Review of Kane County Cougars Baseball in Geneva, Illinois

A few weeks back we were offered ups some reserved seats to the local minor league baseball team known as the Kane County Cougars. The Cougars are a single A affiliate of major league baseball's Oakland Athletics. The facility known as Elfstrom Stadium in Geneva, Illinois has been serving up minor league baseball since 1991 and seems to draw decent crowds every summer. This was my third visit to the ballpark and thought a review was in order to inform the local and visiting public about the positive and negative attributes to attending this minor league game.

Seating

Tickets can be purchased online, via telephone, or at the walk up gate. The choice of seating varies whether you prefer box seats, reserved seats, lawn, or picnic area. Ticket prices range from $8.00 for lawn to $14.00 for lower box seats which are close proximity to the field. Each ticket purchase will include a ticket surcharge. The box seats have the bells and whistles as they come with arm rests and a cup holder. Behind the box seats are the steel bench reserved seats which also have a good view and sold at a really affordable price. Those that want to spread out and let the little ones run wild can opt for the lawn seats which are along the first base and right field line. I would recommend arriving early to the game if you purchase lawn seats so you can claim your spot. I would caution against the lawn seats if the game conditions appear rainy or the field is soggy.

The Team

Okay as this was my third visit in about twenty years, I had no connection to anyone on this team. I simply rooted for the home team by default as I live in the area. The talent on the field is decent, but still a far cry from those that play at U.S. Cellular or Wrigley. These guys are young and eager to make it to the top so they do not hold back on giving the fans a good show. The night we attended the game we witnessed a loss but the team still played pretty tough. The game proved a worthy model for my young t-ball upstart to watch as the players played a fundamentally sound game of baseball. I would also recommend visitors to the park to try and snag an autograph or two if given the chance as some of these players may eventually make it to the top.

The Entertainment

The Kane County Cougar staff does a great job of keeping kids and adults hopping in between innings and pitches. For example, the public announcement speakers will pump out comical music and sound bites when something funny happens on the field. The Cougar events staff will also come out between certain innings and launch t-shirts and other fun souvenirs out to the kids. The staff also allows the kids to run the bases and interact with the Cougar mascot, Ozzie. If those aren't enough promotional activities, the stadium also holds firework displays on Fridays and Saturdays and designated appearances by a Frisbee catching retriever or a comical nutty professor known as Myron Noodleman.

The Parking

Parking at Elfstrom Stadium is absolutely free. This free amenity is a big money saver considering the amount of money spent going to ball game in Chicago. There is premium parking offered right next to the entrance to the ball park that runs only five bucks which is still a great bargain.

The Concessions

The aroma that greets you when you walk into the park is akin to the big league parks. You walk into Elfstrom stadium to the aroma of scent of brats, burgers, and red hots. The stadium does a good job of carrying several local food products such as Bobak's, Goose Island, and Two brothers. The food costs are relatively reasonable but the beer is still a steep $5.75 which seems a bit pricey for a suburban minor league affiliate team. The concession choices are very expansive and include rib eye and pork chop sandwiches as well as several dessert items the kids will love such as dippin dots and dove bars.

Overall Impression

A family trip to a Cougar's game is bound to be a success as long as the weather is cooperative. The downer to the game is the high beer costs and the four dollar surcharge for each ticket. These inconveniences can be offset by looking for special price promos and perhaps winning one of the many prizes and giveaways held every night at Cougars baseball.