Is Camden Yards getting old?

[MaraMoose]

I read in a baseball parks book that they said Camden Yards is getting old. They cited that their field level seats are a fortress setup where you can't see the field from the concourse. Also, they cited that they don't have the huge food court like most ballparks do. I hated this article because Camden Yards started this everyone must get a new ballpark movement. They brought back the classic look to ballparks and got rid of the cookie cutter movement of the 70s and they made grass cool again. Plus they put staples into their ballpark like the warehouse and they were the first to do standing room only in a while. This ballpark is still my favorites among the new ballparks because I see this ballpark will go 75 years instead of the 20 year then demolish it. A lot of people praise parks like Citizens Bank but where is the staple, a food court in CF, the purpose of a park is to create a staple that focuses on the game for the tv viewer and fan. Safeco (the most underated ballpark in the league) has the true roof where your still outdoors and the frieght train which sits outside the park. The Giants Park (just name it after Willie Mays to prevent another phone company merger) has the cove and the view of the bay. In my opinion, Oriole Park is not getting old because it still has its staples plus I enjoy going to Pickles across the street to hang out before a game and I like pigging out on Eutaw Street to the BBQ pit (I only pig out before the game starts, once it starts, I am glued to my seat until it ends, no bathroom breaks). Last thing, Citi did bring back the Ebbets Field look back in the exterior but its Jackie Robinson lobby is a rip off of Safeco Field's baseball chandeler lobby. New Yankee should have brought back the interior old Yankee pre-renovation feel back but instead it cateres to the rich people, in fact, they even pushed back the bleachers so box seats get the undisputed best seats in the outfield, its the bleacher fans that make Yankee Stadium, not the rich fans who probably never lived a day in the working class sections of NYC.

[jnakamura]

They should tear it down and build a $900M Fulton County Stadium clone with views of the field and a food court..

[mets16]

I read in a baseball parks book that they said Camden Yards is getting old. They cited that their field level seats are a fortress setup where you can't see the field from the concourse. Also, they cited that they don't have the huge food court like most ballparks do. I hated this article because Camden Yards started this everyone must get a new ballpark movement. They brought back the classic look to ballparks and got rid of the cookie cutter movement of the 70s and they made grass cool again. Plus they put staples into their ballpark like the warehouse and they were the first to do standing room only in a while. This ballpark is still my favorites among the new ballparks because I see this ballpark will go 75 years instead of the 20 year then demolish it. A lot of people praise parks like Citizens Bank but where is the staple, a food court in CF, the purpose of a park is to create a staple that focuses on the game for the tv viewer and fan. Safeco (the most underated ballpark in the league) has the true roof where your still outdoors and the frieght train which sits outside the park. The Giants Park (just name it after Willie Mays to prevent another phone company merger) has the cove and the view of the bay. In my opinion, Oriole Park is not getting old because it still has its staples plus I enjoy going to Pickles across the street to hang out before a game and I like pigging out on Eutaw Street to the BBQ pit (I only pig out before the game starts, once it starts, I am glued to my seat until it ends, no bathroom breaks). Last thing, Citi did bring back the Ebbets Field look back in the exterior but its Jackie Robinson lobby is a rip off of Safeco Field's baseball chandeler lobby. New Yankee should have brought back the interior old Yankee pre-renovation feel back but instead it cateres to the rich people, in fact, they even pushed back the bleachers so box seats get the undisputed best seats in the outfield, its the bleacher fans that make Yankee Stadium, not the rich fans who probably never lived a day in the working class sections of NYC.

It isn't getting old, but it just needs some improvements that can easily be achieved with a phase style renovation.

[RuthMayBond]

I'm not going to PNC Park until June 1st, but I've seen a lot of parks, and Camden Yards is the finest one I've seen :bowdown::bowdown::bowdown:

[J.R.]

The "concourse view" is the most overrated feature ever.

[Pere]

There are some glimpses of the field from Eutaw Street. And what is a SR "section" along a concourse, if not a "concourse view"? But it could be better--the view from the line at Boog's, for example, is not great, and it should be. And the whole area under the infield and leftfield stands is pretty isolated from the game.

