Some fans unimpressed with Dodger Stadium changes
 
LOS ANGELES (AP) - Fans attending the Dodgers' home opener Tuesday had mixed reactions to seating changes designed to bring them closer to the players.

Sure, they loved being able to see Barry Bonds up close during pre-game introductions (he's injured and didn't play), but some of them grumbled about the price they paid.

Some season ticket holders who used to be in the front rows now find themselves anywhere from the second to the 12th row, even if they paid for the 1,600 expensive new seats down the foul lines and behind home plate.

The seats have reduced the 43-year-old stadium's foul territory to 20,000-square-feet - two-thirds of the previous total. That means some balls that used to be outs now will become souvenirs.

Penny Altman of Encino, a season ticket holder for 28 years, was sunning herself in a fourth-row seat before the game, lamenting how she used to be in the front row - albeit farther down the first-base foul line than she was Tuesday.

"I'm definitely not happy there are people's heads in front of me," she said. "There was nothing for me to look at in January to see if I would like it, so I took the chance."

Her three seats cost her $70 each, or a total of $17,010 for 81 home dates. She plans to attend 35 games and sell her other tickets.

"I had to go digging for rich people, doctors and lawyers," she said, adding she probably can't afford to renew next year.

Altman and some others in the new seats lamented the lack of padding to rest their backsides on.

"As long as they're so expensive, at least they could have been comfortable," she said.

Mother-and-daughter duo Mary Boger and Liz Weaver of Glendale watched batting practice from second-row seats as Mary Boger polished off her first Dodger Dog of the season. They renewed their two season tickets for the 12th year after debating the $100 per seat cost ($16,200 total) and $1,000 season parking expense.

"We're five feet lower than field level," Weaver said. "This will be nice for a lot of first-base action and first and second double plays."

But her mother lamented what she sees as team owners Frank and Jamie McCourt's increased emphasis on generating revenue.

"I'm a little disappointed by this constant push for more money," Boger said. "The owners have lost sight that we don't buy these tickets for victories. If that was the case, we would've stopped a while back. We come because we love the game."

McCourt said Monday that the changes were focused on improving the stadium and the fans' experience.

"We're real happy with what we accomplished this offseason and we plan to make more improvements next year," he said. "We're not trying to make (Dodger Stadium) different, we're trying to make it more modern, bring it into the 21st century."

An 1,100-foot electronic message board, similar to one at Staples Center, was added to the edge of the loge level, allowing the team to increase advertising. Both dugouts were expanded and placed closer to the field, giving fans a better view inside.

Tradition has long been important to Dodger fans, some of whom complained about the new advertising on the outfield wall that replaced images of Dodger greats such as Don Drysdale and Sandy Koufax.

Gary Harter of Northridge and his 75-year-old mother Joan were sitting in seats to the left of the Dodgers' dugout that the family has owned since 1963. They gulped when prices shot from $35 to $70 each this season.

"For what we're getting, it's not worth it, but we'd never give them up," Gary said. "You're close to the action, but we're awfully low. There's a lot of (foot) traffic in front of us."

Rows were made longer to accommodate the new seats and in some places access has been compromised by fewer aisles.

Aren't these the fans that leave in the 4th and chat on their cell phones the whole time?

Tickets jumped from $35 to $75 ea.!! That's just about as bad as Michigan Wolverine season tickets! Holy shit!

Tickets jumped from $35 to $75 ea.!! That's just about as bad as Michigan Wolverine season tickets! Holy shit!

Thats a big jump in ticket prices!! :eek:

Still one of the most-beautiful stadiums in all of baseball. Everybody should go to a game there.

People just bitch to bitch. Those new seats (according to what I can see on the seating chart) are hugging the foul lines. Since when do people not like to be closer to the field? The angles are more like Yankee Stadium.

The angles are more like Yankee Stadium.

Speaking of Yankee Stadium it was voted the best place to see a game (any sport).

Speaking of Yankee Stadium it was voted the best place to see a game (any sport).

I was at Yankee Stadium last year as part of a baseball vacation my bro in law and I went on. The stadium overall was nice, especially the center field memorial park and retired numbers area. 2 things I didn't like were the cramped concourses (understandable since the stadium is 82 years old) and the insanely high prices on food and beverages. If I remember correctly, beer was $8!

Speaking of Yankee Stadium it was voted the best place to see a game (any sport).

Voted by who? New Yorkers? Yankee ass kissers?

I've been to Yankee Stadium and while it may have the mystique, it is not nicer than Dodger Stadium.

Speaking of Yankee Stadium it was voted the best place to see a game (any sport).

