No, this post is not about the 100th Anniversary of the song; it's about what it's like going to a game these days.
Last night was my first visit to Nationals Park and my first visit to a ballpark this season. The place was very impressive and they did a great job (built in less than two years. I still can't believe the clarity (and size, for that matter) of the HD Jumbotron. The food was great (Ben's Chili Bowl) and except for the Nats losing the game, it was a nice evening.
But something bothered me: maybe it was the newness of the ballpark, but I was really struck by how commercial everything was. I've certainly seen the gourmet foods, the Playstations, the luxury suites, fireworks every time the home team hits a homer; the bouncing houses for kids and the mascot races at ballgames before, but it just all seemed like the place was more about "stuff" and a ballgame happened to be thrown in. You almost wonder if everything were offered as it was but no game was being played on the field, how many people would show up?
Don't get me wrong; I love the new ballparks and their assymetrical fields with real grass. THey are all state-of-the-art. But I guess I really felt distracted by all the other "stuff" going on. I know up in Detroit, the ballpark has carnival rides. The Diamondbacks park has a jacuzzi pool. And so on. It just amazes me all the bells and whistles we need to get people out to the ballgame these days.
I'm currently reading the book Crazy '08 by Cait Murphy, about the Cubs-NY Giants pennant race of 100 years ago. No, I'm not one of those fans that wants- or expects- the game today to be like it was then, when you went to the park and all it was was the game. I realize then it was marketed basically to grown men only and now you have to provide for families (and having a sizable income is very helpful). But I've just been thinking about all this today.
What do you all think about the ballgame experience today? Is it for better or for worse?
Last night was my first visit to Nationals Park and my first visit to a ballpark this season. The place was very impressive and they did a great job (built in less than two years. I still can't believe the clarity (and size, for that matter) of the HD Jumbotron. The food was great (Ben's Chili Bowl) and except for the Nats losing the game, it was a nice evening.
But something bothered me: maybe it was the newness of the ballpark, but I was really struck by how commercial everything was. I've certainly seen the gourmet foods, the Playstations, the luxury suites, fireworks every time the home team hits a homer; the bouncing houses for kids and the mascot races at ballgames before, but it just all seemed like the place was more about "stuff" and a ballgame happened to be thrown in. You almost wonder if everything were offered as it was but no game was being played on the field, how many people would show up?
Don't get me wrong; I love the new ballparks and their assymetrical fields with real grass. THey are all state-of-the-art. But I guess I really felt distracted by all the other "stuff" going on. I know up in Detroit, the ballpark has carnival rides. The Diamondbacks park has a jacuzzi pool. And so on. It just amazes me all the bells and whistles we need to get people out to the ballgame these days.
I'm currently reading the book Crazy '08 by Cait Murphy, about the Cubs-NY Giants pennant race of 100 years ago. No, I'm not one of those fans that wants- or expects- the game today to be like it was then, when you went to the park and all it was was the game. I realize then it was marketed basically to grown men only and now you have to provide for families (and having a sizable income is very helpful). But I've just been thinking about all this today.
What do you all think about the ballgame experience today? Is it for better or for worse?
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