Braves' new ballpark
DAVID GEISER
Well, things haven't been going so well the last few days, and I notice a lack
of posts in this newsgroup. So let's talk about the future.
I've been thinking about the Braves' new ballpark, and how important that is
for the continued success of the team. The Braves have been enjoying
incredible attendance in the Schuerholz era. When I first moved to Georgia in
1989, I found going to a game at AFCS an inadequate experience. The ballpark
was decrepit and boring. Apparently the rest of Atlanta felt the same way, as
the attendance was horrible. Then the Braves became a good team, and some
improvements were made at AFCS (two events that may not be independent), and
people started going to Braves games in droves. But let's face it, to most
people, AFCS is nothing special. I know a lot of people, especially those
on this newsgroup, feel differently. But some day, probably within the next
several years, the Braves are going to field an average or below average team
again. People will not go to AFCS to watch a bad ball club. But they will
come to an interesting ballpark.
Does anyone know any details about the new ballpark? What are the current
plans? Personally, I find the idea of converting an Olympic Stadium (the word
"stadium" is important) scary.
Will the Braves go on the highly successful Camden Yards model? Is that what
is needed? If that means a unique ballpark built with the fan's perspective in
mind, I hope so. What unique elements should be included that would tie the
park in with Atlanta and the South? One idea I have is that landscaping is
important. Lots of dogwoods and fruit trees blooming in the spring would be a
nice signal that baseball season has started. Lots of oak trees, too. I
think this would give the park a unique Atlanta feel.
Dave
G. M. Lupo
should be domed and should have harness contraptions installed so that
members of the audience can be suspended above the field and can swing
around from one point to another, sort of like in Thunderdome from Mad Max
III. That's something I've always thought was lacking from Atlanta Fulton
County Stadium and I've been going there -- well, aside from living in NYC
for the past few years -- since I was a little kid.
BTW: Possible blowout alert. The Braves are in New York tonight playing
the Mets, now being called by some commentators up here "the Mutts". All
dedicated Braves fans start hoping for the Giants to lose big for the next
three or four days and the Braves may just overtake them.
Matt Lupo, slightly out of touch (w/o cable) Braves fan.
P.S. Anyone know of a radio station up this way that carries Braves
broadcasts?
--
The opinions expressed are not necessarily those of the University of
North Carolina at Chapel Hill, the Campus Office for Information
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internet: laUNChpad.unc.edu or 152.2.22.80
Sgt. Mayhem
>
>incredible attendance in the Schuerholz era. When I first moved to Georgia in
>1989, I found going to a game at AFCS an inadequate experience. The ballpark
>was decrepit and boring. Apparently the rest of Atlanta felt the same way, as
Well when I first came to Georgia in 1964 (Dekalb General Hospital)
Atlanta Fulton County Stadium was still a construction site. I grew up
going to Braves Games. I really miss the giant Indian Brave.
>
>Does anyone know any details about the new ballpark? What are the current
>plans? Personally, I find the idea of converting an Olympic Stadium (the word
>"stadium" is important) scary.
The new ballpark is going up in the old south parking lots. Better get use
to riding the Falcon Flyer from the Marta station, because parking is
really going to be tight.
>
>Will the Braves go on the highly successful Camden Yards model? Is that what
>is needed?
The two situations are NOT comperable. I'm up in D.C. now just having
completed my final semester of school. The Oreoles have a larger potential
audience because they draw from Northern Virginia AND Maryland. Public
transportation via commuter trains (MARC) from Baltimore to Washington is
availible within 1500 feet of the stadium. Camden Yards was built on a
disassembled rail yard where no people had to be displaced.
Take a look at the area where the new stadium will go... The Red
Dog squad spends lots of its time in the neighbor hoods near that site. To
make it safe in that area, you'd have to fence off or pave Capitol Homes
(that'd go over like a lead balloon ...Techwood Homes was a hard enough fight)
>If that means a unique ballpark built with the fan's perspective in
>mind, I hope so. What unique elements should be included that would tie the
>park in with Atlanta and the South? One idea I have is that landscaping is
>important. Lots of dogwoods and fruit trees blooming in the spring would be a
>nice signal that baseball season has started. Lots of oak trees, too. I
>think this would give the park a unique Atlanta feel.
Might make it look like Grant Park too :) . But Seriously Dogwoods
require shade and you won't find it anywhere near the stadium.
Good opinion, but as a native son whos family has contributed 250 years of
sweat, toil, and blood to Georgia, I hope we'll not settle for someone elses'
idea of what is good for Georgians. Camden Yards is nice, but to do the same
thing in yet another place doesn't reflect favorably on the South.
>Dave
Andy Kemp
may...@digex.net
Sgt. Mayhem
Braves 3
Mutts 2
G. M. Lupo
Great! I saw them tie the game up, but missed the final. One good thing
about having them in New York is that the sportscasters are sure to
mention them. That's not alway the case up here.
Matt Lupo
DAVID GEISER
>
> The two situations are NOT comperable. I'm up in D.C. now just having
> completed my final semester of school. The Oreoles have a larger potential
> audience because they draw from Northern Virginia AND Maryland.