Who are you kidding? That place sucks. You need binoculars in the left field bleachers. Yankee Stadium is a horrible place. It's just enshrined because the Yankees play there. Put the Texas Rangers in that place and then it's considered a total hole. That's why the Yankees want another stadium.

Voted by who? New Yorkers? Yankee ass kissers?

I've been to Yankee Stadium and while it may have the mystique, it is not nicer than Dodger Stadium.

Definitely not.

Voted by who? New Yorkers? Yankee ass kissers?

There you go again.

I've been to Yankee Stadium and while it may have the mystique, it is not nicer than Dodger Stadium.

Did you stay past the 4th inning?

Who are you kidding? That place sucks. You need binoculars in the left field bleachers. Yankee Stadium is a horrible place. It's just enshrined because the Yankees play there. Put the Texas Rangers in that place and then it's considered a total hole. That's why the Yankees want another stadium.

Not trying to kid anyone my friend. Secondly, they didn't want a new stadium because of the architeture (sp?) it had to do with parking, luxury boxes, etc... Those talks are history for the time being. I mean how the fuck can you knock down a landmark such as Yankee Stadium?

How do you like the White Sox' (kinda) new place compared to the old one?

Not trying to kid anyone my friend. Secondly, they didn't want a new stadium because of the architeture (sp?) it had to do with parking, luxury boxes, etc... Those talks are history for the time being. I mean how the fuck can you knock down a landmark such as Yankee Stadium?

How do you like the White Sox' (kinda) new place compared to the old one?

It's being reported that the Yankees are about to announce plans for a new stadium. The Yanks will put up 800 million for the stadium and the city and state will pay 300 million for parking, landscaping, new commuter station. It will be built just north of the current stadium and the exterior will be a replica of the original stadium.

As much as I hate the Yanks, gotta give it up for an owner willing to spend 800 million of his money for a stadium and not force taxpayers to do it, like here in South Florida.

It's being reported that the Yankees are about to announce plans for a new stadium. The Yanks will put up 800 million for the stadium and the city and state will pay 300 million for parking, landscaping, new commuter station. It will be built just north of the current stadium and the exterior will be a replica of the original stadium.

As much as I hate the Yanks, gotta give it up for an owner willing to spend 800 million of his money for a stadium and not force taxpayers to do it, like here in South Florida.

Just saw this report on the news bro. It would be for the 2009 season. It's to be voted on soon.

The New York Yankees are close to reaching an agreement with city and state governments to build a new stadium, the Daily News reported Saturday.

Citing unnamed sources, the newspaper reported that lawyers from the city, state and team are completing a "memorandum of understanding" and that an announcement is expected around May 1.

While government and team officials did not comment directly about plans or the pending agreement, the newspaper said they did confirm that they are in the final stages.

"We're working very closely with the city and the state and trying to finalize our current plan," Yankees president Randy Levine told the Daily News. "We expect to announce it in the near future, and we hope to break ground in 2006 and be ready to play in 2009."

The new stadium will be built just north of the existing facility in the Bronx, and is designed to seat 50,800. That's smaller than the current capacity of 57,478, but the new ballpark will have more luxury suites.

The newspaper, citing officials familiar with the plans, reported that the new stadium will be comprised of two separate structures: an exterior wall, designed to replicate the original Yankee Stadium built in 1923, and the interior stadium itself.

The stadium construction will cost approximately $800 million and will be fully paid for by the team. The city and state will spend $300 million to build a new commuter rail station, improve parking, and create parkland along the nearby waterfront.

The new stadium will feature copper lattice work around its roof, much like the 1923 stadium. The new facility will also have expanded retail and concession areas.

Good tear down Yankee Stadium, it's a dump anyway.

Fanatic, go to Dodger Stadium on a beautiful So Cal day and then come back to me about how great Yankee Stadium is.

And Pabs is right, if the fucking Tampa Bay Devil Rays played in Yankee Stadium, it wouldn't be glorified the way it is. Dodger Stadium pisses on Yankee Stadium, and I'm not saying that as a homer, I'm saying that because I've been to both and it's the truth. I've also been to Shea, and that's a fucking hole too. And the biggest shit stadium I've ever been to was Veteran's Stadium in Philly. I felt bad for fans who had to cheer the Phillies in that pit on a daily basis.

Good tear down Yankee Stadium, it's a dump anyway.

Whatever.

Fanatic, go to Dodger Stadium on a beautiful So Cal day and then come back to me about how great Yankee Stadium is.

Only if you'll come with me so we can have a few beers.

