Obstructed views in Comerica Park?

[Bong-Man]

I refuse to attend a day game at Comerica. I crack up when I watch a day game on tv and they show those poor fans in left field. People are wearing hats and sunglasses and still have to use their hands to block the sun....how miserable !

Same with Ford Field. You are at least 20 -30 yards farther away from the field than the Silverdome, but it's the screen that clinches the absurdity of it all. You actually get a better view of the game on the big screen than you do anywhere in the upper deck. That's a ticket to stay home and tease my friends about the orange gloved ref. I always tell them that when they are at the game and they're waiting for the orange glove, you're waiting for me to get out of my lazy-boy to pee and get a beer. It's much appreciated !

[Ravine]

Actually, that sun-in-the-eyes thing is the only real problem I've ever had at Comerica, but what the hell. It beats getting rained on.
And, for me, the only time it interfered was on a night when Zack Miner was pitching against the Twins, who had Francisco Liriano going for them, so maybe El Sol was doing me an El Solid.
My favorite Tiger Stadium memory is from the final night there, when they trotted out a whole bunch of Tigers from the past; specifically, the moment when they introduced Mark Fidrych. You couldn't even hear his last name, because all it took was the sound of his first name & the sight of him to trigger a thunderous wall of noise that would have easily drowned out Metallica with their amps on +11.

[drjeff]

I refuse to attend a day game at Comerica. I crack up when I watch a day game on tv and they show those poor fans in left field. People are wearing hats and sunglasses and still have to use their hands to block the sun....how miserable !

Same with Ford Field. You are at least 20 -30 yards farther away from the field than the Silverdome, but it's the screen that clinches the absurdity of it all. You actually get a better view of the game on the big screen than you do anywhere in the upper deck. That's a ticket to stay home and tease my friends about the orange gloved ref. I always tell them that when they are at the game and they're waiting for the orange glove, you're waiting for me to get out of my lazy-boy to pee and get a beer. It's much appreciated !

I think you need to put down the bong, dude. Ford Field's upper deck is much, much closer to the field that the Silverdome's was. The Silverdome was a total shithole. I went to one game there in 1995 and swore I would never go back. There was absolutely nothing redeeming about it. Ford Field is amazing and I go to 3-4 games a year there. I've never had a bad seat.

[Steve bennet]

Every single baseball field in the majors today follows the same formula. If TS were still being used, they would have made the same changes, eventually. I guess that you are just bitter and unwilling to embrace change. That's your right. But wait until the first World Series win at Comerica.
Instant.Hallowed.Ground...

Do you know how to read? If you do, then you would have seen where I wrote that I wasn't against a new ballpark as long as they designed it right. Do I need to copy and past in bold for you or something?

In all honesty, Comerica Park is a failure. I'm convinced people are in denial and only say they "like the ballpark" because they have accepted the mediocrity and realized that this is what they are stuck with.

Now lets all go ride that Ferris wheel, because everyone knows carnival rides belong and baseball stadiums.

[EL Jimbo]

Do you know how to read? If you do, then you would have seen where I wrote that I wasn't against a new ballpark as long as they designed it right. Do I need to copy and past in bold for you or something?

In all honesty, Comerica Park is a failure. I'm convinced people are in denial and only say they "like the ballpark" because they have accepted the mediocrity and realized that this is what they are stuck with.

Now lets all go ride that Ferris wheel, because everyone knows carnival rides belong and baseball stadiums.

https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-R...w/grandpa.jpeg

[drjeff]

Do you know how to read? If you do, then you would have seen where I wrote that I wasn't against a new ballpark as long as they designed it right. Do I need to copy and past in bold for you or something?

In all honesty, Comerica Park is a failure. I'm convinced people are in denial and only say they "like the ballpark" because they have accepted the mediocrity and realized that this is what they are stuck with.

Now lets all go ride that Ferris wheel, because everyone knows carnival rides belong and baseball stadiums.

So what stadiums built in the last 20 years are better and why?

