Blue Jays getting a new Ball Park

[raptorsfan29]

https://www.sportingnews.com/us/mlb/news/rogers-centre-demolished-new-stadium-for-blue-jays/1webiulfvt92k1o0ohyuy43ptm

Not sure what i think of this, Sadly as a fan, I have never been to the rogers centre but i always wanted to. so i don't know what the stadium was like, if it was a good ballpark or bad. Only that my favorite team plays there.

So if anyone has been there, is it a good decision for the jays to look into building a new stadium.

[EDGECRUSHER]

It's still a very nice stadium because it was state of the art at the time. Hotels, restaurants, retractable roof. The teams have just been bad.

[masterfins]

^^^ I've never been to see the Rays play at Tropicana Field, but when I watched it on TV it just reminded me of going to the Expos play at Olympic Stadium.  It was like a baseball stadium was dropped in a huge warehouse, not great for watching a game.

[Dave Gray]

Maine, what is your opinion of the Marlins stadium?

I don't have a ton of baseball stadium experience, but I know that field pretty well.

[CF DolFan]

^^^ I've never been to see the Rays play at Tropicana Field, but when I watched it on TV it just reminded me of going to the Expos play at Olympic Stadium.  It was like a baseball stadium was dropped in a huge warehouse, not great for watching a game.

I haven't been in quite a while but even when it was newer most people did not like it. Hard to believe with the success of the Rays that they never got a better one.

[EDGECRUSHER]

It's a crime.  Sooner or later the Rays will become (insert team name here) of San Antonio. 

Unlike Miami, where my driving was done for me, I have had to spend a lot of time in Tampa and rent a car; learn my way around the area.  Driving in and out of the park itself is nuts.  I can see why people hate it, for that reason alone.

Earliest the team can leave is 2028, so they are getting a new stadium in a different Florida location or they are gone.

[ArtieChokePhin]

Earliest the team can leave is 2028, so they are getting a new stadium in a different Florida location or they are gone.

I've got some buddies who live up in the Plant City area.  Word is, they are moving forward with a deal to build a new stadium close to the Florida State Fairgrounds right off I-75 and I-4. 

That would be a much better location because it would attract fans from three different locales

[CF DolFan]

^^^^ That would be so, so, much better. Closer to Orlando is a much more viable option. I live on the north side of Orlando and can make the fairgrounds in about an hour and 40 minutes. Sometimes less. So much more appealing than going through Tampa to get to St Pete.

[Dave Gray]

I'd be interested in your opinion.

My experience in baseball parks is quite limited.

I've seen the old Joe Robbie/Pro Player, which was subpar and kinda awkward.  Too big, seats didn't face the field at the correct angles.  Impersonal.  I liked the clock tower feature, though.  I've seen a ton of games there.

I have kind of a bad memory, but I visited some family in California and went to a game (I can't remember if it was Oakland or the Giants)....the stadium was old iron pillars in the lower deck with an overhang.  This was around 1990.  There was nothing memorable about it.  It didn't have a lot of personality.  The food was ...hot dogs, basically.

I love Marlins Park.  I've only been a few times, because I'm not a baseball guy, but I think the stadium is great.  I enjoy myself, despite not liking baseball because of the setup.  You don't feel compelled to be in your seat.  You can get really great food and sorta be in your seat, in the concourses, in the beer terrace -- nothing takes you away from the stadium.  I think it's a little bit of a shame where the location is -- it's in a dumpy part of town.  It'd be nice to have the stadium overlook something beautiful, like the bay, but what can you do?

The HEAT Arena (AAA) has a much better outside vibe.  They're not that far apart, but a couple of miles away from the water really makes a difference.

[Dave Gray]

Maybe I'm an idealist, but a sporting event, to me, isn't just the event.  There is a vibe around the stadium that leads into that experience.  For football, it's tailgating and grilling and throwing a football outside, for basketball, there's a downtown element of swankiness like you see at the AAA or MSG.  You have restaurants and stuff around.

And for baseball, I imagine having people leaving work, grabbing a beer on the street and just walking up to the stadium.  That just isn't possible at Marlins Park.  It's in the hood with literally nothing else around.  I think that if possible, they could've made it a smaller capacity and placed it in downtown Ft. Lauderdale where people actually live and work....and are.  You can kinda stumble upon a game because you're in the area anyway.  That's how I imagine it is being a fan of the Cubs. 

But they didn't, so whatever.

[CF DolFan]

Other than the Braves, Rays, and Spring Training facilities the only other stadium I went to was Camden Yards. Took a train into town right up to the stadium. The whole experience was pretty cool to me coming from down here.

[Sunstroke]

^^^ I've been to about a dozen different major league parks in my life, including Camden Yards...and I agree with you, that might be the coolest stadium I've ever visited.

The Jake, in Cleveland, is another extremely awesome ballpark...shame it has to be in Cleveland.

Minor league parks...way too many to count. I know I did 16 minor league parks in one Summer back in the 90's.

[Spider-Dan]

I've been to home games for the Dolphins (Hard Rock, post-canopy), 49ers (Candlestick), Giants (PacBell), Raiders & A's (Oakland Coliseum), Warriors (Oracle), and Sac Kings (Arco and Golden1).  The NBA games were, by far, the best experience, and an NBA game in a brand new arena is just fantastic.

[stinkfish]

I'd say that besides being at the Dolphin's stadium, can't remember what it was when I was there last,  Wrigley has been my favorite stadium experience.

[Dave Gray]

I'd say that besides being at the Dolphin's stadium, can't remember what it was when I was there last

Had they done the roof overhang thing and sideline changes yet?