And Pabs is right, if the fucking Tampa Bay Devil Rays played in Yankee Stadium, it wouldn't be glorified the way it is. Dodger Stadium pisses on Yankee Stadium, and I'm not saying that as a homer, I'm saying that because I've been to both and it's the truth. I've also been to Shea, and that's a fucking hole too. And the biggest shit stadium I've ever been to was Veteran's Stadium in Philly. I felt bad for fans who had to cheer the Phillies in that pit on a daily basis.

I agree Shea Stadium is a shithole.

It's being reported that the Yankees are about to announce plans for a new stadium. The Yanks will put up 800 million for the stadium and the city and state will pay 300 million for parking, landscaping, new commuter station. It will be built just north of the current stadium and the exterior will be a replica of the original stadium.

As much as I hate the Yanks, gotta give it up for an owner willing to spend 800 million of his money for a stadium and not force taxpayers to do it, like here in South Florida.

George isn't stupid. He knows there is no way in hell taxpayers are going to pay for a new stadium for the Yankees when everyone in the world knows he can afford to build it himself.

Also it's true some fans in L.A. leave sporting events early but the majority stay. If you understood the traffic situation in L.A. you'd know why some leave early. Also as wide spread as So-Cal is some people travel pretty far to go to a game.

Also why some show up late. It's not easy to get to Dodger Stadium in the middle of fucking rush hour on a weekday in Los Angeles and its surrounding counties. Some people drive from upwards of 100 miles to come to Dodger games. Hell for me, coming from my house it's a 50-mile drive and I live just outside LA county.

There's nobody going who's been to both Yankee and Dodger Stadiums and is running around saying Yankee Stadium is the greatest place on earth to watch a sporting event. Only a homer or a New Yorker would say that. The one thing we can always say positively about about the Dodgers in any year is that they have Dodger Stadium. Ask the players where their favorite place to play is, and I'll bet more than half say Dodger Stadium.

The fact that the Lakers were miserable this season and still sold out 80% of their home games, tells you something about loyalty here. Also, the Dodgers drew 160,000 this weekend for a three-game set against the Padres. So say what you want about LA fans and not caring about our teams, it's a bunch of bullshit.

Add to that that USC football drew an average of 82,000 at the shitty ass Memorial Coliseum last year.

Good tear down Yankee Stadium, it's a dump anyway.

Fanatic, go to Dodger Stadium on a beautiful So Cal day and then come back to me about how great Yankee Stadium is.

And Pabs is right, if the fucking Tampa Bay Devil Rays played in Yankee Stadium, it wouldn't be glorified the way it is. Dodger Stadium pisses on Yankee Stadium, and I'm not saying that as a homer, I'm saying that because I've been to both and it's the truth. I've also been to Shea, and that's a fucking hole too. And the biggest shit stadium I've ever been to was Veteran's Stadium in Philly. I felt bad for fans who had to cheer the Phillies in that pit on a daily basis.


LONG LIVE THE VET!!! The place where athlete's knee's come to die! All bow in it's presence!
http://mirrorimageorigin.collegepublisher.com/media/paper676/stills/n09f96r7.jpg
God what a shitty stadium, but so many damn good memories there.

Sucka, the Vet had the worst fucking food I've ever had at a ballpark. It's a good thing I didn't have to live on it, I'd be even skinnier than I am now. :)

Ewww, you ate that shit! LOL The philly pretzels were the best thing about the Vet. Too much damn salt though, but IMO the rest of the food wasn't that great. That place was crawling with rats and stray cats, so I wouldn't be suprised if that's what you had to eat when you were there. :)

Well my mom did throw up behind Independence Hall. :)

LOL Throwing up in Center City is pretty much just a natural reaction. I doubt it was anything she ate. :D

LMFAO! You should come to downtown LA, give you the same feelings. Although I will admit they are working really hard to try to clean it up nice, especially around Staples Center where the Lakers/Clippers/Kings play.

Not trying to kid anyone my friend. Secondly, they didn't want a new stadium because of the architeture (sp?) it had to do with parking, luxury boxes, etc... Those talks are history for the time being. I mean how the fuck can you knock down a landmark such as Yankee Stadium?

It's a landmark, but it's still a dump.


How do you like the White Sox' (kinda) new place compared to the old one?

I like it.

http://whitesox.mlb.com/cws/images/ballpark/expressway_750x500.jpg

Have any of you guys been to Ameriquest Field aka The Ballpark in Arlington??

It really is a beautiful stadium and a great place to catch a game..


http://a1259.g.akamai.net/f/1259/5586/1d/images.art.com/images/PRODUCTS/large/10041000/10041964.jpg

I was so glad when they tore town the old minor league Arlington Stadium...that place was horrible..