EL1 Reading Fightin Phils

FirstEnergy Stadium Voted Third-Best Minor League Ballpark

Published on August 14, 2013 under Eastern League (EL1)
Reading Fightin Phils News Release


READING, Pa. - FirstEnergy Stadium, home of the Reading Fightin Phils, was voted as the third-best minor league ballpark in the United States by voters in USA TODAY Travel Media Group's 10Best.com "Best Minor League Ballpark" contest.

"We couldn't be more honored by the fan support that helped make FirstEnergy Stadium one of the top three minor league baseball destinations in the country," said Fightin Phils General Manager Scott Hunsicker. "For over six decades, generations of fans from near and far have found their way to Baseballtown and America's Classic Ballpark for an authentic minor league baseball experience. "

The award adds to the list of numerous accolades FirstEnergy Stadium has received over its storied history. In 2001, the ballpark was named Best Ballpark in the Minor Leagues by digitalballparks.com. Six years later, it became the first ballpark that never housed a Triple-A franchise in modern Minor League Baseball history to welcome 10 million fans through the turnstiles.

Reading, PA has proven to be one of minor league sports greatest markets. Baseball America listed the city as the third-best minor league city in 1998 behind only Rochester and Durham. Recently in 2011, Baseballtown was named the fourth-best market in the minors by SportsBusiness Journal.

Constructed in 1951, FirstEnergy Stadium is a throwback to a bygone era and sits as the oldest park in the Eastern League. Over its 62-year history, legends like Mike Schmidt, Roger Maris, Ryne Sandberg, Robin Roberts, Greg Luzinski, and Cole Hamels have called America's Classic Ballpark home.

Since the team was purchased by Craig Stein in 1987, the franchise has added a handful of advancements to bring the classic stadium up to speed with state-of-the-art facilities that have been built in the past 25 years. From 1988 through 2013, over $17 million worth of improvements have been made, starting with the replacement of wooden bleachers for individual seating in 1988.

The park has added three unique picnic areas, fitting the needs of fans both young and old. The third base picnic area was built prior to the 1990 season and due its popularity, a left field deck area followed four seasons later. In 2001, the club launched one of its most unique ventures when they debuted a right field pool pavilion that coupled the team's third buffet area with a heated swimming pool.

In 2011, the old-time ballpark underwent its largest facelift after a $10 million upgrade. The renovations featured the construction of the team's first indoor team store, brand new offices and clubhouses for team staff, and increased parking, but no addition stood out more than VIST Bank Plaza. Four times as large as the food court that stood in its place, the plaza is a hub for all activity leading up to the game, allowing fans to eat and drink at expanded concession stands while listening to music at the Weston Center Winning Smiles Stage.

The most recent renovation came before the 2013 season with the addition of FirstEnergy Vision. The $1 million video board project consisted of a 30'x60' HD10 video board in center field and 6'x100' ribbon board in left field that quadrupled the previous video capabilities at the stadium.

The aforementioned improvements, combined with the historic nature of the ballpark, have seen some baseball historians call FirstEnergy Stadium, the Fenway Park of Minor League Baseball.

Tickets for the 2013 Fightin Phils season at FirstEnergy Stadium are available by visiting Fightins.com, calling the Fightin Phils Ticket Office at 610-370-BALL, or by visiting the Fightin Phils Ticket Office in person at FirstEnergy Stadium. Follow the Fightin Phils on Twitter at @ReadingFightins and like them on Facebook via www.facebook.com/fightins.

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Eastern League Stories from August 14, 2013


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