MLB Stadium Changes and Upgrades for 2009

[cardsfan124]

thought i would start my first thread on this board by seeing who knows what changes are coming to MLB ballparks for the upcoming season. I know Cincinnati and Texas are getting new scoreboard systems. anybody out there have any others?

[gator92]

Big changes in KC:

Kauffman Stadium Renovations (http://kansascity.royals.mlb.com/kc/ballpark/renovations.jsp)

Also, there's this:

Plans in PDF Format (http://www.kauffmanstadiumrenovation.com/Preliminary_Sequence_Plans)

[donut726]

Kauffman Stadium was heavily renovated during the off season and US Cellular Field got an upgrade as well (ramps, new right field screen).

[Yankees12]

Cincinnati got a bit screwed on their scoreboard. They built that park right before giant LED screens started making their way into ballparks. That socreboard was modern for about 1-2 years, tops.

(It was never that good though. Even for technology at the time, it was a weak scoreboard.)

[natron20]

Even for technology at the time, it was a weak scoreboard.)

Weak if you are simply referring to "graphic" quality but I believe the main purpose of a scoreboard is to provide information and no scoreboard I know of did a better job of that than what we had in Cincinnati. It was AWESOME!

[Astros]

The centerfield restaurant at Minute Maid Park is being redesigned and will become the "Five and Seven Grille" themed after Jeff Bagwell (#5) and Craig Biggio (#7). It was called "9 Amigos" for the past several seasons and was completely gutted for the now layout. I don't have any photos but I hear it is going to be very cool.

[cardsfan124]

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3619/3357616277_cb46f9de09_b.jpglooks like they added some led ribbon boards and painted the facades red as well. looks pretty good imo

[DiggerODell]

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3619/3357616277_cb46f9de09_b.jpglooks like they added some led ribbon boards and painted the facades red as well. looks pretty good imo

Looks like a fine ballpark!!! Who cares about a scoreboard with all the bells and whistles . . . all I need is a line score, R, H & E, the count and who's at bat. this is how these "ballpark roadtrips" get started with me . . . I gotta get out Ohio way by 2011 . . . smile.

[mets16]

Cincinnati got a bit screwed on their scoreboard. They built that park right before giant LED screens started making their way into ballparks. That socreboard was modern for about 1-2 years, tops.

(It was never that good though. Even for technology at the time, it was a weak scoreboard.)

Yeah same as SD and Philly. I feel the matrix monochromatic boards are very tacky.

EDIT: Quick PS job of Petco's scoreboard vs. My idea of what should be upgraded. I know scoreboards are not the most important things, but I think the Matrix and rolling backlight ads are too outdated.
This:
http://img8.imageshack.us/img8/8460/3172452459f02dc07a39.jpg

Vs. This.
http://img9.imageshack.us/img9/127/ppsb1.png

[li7039]

Citi Field and New Yankee Stadium Open

[Yankees12]

Weak if you are simply referring to "graphic" quality but I believe the main purpose of a scoreboard is to provide information and no scoreboard I know of did a better job of that than what we had in Cincinnati. It was AWESOME!

In terms of graphic quality, it was weak.

(It also had a tendency not to work, at least when I was there. In the 2 games at GABP, they had major malfunctions with the scoreboard both times. I have a feeling that wasn't especially uncommon.)

[natsfan]

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3619/3357616277_cb46f9de09_b.jpglooks like they added some led ribbon boards and painted the facades red as well. looks pretty good imo

added the new coke sign on the scoreboard. nice touch

[Zoso]

Yeah same as SD and Philly. I feel the matrix monochromatic boards are very tacky.

EDIT: Quick PS job of Petco's scoreboard vs. My idea of what should be upgraded. I know scoreboards are not the most important things, but I think the Matrix and rolling backlight ads are too outdated.
This:
http://img8.imageshack.us/img8/8460/3172452459f02dc07a39.jpg

Vs. This.
http://img9.imageshack.us/img9/127/ppsb1.png

I never thought SD going with the whole urban/industrial aesthetic really worked. They'd have been better served sticking to something that reflected the natural landscape, oceanside setting, etc. I mean the Metal Supply building was pretty thoroughly contrived. Teams don't have to squeeze ballparks onto the grid like they did 100 years ago. And I certainly don't think of San Diego as a gritty, nuts-and-bolts type of city. They did a great job with the main bowl of the park, but I think they missed between the foul poles.

