Stadium Journey Ranks South Baltimore’s Stadiums as the Best Experiences in North America
Baltimore has it pretty good when it comes to stadiums, the best in the country according to Stadium Journey. In 2016, the website reviewed 761 stadiums – from horse and auto racing to college, minor league, and professional sports facilities – and rated the Baltimore Orioles at Oriole Park at Camden Yards as the #1 in experience in North America and the Baltimore Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium as #14, making it the top NFL stadium experience. Both stadiums are property of the Maryland Stadium Authority and located in Stadium Area near the South Baltimore Peninsula, Ridgely’s Delight, Pigtown, and Downtown.
No other city had two venues in the top 25, but the states of Florida, Missouri, and California were represented twice, and Ohio three times.
From Stadium Journey about Camden Yards:
The current Oriole Park at Camden Yards, opened in 1992, is a trendsetter in Major League Baseball. Prior to its opening, the landscape of professional baseball was littered with boring, multipurpose bowl stadiums. Now nearly every team in the league has a great baseball stadium. Out are lackluster parks and in are fan friendly stadiums designed for the optimum fan experience. If Baltimore had built a standard, boring facility, baseball may not look and feel the way it does now.
From Stadium Journey about M&T Bank Stadium:
The Baltimore Ravens handle the operations of their franchise outstandingly well and M&T Bank Stadium displays that effort with pride. The fans who attend games at M&T Bank Stadium will always have a memorable game day experience and get good value. The newly spent renovations and additions have made the purple colors and signage seem consistent, and scream out RAVENS at all points.
Both stadiums will receive upgrades in the near future. M&T Bank will undergo $120 million in improvements over the next three years as the facility is adding new escalators, video boards, and suites. Details and renderings are expected at the end of January. Camden Yards is currently adding LED lights. It is also in the planning stages of a renovation which could add party decks or potentially an open concourse to the facility.
About the Author: Kevin Lynch
Founder and Publisher of SouthBmore.com, longtime resident of South Baltimore, and a graduate of Towson University. Diehard Ravens and O's fan, father of three, amateur pizza chef, skateboarder, and "bar food" foodie. Email me at Kevin@InceptMM.com and follow me on Twitter at @SoBoKevin.
