Travis R. Martin, CPA, MBA » Ballpark Review

Modern Woodmen Park: The Diamond on the Mississippi (Ballpark Review)

travisrmartin — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 01:15:24 +0000

Quad Cities River Bandits - Class A Affiliate of the St. Louis Cardinals

Modern Woodmen Park – Davenport, IA

Address: 209 South Gaines Street, Davenport, IA 52802

Opened: 1931 with major interior renovations completed in 2004

Capacity: 4,024

Ticket Prices: $5 – Berm, $7 – Bleachers, $9 – Lower Box, $12 – Club

Parking: $2 in large, paved lot next to ballpark on South Gaines Street. An additional, unpaved overflow lot is located underneath the Centennial Bridge.

Dates Visited:
June 25 – Box Score & Summary

Overview

Location, location, location. What holds true in real estate holds true in baseball as well. In no sport is stadium location as important as it is to baseball, where the backdrop of a ballpark can be as recognizable as the ballpark itself.

When done right, a stadium’s surroundings can provide aesthetics while also interacting with the playing field in ways that create lasting memories. Whether it is the memory of fans swimming after a Barry Bonds home run ball in the Bay of San Francisco’s AT&T Park, or the image of “2,131” being unfurled on the brick warehouse overlooking Camden Yards in Baltimore, some of the most iconic moments of modern baseball were enhanced because of stadium location.

And while the Major Leagues have their share of famous backdrops, one visit to Davenport, Iowa proves that the big leagues do not have a monopoly on stadiums with a view.

Modern Woodmen Park, home of the Low-A Quad Cities River Bandits, offers one of the most unique vistas in all of

The Centennial Bridge provides a unique backdrop for baseball

professional sports. Situated underneath the Centennial Bridge on the banks of the Mississippi River, Modern Woodmen Park combines classic stadium architecture, modern amenities, and dramatic river views to create a ballpark experience that is one of the best in all of Minor League Baseball.

Ballpark Features

Literally and figuratively, the star of Modern Woodmen Park is the Centennial Bridge. The iron bridge, with its graceful arcs, dwarfs the stadium below as it connects Iowa and Illinois, giving fans a dramatic view of the structure from nearly any seat in the ballpark. At dusk the bridge lights up, providing illumination that further accentuates its curves. It’s that view that had Hollywood calling in 2008, when producers picked the stadium as the main shooting location for the movie Sugar, a “fish out of water” story that portrayed life in the minors through the eyes of a Dominican pitcher.

On the ground, Modern Woodmen Park successfully combines old and new elements. The exterior of the park was constructed in 1931 and, aside from a few name changes to the front of the building, its classic red brick exterior and white concrete accents are still present in their original form – no small feat considering that the park was victimized by major floods in 1965, 1993, 2001, and 2008.

The interior of the stadium was gutted and redone as part of a massive $12.5 million renovation that was completed prior to the 2004 season. As part of the upgrade, the 78-year old ballpark now boasts a concourse that circles the entire ballpark, two outfield berm seating areas, a picnic and kids play area, a sky deck, 20 luxury suites, two souvenir shops, covered batting cages, and a pair of new scoreboards. The renovation has paid dividends at the gate, as attendance has increased nearly 56% since 2003.

In addition to the modern amenities, Modern Woodmen features two quirky, if not conflicting, twists. The area beyond the right field wall is home to Tiki Village, a three hut establishment where fans can relax and enjoy Mississippi Mai Tais

The Modern Woodmen Park Field of Dreams

amid a tropical setting. While Tiki Village does have a water view and lounge beds, it feels somewhat out of place thanks to its neighbor across the field – 10 rows of Iowa corn that inhabit the area next to the left field bleachers.

Seating options at Modern Woodman range from $5 to $12 and include club seats, box seats, bleachers, and berm, with the best spots – those that offer a view of the Centennial Bridge and the Mississippi River -residing along the third base side.

