Citizens Bank Park

[dpcv8]

Having yet to set foot in Citi or NYS CBP is my favorite ballpark. I worked for a few years down in Philly and one of my favorite things to do was to buy a single ticket in the upper deck after work and just watch a ballgame.

The Linc is really nice as well. Philly has some amazing pro facilities.

[Voodoo]

I suppose the upper deck is pretty high. Though I still think it's a very nice view from behind home plate in the upper deck for a reasonable price based on the handful of times I've gone there.

[Fudbutter]

Upper deck isn't that high. Much higher at the old ballparks. We almost always sit in the 400 level behind the plate when we visit. It's about 2/3 the height of the old 700 level at the Vet. The upper deck at Nationals Park seems higher as a comparison.

CBP barely nudges out the Pirates ballpark as the best I've seen out of a great many over many years. Sightlines are good, parking is abundant, even in sellouts, with excellent highway access. The sculpture of the stands at the ends is stunning. The ads are not over the top (see how they seperate them on the scoreboard?). The open CF concourse adds color from the concession stand lights, the out of town scoreboard on the field is great. Green CBP sign in LF and Liberty Bell are a perfect neon compliment. The Skyline of the city in the distance is nice too. It would have been great if it was closer.

I can't comment on food, which seems to be so important at the ballpark these days. We never eat at the game.

The whole effect of CBP is that it looks like it was designed down to the last rivet. There a new ballaprks now that look like they ran out of money for designing and that pieces were just piled up willy nilly.

All the new designs (CBP, Jacobs, Nationals, etc) are kinda cookie cutter with the retro theme started by Camden Yards, but of all of them, CBP is the best execution of the style.

Just an opinion of an experienced ballgame goer. Sorry if this offends anyone

[NYBase]

The Linc is really nice as well. Philly has some amazing pro facilities.

As seen from CBP

[CFmets09]

The interior is very nice, but the exterior leaves a lot to be desired. No facade, or entrance behind home plate, just exposed steel.

[PhillyFan]

Bullpens

Interestingly, the bullpens were actually reversed when the park opened. The Phillies were on the top pen while the visiting team spent their time in the lower pen. This was designed to give the fans close proximity to the Phills. The person who actually was upset about this and had it changed was Billy Wagner who now has to come in and work on the top pen. Ironic!

[Jim Vaz]

Interestingly, the bullpens were actually reversed when the park opened. The Phillies were on the top pen while the visiting team spent their time in the lower pen. This was designed to give the fans close proximity to the Phills. The person who actually was upset about this and had it changed was Billy Wagner who now has to come in and work on the top pen. Ironic!

Well not anymore, his career is probably done. At least his Mets one.

[Jim Vaz]

I really like this park overall. I rate it about an 8.5 on a scale of 10

Likes:
1. Love the views. They designed it just a way that you get the great views of downtown Philadelphia. Maybe not so crazy about the squared C but for this setting it works.

2. Love the fan amenities and all the food choices, place just seems so fan friendly and functional.

3. Nice interior architecture, like the concourses, I like the way they did the outfield with the shrubbery and the bullpens.



Dislikes:
1. Not a fan of that cut off upper deck. I know they did it for astestics, but I just like a more streamline look.

2. Outside archtiechture leaves a little to be desired, and with a squared C, it really doesn't seem to have a defined front like that of a park like new Busch, Citi, or new Yankee,

3. Absolutely HATE the outfield measurments. This is the ultimate band box and its a pity watching what would be long routine flyouts in most MLB parks end up 5 or 6 rows deep into the stands.

[MyMorningJacket]

I don't understand all the hate for the OF measurements. Sure, the "angle" in LCF is contrived, but it's not really the bandbox that everyone seems to believe it is. It is only slightly a hitters park.

Park Factors
  (multi-year): Batting - 103, Pitching - 102
  (one-year): Batting - 102, Pitching - 101
  Over 100 favors batters, under 100 favors pitchers.

[locke40]

I really like this park overall. I rate it about an 8.5 on a scale of 10

Likes:
1. Love the views. They designed it just a way that you get the great views of downtown Philadelphia. Maybe not so crazy about the squared C but for this setting it works.

2. Love the fan amenities and all the food choices, place just seems so fan friendly and functional.

3. Nice interior architecture, like the concourses, I like the way they did the outfield with the shrubbery and the bullpens.



Dislikes:
1. Not a fan of that cut off upper deck. I know they did it for astestics, but I just like a more streamline look.

2. Outside archtiechture leaves a little to be desired, and with a squared C, it really doesn't seem to have a defined front like that of a park like new Busch, Citi, or new Yankee,

3. Absolutely HATE the outfield measurments. This is the ultimate band box and its a pity watching what would be long routine flyouts in most MLB parks end up 5 or 6 rows deep into the stands.

I agree with all these points. I will add my two cents.

Dislike: The fake liberty bell. This has to be the cheesiest thing in baseball, behind the homerun apple at Citi. They have a perfect opportunity to have a big, real bell out there in right field. For every homerun, someone would start swinging that big bell out there; it would the trademark, and start a cool tradition.

Like: I love the how close the fans look to the field on TV. When you get those cool side shots of a Howard homerun, when all the fans stand to watch, it is something. CBP, Fenway, Pac Bell, and OYS come to mind as the coolest side shots in baseball.

[MyMorningJacket]

Here are a couple pictures I've taken...

[Jim Vaz]

I agree with all these points. I will add my two cents.

Dislike: The fake liberty bell. This has to be the cheesiest thing in baseball, behind the homerun apple at Citi. They have a perfect opportunity to have a big, real bell out there in right field. For every homerun, someone would start swinging that big bell out there; it would the trademark, and start a cool tradition.

Like: I love the how close the fans look to the field on TV. When you get those cool side shots of a Howard homerun, when all the fans stand to watch, it is something. CBP, Fenway, Pac Bell, and OYS come to mind as the coolest side shots in baseball.

Great points. Those are definite parks where you feel the fan presence on TV. So many ballparks miss that. I believe its why at Shea they used to pan through the crowd, just so that the fan at home got a sense that fans actually were there and it was not crowd noise from a speaker.
Especially in old YS, you would always see the fans heads jerk in a certain direction when a ball was going out, and yea I get definitely get that sense at CPB.

[NYBase]

The interior is very nice, but the exterior leaves a lot to be desired. No facade, or entrance behind home plate, just exposed steel.

I think since the Vet was so gloomy and enclosed they went the other extreme and built a ballpark with no walls.

[WASLOGE8]

? on terrace reserved

How are seats in the 1st row of the 400's? By that I mean...if you are sitting in Row 1 of section 419, 420 (behind the plate) do you have to look through plexiglass or between pipes? The pictures of CBP do not show this. I don't know if this just affects the 300 level in CBP
thanks

[RoastedPeanut]

Here are a couple pictures I've taken...

As also with several others, I've never made my way to CBP; let alone Philly.. But.. I like the angling of the seating bowl.. I like how everybody has an ample opportunity to catch the majority of the action, how the upper deck appeared to be as steep when seen on the Mets/Phillies fan fight on the shown youtube video, and how well they executed a user friendly atmosphere..