[Steve bennet]

https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-R...w/grandpa.jpeg

LoL, Grandpa Simpson was funny.

[Steve bennet]

So what stadiums built in the last 20 years are better and why?

That stadium in Texas is pretty cool. The even incorporated Tiger Stadiums right field overhang in their design.

[Vox]

Do you know how to read? If you do, then you would have seen where I wrote that I wasn't against a new ballpark as long as they designed it right. Do I need to copy and past in bold for you or something?

In all honesty, Comerica Park is a failure. I'm convinced people are in denial and only say they "like the ballpark" because they have accepted the mediocrity and realized that this is what they are stuck with.

Now lets all go ride that Ferris wheel, because everyone knows carnival rides belong and baseball stadiums.

I can read fine, thanks. And I'd also echo the sentiment elsewhere for you to name a better ballpark built in the last 20 years. Can you? Or is it too much to ask? I probably should not hold my breath. I can see original thinking is a lost art with you anyway. Bitter and hateful is no way to go through life, Steve.

And is Comerica Park a failure? 2 to 3 million people a year seem to think otherwise. Get a grip, please.

[Vox]

That stadium in Texas is pretty cool. The even incorporated Tiger Stadiums right field overhang in their design.

So what makes it better?

[Steve bennet]

That new one is Minnesota is pretty nice too.

[Steve bennet]

So what makes it better?

It's more interesting. I like retro.

Nothing interesting about Comerica.

[EL Jimbo]

It's more interesting. I like retro.

Nothing interesting about Comerica.

That park is an abomination. It is a hodge podge of cheap homages to other parks. It's "character" comes from the fact that it lacks any original design elements.

[Steve bennet]

It's "character" comes from the fact that it lacks any original design elements.

That's more that can be said about Comerica, which lacks ANY kind of character.

[Steve bennet]

Ohh, googling PNC Park is Pittsburgh, while somewhat similar in design, that's a good example of what Comerica could be if it didn't suck. That place is pretty.

[7 & Van Dyke]

I've been to two games at Comerica and that place is terrible. It's like Disney Land for baseball with the tigers out front. It's just a cookie cutter park like most of the new parks built over the past 15 years. No character.

I miss Tiger stadium and the bleachers. Why couldn't Comerica have bleachers?

Citizens Bank in Philly is a nice park. Much beter than the Vet ever was. The park is nothing spectacular to write home about but teh beer is great and the food is top notch.

And to the people who mentioned the loudspeakers. I'm right with you. Even at the Red Wings games, they play the most horrendous music and it is really loud. Why do people have to be entertained every minute at a ball game? Just drink your over priced beer and enjoy some baseball.

[EL Jimbo]

It's more interesting. I like retro.

Nothing interesting about Comerica.

Comerica Park has one feature that I think is one of the most interesting in baseball. The notch in right center. It's is right smack in the middle of the power alley. Depending on the flight path, the way the ball bounces off the wall, and whether the center fielder plays that bounce properly, a well hit fly ball hit to that part of the park has the chance to either be an outstanding running catch by a fleet-footed center fielder, a double, a triple, a home run, or even an inside-the-parker if not fielded well. To me that is a fascinating design element because it affects the game.

Also, I find it interesting that you spend several posts knocking new stadiums like CoPa for pushing the fans so far away from the play yet you tout two newer stadiums that not only push back their fans, but then sets them 30 feet up a wall in the outfield. A fan sitting in the bleachers in right center at CoPa is MUCH closer to the action than the fan sitting in right center at Target Field.

Personally, I think your only "real" argument about CoPa that you seem to be making is that it is not Tiger Stadium.

[EL Jimbo]

Ohh, googling PNC Park is Pittsburgh, while somewhat similar in design, that's a good example of what Comerica could be if it didn't suck. That place is pretty.

Have you actually been to PNC? Don't get me wrong, it's a great park, but from a design standpoint, it's similar in many ways to CoPa. The only real differences is that PNC Park is right on the Alleghany River and they have that beautiful Federal Street Bridge outside the park behind left center. Of course those are not design elements of the stadium. That simply has to do with location.

