Obstructed views in Comerica Park?

**daniel_duggan** · September-13-11, 03:48 PM

OK, the obstructed views in Tiger Stadium were legendary. But as far as I knew, there weren't any obstructed views in Comerica Park, right? No. I bought some playoff tickets [[fingers still crossed) and wound up with seats in Section 144, row K, which are listed as "Obstructed View."
I bought the tickets anyway, but I'm wondering if anyone has ever a) heard of these obstructed views or b) sat in this section.

Go Tigers, and thanks for the help.

**rjk** · September-13-11, 04:00 PM

I just looked at your section. They might be referring to the foul pole.

If it's a day game you might be also looking into the sun for a few innings.
I sat down the 3rd baseline once for my first day game and stayed away from that side ever since.

**stinkytofu** · September-13-11, 04:03 PM

Originally Posted by daniel_duggan

OK, the obstructed views in Tiger Stadium were legendary. But as far as I knew, there weren't any obstructed views in Comerica Park, right? No. I bought some playoff tickets [[fingers still crossed) and wound up with seats in Section 144, row K, which are listed as "Obstructed View."
I bought the tickets anyway, but I'm wondering if anyone has ever a) heard of these obstructed views or b) sat in this section.

Go Tigers, and thanks for the help.

That's going to be due to the left field foul pole. It really depends on your exact seat as to what your view will be like.

I bought walk up seats a few months back at a Tigers game and had obstructed view behind right field foul pole. I was kind of upset since the ticket office didn't even tell me when I bought them that they were obstructed...just took my money and handed me tickets and didn't notice the "obstructed view" on tickets until I got to the gate. Then again this is an Ilitch $$$$$$$$$$$$$ company...

**Detroitnerd** · September-13-11, 04:12 PM

Foul pole sounds nasty.... hahahaha....

**buckster1986** · September-13-11, 04:19 PM

I had "Obstructed View" seats back in 2006 for a game against the Yankees and then against the Cardinals...

Yankees was behind LF Foul Pole but they were great seats...

Cardinals was RF Foul Pole...pretty bad...

**softailrider** · September-13-11, 05:41 PM

Originally Posted by rjk

I just looked at your section. They might be referring to the foul pole.

If it's a day game you might be also looking into the sun for a few innings.
I sat down the 3rd baseline once for my first day game and stayed away from that side ever since.

If it's real hot, I won't go to a day game at Comerica. You can roast even at a 7:05 start some nights

Only obstructed view I'm aware of are the two foul poles

Of course, I hate Comerica Park anyway.

**Downriviera** · September-13-11, 08:50 PM

The seats are too far from the field and the action, so I would say the majority of the seats are obstructed view.

**Enduro** · September-13-11, 09:27 PM

That'll be the foul pole for sure, it's a necessary evil, it shouldn't be too bad. The other obstructions are in Kaline's Corner [[given a cutesy name because the pole is there) and the uppers with the glass partitions which are see through so they're no big deal. You may be able to sell them on StubHub or Craigslist and buy something in the upper deck for less than you sell your's for but your mileage may vary.

On a side note, I agree with the two posters above about the sun and the distance from the field at Comerica. They're both brutal. Comerica is kind of like an Applebee's, completely inoffensive, safe and adequate but it has no soul or character. I also wish they'd move the flagpole back into fair ground or adjust the nerfed fence in left. They could put that ferris wheel in a place so you could watch the game from it. That might actually make it kind of fun, replace the silly water fireworks with it.

...but I obviously don't spend any time thinking about this stuff.

Ravine · September-13-11, 09:32 PM

Yeah, that's right, miss good Tiger baseball games because it's hot and the team is owned by Demon Ilitch and because loving Tiger Stadium means hating Comerica Park.

**Enduro** · September-13-11, 09:52 PM

Ravine, have you sat in a box seat during a day game? It's a serious compliant that I hear all the time. There's no protection from the sun and the field is arranged in such a way that it beats down on you. There's really only one micro group of seats that's not in a suite that protect you from the sun: the awesome but expensive terrace seats.

