The AAA Sox Stadium Thread: Where Ever They May Roam

Lose Remerswaal

Experiencing Furry Panic
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Why would Henry feel the need to protect Lucky and the Dentist? On the contrary, I could see them deciding that this is a great opportunity to let the Globe show its independence (since it doesn't directly affect the Boston Red Sox).
They have a long-standing strong business relationship to maintain. And the Globe has done plenty of negative articles about the Sox during the John Henry regime. Just disappointed this hasn’t shown up in the paper yet
 

OBPercent1

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Mar 25, 2004
372
On the road to nowhere
They had a Zoom call on Wed with all of their season tickets holders . They are able to allow 25 % capacity so all season tix holders and 1/2 season folks are getting opening day seats . Caveat is if you have more than 2 you are going getting 2 . Also they have to move folks around due to DOVID restrictions. They are taking it month by month . Bottom
line is we are getting 2 of our 4 seats for opening day , then they have 10 more games in May . We are getting 5 games of the 10 May games with our full 4 seat allotment ( opening day not included in this mix )
 
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The_Powa_of_Seiji_Ozawa

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Sep 9, 2006
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Went to a WooSox game last night for the first time. Here are some impressions.

Had a group of people ranging from toddler to elderly in tow, so I went for what I thought was the most convenient parking place in the library parking lot, at a cost of $15+ fees. Although the ballpark is closeby in sight, it's not intuitive how to get there. No signage or instruction. Overall, the parking situation is pretty lame. They're applying an urban pedestrian model here, but Worcester is not a pedestrian-oriented place and never will be.

Arriving at the park, the exterior looks ok, not as bad as I feared, but is definitely a downgrade from what was proposed. Ticketing/security was a a bit slow (security in particular) but nothing unusual.

Once inside, there is lots and lots of bare, exposed concrete. I mean, a lot. Not a big deal and pretty common, but to me this is unnecessary and reeks of cost-cutting. For example, the Worcester Red Sox placard lettering above home plate is mounted on bare concrete. After a season or two, it will begin to look really ugly as the concrete weathers. The interior of the park looks fine, but again, it's kind of a disappointment given the hype and the pricetag. From a construction and materials standpoint, it is extraordinarily generic. Even if the ballpark is still incomplete, I can't imagine that aspect of it being changed.

We were up in the Hanover deck (which is toward left field/3B line). Not the greatest view (probably the worst seats in the stadium), but these are designed for eventual business/social gatherings. Unlike the rest of the ballpark, where the 25% capacity limit was evident, everybody was crammed in up there, no distancing.

Walking around the rest of the stadium, however, the views were excellent. The RF wall views are amazing. I imagine once the grassy knoll is done that will be nice too, if you're into that. The RF wall area was especially busy, lots of people standing around and on the stairs, and that's where one of the booze stands is, as well as Nathan's hotdogs, BBQ, Del's, and the ice cream cart. Super long line at Nathan's.

From a viewing experience, there are some oversights for the Hanover Deck folks. The CF scoreboard isn't functioning (I assume that's what it is), and it's really hard to follow the game because the LF scoreboard is mostly behind you and obstructed. There are limited options in sight for gameflow info. I'd like to see a couple more strategically placed. It's better for people elsewhere in the ballpark.

There is some nice character to the ballpark experience. The city views from the home plate to RF side of the park are *really* nice, and it will get better once they finish the outfield construction. And the passing trains are really cool, I can see that becoming an identity thing at some point if it hasn't already.

The in-game stuff between innings, etc. is basically the same as McCoy, so pretty understated compared to other minor league parks, and that's totally fine with me.

So all in all, it's better than I feared, but not as good as I had hoped. Aside from the currently clean concrete, there is nothing that feels new, innovative, or state of the art about the ballpark. Hopefully this is all just due to it being an incomplete construction.
 
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JBJ_HOF

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Apr 5, 2014
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Fenway has the biggest, hardest to cover, and hardest to hit home run right field in MLB and the AAA team has a little league right field. Doesn't make much sense to me.
 

Red(s)HawksFan

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Jan 23, 2009
20,673
Maine
Fenway has the biggest, hardest to cover, and hardest to hit home run right field in MLB and the AAA team has a little league right field. Doesn't make much sense to me.
Was RF in McCoy bigger than normal, or similar in scope to Fenway?

I only point that out because similarity to the big club's home park isn't really a pre-requisite for being an affiliate, nor should it be. What happens if they did make Polar Park a Fenway clone and in 10-15 years the Worcester AAA team decides to affiliate with the Rays or the Reds or something? Would they have to renovate the ball park?
 

The_Powa_of_Seiji_Ozawa

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Was RF in McCoy bigger than normal, or similar in scope to Fenway?

I only point that out because similarity to the big club's home park isn't really a pre-requisite for being an affiliate, nor should it be. What happens if they did make Polar Park a Fenway clone and in 10-15 years the Worcester AAA team decides to affiliate with the Rays or the Reds or something? Would they have to renovate the ball park?
I agree. I think it's fine to clone the MLB park for the spring training facility, makes a lot sense actually, but I don't think doing so for the AAA team is necessary. I don't think McCoy was even remotely like Fenway's dimensions.
 

Red Right Ankle

Formerly the Story of Your Red Right Ankle
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Jul 2, 2006
11,937
Multivac
Went to a WooSox game last night for the first time. Here are some impressions.

Had a group of people ranging from toddler to elderly in tow, so I went for what I thought was the most convenient parking place in the library parking lot, at a cost of $15+ fees. Although the ballpark is closeby in sight, it's not intuitive how to get there. No signage or instruction. Overall, the parking situation is pretty lame. They're applying an urban pedestrian model here, but Worcester is not a pedestrian-oriented place and never will be.