Using that logic, you would likely also think CoPa is a "pretty place" if they simply picked it up and dropped on the SW side where Riverside Park is. That way the Ambassador Bridge would be in the background behind left center.

Once again, I think your argument is weak sauce.

[EL Jimbo]

I've been to two games at Comerica and that place is terrible. It's like Disney Land for baseball with the tigers out front. It's just a cookie cutter park like most of the new parks built over the past 15 years. No character.

I miss Tiger stadium and the bleachers. Why couldn't Comerica have bleachers?

Citizens Bank in Philly is a nice park. Much beter than the Vet ever was. The park is nothing spectacular to write home about but teh beer is great and the food is top notch.

And to the people who mentioned the loudspeakers. I'm right with you. Even at the Red Wings games, they play the most horrendous music and it is really loud. Why do people have to be entertained every minute at a ball game? Just drink your over priced beer and enjoy some baseball.

Citizens Park is nice. At least from what I've seen on TV. However, It's on a bigger lot than CoPa so there were probably a few more things they could do. Personally, since location is now a factor, I like having CoPa right downtown where CP is outside of downtown Philly.

[Steve bennet]

Also, I find it interesting that you spend several posts knocking new stadiums like CoPa for pushing the fans so far away from the play yet you tout two newer stadiums that not only push back their fans, but then sets them 30 feet up a wall in the outfield. A fan sitting in the bleachers in right center at CoPa is MUCH closer to the action than the fan sitting in right center at Target Field.

Personally, I think your only "real" argument about CoPa that you seem to be making is that it is not Tiger Stadium.

Hey, I was told to name a couple newer ballparks that I think are better than Comerica, which is what I did.

That being said, just because I think those parks are better, it doesn't necessarily make them good. It's kind of like being the prettiest Waffle House waitress. They still have a lot of work to do.

I still don't get why these places have to place fans so far away from the action. With all the modern technology and advances in architecture, they can't come up with something better?

[bartock]

Hey, I was told to name a couple newer ballparks that I think are better than Comerica, which is what I did.

That being said, just because I think those parks are better, it doesn't necessarily make them good. It's kind of like being the prettiest Waffle House waitress. They still have a lot of work to do.

I still don't get why these places have to place fans so far away from the action. With all the modern technology and advances in architecture, they can't come up with something better?

My understanding is that Target Field puts fans close to the action and was built up, not out.

[Steve bennet]

My understanding is that Target Field puts fans close to the action and was built up, not out.

That's why I like it. Though still too far from the action, those slopes look nice and steep, which is nice.

Reading something about Target field, they had to design and build a 10 acre ballpark on 7 acres of land, or something along those lines.

[softailrider]

I think you need to put down the bong, dude. Ford Field's upper deck is much, much closer to the field that the Silverdome's was. The Silverdome was a total shithole. I went to one game there in 1995 and swore I would never go back. There was absolutely nothing redeeming about it. Ford Field is amazing and I go to 3-4 games a year there. I've never had a bad seat.

I would tend to agree that the Silverdome was terrible. However, if you wanted a cheap ticket to the Lions or Pistons you were almost always in business at that place.
So, there's your redeeming feature.

[jackie5275]

Have you actually been to PNC? Don't get me wrong, it's a great park, but from a design standpoint, it's similar in many ways to CoPa.

That's because they had the same architecture firm working on both parks about the same time. Comerica opened in 2000, PNC in 2001.

[Downriviera]

I think the argument that those who don't like Copa can't handle change is weak. Changes are great. I love new modern buildings, cars, etc. But I also like old retro stuff like buildings and cars. I think something steeped in tradition, like baseball and the Tigers, should stick with tradition. No baseball fan is going to tell you that seeing a game at Copa is better than seeing a game at Fenway or Wrigley. We had that and we let it get away. And lets get rid of the old announcer Harwell and get a new guy in for the sake of change. Yeah that worked real well.