Citizens Bank Park – page 2

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The Essentials

What “creature comforts” does Citizens Bank Park offer fans? The short answer is an awful lot.

In this section of the review, we’ll look at what it costs to attend a Phillies game at their new park (tickets, parking, food and souvenirs), the quality of the food options and the unique fan-friendly features not found elsewhere. Be advised: since CBP is near the top of the list in all of these areas, there’s a lot to write about!!!

There seems to be ample parking, especially when you consider that CBP’s location in the Sports Complex means that it shares lots with the arenas and the new football stadium. There are also “private” lots not operated by the Phillies nearby. The price for all of the lots seems to be $10, which is not at all unusual near a Major League baseball park.

The ticket prices are about what you would expect: high. The field-level seats are as low as $35 for seats in foul territory beyond the infield, while the upper deck ranges from $15 for seats in the upper part of the Terrace level beyond the infield to $25 for boxes in the infield. Some of my favorite seats were in left field below the scoreboard, where both the lower and upper levels cost $20 — plus the sun is never in your eyes. My least favorite seats are above the right-field corner in the Pavilion Deck, sections 306 to 310. Even though these $18 seats are closer to the field than their brethren on the infield side of the famous “Break,” it’s also true that the setting sun is right in your eyes.

In the review of San Diego’s new park, I provided a chart that compared ticket prices in San Diego with other not-so-large-market teams in Milwaukee, Cincinnati and Pittsburgh. I thought a more valid comparison for CBP would compare prices not only with San Diego, but also with the Mets and Orioles, two other big teams in the East (to be fair in comparing the Mets’ figures, they charge different amounts depending on the opponent). Philadelphia’s prices are so-so in the lower deck, but fairly high in the upper.

	Philadelphia	San Diego	Baltimore	NY Mets
Field boxes	$40	$40	$45	$53
Upper reserved	$20	$18	$15	$16

The prices on concessions and souvenirs are about what you would expect at a new park in the Majors … meaning I wasn’t shocked by them, but there weren’t a lot of bargains, either. In particular, the apparel in the merchandise stands and stores were right in line, as opposed to the shockingly high prices at 2004’s other new Big League park in San Diego.

When you come right down to it, Citizens Bank Park is a comfortable place, one where it’s easy for fans to enjoy themselves. This is quite a step up from the Phillies’ home for the past three decades. In fact, an interesting way to analyze CBP is to compare its features to those of the dearly departed Veterans Stadium. As you would expect, CBP wins hands down!

Public restrooms: Vet – 51, CBP – 62; number of seats with cup holders: Vet – none, CBP – 43,500; playing surface: Vet – artificial, CBP – natural grass; water fountains: Vet – 20, CBP – 40; concession stands: Vet – 60, CBP – 95; video board (scoreboard): Vet – 48 feet wide, CBP – 72 feet wide. Clearly, Citizens Bank Park is a quantum leap over Veterans Stadium in ways that bring fans joy!

And joy is what is inspired when you check out some of the features in the outfield. Memory Lane is both a timeline and a collage, as colorful images of the baseball greats of Philadelphia are woven around text explaining their place in the city’s sports history. Nearby, fans peering into the visitors’ bullpen (only before games, since this area is now closed during games) enjoy the hands-on exhibits showing how hurlers grip various pitches. Nice touch!

The fascinating Memory Lane murals are on the back side of the batter’s eye area. Run The Bases is one of the wonderful, novel games near the right-field entrance.

Just a few feet away near the right-field gate, you’ll find three larger-than life games, most notably Run The Bases. In this test of, uh, skill, contestants stomp their feet as quickly as they can to make their mascot race around the bases. The other games are Pitch ‘Em & Tip ‘Em and Ballpark Pinball, in which large bats act as paddles to keep the large balls in play. I’ve not seen games of these types elsewhere.

OK, OK. You really want to know about is the quality of the food. I’m very pleased to report that it is among the very best in the Majors. Not only are there many, many choices (remember, there are 35 more concession stands than there were at the Vet), the quality of the food is excellent.

Harry The K’s is a wonderful sit-down restaurant nestled in the left-field stands. Fans give Bull’s BBQ a thumbs up, as Greg Luzinski himself makes a gesture for my camera.

While there are some wonderful stands along the concourses in the infield, the place to go is Ashburn Alley in the outfield. At one end is Bull’s BBQ with its delicious pulled pork, ribs and pit beef. Greetings fans at the counter where you place your order is none other than former Phillie Greg Luzinski, known as “The Bull” during his home-run-hitting days. This is very reminiscent of the way Boog Powell interacts with patrons at the Boog’s BBQ stand at Camden Yards.

The Schmitter

Quickly becoming the favorite sandwich at CBP, the Schmitter (not named after Mike Schmidt) is really a mouthful! One of Philadelphia’s local beers will certainly help you wash it down.

At the other (left-field) end of Ashburn Alley is Harry the K’s Broadcast Bar & Grille. This sit-down restaurant is named after Harry Kalas, the Phillies’ legendary play-by-play announcer, and is actually on two different levels, at the rear of the seating sections on the field level and the upper “Scoreboard Porch” level. I ate a hearty meal at Harry the K’s, and I can attest that the food is great. Get the sandwich known as The Schmitter, with its everything-but-the-kitchen-sink ingredients. This legendary sandwich hails from McNally’s Tavern, an 85-year-old family-owned pub located in Philadelphia’s Chestnut Hill section. I’m told that the sandwich was named for the tavern’s first customer, a fellow who answered to the nickname “Schmitter.” This sandwich is definitely a Philly treat!