Stadium Atmosphere

For a stadium that has a tiki-village in right field and a fully functioning cornfield in left, the atmosphere at Modern Woodmen Park is surprisingly low-key. Between inning entertainment, a staple at most Minor League parks, is kept to a minimum and is unobtrusive. Even the mascot Rascal, a tall raccoon decked out in a bandana and a cowboy hat, was scarcely seen in the seating bowl on the night I was in town.

The fans at Modern Woodmen were on the older side, with fewer kids at the park than I had encountered during other stops in the Midwest League. As a result of the older crowd, the action on the field seemed to be the number one attraction. This was especially true for two of the gentlemen seated next to me. One was a season ticket holder who was capable of giving scouting reports on every Cardinal farmhand who was playing with Quad Cities, and the other was a gifted heckler who found plenty of opportunities to hone his craft during the lopsided 12-3 affair. Even as the score grew out of hand early in the game, few fans left the stadium – a further testament to the high-level of interest River Bandit fans bring to the park.

I also had the chance to chat with an usher, Dave, who gave me an impromptu history of the ballpark as well as details on the filming of the movie Sugar. After one evening at Modern Woodmen, I left convinced that the park never has a shortage of friendly, Midwestern folks ready to talk baseball.

Conclusion

The turnstiles have been clicking at a rapid pace in 2009 for the Quad Cities River Bandits, and for good reason. Modern Woodmen Park is a complete baseball experience in a one-of-a-kind setting. Fans who find their way to this diamond on the Mississippi will not be disappointed, as it is one of the gems of the Midwest League, if not all of Minor League Baseball.

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Hot Rods Deliver Fun, Future Rays at Bowling Green Ballpark (Ballpark Review)

travisrmartin — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 04:13:12 +0000

Bowling Green Hot Rods, Circa 2009

Bowling Green Ballpark – Bowling Green, KY

Opened: 2009

Capacity: Seats 4,128 with crowds of over 6,000 possible after suites, lawn, and standing room only spots are taken into account.

Ticket Prices: Box Seats, $10. General Admission, $5.

Parking: $3 – $5 in various lots surrounding ballpark

Dates Visited:
June 9 vs. Greenville Drive – Box Score & Recap
June 10 vs. Greenville Drive – Box Score & Recap

Ballpark Pros

16X32 foot high definition video board provides information and entertainment
Laid-back, friendly atmosphere
Tim Beckham, Matt Moore, Nick Barnese, and Kyeon Kang (Tampa Bay’s #2, #6, #7, and #27 prospects according to Baseball America) provide excitement on the field
Concourse runs behind both bullpens, giving fans up-close access to watch pitchers warming-up
Kid-friendly play area keeps kids entertained and occupied during game

Ballpark Cons

Portions of ballpark are unfinished
$5 to park…in Bowling Green???
Hot Rod theme not fully incorporated into ballpark design (I was really hoping for chrome tailpipes belching smoke and fire in lieu of the standard yellow foul poles)

Overview

“If you build it, he will come.” The ghostly challenge issued in the movie Field of Dreams led Kevin Costner to carve a baseball park out of his Iowa cornfield. Of course, in true Hollywood fashion, Costner’s corn-park was a success, attracting everyone from ball playing ghosts to road tripping tourists.

In Bowling Green, Kentucky, they are hoping that real-life can imitate art – especially when it comes to filling ballparks.

The ballpark in question is Bowling Green Ballpark, the $25 million centerpiece of a larger $250 million downtown redevelopment project taking shape in the southern Kentucky town of 55,000. Occupying the new, state-of-the-art Bowling Green Ballpark (it’s so new, they haven’t even had time to sell the naming rights yet) are the Bowling Green Hot Rods, a Single ‘A’ affiliate of Tampa Bay Rays.

Although the Hot Rods are in their infancy and Bowling Green Ballpark is not yet 100% complete, there are plenty of signs that the team and the stadium can put baseball on the map in a town where cars and hoops rein supreme.

Ballpark Features

The ground for Bowling Green Ballpark was broken in June of 2008, just 10 months shy of Opening Day, 2009. And while 10 months was enough time to create a game ready stadium from scratch; there are still numerous loose ends that have yet to be taken care of. Namely, the large three story entryway into the ballpark which will eventually house the team’s front offices, ticket operations, and souvenir shop. As of June, a glance inside the glass-plated entryway reveals a work in progress – a shiny Hot Rods logo hanging amid unfinished gray concrete blocks.

