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BALLPARK |
COMERICA PARK
Comerica Park opened in 2000 to replace venerable Tiger Stadium, which was no longer the great ballyard it once was. Located in downtown Detroit, the park is part of an effort to revitalize the core of the city, but there is still a lot of work to be done to improve the overall area. But the park itself is a jewel and should be viewed separately from its surroundings.
Comerica has one of the best parking facilities that no one knows about - a $5 public garage right beside the stadium. This garage is not affiliated with the Tigers and that is why they charge reasonable rates. The garage is located just south of the park, and can be accessed by following the 'P' signs along Madison Street. Free parking is also available on the street for night and Sunday games, but this is more difficult to find. Avoid the lots that are charging $10 or more, they are not worth it.
As you walk toward the stadium, you will notice the tiger motif in pretty much every element of the park. The most impressive are the stone sculptures of Tigers that flank every gate. But look up to see more tiger heads clutching baseballs in their jaws. The main gate is certainly one of the most impressive in all of baseball, with a number of large tiger sculptures adorned with bats and balls.
Too bad the team is not as
fierce as their namesakes
Tickets here are plentiful as the team rarely sells out. We recommend the $8 Pepsi Pavilion seats, which come with a hot dog or slice of pizza as well as a small soda. The seats are in the right field bleachers, which are a bit far away, but you can move around the stadium freely, pretty much sitting where you please - the ushers are very lenient and there are usually lots of empty seats. If you want the good seats, we suggest avoiding the $35 club seats as they are above the $30 infield box seats and the in-seat service isn't really worth it. Upper deck seats are $20 behind the plate and $12 down the lines. With only two levels of suites, these seats are not that far from the field, and they offer a nice view of what constitutes the Detroit skyline.
We also suggest that you arrive early here and take your time to walk around the ballpark. Generally speaking, I am not fond of parks with a lot of distractions, but Comerica manages to mix the traditional with the newfangled fairly well. The first place to note is the Big Cat Court just inside the main gate. Here you will find some picnic tables surrounded by a number of unique concessions, including gyros and gourmet pretzels. As well, $2 will get you on the carousel, which has appropriately replaced the normal horses with, you guessed it, tigers.
As you walk around the wide concourse, you will notice that there are standing room areas and that you can see the field from anywhere. As well, there are TV's next to the concession stands so you won't miss any of the action.
At various points along the concourse, there are pillars that are dedicated to Tiger history, on a decade-by-decade basis. Known as the Tigers Walk of Fame, these pillars go from 1910 all the way to 1990, and allow you to view memorabilia and learn about the Tigers' famous players. I really enjoyed the level of detail presented at these displays, it is almost like a Tiger Hall of Fame, but for free. Look up as well to see banners of the greatest Tigers and the decade in which they played. But to top it off, the Tigers have honoured their greatest players with statues in center field, just beyond the General Motors Fountain. Al Kaline, Hank Greenberg, Willie Horton, and the greatest Tiger of them all, Ty Cobb, are among the players immortalized. These are great statues that depict the players in action - and you should note that Cobb has no retired number above his name - that is because he played before numbers were issued to the players.
The statues below the
scoreboard
Comerica has a large scoreboard above left field. The matrix board has the line score and player stats while two TV boards flank it. On top of the scoreboard are two more large, colourful tigers. The out-of-town scoreboard is set into the fence in right-center field and switches between the two leagues. Just to the right of it are both bullpens. A pitch count scoreboard is also located just above the bullpens.
Along with the Big Cat Court, a number of other concessions and restaurants are available. The Beer Hall is next to the exclusive Tiger's Den and is open to the public, offering sandwiches and other light fare at reasonable prices. There is also the Brushfire Grill just in front of the Beer Hall, signified by the two large hedge sculptures, shaped like batters. This is also where the ferris wheel (with baseballs as cars) is located, however, after it broke down in mid-2001, stranding riders for a couple of hours, we don't recommend that you ride it - have a look and get back to your seat for the game.
The ferris wheel and the
hedge batters
Normal concessions feature Little Caesar's Pizza, a Detroit staple as well as pretty good hot dogs. You can also bring food in to the game in soft-sided coolers, although this policy may change due to increased security.
Overall, Comerica Park is a great place for a family to enjoy the game, as well as for a baseball geek who can enjoy the Walk of Fame. The distractions like the carousel are far enough away to not annoy one, while the food options are also good. With friendly staff who let you move around freely, this place is really fan-friendly. Definitely a must-see for a ballpark fan; it is too bad the same can't be said for the rest of the city.
