How to get over a classic?

[Chevy114]

Ok so I was wondering how do you replace a stadium, escpially classics like yankee, fenway, or wrigley?

Do you try to go completely different like most of the retro stadiums did when changing from cookie cutters i.e. citizens bank, pnc, and shea? Or do you bring over some if not most of the things from your old stadium like us celluar and Yankee stadium?

Which option also helps fans get over their previous stadium faster? Not forget the stadium, just deal with it easier?

[Yankees12]

Copy ideas from the old one. If New YS didn't resemble Old YS, and din't have the frieze, the arched windows, Monument Park, etc., I absolutely wouldn't be able to stand the fact that they're building a new Stadium. I still don't support it, but it makes the transition a lot easier.

[Chevy114]

Good points. Do any tiger or white sox fans have an input since they were the first 2 to change from a classic to a new one?

[Lafferty Daniel]

It would be nice if more teams would just rennovate their current ballparks.
RFK, YS, Busch, and a handful of others could've looked great if they made the necessary changes like bigger concourses, club seats, and taken out the mammoth outfield seats at the old cookie cutter parks. It would have been cheaper too.

[Chevy114]

It would be nice if more teams would just rennovate their current ballparks.
RFK, YS, Busch, and a handful of others could've looked great if they made the necessary changes like bigger concourses, club seats, and taken out the mammoth outfield seats at the old cookie cutter parks. It would have been cheaper too.

What about site lines, would they be as good as the new ones?

[Lafferty Daniel]

What about site lines, would they be as good as the new ones?

Based on looking at cross profiles at Andrew Clem's site, as well as hearing about a few posters experiences, the older upper decks were generally better than the current HoK split upper deck. I'd rather have an upper deck that is closer to the field and a few blind spots than some of the new alternatives. As others have mentioned, RFK's cantilevered grandstand was magnificent. This notion that we must replace everything that is considered "old" has hurt our nations' history.

[Philtration]

That would really depend on the old stadium.
Obviously they did not carry over anything from the old places like Three Rivers, River Front, RFK, Veterans Stadium, Candlestick, Jack Murphy Stadium, The King Dome, and The Astro Dome.....

Some teams went further back in their history and incorporated that into the new place. The Cardinals new park looks a lot more like Sportsman’s then Bush just like Citi Field is a lot more closer to Ebbets Field than Shea (Yes I know that it was Dodger history but still New York)
I really wish that the White Sox had done something different with the new park. Putting some arched windows that you cannot see from the inside was not nearly enough for me. Other than the dirt from the infield and a small resemblance to the old scoreboard they brought nothing from the old house. Dumb.
The Sox played at Comiskey Park for 80 years and that is not something that you just blow off.

I would say to keep elements of the old place only if it is worth preserving. I like how the Yankees have blended a modern stadium with the icon of old Yankee Stadium and it looks like it is going to work.
If you are going to replace Wrigley and Fenway then you pretty much have to give a nod to the old parks.

[PeteU]

It would be nice if more teams would just rennovate their current ballparks.
RFK, YS, Busch, and a handful of others could've looked great if they made the necessary changes like bigger concourses, club seats, and taken out the mammoth outfield seats at the old cookie cutter parks. It would have been cheaper too.

It would have been hard to structurally add luxury boxes to RFK...probably more money than it was worth.

And with luxury boxes being the big cash cow that they are for owners, I don't think the Nationals ownership would have wanted to stick around in RFK otherwise.

[Seattle1]

IMVHO, Fenway is an example of a stadium that is so unique and quirky that it would be dumb & tacky to try to replicate it in any way. You just couldn't pull it off successfully I think.

When it comes time to finally replace Fenway, they should just try to 'hit a home run' (no pun intended) with a fresh new design in another location. Try to outdo what they did in Pittsburgh with PNC Park and in Baltimore with Camden Yards.

:twocents:

[The Dude]

When it comes time to finally replace Fenway, they should just try to 'hit a home run' (no pun intended) with a fresh new design in another location. Try to outdo what they did in Pittsburgh with PNC Park and in Baltimore with Camden Yards.


Just don't give yourself a fan shaped dome ... cough. I like the unique style it gives Miller Park, but there have been just a few too many problems with it. However, if another park does decide to go with, at least we figured out all the problems for you guys. :cap:

[Lafferty Daniel]

It would have been hard to structurally add luxury boxes to RFK...probably more money than it was worth.

And with luxury boxes being the big cash cow that they are for owners, I don't think the Nationals ownership would have wanted to stick around in RFK otherwise.

