Busch Stadium: A Cub Fan's Perspective

I think I have made it clear from my previous articles that I am a Chicago Cubs' fan, but in essence I am also a baseball fan. I enjoy the sport, and so when the opportunity arose for me to see a game at Busch Stadium in St. Louis, a field I had yet to visit, I gladly accepted. I know, a Cubs' fan willingly going to see a Cardinals' game goes against the natural order of the Cosmos, but such is the risk I was willing to take.

Busch Stadium was officially opened April 10, 2006 when the Cardinals played the Brewers in their home opener. This is the third stadium to incorporate the Busch name. These stadiums are named in honor of Gussie Busch a former team owner. Located at 700 Clark St. this new Busch Stadium is built on some of the same ground as its predecessor. It has a 46, 861 capacity and came with a $365 Million price tag. From my experience however it was money well spent by the city of St. Louis as well as Cardinals' ownership.

With many baseball stadiums, especially the older ones like Wrigley Field in Chicago and Fenway Park in Boston parking is a major concern. Often you find yourself paying more for a parking space than you did for your ticket to see the game. This is not the case with Busch Stadium however. There is plenty of parking around the stadium and even more in the surrounding city blocks with the cost being as low as $2.00.

I took the train on the day I went and this is something I recommend for anyone who is coming from a long distance. By utilizing the Amtrak it eliminates the need to even worry about parking. For those like me who enjoy a beer or two at the game, riding the train also allows you to not have to worry about the long drive home. I was able to avoid traffic congestion after the game, take a nap, and get home at a respectable time after the game. There is a train station located approximately seven blocks from Busch Stadium near Clark St. which provides an easy walk to the game.

The stadium itself is beautiful. It is a vast improvement from the old cookie-cutter stadium the Cardinals previously called home. The Cardinals have managed to blend nostalgic baseball charm with modern amenities. Built with red brick Busch Stadium has the look of a turn of the century ballpark but with its huge jumbotron scoreboard that gives continuous updates and stats for all teams throughout the Major Leagues fans know they are being treated to the most advanced technology sports stadiums can offer.

At the game I attended I sat in the 400 section which is fairly high up. This was not a problem though as I was able to use my favorite modern addition - escalators! I was able to coast up an escalator all the way to the upper-most level of the stadium and from there it was a simple jaunt up a small flight of stairs to my seat. Whoever is responsible for the escalators in the stadium deserves a statue outside Busch Stadium with the other Cardinals' legends.

While making my way up the stadium I passed through several sections and I noticed there were bathrooms and concession stands aplenty. This is nice as no fan has to travel far to utilize either of those facilities. And, the greatest benefit of having a plethora of bathrooms and concession stands is no long lines which of course translate into not having to miss any of the game unnecessarily because the line to the bathroom was out the door and down the concourse.

Busch Stadium does offer your usual baseball game snacks such as nachos, peanuts, cotton candy, pizza, hot dogs, burgers, and bratwursts, but there is also a taste of St. Louis as you can grab a pork steak sandwich or even better - toasted ravioli. As you would expect Budweiser holds the contract for the stadium and so supplies their beer products. This leads to my only real complaint in that a draft at a beer stand will set you back $8.75 a cup. You can purchase a bottle from a vendor making their way around the stadium for $8.00 but that is still pricey.

Out of all the newer baseball barks cropping up over the last few years, I have to say Busch Stadium seems to be equally fair for hitters and pitchers. The field is grass which is a major upgrade from the old Astroturf of the 1980's. The power alleys are a respectable 375 feet with the deepest part of the park being center field where it is 400 feet. Down the lines it is 336 feet in left and 335 feet in right so there are no cheap home runs to be had anywhere in the park. Also, there is not a bad seat in the place. The only real obstructed views would be those seats around the two foul poles, but that is an issue in all ball parks. I can say from experience as well that there is a breeze which blows through the upper sections of Busch Stadium which is especially nice during the humid St. Louis summer.

Yes, I am a Chicago Cubs' fan, and it does cause me some degree of personal discomfort to say complimentary things about the St. Louis Cardinals. However, the Cardinals home, Busch Stadium, is a great place to watch a game as well as being a beautiful park. With Busch Stadium's traditional baseball look and many modern features the Cardinals have once again proven why they are one of the class organizations throughout all of Major League baseball.

"Busch Stadium", Wikipedia.org

"Busch Stadium", Stlcardinals.com