DURHAM BULLS ATHLETIC PARK

Durham Bulls Athletic Park (DBAP) is a new minor league stadium that has managed to capture the look of some of the newer major-league parks without a lot of the unnecessary distractions. A friendly staff and unique history make this one of the best experiences in the minors.

There is plenty of street parking around the stadium and it is free, although some areas are restricted. A trolley is also available, but we didn't find out where it comes from. 

Once you enter the stadium through the main gate, you will notice that the concourse is very wide, and there are only a few tunnels to the seating area. The seating area is separated by a small walkway, with the Field seats below the walkway and the Terrace seats above.  Tickets are reasonable - the best seats (Field Box) are sold out to season ticket holders, although anyone can sit down there once the game has begun. The Field Reserved seats are $6.50 down the lines, while the Terrace Reserved are $6. The Terrace View seats down the lines are $5.50, while the outfield bleachers, called Diamond View, are $4.50, as is lawn seating in centerfield. We suggest the Terrace Reserved seats.

Of course, the Durham Bulls are most famous as the team featured in the movie "Bull Durham". That film was shot in old Durham Stadium which has been replaced by DBAP. However, the famous bull from the movie has been retained, and it now resides on the concourse wall along first base. Behind the left field fence sits a new bull, symbolic of the newer, bigger stadium.

Old Bull

New Bull

Some of the features include International League standings and leaders posted around the main entrance, including a line for the Tampa Bay (Durham's parent club) leader as well. There are small banners highlighting famous Durham players, beneath each banner is a plaque detailing that player's accomplishments.

The main entrance

As you walk outside, you will notice private picnic areas down both lines, but you cannot walk the whole way around the stadium. It is easy to get autographs down by the bullpens. If you look above the fence, you will notice pennants, one for each team in the IL. They are ordered by standings within each division, which shows that the Bulls actually care how their team does. There are two scoreboards: the main matrix board above the lawn seating in center field; and the manual line scoreboard which is built right into the fence in left field.

The food here was expensive for the minor leagues, but we lucked out - it was $1 brat night, so we had a couple of delicious bratwursts. As well, there is a small stand that makes special milkshakes - unique and very tasty, although a bit costly at $5. 

Overall, this is a great minor-league stadium. It fits in well with older buildings in the area, the Fox 50 station beyond right field resembles Camden Yards, and the food is super. The staff here was friendly and of course, there is the movie link. We had our best minor-league experience in Durham and we suggest that all fans of baseball make a trip here sometime in the future.