New Britain (CT) Stadium

I went to a game here yesterday yet again. I really enjoy this park. Its the Twins AA affiliate so there are always good prospects here. Great sightlines from everywhere in the park. This is the 30th year of baseball in NB with the last 15 or so with the Twins. Good food and beer selection at good prices. There is a great roof deck above 3rd base to watch the game from sponsored by Sam Adams. My only complaint is paying for parking at a minor league game. There are also too many promos between innings but that is true for most minor league stadiums.

Saw Jason Marquis pitch yesterday in a rehab start. He looked great. Game went 11 innings but the Rockcats lost to the Richmond Flying Squirrels.

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Permalink Reply by Craig (17) on April 8, 2012 at 8:23pm

Thanks for posting, Tim! Yeah, parking fees and those mid-inning "entertainment" comes with most Minor League park...unfortunately! Did you take any pictures?

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Permalink Reply by Bob D (MLB 30/48 total 442) on April 9, 2012 at 6:40am

Most of the minor league parks charge for parking. The compliant I had in New Britian is how long it took to collect the parking fee. 20 minutes when I was last there on a night where the stadium was not even 1/2 full.

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Permalink Reply by Tim Choiniere on April 9, 2012 at 7:16am

Guess I have been lucky in that the ones I have been to don't charge for parking other than NB. Craig, I took some pictures but havent downloaded them off of my camera yet. I will upload them tonight.

Bob, Thankfully, I always get there early so I never have to wait.

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Permalink Reply by Jon (4/6) on April 24, 2012 at 1:31pm

Most of the ones down here in FL don't charge for parking either. Though I've technically only been to 3 of them, and none recently.

Except for Spring Training.

The "entertainment" can be hit or miss. It depends on how they do it. If they get little kids to do it, the kids usually get a thrill from being out on the field with the players.

I remember one game I was at, I was sitting in the front row right by first base, and there was a family with two little kids sitting next to me. They picked the girl to run a race with the mascot from first to third, and she was about 6. They lined up on first and as they yelled go, the first baseman who was there warming up stepped forward and got in the mascot's way, knocking him over and holding him there until the kid was at second, so the mascot had hardly left first by the time she was at 3rd. She came back to her seat and was all excited about winning, but felt cheated because the mascot didn't run. She asked her dad why the mascot didn't run, and he was like "Didn't you see the first baseman helping you? He bumped into the mascot and to slow him down for you!" and she got a huge smile on her face. The first base coach for the other team could hear them talking, and said something to the first baseman between pitches, who then waved at the kid and gave her a thumbs up. And then at the start of the next half inning when he was in the field brought her a game baseball she had signed. The kid loved it, and will probably be a baseball fan for life.

When they do promos and entertainment like that, that get the fans involved in the game and truely enjoying themselves, then I'm okay with promos. After all, without the fans, there would't be baseball for us to go see.