Why couldn't the Nationals have built the luxury suites above the upper deck seats?

[Sean O]

Completely different, because anything else is insulting to the city's intelligence. Does anyone really think they're in the old place because it vaguely looks the same.

Innovation matters. If you wanted the old place, you shouldn't have torn it down.

[Philtration]

Completely different, because anything else is insulting to the city's intelligence. Does anyone really think they're in the old place because it vaguely looks the same.

Innovation matters. If you wanted the old place, you shouldn't have torn it down.
Right.
When I say a nod to the old park I mean a nod and nothing more. You are not going to have Fenway's outfield dimensions or Wrigley's ivy covered wall but you can have a similar shape to the bleachers or something like that.
You can give it a touch of the old place but to try and copy it is pointless and kind of weird.
That is for the ballparks that are replacing a really old one that has a long history. I did not want the new park to be just like Comiskey Park (Actually I did not want a new park at all) but something that ties into your long history without being forced or tacky is more than ok.
That is what they have done with the New Yankee Stadium. It is a link to their history while still being new and different. Then again they were replacing the most famous and storied park in the game and putting Petco Park in the Bronx would have never flown.

[Yoda]

I think a park should pay homage to it's predecessor but should be a unique experience.

Good points. Do any tiger or white sox fans have an input since they were the first 2 to change from a classic to a new one?

Don't build a dump that looks like a dump

[Chevy114]

I wonder if boston gets rid of the monster in the new park would that be good or bad? I mean in the long run people will just say its a crappy imitation, but then again it's their signature and it wont be easy to get rid of that.

[PeteU]

Why couldn't the Nationals have built the luxury suites above the upper deck seats?

I guess they could have tried that, but even that would be costly and structurally difficult.

Plus, RFK had the odd upper deck that dipped and waved, which would make it all the more awkward.

[PeteU]

I do think that even in an unmemorable or unattractive former stadium, there may be aspects of the old park that could be incorporated into the new park.

I'd love to see the Marlins new park retain the same dimensions and fence heights as Dolphin Stadium, including the Bermuda Triangle and Gonzo's Gap.

[Captain Cold Nose]

I'm just glad the Tigers didn't move to the northern suburbs like the Pistons and Lions (since returned) did.

I have to agree with Yoda. I like how Comerica has all these kiosks describing Tiger history throughout the building, as well as statues honoring Tiger greats who meant something to the team and the city, like Willie Horton.

[DaBigMotor]

Good points. Do any Tigers or White Sox fans have an input since they were the first 2 to change from a classic to a new one?I loved Tiger Stadium, but asthetically, it just wasn't practical to duplicate, not an enclosed bandbox, and certainly not in the middle of downtown. That just would not have worked. That would have been like building a windowless room on beachfront property. Tiger Stadium was the only baseball only stadium that was completely double-decked.

Comerica Park is beautiful. I love the wide-openess of it, compared to the walled-off, fortress feel of Tiger Stadium, and how it's incorporated into downtown, with its spacious 360° concourse. The view of the downtown skyline beyond center and right field is stunning.

They did emulate the flagpole being in play at Comerica, like at Tiger Stadium, but when they moved the fences in, the flagpole was left behind. I wish they'd put it back into fair territory.

[Chevy114]

I loved Tiger Stadium, but asthetically, it just wasn't practical to duplicate, not an enclosed bandbox, and certainly not in the middle of downtown. That just would not have worked. That would have been like building a windowless room on beachfront property. Tiger Stadium was the only baseball only stadium that was completely double-decked.

Comerica Park is beautiful. I love the wide-openess of it, compared to the walled-off, fortress feel of Tiger Stadium, and how it's incorporated into downtown, with its spacious 360° concourse. The view of the downtown skyline beyond center and right field is stunning.

They did emulate the flagpole being in play at Comerica, like at Tiger Stadium, but when they moved the fences in, the flagpole was left behind. I wish they'd put it back into fair territory.

That is a good way to look at it. I never thought of the fact that if you tried to redo tiger stadium you miss out on a lot of things and the biggest is that great view!

[Sean O]

That is a good way to look at it. I never thought of the fact that if you tried to redo tiger stadium you miss out on a lot of things and the biggest is that great view!

But, it's extremely easy to double deck the park down to the foul lines ala Tiger Stadium, rather than create the same generic HOK bowl. Then you rebuild everything from foul line to foul line, and suddenly you're combining the best of Tiger Stadium with a chance for innovation. Also, without outfield double-decked seats, you eliminate the terrible sight lines in the upper deck. The infield area is much better able to handle severely cantilevered seating than the outfield.