Tiger stadium was definitely flawed and desperate for make over or replacement. Comerica is adequate but it's inferior to some of it's contemporaries [[Camden, Jacob's, PNC, San Fran). As is, I would rather we have stayed in Tiger Stadium a little longer while they came up with a Tiger Stadium 2 style design like they did for Yankee Stadium.

Steve bennet · September-13-11, 11:26 PM

I'm actually surprised so many people who claim to like Comerica Park accept such mediocrity. It's nothing more than a McBallpark. The only likeable aspect of the place is the downtown view.

I'll take an obstructed view seat at Tiger Stadium over any seat at Comerica Park. I don't understand why they made the seats at Comerica THAT far away from the field, or why you are forced to roast in the sun.

**wolverine** · September-13-11, 11:41 PM

In my lifetime, I have had an obstructed view at Wrigley Field [[I hate the cubs) sitting directly behind a column. Not really a story you can tell anymore.

**Enduro** · September-13-11, 11:46 PM

Around the time that they were designing the ballpark there was a lawsuit [[I don't remember if this was local) from a woman who got badly hurt by a broken bat that flew at her. The sun is because people were always complaining about the OV seats at Tiger Stadium [[which, let's be honest, were really bad). They made the upper deck further back so they don't need support columns to block the view, unfortunately that puts the upper deck back even further and puts you at the mercy of the summer sun.

I wish they could put an overhang with real [[and cheap) bleachers somewhere in the outfield [[centerfield would be really cool since it's so deep). I dearly miss the old bleachers.

**softailrider** · September-14-11, 12:48 AM

From what i understand, the first row of the upperdeck at Comerica Park is FURTHER from the field the the last row was at Tiger Stadium.

Anyone who thinks Comerica Park is a better place to watch a baseball game then Tiger stadium was, needs to get their head examined.

Ravine · September-14-11, 01:17 AM

Originally Posted by softailrider

From what i understand, the first row of the upperdeck at Comerica Park is FURTHER from the field the the last row was at Tiger Stadium.

Anyone who thinks Comerica Park is a better place to watch a baseball game then Tiger stadium was, needs to get their head examined.

Yeah, that's about right.
So who said such a thing?

**Zacha341** · September-14-11, 01:57 AM

Good point. Not into sports per se but have accompanied a few friends and families to C. Park for a few gams and I thought some of the seats where very, very far back compared to the old stadium which seemed to hug the play area more closely.

Originally Posted by Downriviera

The seats are too far from the field and the action, so I would say the majority of the seats are obstructed view.

**Zacha341** · September-14-11, 02:01 AM

Yeah, the downtown view is great, but you best bring high-power binoculars and sunglasses if you want watch baseball.

Originally Posted by Steve bennet

I'm actually surprised so many people who claim to like Comerica Park accept such mediocrity. It's nothing more than a McBallpark. The only likeable aspect of the place is the downtown view.

I'll take an obstructed view seat at Tiger Stadium over any seat at Comerica Park. I don't understand why they made the seats at Comerica THAT far away from the field, or why you are forced to roast in the sun.

**Roq** · September-14-11, 03:59 AM

I love Comerica Park. Every seat I've had there [[granted, I only get tickets in the lower half) has had excellent sight lines and has been quite comfortable -- I really love the terrace seating.

Ravine · September-14-11, 06:22 AM

I loved Tiger Stadium, but I love baseball and the Tigers even more. I'm not crazy about Comerica Park [[although I think it has some strong points and is not the abomination that some make it out to be,) but the truth is that if the Tigers played on wooden planks laid across the town dump, I'd still want to go to see them.

I have a friend who is 20 years younger than me. He was at Comerica for some of the great post-season games in 2006. Just as I have terrific memories from Tiger Stadium, he has those from Comerica Park. That's what a baseball lover should gain from trips to see his or her team, and mine are not better than his because they're older or because they're from Tiger Stadium.