US Cellular had a few things done to it like always but nothing major aesthetically. They replaced the out of town scoreboards with full color digital stuff, and they revamped one of the north side ramps.

http://media.photobucket.com/image/us%2Bcellular%2Bfield%2B2009%2Brenovations/cbotnyse/35thStreetProjectRenderings-2of2.jpg

Kind of a waste of time if you ask me. You have all these outdated concrete ramps and one modern looking thing now that I believe will make for a slower entrance to the park, but I'll wait 'til opening day.

[BigMac1212]

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3619/3357616277_cb46f9de09_b.jpglooks like they added some led ribbon boards and painted the facades red as well. looks pretty good imo

It looks like the Reds have change soda vendors, as well, from Pepsi, to Coke.

[BigMac1212]

added the new coke sign on the scoreboard. nice touch

Argh! Beat me too it. ;)

[Lions/Tigers@Cubs.OhMy!]

There will be a new restaurant/bar connected to Wrigley Field and run by Harry Caray's that will be opened to the public at the start of the season.


There will be plenty of monitors in the bar, which will resemble a sports bar, but you won't be able to see the field.

"We need to compete with all of the other bars and restaurants in town," Cubs chairman Crane Kenney said.

There will be a turnstyle so people with tickets can enter the park from the bar.

It will be located along the Addison-Sheffield area where the Caray statue is located.

There was a bar called "The Friendly Confines" at the location, but the new construction dwarfs the old establishment.

The restaurant will be open year-round and seat 491 patrons.


http://blogs.suntimes.com/fullcourtpress/2009/03/new_harry_carays_bar_at_wrigle.html

[BigMac1212]

Have they upgrade the left field scoreboard at Comerica Park? It's looking a bit dated.

[emp41112]

Looks like a big change for the scoreboard at GABP. Here is the original one....

[J.R.]

It looks like the Reds have change soda vendors, as well, from Pepsi, to Coke.

That had been a Pepsi park since 2000.

[TinoM24]

Fenway is also getting long overdue new grandstand seats, and they added more upper deck seats. anyone have an update on this?

[ZeoBandit]

They painted the scoreboard at Wrigley. :D

[argenys]

http://www.engadgethd.com/2009/04/03/daktronics-and-sony-bring-hd-to-cincinnati-reds-home-ballpark-1/

[WestSideBomber]

Well here's a video time lapse of the installation.

http://news.cincinnati.com/apps/pbcs.dll/section?Category=VIDEONETWORK&maven_referralParentPlaylistId=&maven_referralPlaylistId=1f0183804007ad8b0d2c10b55 6aae35e6fd591da&videoid=1081857401

As a worker at GABP, I can tell you from my quick observations that a number of changes have been made. The new scoreboard and ribbon boards obviously, but also, a new in-wall out of town LED scoreboard. The location of the ribbon boards also changed (well at least the 3rd base side one did). If you look at the second picture, the old ribbon board was located above the level of suits, but now is below them. It also looks about 2x as long. Also, the ribbon board below the main scoreboard is new...before it was just a black and white board showing pitch count and speed. And finally, the facades have been painted all red and I've noticed the world series banners are gone from behind the left field foul pole, but don't know where they will be now.

So lots of upgrades for the already pretty good (in my opinion) GABP.

http://www.blogcdn.com/www.engadgethd.com/media/2009/04/cincinnati-reds-new-daktronics-hd-scoreboard_1.jpg

http://www.blogcdn.com/www.engadgethd.com/media/2009/04/cincinnati-reds-new-daktronics-hd-scoreboard_2_wideshot.jpg

Here's the old scoreboard. I thought that besides the smallish video aspect, it was very good at showing the score and not being cluttered with ads. This helps me when I'm working to get a good summary of the game just with a quick glance. You can also see the old pitch count board i was talking about earlier (it has the time on it).