And the Braves draw from a much larger area than that. There isn't another
baseball team for 500 miles in any direction. I think if things are done
right, the Braves could maintain a 2.5 million draw come hell or high water.
And in this day and age, they'd *better* maintain that.
>
> Good opinion, but as a native son whos family has contributed 250 years of
> sweat, toil, and blood to Georgia, I hope we'll not settle for someone elses'
> idea of what is good for Georgians. Camden Yards is nice, but to do the same
> thing in yet another place doesn't reflect favorably on the South.
Actually, I couldn't agree with you more. I have a feeing that with new parks
popping up in Texas, Cleveland, Denver, Detroit, etc., that now rather than
having a bunch of Riverfront Stadium clones, we'll now have a bunch of Camden
Yards clones (and of course, Camden borrows heavily from Fenway). My point is
that the stadium should have an atmosphere that reflects Atlanta.
>
Dave>
Forrest Smith
I first watched the Braves play in Atlanta Stadium in an
exhibition game against Detroit. The Braves were to have played
the season in Atlanta, but some lawyers tied them up in
Milwaukee for an extra year (can you say "Grobschmidt"?).
I know it's just a big round mess of steel and concrete,
but I kind've like Atlanta Stadium. True, the expensive box
seats are too far from fair territory, but who ever got to sit
in the box seats anyway? I remember games when there were 2,000
fans in the stands, with not more than 1 in 100 boxes occupied,
and the ushers wouldn't let you move up into the box seats even
in the ninth inning.
The stadium has always been quite utilitarian, and it
was very inexpensive - ballplayers today cost more than the
ballpark cost to build.
The main problems with the Stadium today are the restrooms,
which are gross, and MARTA, which didn't run a rail line to the
ballpark.
Forrest Smith
The home run that *should* be marked was hit in Milwaukee,
I believe. It was #755. That's the current record, not 715.
715 was a media event, but 755 is the number that lives in the
record books.
For the record, I saw #733, and I've never seen a major monument
to that significant hit. I can't even remember where it landed.
But 733 is the record for the National League, as well as for a
team. Recall that both 714s, Ruth's and Aaron's, were hit for
the Braves.
Forrest Smith
Aaron's last home run as a Brave was his #733. He then returned
to Milwaukee to finish his career, as an American League Brewer. He
thus hit 22 home runs in the American League. 733 is the National
League, and Braves, career home run record.
The American League record for home runs is 708, held by Babe Ruth. In
a precedent for Aaron's return to his original city, Ruth finished his career
in Boston, as a member of the Braves. In his brief (28-game) stint with the
Braves, Ruth hit six home runs, thus both Aaron and Ruth hit their # 714s as
members of the Braves.
I don't know if its true or just apocryphal, but in all the Babe Ruth
legends, it is reported that the Babe hit three home runs in his last game
(at Pittsburgh, if memory serves), so legend has it he homered in his last
at-bat.
David Johnson
>Well, things haven't been going so well the last few days, and I notice a lack
>of posts in this newsgroup. So let's talk about the future.
>I've been thinking about the Braves' new ballpark, and how important that is
>for the continued success of the team. The Braves have been enjoying
>incredible attendance in the Schuerholz era. When I first moved to Georgia in
>1989, I found going to a game at AFCS an inadequate experience. The ballpark
>was decrepit and boring. Apparently the rest of Atlanta felt the same way, as
>the attendance was horrible. Then the Braves became a good team, and some
>improvements were made at AFCS (two events that may not be independent), and
>people started going to Braves games in droves. But let's face it, to most
>people, AFCS is nothing special. I know a lot of people, especially those
>on this newsgroup, feel differently. But some day, probably within the next
>several years, the Braves are going to field an average or below average team
>again. People will not go to AFCS to watch a bad ball club. But they will
>come to an interesting ballpark.
I don't think the stadium has any impact on long term attendence. Just because
noone came to the games before had nothing to do with the ballpark. When it
was designed, it was state-of-the-art and matched other premier parks at the
time. If the Braves are bad during the first year or two of the stadium, the
new stadium will draw more people than AFCS. But after that, I don't think
it will have any effect.
>Does anyone know any details about the new ballpark? What are the current
>plans? Personally, I find the idea of converting an Olympic Stadium (the word
>"stadium" is important) scary.
Since the stadium is being converted (by destroying the outfield portion) after
the Olympics, the end result will probably be unsatisfying.
>Will the Braves go on the highly successful Camden Yards model? Is that what
>is needed? If that means a unique ballpark built with the fan's perspective in
>mind, I hope so. What unique elements should be included that would tie the
>park in with Atlanta and the South? One idea I have is that landscaping is
>important. Lots of dogwoods and fruit trees blooming in the spring would be a
>nice signal that baseball season has started. Lots of oak trees, too. I
>think this would give the park a unique Atlanta feel.
The problem with the new stadium is that the back seats behind the plate will
be a long way from the plate since incline is small. This is a great
advantage AFCS has over most other ML parks: very few "bad" seats. My
understanding is that there will be very little special about the new stadium.
Just a horseshoe shaped stands. They will probably put a number of trees in
the outfield. Obviously things are finalized on the design since construction
has begun. I just hope things turn out better than the impression I get.
dave