Unfinished entryway to Bowling Green Ballpark

Aside from the entryway, which will be beautiful when completed, Bowling Green Ballpark is a fine facility, especially for a low-Class A stadium.

The exterior of the Bowling Green Ballpark is comprised of red brick, giving it a classic feel that blends in nicely with the surrounding municipal buildings in downtown. The two main street level entrances of the stadium empty onto a wide concourse that falls just shy of wrapping around the entire playing field.

Inside the ballpark, fans are greeted by an impressive 16X32 foot high definition video board just beyond the right-centerfield wall. While the board did not broadcast any instant replay footage during my visit, it did show just about everything else, including player information, current statistics, commercials, a Bugs Bunny cartoon, and live video of the between-inning promotions. A second LED scoreboard, located on the left field wall, displays out of town scores, team information, and advertisements.

Video board in right field

Seating options in Bowling Green Ballpark are numerous. The majority of seats are located in the main seating bowl which wraps from the left-field foul pole to just beyond the first base bag down the right field line. Lawn seating is available down the right field line and beyond the left-centerfield wall (although this area was closed during my visit). A two-level picnic area, located in left field, offers fans a place to enjoy a meal while taking in the game. In the second deck, ten luxury suites and a Stadium Club seating area round out the seating plan.

Given the small, intimate size of the ballpark – it holds just over 6,000 including SRO – most seats provide a great view of the action. But not all seats provide a great opportunity to take home a souvenir foul ball, as the team has installed protective netting that extends from dugout to dugout. If you go to Bowling Green Ballpark with the hopes of bringing home a game ball, or getting an autograph, your best bet is to look for seats in sections 116 – 121 down the left field line or 101 – 104 down the right field line.

The playing surface at Bowling Green Ballpark boasts a few subtle nuances that give the stadium character. The warning track of the ballpark is exceptionally large – a feature which was included so vehicles could be driven onto the field without damaging the playing surface, as was the case on the stadium’s opening night when the Hot Rods players were driven around the field in hot rods.

The outfield wall itself consists of a number of strange angles, especially in left field where the fence containing the

The Hot Rods bullpen creates some odd angles for left fielders trying to navigate Bowling Green Ballpark

home bullpen juts out into the playing field, creating a 318’ short porch in left.

Stadium Atmosphere

The crowd at Bowling Green Ballpark, which numbered 2,900 when I visited, ranged from the hardcore fan charting every pitch and scoring every play to the uninterested spectator chatting with friends. Sitting behind the plate in Section 112, I encountered a number of fans who were cheering the individual Hot Rods players by first name, as naturally as if they were shouting encouragement to their kids at a Little League game. Even those who weren’t closely following the game responded to the public address prompts, echoing “Day-O” and clapping their hands when directed to.

The Bowling Green Hot Rods adopted the marketing slogan “Fueled by Fun,” for the 2009 season, and GM Brad Taylor seems to be committed to doing everything possible to deliver on that mantra. Aside from the on-field product, much of the fun at Bowling Green Ballpark comes in the form of between-inning entertainment, the highlights of which included:

A Wendy’s “Build a Burger” contest in which two lucky fans dressed as hamburger buns and tried to assemble a burger between themselves. (For some reason the participants in this contest wore safety helmets)
An inflatable dice-rolling contest sponsored by IGA, a local grocery store.
Sumo wrestling with inflatable fat-sumo suits.

Spell Out I-G-A with the inflatable dice, win $100 gift card

For the younger set, the Hot Rods set up a large Kids Play Area off the right field line, complete with inflatable tunnels and slides adorned with the Hot Rods logo. Axle, the “baseball lovin’ bear and hot rod enthusiast,” provides additional entertainment for the kids as the Hot Rods’ mascot.

When taken together – the fan base, between-inning entertainment, and kid-friendly amenities – all combine to make Bowling Green Ballpark a fun, laid-back place to catch a ballgame.

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