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/94/239571230_2046b4dfb4_b.jpg

[argenys]

:clappingVery very nice upgrade. Looks awsome that is exactly what most ballparks should be doing.

[Paul W]

"upgrades" = more advertising clutter, more $$$'s for clubs.
your eyeballs are for sale, at least the old time billboards were quiet...

[BMF]

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3619/3357616277_cb46f9de09_b.jpglooks like they added some led ribbon boards and painted the facades red as well. looks pretty good imo

I dont think it looks bad

[efin98]

Fenway is also getting long overdue new grandstand seats, and they added more upper deck seats. anyone have an update on this?

Here's a photo tour taken the other day...

http://www.boston.com/sports/baseball/redsox/gallery/04_02_09_fenway_improvements/

Looks like just the red seats got upgraded along with the grandstand flooring, very similar looking to what they did to the bleachers last offseason. You can clearly see the old, worn, blue seats still in place and unpainted- they got fixed but otherwise look exactly the same.

http://www.boston.com/sports/baseball/redsox/gallery/04_02_09_fenway_improvements?pg=7

They added a huge new sign over the "Conigliaro's Corner" bleachers

http://www.boston.com/sports/baseball/redsox/gallery/04_02_09_fenway_improvements?pg=5

[Eyeshade]

At Progressive Field there is a t-shirt shooting, whirling, car behind the fence that goes crazy when the Tribe does big things. The scoreboard control room was supposed to move and get an upgrade this year but it's Cleveland so...Wait'll next year. Oh yeah, giant claw machines in KidsLand full of t-shirts/plush. We still have Delucci on the roster...don't know why.
I'll post some photos soon of the car.

[bluegrassjk]

Playing field should be more durable, look greener

http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20081208&content_id=3706448&vkey=news_hou&fext=.jsp&c_id=hou&partnerId=rss_hou

[bluegrassjk]

Playing field should be more durable, look greener

http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20081208&content_id=3706448&vkey=news_hou&fext=.jsp&c_id=hou&partnerId=rss_hou

http://www.sportsfieldmanagementmagazine.com/content/SM/img/2009/03/SM0309_32.jpg

http://www.sportsfieldmanagementmagazine.com/content/SM/img/2009/03/SM0309_37.jpg

[J.R.]

I wish Cincinnati hadn't done away with the dedicated out-of-town scoreboard. It's aggravating to wait for the game you're interested in to come through the rotation on the new multipurpose boards.

[Yankees12]

I'm watching the Mets game right now (since I don't get YES), and GABP's new scoreboard looks sweet. Gigantic improvement.

[DrBear]

Some minor changes at Milwaukee's Miller Park:

• New grass in the outfield. The infield was done last year and is much better than it was in the first few years of the stadium.

• A remodeled team store in left field. The store has been rearranged, and features brick from County Stadium.

• A total of 44 Club Level suites were completely redone. There is new wood flooring, inlaid carpeting in the Brewers' colors, new flat-panel, high-definition televisions, and new refrigerators. The suites look bigger because the Brewers removed the closets in the suites.

• The Harley-Davidson Deck is located in the left-center field area of the stadium. The area is elevated, will seat up to 42 people and will feature Harley motorcycles built into the decor. Deck users will enter the stadium via a separate entrance.

• A number of meeting rooms in the stadium have been redone with the idea of marketing them to corporate groups. Each of the rooms have new audio-visual equipment.

• There is a new party suite in the right-field area. The new one - created by collapsing two existing suites into one - is themed after the 2008 Brewers. There are two other party suites: one named for the 1957 Milwaukee Braves; the other for the 1982 Brewers.

• Reproductions of the five Racing Sausages now appear over the Brewers clock in right field. After each sausage race, the winner will light up.

• The Brewers will have a 2008 wild-card playoff pennant on display in left field in the Friday's restaurant area. (This seems unclear to me - why not next to the 82 AL Champs way up along the rim in left field? Or is this just for this year?)

[NYFan1stYankFan2nd]

I dont think it looks bad

From that - or any greater - distance though, it reminds me kinda something from a Six Flags than of a ballpark. Hmmm....

[mets16]

Watched the Texas Rangers game today, they put in a new brick backstop.

