chiefsfan
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RE: Ranking SBC baseball stadiums
(06-28-2016 01:41 PM)panama Wrote: (06-28-2016 08:48 AM)BirdofParadise Wrote: OK, With exception of Coastal (who I will not rank, though their ranking is pretty obvious), here's the way I would rank them with a comment about each.
1. Texas State--Surprise! Huge state of the art scoreboard in right field gives it a big time feel. Train car adds plenty of ambiance. Field is well maintained. Press facility could be bigger and a couple more points of sale for concessions would be good. There's plenty of parking, but you're either walking from the softball stadium or deep right field.
2. South Alabama--Adding the decks in left and right field was a real plus. Entering through the gate near center field and cooking out there is great for fans. Press facility is the best in the league (although they have the slowest elevator in America.) They need a scoreboard upgrade. The biggest issue is the lack of covered seating. It can get really hot in that park in May and there's no respite anywhere.
3. Georgia Southern--Made my first trip there last spring and it will be a good place for the tournament next year. But there's work to be done before opening those gates. I thought the quality of the field itself could have been better. They have to find a way to move the fences back before next season. Not only is it asymmetrical, the fences are simply too short. Points of sale will be interesting as well. But the press facility will be able to handle the coverage next year. Parking is an issue, but overall this is a solid facility. Scoreboard could use an upgrade as well.
4. Louisiana--There's a lot to like about this place. One of the best atmospheres in college baseball, not only because of the fan base, but because of the intimacy. The pine trees help give a "closed in" feel. State of the art scoreboard in left center field can hold its own against P5 schools. But right now, Tigue Moore Field is like the fat guy trying to squeeze into pants two sizes too small. Concessions and restrooms can't handle the capacity and the press facility is as bad as any in the league. Obviously, all that is about to change.
5. Troy--I love this ball park. I'm tempted to rank this place higher. The "monster" in right center field gives it a big time atmosphere. They do a great job of highlighting their history as you walk underneath. The place doesn't have enough points of sale and I would imagine on a night when they draw well, that can be an issue. Press facility is too small for a top ten conference, and there are no separate booths for electronic media.
6. App State--Great views from just about the highest spot on campus. Relatively new stadium with a good press facility, which fits their needs. (Although having to walk through the concession stand to get there is a little strange). But the park is pretty isolated and it feels like someone just took a ball park and said "hey,, there's room...let's put it here." I will say, there's enough space to expand it if attendance should ever warrant it. The climate tells me that probably won't happen.
7. ULM--Welcome to the ball park time forgot. When it opened circa 1983 it was the second best ball park in the state. And, they've done damn near nothing to it since besides a paint job. All seating is elevated and it's a pretty good walk up a couple of ramps. (Then if you're in the media, there's a steep staircase to traverse...and they don't supply oxygen.) The park is still functional, but it could be so much more if they'd put some money into it.
8. UTA--This was probably a nice park when it opened, but again, it's in a really bad need of an upgrade. There's one concession area and bathrooms are located far apart. Press facility isn't very good, and generally speaking, it's like ULM without the possibilities. And, it's not located on a main thoroughfare of campus, which can make it tough on those who aren't familiar with the layout.
9. Arkansas State---A testament to a school that obviously doesn't care about its baseball program. They've FINALLY installed a batter's eye in center field, but outside of building a couple of decks down the lines, they've not upgraded this place since it (re)opened as Tomlinson Stadium. When it gets warm, the press facility becomes a greenhouse with the sun shining directly in, and I've seen it get nearly 100 degrees in there. And, the press box glass has shattered more than once. Fans aren't protected either. They didn't think much about stuff like that when they positioned the park. The place is not run down, it's part of a good sports complex and there's plenty of parking. But's going to take a lot of money to make it competitive.
10. Little Rock--The bottom two are off-campus facilities. If you think this place is bad now, you should have seen it 15 years ago when it was simply an entrance and a set of bleachers. They've added coach's offices, an indoor hitting facility, a "press building", which at least protects the six people in it from the elements, a concession area, upgraded restrooms and landscaping down the first and third base lines. Those upgrades make it next to last in the league. But there's nothing that can be done about the location in a city park in one of the most dangerous areas of the city. Watching baseball on Friday night and hearing gunshots in the distance isn't my idea of family fun.
11. Georgia State--at least Little Rock shows they're trying. This place is 20 miles from campus and it's obvious they have this place to say they have a stadium. There's really nothing to say about it that's a plus, other than they've got plenty of parking. But with the crowds they draw, they could do with about 10% of that space. And, with the Turner Field project, don't expect them to put any money in this place any time soon.
That's my story. I obviously didn't have very much to do this morning LOL.
9 miles but hey.
I expect Baseball is about to play it's final season in '16-'17 at Panthersville.
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You're simply not going to be able to build a baseball stadium that fast man...
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