Check out our look at the organization called FansAlign. It seeks to unite fans of the National Pastime so the wishes of the ticket-buying public won’t be taken for granted by owners and players any longer.
Blog / Author: Joe Mock
The ballpark year in pictures
Each year, we provide a summary of the biggest ballpark news … and 2021 had far more than your average year! See what our camera had to show, because it was at all the noteworthy ballpark-related events in 2021!
Truist versus Minute Maid
Here’s our annual comparison of the two ballparks facing off in the Fall Classic! Click here
From 1 to 30
In preparing to write this year’s comparison of the two World Series parks, I thought through my ranking of the 30 Major League ballparks. I incorporated the Rangers’ new $1.2-billion air-conditioned palace, and moved a couple of others up and down. The #1 didn’t change (PNC Park) and the #30 didn’t change (RingCentral Coliseum, pictured), but there was a fair amount of jockeying in between.
Check out the updated ranking, and then post a comment telling me that I don’t know what I’m talking about!
2021 Ballpark of the Year
It only took one game …
Only one game was played at the MLB at Field of Dreams park in Dyersville, Iowa, but that was enough to do the following:
- Be the first big-league game ever played in Iowa;
- Generate the highest TV ratings for any regular-season baseball game on any network since 2005;
- Prompt Des Moines Register writer Randy Peterson to declare that the game “was a big-league event, historic for Iowa. It all seemed unbelievable. But it was more than that. It was perfect;”
- Bring Kevin Costner back to the site where he filmed the Field of Dreams movie;
- Cause the 32-year-old movie to become the most-ordered DVD on Amazon;
- Convince MLB to play another game there on August 11, 2022, when the Cubs will tangle with the Reds;
- Win the 21st annual BaseballParks.com Ballpark of the Year Award
That’s right. Even though there were nine new parks in the running, the one with the smallest construction budget of them all won the coveted award. The one that drew the fewest fans this year (8,000) won. The one that only hosted a single game won.
It was that special.
For much more about this ballpark, read the press release announcing the award, and check out our in-depth review of the ballpark and the experience that those 8,000 lucky folks enjoyed.
Which park will win?
Since 2000, we’ve presented an award to the best new park for that year. There was no award last year when the Minor League season was canceled, which means there is a bumper crop of new ballparks this year. And since Rangers fans couldn’t attend any games at the new park in Arlington, Texas last year, we’re counting Globe Life Field as a new park this year. (Yes, MLB played playoff games there last fall — and we were there — but attendance was limited, which meant that a bunch of the park’s features weren’t opened.)
Whenever a new pro park opens, we’re there to prepare an in-depth review. That meant that *nine* times this year, we traveled to attend a game or two at the new facility and provide you with a detailed assessment and lots of photos.
So this year’s BaseballParks.com’s Ballpark of the Year will be one of these nine ballparks. The ballpark name is a link to its review:
Globe Life Field — Texas Rangers
Atrium Health Ballpark — Kannapolis Cannon Ballers
Polar Park — Worcester Red Sox
Toyota Field — Rocket City Trash Pandas
Riverfront Stadium — Wichita Wind Surge
FredNats Ballpark — Fredericksburg Nationals
CaroMont Health Park — Gastonia Honey Hunters
ABC Supply Stadium — Beloit Snappers
MLB at Field of Dreams — MLB game between the White Sox and Yankees
So which park will win this year’s award? The announcement will be made in USA TODAY Sports Weekly on September 8, and here on BaseballParks.com. Watch for it!