I take it that the "food court" references are a joke--obviously the best way to do the food is to spread it out, have different things in different places (and drinks in lots of places)... get people moving around.

Camden Yards is not perfect. But it is pretty great.

[DrLev]

The reason Camden Yards does not have an open concourse on the lower level was space constraints. The idea was considered during the design stage. The footprint of the stadium is simply too small for open concourses with the amount of seating the team wanted to have (and needed in the Ripken years). The place is jammed into a pretty small block of space between Camden St., the Warehouse and Russel St.

For comparison, the Citizens Bank Park plot of land is 1000 ft by 850 ft, while the Camden Yards plot of land is 900 ft by 700 ft. That's fairly substantial constraint. That's 850,000 square feet of space versus 630,000 square feet, or a little more than 25% smaller. Besides, it means the upper deck can be that much closer to the action.

[brewerfan386]

The reason Camden Yards does not have an open concourse on the lower level was space constraints. The idea was considered during the design stage. The footprint of the stadium is simply too small for open concourses with the amount of seating the team wanted to have

But the new Twins ballpark (Target Field) is being built on a smaller piece of land and it will have open concourses on the upper and main levels.

[pudgie_child]

But the new Twins ballpark (Target Field) is being built on a smaller piece of land and it will have open concourses on the upper and main levels.

Camden Yards could have had an open concourse, but it would have forced them to make the club seats and upper deck seats worse, as will be evidenced at Target Field.

The Orioles did the right thing.

[Lucas718]

Camden Yards is just fine. They compensated for the lack of open concourses by installing tv monitors throughout the concourse. You can still see the game.

Food courts belong at the mall, not the ballpark. I definitely prefer concession stands spread throughout the park. It leads to shorter lines and a shorter walk back to your seat.
It's still a ballpark after all. It shouldn't be a mall dressed up as a ballpark.

[koufax]

absolutely one of my most favorite places on earth. going again in July. Im not an O's fan (ive adopted them as my AL team but I bleed dodger blue) so I spend most of the game on Eutaw eating at boogs, drinking and having a good time walking around. i love CY

[met_dream]

People who criticize Camden Yards as being somehow inferior have no soul.
The ballpark is classic and perfect in so many ways, it's flaws compared to the new wave of parks are minor. Even so, the park can and probably will be upgraded in the future.

I'm a Met fan that loves hitting the harbor area for a game.

[Bazookadale]

I read in a baseball parks book that they said Camden Yards is getting old.

I know it's only March but please say "APRIL FOOL"

[RuthMayBond]

I know it's only March but please say "APRIL FOOL"

I wish I could remember where I read an article recently about PNC seeming old

[eatabagel]

Camden Yards is a modern day classic that helped usher in a new wave of ballparks. While it may be showing its age relative to newer parks that incorporate even more modern features like open concourses and larger foodcourts, I wouldn't say it's getting old. I mean Kauffman Stadium and Dodger Stadium are old stadiums but they aren't really panned for their lack of ultra-modern features because the whole ballpark experience is generally great. If anything phased renovation, the way they did to New Comiskey may be a way to go but I don't think it's necessary at all because as you say, it has some of the trademark features of all modern ballparks.

At any rate, I think the "staples" should be the product on the field and the holistic ballpark visitor experience and not the ballpark features you talk about. It's nice that there's an old freight train next to Safeco or McCovey's Cove in SF, but while they do make nice window dressing, it's the whole package that makes it fun. The SF Bay isn't part of the stadium. Neither is the downtown skyline of Pittsburgh or the bars around Wrigley.

New Yankee should have brought back the interior old Yankee pre-renovation feel back but instead it cateres to the rich people, in fact, they even pushed back the bleachers so box seats get the undisputed best seats in the outfield, its the bleacher fans that make Yankee Stadium, not the rich fans who probably never lived a day in the working class sections of NYC.

On the contrary, bleachers are closer to on field action in NYS. Particularly the left field ones. In RYS, they were so far back because of Monument Park and the bullpens.