Official Road Trip Stop #9: US Cellular Field Chicago, IL

9/8/2009
A's 11 @ White Sox 3

Ugh. Do I have to remember the game that I saw at "The Cell?"

I don't know whether it was fatigue on my part, or the fact that it cost $23 to park, or the fact that nobody told me that an upper deck ticket didn't allow me to walk freely around the park, but my experience at US Cellular Field was not very pleasant.

It opened in 1991 as the new Comiskey Park, and for many years was criticized as being too sterile and corporate and cold, especially in comparison to its neighbor on the North Side, Wrigely Field, and other new stadiums like Camden Yards in Baltimore. In response, US Cellular Field got a bit of a facelift and a new name, and now feels....sterile and corporate and cold.

For starters, the stadium is not in a very welcoming neighborhood. Now, to be fair, the South Side of Chicago is NOT as dangerous or bad as its reputation makes it out to be. But still, nobody wants to look at housing projects beyond the center field scoreboard. There are a few official lots run by the White Sox, where it does indeed cost $23 to park. However, the only other option is to leave your car parked on a street at night in the South Side of Chicago. Take your pick.

The main entrance behind home plate is for suite holders only, and the upper deck (where I sat) takes about 3 days and requires a sherpa to reach. As I found out the hard way, an upper deck ticket limits you to the Upper Deck only. I was very disappointed by this, as if you've been following my photos, you'll know that I like to view a stadium from several different vantage points before settling on my seat. I've heard there are some cool statues and a fan deck in the outfield concourse. I'll have to take the White Sox word for it, as they seem determined to separate the haves from the have-nots, because heaven forbid somebody doesn't pay full price for a seat to see a team that's playing .500 baseball.

Upstairs, the indoor concourses are poorly ventilated, and the smoke from the grills fills the halls. It doesn't smell or taste particularly good, either. I had some pizza, and after having such great ribs at Kauffman the day before, was sorely disappointed here, too.

The pre-game presentation video is actually pretty cool, and the "exploding scoreboard" is the one really signature element of the place. It was nice to see the White Sox at least hit a home run so that it went off. Still, its nothing to plan a family vacation around.

The fans were down and mellow, as it has been a fairly disappointing season on the South Side. They still buzzed with excitement when talking about Mark Buehrle's perfect game a couple of months ago. It was a small and largely lethargic crowd though, as the lowly A's walloped the home team.

I would only recommend a trip to US Cellular Field if you happen to be in Chicago and have nothing better to do, or your favorite team is playing. I wouldn't avoid it like the plague, but it really isn't that interesting a place to recommend dropping everything to go see it.

Yesterday, I applauded the Royals for investing in a business model that at least guarantees a pleasant experience at the stadium, regardless of how bad the talent on the field is. The White Sox have been able to produce decent teams for the past few years, which I imagine has allowed them to neglect a fan friendliness. But if the product on the field is going to continue to underachieve, the White Sox sorely need to take a hard look at "The Cell."