Opened: April 12, 2004
Capacity: 43,651
Citizens Bank Park
Compared to the Vet this is a huge step up. Is it the best park in the bigs? No but there are many things here that keep me coming back. I am no fan of the Phillies, though many of my older relatives were. I was happy for them when they won the World Series in 2008 and I was happy that most of them were alive to see it but I just kept thinking as a Pirates fan when was it going to be our turn. I was also happy when the Phillies fell flat on their faces recently. When things are going well here you have to buy tickets weeks in advance or get a SRO ticket, when things are not going well you can walk up with no worries.
How did I get there?
A bit complicated here. 30 over to Lancaster then 896 to Georgetown to 372 to Atglen then 41 to US 1 to US 322 to I-95 exiting at PA 291 to go over the Platt Bridge which puts you onto Pattison. Traffic can be relatively light on this route except for 322 where two lights hold everything up and there is a huge amount of construction going on to widen the road to 4 lanes which has soured me on this route. As an alternative US 202 can be taken. Or you can get stuck behind a Sunday driver on 41 and it can take an interminable amount of time. I don’t want to take the Turnpike or 30, both for cost reasons and the fact that I still would have to get to South Philly anyway and the I-76/US202 merge is a pain in the ass. I used to park in the stadium lots but since they are up to $18 I now park down by the Linc for $15 in a private lot. Bit of a walk but the exercise is good for me. I have also ridden Amtrak to take in a game and I don’t think I saved any money by doing so. I definitely didn’t save any time.
Ticket prices
My main beef with the Phillies are ticket prices. $17 being the cheapest ticket is part of what keeps me away though the rest of the majors seems to be coming in line with them and to the Phillies’ credit they have not raised those prices in several years by that much. Of course when you are watching a potential World Series contender it makes it a bit more bearable but when your watching a bad team it’s not.
Finding my seat and amenities
When I get a cheap seat I usually don’t sit in my seat. I find a nice spot along the railing behind home plate and stand there. Those are $75 seats I think so why not. Ashburn Alley opens early and I think that the Phillies do have the best food in the bigs. My favorite is the Works Cheesesteak from Campos and with crab fries from Chickies and Petes nearby you can spend some money fast.
In game experience
The Phillie Phanatic is the best mascot in baseball. They have all of the other things except for an actual on field race. I remember they used to have a “celebrity” come out and announce that they were a fan of the other team and have the Phanatic do something to them. So, according to them Darth Vader was a Pirates fan. I’m OK with that.
Getting out
Getting out can be a pain in the butt from the stadium lots on a well attended game. Getting out from the private lot I started using is not bad at all if you duck out a bit early. If you don’t or if there is another event going on it can be a problem. I went to game on the same day the Eagles were holding an open practice and it took me 5 light cycles to turn onto Pattison St. There are multiple options to get to both 95 and 76 but the most direct for me is to go out Pattison.
Wrap
The Phillies are entering a good stretch and potentially a really good stretch. They have a monster TV deal so they will be able to buy whatever they need. Good times for the Phillies could be just around the corner. In a way I like a rebuilding team as it is usually easier on my wallet to go see but it is hard to watch sometimes. A better team means fewer trips to Philly for me. Usually only bobbleheads and when the Pirates come to town.