It may somehow be chic to heap scorn on the Ilitch clan, and it is perfectly natural to be somewhat disgusted by the "corporate" influence on the parks in which our darling sports teams play, but if you're a fan of Tiger Baseball and you let any of that bullshit ruin, or even interfere with, your experience of Tiger Baseball, you're a damn fool and the nemesis of your own happiness.

We can love yesterday all we want, but it won't love us back.

Steve bennet · September-14-11, 07:26 AM

Originally Posted by Ravine

I have a friend who is 20 years younger than me. He was at Comerica for some of the great post-season games in 2006. Just as I have terrific memories from Tiger Stadium, he has those from Comerica Park. That's what a baseball lover should gain from trips to see his or her team, and mine are not better than his because they're older or because they're from Tiger Stadium.

It may somehow be chic to heap scorn on the Ilitch clan, and it is perfectly natural to be somewhat disgusted by the "corporate" influence on the parks in which our darling sports teams play, but if you're a fan of Tiger Baseball and you let any of that bullshit ruin, or even interfere with, your experience of Tiger Baseball, you're a damn fool and the nemesis of your own happiness.

I personally feel bad for the younger people now who were too young to really experience Tiger Stadium. Detroit had something unique with Tiger Stadium in having a classic-era ballpark, only matched by Fenway and Wrigley, so it only makes sense for them to abandon it.

As someone who likes baseball, Comerica park just isn't an enjoyable place to watch a game. It's tacky, overpriced, uncreative, no shade, no character, and the loud-speakers never shut up.

I'm not even against the idea of a new park had they designed it right. Instead of leveling a bunch of buildings into one large virtual parking lot, they could have actually incorporated the park into the downtown landscape. I guess they have to cater to the lazy fans who can't walk a few blocks to get to a game.

They also fuse absolutely NOTHING from the old ballpark into the new design, which I don't understand. Even their lame attempt at placing the original flag pole in play failed miserably.

Ravine · September-14-11, 08:18 AM

I'm with you on a lot of that, Steve, and it does seem like a bit of Tiger Stadium flavor could have been "fused into" Comerica. I'm not sure how, but still, yeah.
I will testify that one of the strongest impressions left on me, from a trip to Comerica about one month ago, is in total accord with your remark on the loudspeakers. But, that is in keeping with current style, and if Tiger Stadium was still open, the same thing would be going on there. Every available moment of in-betweenitude was immediately, and thoroughly, filled with sound; everything from legitimate announcements to pop "music" to Just Plain Noise. It was utterly obnoxious and I have to say that it was a sore point, for me. Every time I thought I might be able to have a brief interlude of conversation with my companion while nothing was going on on-field, not a single word left my mouth before they released the audial hounds. Totally fuckin' irritating. I realize that many of the younger crowd are uncomfortable with quietness and flatly abhor silence in a way similar to the nature-vacuum relationship, but goddam, enough awready.

bartock · September-14-11, 08:39 AM

Originally Posted by Ravine

I'm with you on a lot of that, Steve, and it does seem like a bit of Tiger Stadium flavor could have been "fused into" Comerica. I'm not sure how, but still, yeah.
I will testify that one of the strongest impressions left on me, from a trip to Comerica about one month ago, is in total accord with your remark on the loudspeakers. But, that is in keeping with current style, and if Tiger Stadium was still open, the same thing would be going on there. Every available moment of in-betweenitude was immediately, and thoroughly, filled with sound; everything from legitimate announcements to pop "music" to Just Plain Noise. It was utterly obnoxious and I have to say that it was a sore point, for me. Every time I thought I might be able to have a brief interlude of conversation with my companion while nothing was going on on-field, not a single word left my mouth before they released the audial hounds. Totally fuckin' irritating. I realize that many of the younger crowd are uncomfortable with quietness and flatly abhor silence in a way similar to the nature-vacuum relationship, but goddam, enough awready.

Perhaps this is what the low level hum sounds like? Maybe it's the source!

Steve Bennet - I don't think Comerica Park was designed for people who really like the game of baseball.

