Opened: April 14, 1992
Capacity: 6,012
Affiliated with the New York Mets
NYSEG Field
It’s a long drive to get here. I’ve been here three times and I’ve also been up here for a hockey game at the arena downtown. For a once a year visit this is not bad, there are enough breweries in town to keep me occupied especially downtown where I can just walk to the park. The team has been pretty good in recent years, both as the Mets and the newer Rumble Ponies but attendance has not been. This has benefits for me, like I can walk up and get a seat right behind the dugout on a Saturday night.
How did I get there?
Up I-81 to Binghamton and then follow the signs to downtown. For the last few years there has been massive construction on 81 which means detours so I’ve got to see the scenic tour of town. Parking is $5 in the stadium lot or some smaller private lots. There also looks like some on street parking as well but I don’t know if that is permitted to keep attendees from parking there.
Ticket prices
About standard for the upper levels of the minors. Sat behind the dugout for $12.
Finding my seat and amenities
Easy to find my seat. The stadium underwent somewhat of a rebranding over the 2016-17 offseason with some renovation. You can find the usual stadium fare and there are a few other local restaurants. The selection is not too bad but most of the rest of the park is not up to the standards of many of the rest of the Eastern League.
In game experience
The usual stuff along with people dressed in costumes racing. Nothing that stood out.
Getting out
This is where the problems begin but this is not the fault of the team. I have gained some idea of my way around town but trying to get back to 81 is a series of turns following the detour signs. There is an expressway that goes into town but that has been closed. I don’t know if it is easier to getting back to US 11 and just following it to 81 that way but by the time I figure that out 81 will be done.
Wrap
It takes a little over 3 hours to get here so the payoff needs to be worth the drive and that means I’m tying it into another game or getting a bobblehead. The park is nothing to write home about. There was a threat a few years ago to move the team to Wilmington, Delaware but that was averted. I don’t know about the rest of the 2017 season but the game I attended had a sparse turnout. Now it was cold out but this was a playoff team in its final homestand on a holiday weekend.