AUTOZONE PARK

Autozone Park is considered one of the top minor-league ballparks in the nation, and for good reason. A great downtown location, a nice view from any seat, an open concourse, and plenty of things to do make this more than just a ballpark. The Redbirds are a not-for-profit organization, but seem to have spared no expense in building this stadium.

The main entrance is located at the corner of Union Avenue and 3rd Street. There is plenty of street parking around, meters are enforced Monday-Friday until 6 pm, but if you get there around 5:30, you should be able to get a spot within a block or two and pay just 25 cents. There are also lots of garages nearby for $5. There is no parking within the ballpark complex.

The seating area

Once you reach the main gate, you will notice the ticket windows. Tickets here are a bit expensive - club seats are $15.50 and give you seats on the second deck. The lower dugout seats are $12.50 which is the first 10 or so rows between the bases. The upper rows are called Dugout Seats and go for $9.50, while seats down the line are called Field Box and go for $8.  Corner and outfield seats are $6.50, and the berm seating beyond left field, known as the Bluff, is $5 for general admission. This park is often nearly full, which makes moving around somewhat difficult, if you want the best value, go for the Field Box seats in section 113 or 114. If you want to know how popular the games are, Memphis was the first minor league park where I saw scalpers 2 hours before the game. As an aside, you might want to avoid the outfield seats early in the game, as the sun shines directly into them, which would make watching the game difficult.

The main gates are made all the more impressive with a large batter whose stance outlines one of the entryways. Just inside the gates lies the Main Entry Plaza, a wide open space with a pitcher, batter, and catcher statue. This is also where the team shop is located. Fans can meet here and just hang out before the game.

Once you enter the park proper, you will see the fan relations booth. Make sure to pick up a copy of the stats sheet, which is free and gives you plenty of info, including the box score from the previous game. 

Take a walk around the open concourse and enjoy the views of Memphis over the 3rd base roof or center field. Nothing spectacular, but really nice. Some lucky folks have apartments in center field that allow them to watch the game from their balcony. Nice.

As you wander around, you will notice St. Louis Cardinal trivia on the walls - they are a bit tough to spot because they are underneath small billboards that serve as advertising, but once you find them, you can walk around getting lots of neat info about the Cards.

The most impressive sight in the park is the huge scoreboard above right field. It is the largest video board in the minor leagues, and lends a major league feel to this park. It is big enough to display the lineup of the batting team, a rarity in the minors. There is also a small scoreboard embedded in the left field wall, and a pitch speed display as well.

All of the seats here are the typical green colour that marks most new ballyards. But with the beautiful green field, it looks very nice, especially at night. Some of the features of this park include the Boardwalk, a small midway above 3rd base that includes some games and rides for children, such as a climbing wall. There are a couple of picnic areas as usual, one above third base, another in right field.

Centerfield and beyond

Food choices seemed typical; the most popular choice was the bbq nachos. I did find an ice cream cart with a daily special for $1, which was a nice change from the usually overpriced fare. Frankly, I found the restaurants around the park more interesting and recommend that you eat in Peabody Place or on Beale Street before or after the game.

Overall, Autozone Park lives up to its billing: a great place to watch minor league baseball. The park has all the additions, but they don't detract from the game or the park. They even have cheerleaders who appear occasionally. I am not sure if this is the best park in the minors, but it is certainly in the top 5. Memphis is a great city that should be visited, and Autozone Park is now one of the main attractions to see.