Oriole Park at Camden Yards has always had a reputation for being one of the nicest in the MLB. Just around the corner from the Inner Harbor, the scenery and atmosphere around the yard provides a taste of history, local pride, and modern-day sports.
Baltimore just has a way of doing things right when it comes to sporting events, and going to a game at OPACY is a “must” for any guest visiting Baltimore.
Buck Showalter has led the Orioles to unexpected success during his tenure, and this has lured many more fans to Camden Yards throughout the previous months. The ballpark is finally filling its seats again, and fans that travel are always treated to a special day.
The beauty of the park just makes the fan experience while attending that much better. The warehouse in right field has been a staple of “The Yard” ever since it opened. According to the team’s official site, it is the longest building on the east coast. The building is located on Eutaw Street, where only 57 home runs have actually reached, each commemorated by a small plaque where the ball landed. Not many stadiums can say that a walkway means so much to their town, but Eutaw Street represents Orioles baseball well.
The LED video board in right-center field is certainly impressive, offering stats, replays, and entertainment in between innings. The stadium also offers an out-of-town scoreboard in right field, right underneath the warehouse.
History is a huge part of Camden Yards, and the countless tributes around the park prove that Orioles baseball really has had an amazing history. An orange seat in section 86 commemorates Cal Ripken’s 278th home run, which made him the all-time leader by a shortstop. Eddie Murray also has a special orange seat in section 96 to recognize his 500th career homer, which he hit on September 6th, 1996.
Prior to the 2012 season, the park needed a new PA announcer and held open tryouts to become the voice of Camden Yards. Ryan Wagner, a guy who brings modern-day baseball with a touch of history to The Yard, won the spot. His voice echoing throughout the park makes it easy to take in all that Oriole Park has to offer.
In an ESPN the Magazine issue in 2012, all of the 122 “big-four sport” teams were ranked in terms of fan experience. Of every team, the Orioles were ranked 5th in the MLB, and cracked the top-10 of all 122. Impressive, to say the least!
ESPN recognized that the hiring of Wagner as the PA announcer helped boost the rating as the history really is captured.
Observing the past seems to be the biggest upside when critics visit OPACY, but it’s true that there really is a perfect blend with the modern-day era.
Do you think Oriole Park has everything, or could it use a little boost to make your experience better?
Weigh in below in the comment section.