[WestSideBomber]

Here's a shot of the new GABP scoreboard from today's game. Looks really clear of any ads on the actual scoreboard.

http://photos-g.ak.fbcdn.net/photos-ak-snc1/v2737/88/64/1414800082/n1414800082_30337278_6268379.jpg

[J.R.]

Interesting placement for the Sony ad, considering that all the park's boards are Daktronics units and that Sony has been out of the scoreboard business for over a decade.

[cardsfan124]

sony and daktronics joined forces on this project. daktronics provided the scoreboards and sony provided the hd equiptment to run the scoreboardshttp://www.daktronics.com/Company/NewsReleases/Pages/CincinnatiReds.aspx

[McDodger]

Playing field should be more durable, look greener

http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20081208&content_id=3706448&vkey=news_hou&fext=.jsp&c_id=hou&partnerId=rss_hou

http://www.sportsfieldmanagementmagazine.com/content/SM/img/2009/03/SM0309_32.jpg

http://www.sportsfieldmanagementmagazine.com/content/SM/img/2009/03/SM0309_37.jpg

http://www.sodfather.com/turf-grass/platinum-te-paspalum.asp

[McDodger]

• The Brewers will have a 2008 wild-card playoff pennant on display in left field in the Friday's restaurant area. (This seems unclear to me - why not next to the 82 AL Champs way up along the rim in left field? Or is this just for this year?)

IMO there is something very wrong about teams touting themselves as "Wild Card Champions" or claiming to have "won" a "Wild Card Pennant".

[J.R.]

sony and daktronics joined forces on this project. daktronics provided the scoreboards and sony provided the hd equiptment to run the scoreboardshttp://www.daktronics.com/Company/NewsReleases/Pages/CincinnatiReds.aspx

Learn something every day. Thanks for the link.

[216rules]

This is my first post ever, but I've been a lurker for 6-7 months. PNC Park has a new playing surface and the part of the Forbes Field wall where Bill Mazeroski's home run ball sailed over in the 1960 World Series has been taken out of storage and put on the Riverwalk. http://http://link.brightcove.com/services/player/bcpid4332016001?bctid=18763705001

[efin98]

IMO there is something very wrong about teams touting themselves as "Wild Card Champions" or claiming to have "won" a "Wild Card Pennant".

When your team has been a cellar dweller for most of the last 15 years and hadn't been in the playoffs in 26 years you would want to celebrate a bright spot like that too...


Anyway back on topic: Fenway Park's new seats are noticeably more spacious to the point where the white concrete below them shines through...

Fenway also got new railings around the ramps to go along with the new seats(see background)
http://www.boston.com/sports/baseball/redsox/gallery/04_07_09_opening_day_scene?pg=10

Finally a shot of the new or fixed blue seats: http://www.boston.com/sports/baseball/redsox/gallery/04_07_09_opening_day_scene?pg=6

[GuitarPunk2512]

Here's a shot of the new GABP scoreboard from today's game. Looks really clear of any ads on the actual scoreboard.

http://photos-g.ak.fbcdn.net/photos-ak-snc1/v2737/88/64/1414800082/n1414800082_30337278_6268379.jpg

scoreboard looks awsome, i think every stadium should upgrade to something like that.

[Shbmets]

scoreboard looks awsome, i think every stadium should upgrade to something like that.

I have a feeling we'll be seeing Citi Field's scoreboard on this thread in a couple of years. Hopefully they finally realize that they didn't need those ad spaces on either side of the video board and widen the screen.

[J.R.]

The fact that the Reds spent $10 million on scoreboards speaks volumes as to how far the organization has come since the Schott days.

Consider that the original plan for what would become GABP called for Cinergy Field's antiquated boards to be brought over. That was a cheap, cheap outfit in those days.

[Aviator_Frank]

That was a cheap, cheap outfit in those days.

