For the second year in a row I was in Nashville for a baseball game, but this season the Sounds were playing in a brand new ballpark instead of 36-year-old Herschel Greer Stadium (read about last season’s visit here). Although I was visiting a brand new stadium in First Tennessee Park, my visit was quite different because I attended the game with my girlfriend and two of her friends. Another wrinkle to my visit was that the previous day’s game had been suspended due to rain in the bottom of the first inning, so instead of a single game starting at 7 p.m. the Sounds hosted the completion of the…
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Experiencing a new ballpark to the fullest
For a few weeks now I’ve been thinking about what makes for a “good” ballpark experience. I don’t think there is a definitive list because everybody has their own “must do” items to truly experience a baseball stadium, especially a Minor League stadium. However, as a geographer who studies place and place attachment, I’ve thought about the things I try to do when I visit a new ballpark. The premise can be applied to any sports venue, but my primary experience has been with baseball stadiums and especially Minor League stadiums. #1: Read Up on the Park There are a lot of blogs and books that talk about stadium visits,…
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My night with the Memphis Redbirds – Aug. 10, 2012
After two games in two nights on my way to Stillwater, Okla., I capped my road trip with a stop in Memphis, Tenn., to take in a game at AutoZone Park. I got to see the Memphis Redbirds host the Tacoma Rainiers at the start of the 35th anniversary of Elvis Week. Beyond attending a game at a great ballpark and enjoying some delicious food, I went to the Friday night game because I wanted an Elvis bobblehead. Not surprisingly, there was a large crowd waiting outside the gates to claim their own mini Elvis. The Redbirds run a block party on Friday nights, which featured a band performing covers…