Steve bennet · September-14-11, 08:48 AM

Unfortunately you're right about it being the style. I assume most ballparks have a similar thing going on. I would like to question someone who actually enjoys the constant noise from the loud speakers. It's so bad at Comerica that you can barley even talk to the person sitting next to you at times.

I also find it comical that each player has their own "theme" music when they come up to the plate to bat. Is playing a 5 second clip of some shitty pop song really suppose to do anything? What is the point of this? Do they players get to pick their own "theme" music or is it picked for them?

The whole thing is just so dumb. Don't even get me going on that stupid tiger growl after every run scored. That's almost embarrassing.

**EL Jimbo** · September-14-11, 09:01 AM

I think some people are looking back on Tiger Stadium's design with some slightly rose-colored glasses. People are absolutely correct that the majority of the upper deck seats at TS were the BEST seats in baseball bar none. However, in order to get those seats, there were thousands of the WORST seats in baseball in the lower deck.

I sat in the upper deck for every game except one at Tiger Stadium. My last game was in Sept of 99 when seats were very hard to come by as everyone wanted one last trip to the ballpark before it closed. Our seats were in the lower deck WAY back. It was great to have one last trip there, but from a fan viewing perspective, it was very disappointing.

If the ball got more than ten feet in the air, I couldn't see it and I had to follow the movement of the players to track the play. It was dark, it was dank. I had a brand new ball cap ruined by a greasy liquid of some sort dripping down from the upper deck. Not exactly a positive fan experience.

The difference between CP and TS are this. TS was designed so either you had the best seats or the worst seats with little in between. CP, with its open design and sight lines offers very few of the best seats, very few worst seats, and a lot of good to OK seats.

I like both parks. I think there were many great things about Tiger Stadium and I think there are many great things about Comerica Park. And for the people saying you need binoculars at Comerica Park, I suggest you schedule a visit to your optometrist rather than the ball park. I've sat in the very last row of CP and, while not the best seats, I saw everything just fine.

**EL Jimbo** · September-14-11, 09:16 AM

Originally Posted by Steve bennet

Unfortunately you're right about it being the style. I assume most ballparks have a similar thing going on. I would like to question someone who actually enjoys the constant noise from the loud speakers. It's so bad at Comerica that you can barley even talk to the person sitting next to you at times.

I also find it comical that each player has their own "theme" music when they come up to the plate to bat. Is playing a 5 second clip of some shitty pop song really suppose to do anything? What is the point of this? Do they players get to pick their own "theme" music or is it picked for them?

The whole thing is just so dumb. Don't even get me going on that stupid tiger growl after every run scored. That's almost embarrassing.

Players do get to pick their own music if they wish. Some don't care.

As far as the discussion of "production" in today's stadium environment, a lot of it has to do with the survival of the game. Baseball is a fantastic sport built around the slow-building suspense leading up to intense bursts of action. For people who enjoy the game, the true appreciation of the game comes from the anticipation that develops waiting for the big moments to occur. Unfortunately for baseball, that type of fan is a dieing breed.

Over the past 50 years, more and more people prefer football over baseball. Some feel it is has to do with changing attention spans. In football, ever 30-40 seconds SOMETHING happens because of the play clock. In baseball, in can be up to a minute between pitches at times and even then, unless it is a strike out or a ball is put in play, there isn't an real action happening. This is tough for a customer base to tolerate when they are used the constant motion of sports like hockey and basketball, the clockwork repetition of football, or the countless variety of entertainment options at their fingertips that baseball has to compete with. In order to compete with that, baseball stadiums have had to fill those gaps in action with sights and sounds.

That is the real issue. From a business perspective, baseball is not only competing against other sports, but also movies, television, music, and the internet as a part of the overall entertainment industry. In order to survive, it has to cater itself to the overall market of customers rather than strictly to purists. The question you have to ask yourself is this. Would I rather have the same fan experience as it was in 1960 and risk baseball disappearing or do I accept the modern fan experience and continue to enjoy MLB baseball?