In between these two “book end” restaurants are a number of other wonderful concession stands. The lines are always long at Geno’s Steaks, and are even longer at Tony Luke’s, home of roast-pork sandwiches and (of course!) cheesesteaks! You’ll also find the favorite sandwich of Philadelphia at the Cobblestone Grill locations, which can be found on all three levels of the park.

One other eating establishment needs to be mentioned. McFadden’s Restaurant & Saloon is located near the third-base gate, and can be accessed from outside the park. In fact, not only is it open year ’round, it also stays hoppin’ until late in the evenings on game nights. Its music and menu have quickly made McFadden’s a favorite hang-out for the college and young-adult crowd.

By the way, you won’t find a McDonald’s, Burger King or Pizza Hut at Citizens Bank Park. That’s because a conscious decision was made to keep things local. Thank you, thank you, thank you!!

There’s even a kids eating area! The Phanatic Phood Stand is also located along Ashburn Alley, and features portions just right for the younger set. And there are combo meals there called (you guessed it!) Phanatic Phun Meals.

Even the upper deck has an “open concourse.” On the right, fans on that upper level find the metal counters incredibly handy.

Speaking of the Phillie Phanatic, this furry, green creature represents the best in sports mascots. Kids love his antics, and parents appreciate that his bits are both funny and clean.

Touring the Park

Truly, there are so many great features in this ballpark that you’ll never find them all on your own. Therefore, please take a tour of the facility! The Phillies charge adults $8 and kids $5 for a 90-minute tour. You’ll see an incredible film on the making of the park, and go to places most fans never have the chance to see, including the press box, club level and the Diamond Club.

References to the Phanatic are everywhere in Citizens Bank Park — and why not? He’s one of the most recognizable mascots anywhere. Even the kids play area near the right-field foul pole is called Phanatic Phun Zone. The upper level of the souvenir shop is devoted to children’s merchandise and toys, and it’s known as Phanatic Attic. And you know how Build-A-Bear Workshops are invading every mall in America? Well, there’s a Make Your Own Phanatic store near the left-field foul pole!

I had the chance to speak with Bob McConnell, one of the principals at EwingCole, the lead architectural firm behind Citizens Bank Park. As he spoke about the incredible features of the park, he said something that really jumped out at me. “The Phillies really wanted fans to be in touch with the game at all times.” After all, they did pay their money to come to a baseball game! When you consider all of the great vantage points from which to see the field, and all of the ways for fans to be close to the action, I think EwingCole succeeded beautifully.

A great example comes in the open concourses, even on the upper level (as described on “The Design” page of this review). But another provides a great way for a fan to eat a sandwich and drink a beer while standing up watching the game! In dozens of locations around the park, there are metal counter-tops at the rear of seating sections to provide a place to set your food and drink. The Phillies had noticed how often fans at the Vet and at other stadiums have to resort to balancing their trays of food on top of trash cans and railings — and usually they can’t even see the field!

That doesn’t happen at CBP, thanks to these wonderfully handy counters! This is an incredibly fan-friendly feature.

And fans can also keep track of the balls, strikes and stats more enjoyably than ever before. Not only is the color video board high above left field the largest in the National League, there’s a 208-foot-wide message board on the right field wall that shows out-of-town scores. Like to know how fast that reliever is throwing? Not one but three boards show the MPH. If you like having data at your disposal while attending a game, then you’ve found heaven in south Philadelphia.

And if you like some extra sights and sounds when the home team hits a homer or notches a win, then you’ll love the 50-foot-tall neon Liberty Bell above Ashburn Alley in right-center field. It appears to swing back and forth after a Phillie player goes yard (as they say), and its “ring” is quite distinctive. A cute and appropriate feature, especially when you consider the real Liberty Bell is just a few miles to the north!

If you enter the park through the left-field gates, you’ll have one other bit of game info being communicated to you — and you might not even realize it. You see, a series of nine huge “baseball cards” are arranged to show you the batting order of the Phillies that day! As the Citizens Bank Park PR machine likes to say, this is another aspect of CBP that is “NOT your typical ballpark feature.”

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Summary

So Philadelphia has itself a ballpark full of wonderful features, food and fun (or, following the Phillies’ tradition, maybe I should say pheatures, phood and phun). But there’s another word that starts with “f” that needs to be highlighted: the fans/phans.

Philadelphia’s sports partisans are among the best-known in the country. Love ’em or hate ’em, you can’t ignore ’em.

What really makes Citizens Bank Park is its fans. You know, it occurs to me that there are two words you can never use to describe Philly’s fans: “soft” and “spoken.” They are gregarious and in-your-face.

When I sat down at Harry The K’s in the middle of a game during my trip to Philadelphia, I hadn’t even ordered my food before a number of fans at tables around me struck up conversations with me … and it was only a matter of seconds before one of them knocked over a full cup of beer. Yes, there’s no ignoring these fun-loving, never-laid-back fans.

In designing CBP, EwingCole and the entire design team kept the focus on the fans. There are open concourses, even on the upper level. There are countless counter tops on which fans can set their food and drink, while seeing the field clearly. The fascinating features like the historical murals, baseball artwork and statues will have fans discovering new facets of the park visit after visit. Fun activities for kids abound. The “fine points” of this ballpark are very fine, indeed!

When I asked EwingCole principal Bob McConnell what part of Citizens Bank Park gave him the greatest satisfaction, he told me, “I think all of the ‘big picture’ ideas we hit.” I’ll take that a step further: I think all of the details of the ballpark were executed as well as any ballpark in the Majors.

Maybe, in time, I’ll get over its location!