Arriving at the park, the exterior looks ok, not as bad as I feared, but is definitely a downgrade from what was proposed. Ticketing/security was a a bit slow (security in particular) but nothing unusual.

Once inside, there is lots and lots of bare, exposed concrete. I mean, a lot. Not a big deal and pretty common, but to me this is unnecessary and reeks of cost-cutting. For example, the Worcester Red Sox placard lettering above home plate is mounted on bare concrete. After a season or two, it will begin to look really ugly as the concrete weathers. The interior of the park looks fine, but again, it's kind of a disappointment given the hype and the pricetag. From a construction and materials standpoint, it is extraordinarily generic. Even if the ballpark is still incomplete, I can't imagine that aspect of it being changed.

We were up in the Hanover deck (which is toward left field/3B line). Not the greatest view (probably the worst seats in the stadium), but these are designed for eventual business/social gatherings. Unlike the rest of the ballpark, where the 25% capacity limit was evident, everybody was crammed in up there, no distancing.

Walking around the rest of the stadium, however, the views were excellent. The RF wall views are amazing. I imagine once the grassy knoll is done that will be nice too, if you're into that. The RF wall area was especially busy, lots of people standing around and on the stairs, and that's where one of the booze stands is, as well as Nathan's hotdogs, BBQ, Del's, and the ice cream cart. Super long line at Nathan's.

From a viewing experience, there are some oversights for the Hanover Deck folks. The CF scoreboard isn't functioning (I assume that's what it is), and it's really hard to follow the game because the LF scoreboard is mostly behind you and obstructed. There are limited options in sight for gameflow info. I'd like to see a couple more strategically placed. It's better for people elsewhere in the ballpark.

There is some nice character to the ballpark experience. The city views from the home plate to RF side of the park are *really* nice, and it will get better once they finish the outfield construction. And the passing trains are really cool, I can see that becoming an identity thing at some point if it hasn't already.

The in-game stuff between innings, etc. is basically the same as McCoy, so pretty understated compared to other minor league parks, and that's totally fine with me.

So all in all, it's better than I feared, but not as good as I had hoped. Aside from the currently clean concrete, there is nothing that feels new, innovative, or state of the art about the ballpark. Hopefully this is all just due to it being an incomplete construction.
I was at the game as well. We were at a table behind home plate up in the concourse, but then wandered about in the later innings. Where we were had very good views of the whole field and the counter seats just in front of us had an even better one. The RF wall area, where the craft beer bar was, was pretty nice as well. The security guy let us into a small cordoned off section and we got to sit right above the bullpen for the last few innings.

My impressions of where you were and the Hanover area above the wall were similar. I can't imagine getting a rear table in either spot- you can't see anything.

There were a TON of drunk twenty somethings up in the Hanover area, so it was rowdy and crowded, but my brother said that the other few games he was at were mostly an older crowd. Last night, it seemed more like a bar than a ballpark up there.

Agree that the park looks unfinished and the concrete will likely weather badly. I wonder if the board in CF was a scoreboard that wasn't functioning or just a hitter's backdrop.

The views from the upper decks on what was a perfect night for baseball are pretty lovely though.
 

scottyno

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Dec 7, 2008
11,304
Have they announced when tickets for July games will go on sale? I assume they'll be open for 100% by then, since Fenway will be by the end of this month.
 

OCD SS

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I agree. I think it's fine to clone the MLB park for the spring training facility, makes a lot sense actually, but I don't think doing so for the AAA team is necessary. I don't think McCoy was even remotely like Fenway's dimensions.
Sounds like someone lost a bet and had to build Bill Simmon’s Bizarro Fenway.
 

Ale Xander

Hamilton
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Oct 31, 2013
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Had a friend go and said it was like a cold, stale, bar. Not as great an atmosphere as expected for the 1st week of opening. Said the funniest part of it was that the ticket order showed up as "Pawtucket Red Sox" on the cc statement.
 

Red(s)HawksFan

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Jan 23, 2009
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Maine
Speaking of bizarro, anyone remember the model of what Harrington wanted to build to replace Fenway?
You mean the exact replica that was going to incorporate the original Jersey St facade, 3B/LF grandstand, and a portion of the original field, Monster included, as a monument beyond the new right field bleachers?

I want to say it was going to have seats above the Monster and a second deck...things that were supposed to be structurally impossible on the old park yet somehow the Henry regime was able to do.
 

TonyPenaNeverJuiced

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Jun 7, 2015
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You mean the exact replica that was going to incorporate the original Jersey St facade, 3B/LF grandstand, and a portion of the original field, Monster included, as a monument beyond the new right field bleachers?

I want to say it was going to have seats above the Monster and a second deck...things that were supposed to be structurally impossible on the old park yet somehow the Henry regime was able to do.
I've had this image for so long. The dimensions of the leftover tribute field and Selig's expression made me cackle then and still do now.
mini fenway.jpg
 

sittingstill

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Jul 17, 2005
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Bump! Taking my 7 year old to the game tonight. Anyone have any knowledge on a good place to park?
I can't tell you much about street parking, but the privately-owned Madison Place (mini-mall) lot is $15 and very close. The Federal Plaza Garage (linked via the team site: https://www.milb.com/worcester/ballpark/parking) is an easy walk and about $5 (I think it's $5.75 after fees if you book online).
 

Riconway3155

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Jul 15, 2005
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I can't tell you much about street parking, but the privately-owned Madison Place (mini-mall) lot is $15 and very close. The Federal Plaza Garage (linked via the team site: https://www.milb.com/worcester/ballpark/parking) is an easy walk and about $5 (I think it's $5.75 after fees if you book online).
Thank you! This will be his first live game experience so it’s possible he lasts an inning and a half before he tells me he’s over it, but I’m pumped to take him!