A 'lil HooHaa

Messing with the blogging world since 2005

new jersey baseball

Summer of Baseball: Camden has the feel and the view

Camden has one of the coolest views.

Camden has one of the coolest views.

There are stadium views — and then there are really cool stadium views.

Camden is the latter.

Campbell’s Field (yes, the soup) has the feel of other Atlantic League stadiums. It’s a nice place to watch a game and you are close to the action. The seats are nice (and decently wide) and there doesn’t seem to be a bad seat in the house.

Outside the park.

Outside the park.

But it’s when you are sitting on the first-base line when you really notice something awesome — the Ben Franklin Bridge to take you into Philadelphia. It’s a unique setting, that’s for sure. And it made me happy we got the seats we did (front row, to the left of the visitor’s dugout).

This view is one of those things that separate stadiums from one another. And it’s something I’ve noticed at each Atlantic League stadium I’ve been to — each has the same sort of feel as the others, but at the same time there are unique features or offering that split them apart.

But, this is about Camden.

The game we chose was an 11 a.m. game on a Friday. This was one of those education days, so the stadium was filled with school kids. That made it an interesting dynamic as they sang along to modern music and seemed to have a lot of fun.

Play ball!

Play ball!

For me, I enjoyed the experience. The stadium is welcoming. The staff I dealt with were friendly and helpful. Nobody really got in our way and such while we were there. It was initially a dreary day, but it turned out to be pretty nice by the end of the game.

The food offerings were decent. Chickie and Pete’s fries are always a welcomed sight. I definitely indulged there. By the end of the game, I was digging into some Italian ice. And, as always, I had to test the hot dogs and I enjoyed them. Not bad in regard to food.

The team store was decent (prices were OK) and had enough offerings to keep fans happy.

I’d love to come back to see another game or two here, especially maybe catching a game with a sunset or something beyond the bridge. I am sure that would turn that view into something truly amazing — and it’s pretty cool already.

Park Notes:  

Campbell‘s Field
Camden, NJ
Home of the Camden Riversharks (Independent – Atlantic League)
Visited on: June 5, 2015
Opponent: Long Island Ducks

Ratings (out of 10)

  • Stadium: 8/10
  • Concessions: 7.5/10
  • Parking: 8/10
  • Ambiance: 8/10
  • Friendliness: 9/10

I am continuing the Summer of Baseball from 2014 and hope to blog about each new stadium I visit in 2015. Ones visited in the past can be viewed linked up in the 2014 version.

Feel free to leave a comment, or e-mail P.J. at hoohaablog@gmail.com. Also, please “Like” HooHaa Blog on Facebook!

Summer of Baseball: Somerset experience gives good vibes

The Somerset Patriots on a nice spring evening.

The Somerset Patriots on a nice spring evening.

I have known about the Atlantic League for a while. If you are a baseball fan, you likely have as well. After all, the league isn’t afraid to do things slightly differently to make it a fan-friendly environment.

When the Baseball Pass-Port Program added an Atlantic League book this year, I quickly grabbed it and knew I wanted to hit several this season. Somerset was the first of four planned trips (so far three … and hopefully the fourth a few days after this has published) and it was a good introduction to the Atlantic League.

The stadiums have the same sort of feel to them, but there are definite differences, which makes it a solid all-around experience. Somerset was also a decent down-and-back trip (give-or-take three hours each way), so it was nice in that regard.

Playing ball at TD Bank Ballpark!

Playing ball at TD Bank Ballpark!

TD Bank Ballpark, built in 1999, has held its name since the 2009 season. With a seating capacity of a bit more than 6,000 it’s an intimate setting for a park. You are close to the action, which is always nice. As many stadiums are now, it’s an open concourse, so when you get up to grab a bite or drink, you can see the game.

The sight lines are good as it didn’t appear there were many places where you’d miss any of the action.

The one thing about this place – they lined up early! We got there a bit earlier than planned and parked. It was a warmer day, so we chilled in the car with the AC. A little before the gates opened, we decided to wander up and see why there was such a long line. Maybe we had missed a giveaway? Nope. People were just lined up getting ready to get into the stadium.

Overall, the atmosphere was pretty decent. People seemed into the game, which is a good thing. The players seemed engaging before the game started, which is always a good thing.

There’s a pretty good team store here and the food selections are solid. As with many places, I try and have something more “local” and I ended up trying a steak sandwich with bacon and ranch, which turned out to be a pretty good choice.

The seats in the stadium were fold down and a tad wider, so there was plenty of room.

It was easy to get out of the park after the game, which was nice. Overall, I enjoyed checking out a game at TD Bank Ballpark and could see myself going again.

Park Notes:  

TD Bank Ballpark
Bridgewater, NJ
Home of the Somerset Patriots (Independent – Atlantic League)
Visited on: May 9, 2015
Opponent: Bridgeport Bluefish

Ratings (out of 10)

  • Stadium: 8/10
  • Concessions: 8/10
  • Parking: 8/10
  • Ambiance: 7.5/10
  • Friendliness: 9/10

I am continuing the Summer of Baseball from 2014 and hope to blog about each new stadium I visit in 2015. Ones visited in the past can be viewed linked up in the 2014 version.

Feel free to leave a comment, or e-mail P.J. at hoohaablog@gmail.com. Also, please “Like” HooHaa Blog on Facebook!