Bank.
Ahhh Philadelphia … the City of Brotherly Love.
It’s the city where my parents grew up and where I still have a lot of family. And, it’s also the home of the Philadelphia Phillies – my favorite MLB team.
I usually try and get down to see a game or two each summer at Citizens Bank Park. It’s a great place to watch a game as the park features an open concourse and seating that is extremely fan friendly. The lone time I didn’t like my seat was one year we went and were stuck out in centerfield – and the seats just weren’t great for watching a game – at least on that day.
My first MLB game in my Eephus League Halfliner.
This year’s trip was done at the last second. In fact, a minor league game had been being planned but when Cole Hamels and Stephen Strasburg were scheduled to face off.
Score!
Tickets were soon purchased and we did this as a day trip. The seats we had were awesome, pretty much just off to the right side of home plate and on the first level. Needless to say, in all of the trips I’ve made to Citizens Bank Park, these were probably the best seats I’ve had.
Anyway, back to the park.
Like many major league stadiums, the parking is simple and the stadium is close to major highways. I got tickets through Stub Hub, which included a parking pass. Therefore, we didn’t have to pay for the parking. That being said, it’s like many other big-league places – there are big-league prices. Parking, if I remember right, was $15. That’s pretty steep, especially in a complex that includes the home of Philly’s NFL, NBA and NHL teams.
Mmm crab fries!
The stadium offers many things for fans of all ages. There’s a fine selection of food (including Bulls BBQ, cheese steaks, the normal ballpark fare and Chickie and Pete’s famous crab fries). The beer selection is pretty solid, too, considering each small stand had a different choice. There are microbrews and your everyday beers, too. So it’s nice. Prices for those are pretty normal for a MLB park.
Obviously, souvenir stands and the team store are well-stocked. The prices are what you would expect, but there aren’t many things you couldn’t get there. When I make my trip down, I usually pick up a program and the media guide for the year and it’s usually quite affordable. Sometimes, I’ll walk out with a hat or something as well. This year I didn’t leave with much, but prices were all pretty normal for what you’d see at places like this.
For the most part, it’s a friendly park. But, like any place with so many people working, there are those who are a little more “business-like” in their approach. The vendors are usually quite easy to get along with and customer service always does quite well when I’ve needed to use them.
Play ball!
It’s an easy park to navigate. No matter where you are, you can see the action. There is also a running “counter” around the park, so if you are eating and can find a spot, you can stand at the back of the seats and watch before heading back to your seat.
It’s definitely a modern stadium. Like many newer ones (Citizens Bank Park opened in 2004), it has an old-time feel with many modern amenities. You’re brought closer to the action, too, which is nice. But in the end, it’s not cheap to go to an MLB game, but this spot is well worth the trip.
Park Notes:
Citizens Bank Park
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Home of the Philadelphia Phillies
Visited on: Saturday, July 12.
Opponent: Washington Nationals
Ratings (out of 10)
- Stadium: 9/10
- Concessions: 8/10
- Parking: 8/10
- Ambiance: 9/10
- Friendliness: 8/10
I am embarking on a summer of baseball with the plan to hit a minimum of 10 stadiums this summer. Hopefully, there will be more than that. I will report on each park that I hit on the blog.
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I’ve not been to Citizen’s Bank park, but I have seen the Phillies and Dodgers go at it in the Old Vet. There was a time when I wanted to see all of the MLB ball parks. That could still happen, but I definitely have some traveling to do, plus I need to do some more trips just in California.
So far, my list includes two of the four oldest active ballparks in the major leagues. Here’s the stadia where I’ve watched MLB:
Anaheim Stadium – The Big A – 4th oldest active park
Dodger Stadium – 3rd oldest
Jack Murphy stadium – Padres don’t play here anymore and I’ve yet to see a game in Petco Park.
The Vet in Philadelphia
Candlestick Park
AT&T Park
Have you ever heard George Carlson’s comparison between baseball and football? If not, you need to. It’s wonderfully spot on.
The Kingdome
Paul Myers recently posted..Sometimes, things happen
Citizen’s Bank Park is a wonderful place. Old Vet was a dump, I thought. Though I did love watching games there because it was the Phils. Saw Larry Bowa get chucked there when he was managing and the crowd was going bonkers the whole time. Quite fun.
You’ve been to more MLB stadiums than I have, that’s for sure. I’ve been to a good amount of minor league stadiums, but not majors.
I’ve seen MLB games at:
The Vet, Citizen’s Bank, Olympic Stadium (Montreal) and old Yankee Stadium. I honestly think that’s it. Could have seen Tampa Bay a few years ago, but took in three minor league games instead.
My goal next year — instead of a full summer of baseball — is a week-long road trip (basically leave on a Friday and return the following Sunday) and hit as many games as I can for that time, both minor and hopefully a major or two.
You could do worse than to fly out here to California. A ten day road trip could net your five MLB stadiums, depending upon how you timed it. Usually, when the A’s are in town, the Giants are on the road, much like the Dodgers and Angels, while the Padres play to their own drummer so to speak. Outside of Oakland, the other four are really great stadiums.
Paul Myers recently posted..Sometimes, things happen
To be honest, Dodger Stadium is on a list of possibilities for next summer. I would consider a California road trip if I could plot several minor league games to go with a few Major League ones. In the end, it would come down to affordability!