Awww, leave Margie alone. By the time she paid the bill for cigarettes and dog food, there wasn't much left for baseball operations. :D

[Paul W]

The fact that the Reds spent $10 million on scoreboards speaks volumes as to how far the organization has come since the Schott days.


reds spent that money because they expect to make that back and more in obtrusive advertising (video and display), follow the $$$'s

[efin98]

reds spent that money because they expect to make that back and more in obtrusive advertising (video and display), follow the $$$'s

And when that is paid off the extra money goes to the team...heaven forbid they do something like that with "obtrusive advertising" revenue :rolleyes:

[NYBase]

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3619/3357616277_cb46f9de09_b.jpglooks like they added some led ribbon boards and painted the facades red as well. looks pretty good imo

People seem to hate this place, it is a little blah but this is probably a stadium that looks better in person than pictures. A non photogenic stadium?

[WestSideBomber]

People seem to hate this place, it is a little blah but this is probably a stadium that looks better in person than pictures. A non photogenic stadium?

That's why most of the people who have ever been there say it exceeded their expectations. Most people who have never been there, though, say it looks bland, and knock it for the gap.

[marlins739]

The gap is barely noticeable when you're there. I liked GABP when I was there last year. It feels a lot more intimate than it looks in pictures, and the river actually feels as close as it is. Plus, unlike some of the other new stadiums, the dominating color is actually one that has to do with the team that plays there.

[bluegrassjk]

A replica of the tribute patch the team will be wearing has been added to the outfield wall in center field

http://fromthedugout.freedomblogging.com/2009/04/10/angels-prepare-adenhart-tribute/21175/

http://fromthedugout.freedomblogging.com/files/2009/04/adenhart-wall1-300x297.jpg

[bravesgeek10]

GREAT AMERICAN BALL PARK
New Scoreboard...
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3563/3423028152_0f2f06afe9.jpg?v=0
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3353/3422228743_afdf53abf0.jpg?v=0

And the view of it from our seats...
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3571/3422240333_16b2090f0c.jpg?v=0

These screens might also be new
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3545/3423029488_9e16d5f864.jpg?v=0

TIGER STADIUM
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3603/3433087227_e11a9690f9.jpg?v=0
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3401/3433897082_3b9a170f59.jpg?v=0
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3346/3433897270_50f9e21c11.jpg?v=0
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3404/3433897510_0b4ba63fdd.jpg?v=0
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3567/3433089241_f53ffe521e.jpg?v=0
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3540/3433899172_f9f54106ef.jpg?v=0

[bravesgeek10]

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3608/3433900596_0e87b167d5.jpg?v=0
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3337/3433901688_85eaf1232f.jpg?v=0
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3311/3433903458_8dfaa5c2cd.jpg?v=0
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3596/3433095185_de3b6bf237.jpg?v=0
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3356/3433904396_125d1f2eae.jpg?v=0
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3630/3433904706_7b20d412c1.jpg?v=0
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3660/3433096527_ebb4e49b1e.jpg?v=0
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3660/3433097647_afcde1e508.jpg?v=0
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3568/3433100631_7d15702466.jpg?v=0

COMERICA PARK
George Kell
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3579/3435973848_06fdfb0e61.jpg?v=0

[J.R.]

reds spent that money because they expect to make that back and more in obtrusive advertising (video and display), follow the $$$'s

Point is they wouldn't even spend money to make money back then.

[efin98]

Went to Fenway today for the annual Baseball Beanpot tournament and got shots of the changes for this year.

First up, the new seats and renovation to the grandstand only go from sections 14-27(1/3rd of the grandstand) and includes ALL seats: both blue seats and red seats. Red seats are plastic, blue seats are wood. They resurfaced the concrete and reworked seating levels to allow for the new concrete and redone stairs. Some old seats needed to be placed wooden planks to level them off with the renovated seats for this season, that means that the 2009/10 offseason will see more renovations to the seating and more changes added elsewhere to compensate.

You can see the difference between old(to the left) and new(to the right) seats...the old seats are faded, cracked, chipped painted with some sort of white stuff covering the backs.

[efin98]

Fenway Park made up for the loss of seats in the grandstand behind home plate by removing the "Conigliaro's Corner" seats and expanding the right field roof boxes into full sections.

[efin98]

Finished seats and aisle showing redone concrete steps and a shot of the uneven seating necessitating the use of wooden blocks where the renovated sections meet the non-renovated sections