"If you build it, they will come."
It might be a misquote ("If you build it, he will come" is the actual line), but this popular wording of the phrase from 1989 movie Field of Dreams perfectly captures the relationship between baseball fans and ballparks.
Since the late 1800s, baseball teams have been erecting their very own sporting cathedrals and fans, in turn, have flocked to them. More than just seats and turf, these spaces are monuments to memory where legacies are forged and history is made...but it also helps if they have comfortable seats and good hot dogs.
When the 2024 MLB season gets underway next week, baseball fans will once again settle in at stadiums around the country for another summer of America's Pastime. Whether it's panoramic views or hallowed halls you're after, here's a quick look at some of the best places to catch a ballgame this season:
Fenway Park, Boston
The oldest stadium in MLB, baseball fans have been visiting Fenway Park since it opened in 1912. Home to the Boston Red Sox, the ballpark can be found tucked among the red brick bars and brownstone apartments of the city's tightly packed Kenmore-Fenway neighbourhood. Naturally, as one of the nation's oldest professional sports venues, Fenway boasts many famous quirks, and none grander than the "The Green Monster" – a towering 37-foot wall in left field. With an intimate charm almost impossible to find in modern sports venues, a visit to Fenway Park provides fans with all the excitement and nostalgia of a journey into America's past.
Wrigley Field, Chicago
Almost as old as Fenway, Wrigley Field in Chicago is just as popular as its Boston counterpart. Known for its ivy-covered outfield wall, manual scoreboard, and classic design, the "Friendly Confines" of Wrigley can be found in their very own neighbourhood – Wrigleyville – which features a number of rooftop bars and restaurants with views of the field. In recent years, renovation work has helped modernize the venue without overpowering it's cozy, old world charm, making trips to see the Chicago Cubs as comfortable as they are atmospheric.
Dodger Stadium, Los Angeles
Set against the backdrop of Chavez Ravine, Dodger Stadium has a capacity over 56,000, making it the largest ballpark in the world. Once dubbed "blue heaven on earth" by LA Dodgers Manager Tommy Lasorda, the venue is mid-century modern in design, and offers views of both the LA skyline and San Gabriel mountains from different areas inside the park. While famous Hollywood faces look on from the Club level, on the field, the Dodgers continue to be one of MLB's top teams, with Shohei Ohtani adding extra star-power in 2024. Perhaps best of all, when Dodger Stadium is full, you can expect an electric atmosphere that ranks among the league's very best.
Oracle Park, San Francisco
Oracle Park in San Francisco looks directly out onto the San Francisco Bay and offers baseball fans some of the most stunning views in all of sport. Home to the San Francisco Giants since the year 2000, the ballpark is known for garlic fries, sea breezes, and the sight of home runs disappearing beyond the stadium wall and out into McCovey Cove. For the ultimate Oracle experience, catch an evening game in the summer from the upper deck with a Ghirardelli Hot Fudge Sundae and enjoy a baseball sunset like no other.
PNC Park, Pittsburgh
Regularly atop lists of MLB's best ballparks (including USA Today's recent ranking), PNC Park is arguably the best stadium in baseball. Rising from the banks of the Allegheny River, the ballpark faces Downtown Pittsburgh, furnishing fans with panoramic views of the city's towering skyline and the bright-yellow Sixth Street Bridge. PNC Park's intimate feel, classic design, and riverside concourse all add to the fan experience when catching a Pittsburgh Pirates game. Forged out of limestone and famous Pittsburgh steel, it is a venue with a view that just keeps getting better.
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