Continuing my sports tour. My first stop for the NBA is of course the team closest to home, Golden State Warriors. They play at Oracle Arena out in Oakland, CA right next to the Oakland-Alameda Coliseum. I think Oracle Arena looks a lot nicer than the Oakland-Alameda Coliseum. But its a nice venue for basketball.
Tickets for the Golden State Warriors are fairly cheap. They have a lower level (100's section) and an upper level (Club 200) its really not that hard to navigate around the Arena. Tickets on the upper level you can get for like $10, I have gotten lower level tickets for about $40 which is pretty decent.
The food here, is not that special. I think its the same company that provides the food for Oakland-Alameda Coliseum. Its pretty pricey as well. $6 for a BOTTLE of soda. But nevertheless we cannot forget where we are. The best thing they got there is the Ribs. Located on the lower level. Lines get really long but they are amazing. Expensive, but with nothing really located around the Arena to go out to eat before the game, your kind of stuck with this so might as well get something good. Go try them ribs.
Just like with the Oakland-Alameda Coliseum, transportation is the best here. BART goes right to the Oracle Arena. No busses, all you got to do is take a small 3 minute walk around the Coliseum and head straight up to Oracle Arena. Parking here is the same price as the Coliseum. I advise you to take BART and spare the air.
Golden State Warriors games are pretty tame. Lots of kids go to the games and its very family oriented. I never seen anything obscure happen. (Well last season this guy jumped out of his seat and ran out onto the court. He got what he wanted, hit 10 seconds of fame. Then he got ejected from the arena and probably cited as well. It was quite funny) but aside from that its not a bad crowd. They never really sell out the games either. I guess its the team.
This next season thats coming up (2010 - 2011) they got a new logo, so everything looks different. The Arena looks different and so do the jerseys. They also got a whole bunch of new players through trades and drafts. And finally they got a new head coach. So things are looking up for the Golden State Warriors now. I hope they do will, and I will update this blog when I go to their game this coming year.
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
Monday, September 27, 2010
Oakland Athletics - Oakland Alameda Coliseum (MLB - 2)
For my next ballpark on my ballpark tour, I didn't have to travel far. Just took Bart and I headed out to the Oakland-Alameda Coliseum, home of the Oakland Athletics (or A's for short). From the outside, honestly its a really ugly looking ballpark. Oakland itself is an industrial city and horrible for sports, but this ballpark looks really run down. I have to give props to the East Bay though, they have some VERY VERY faithful fans.
This is one of the very few ballparks that share their ballpark with another team. Their NFL team, Oakland Raiders also play here. After 2012, the Oakland A's will be the ONLY MLB team that shares a ballpark with their NFL team. Sad but they really need a new ballpark.
Inside the ballpark its nothing amazing. Half of the ballpark was closed. The whole upper deck was blocked off with a tarp that says "Home of the Oakland Athletics" and some retired numbers on their. Its obvious that they couldnt sell out the whole stadium for the A's but it was intimate setting. Tickets were fairly cheap, I got the Plaza Level for about $10 a piece. Sometimes cheaper if you know where to look. It felt like it was really close compared to AT&T Park cause these seats would be considered "Club Level" So I guess thats an advantage of being an A's fan. Smaller park equals closer to the field. Even the lower level seats were going for about $50. Again at AT&T Park this would be considered Field Club, costing you at least a $100 a pop.
As I said half of the ballpark was closed. On the lower concourse their were a bunch of food stands and a couple A's stores to buy your A's gear. Upstairs their was a big old bar, which actually looked really nice with a view of the park and tables for dining services. As you walk around to the other side (around the outfield) its like a ghost town around there. Their was absolutely NO ONE there. Their was a "Club Level" there but I think that was intended for Raiders game cause it was Silver and Black. But the Ballpark was nearly empty.
The best thing about this ballpark for me is how its location is really close to the BART station. You just have to walk across the bridge that goes directly from bart to the Coliseum. No need to take a bus or anything. Parking here is fairly cheap as well, for the A's game it cost around $15 to park your car. AT&T Park was charging about $35 for parking. So even if you weren't so eco friendly you can still park here for a reasonable price.
The food here sucks, theirs like nothing here to eat. Theirs nothing really to look at here. But if you want to just watch some good old fashion baseball for cheap. Come out to the A's game!
This is one of the very few ballparks that share their ballpark with another team. Their NFL team, Oakland Raiders also play here. After 2012, the Oakland A's will be the ONLY MLB team that shares a ballpark with their NFL team. Sad but they really need a new ballpark.
Inside the ballpark its nothing amazing. Half of the ballpark was closed. The whole upper deck was blocked off with a tarp that says "Home of the Oakland Athletics" and some retired numbers on their. Its obvious that they couldnt sell out the whole stadium for the A's but it was intimate setting. Tickets were fairly cheap, I got the Plaza Level for about $10 a piece. Sometimes cheaper if you know where to look. It felt like it was really close compared to AT&T Park cause these seats would be considered "Club Level" So I guess thats an advantage of being an A's fan. Smaller park equals closer to the field. Even the lower level seats were going for about $50. Again at AT&T Park this would be considered Field Club, costing you at least a $100 a pop.
As I said half of the ballpark was closed. On the lower concourse their were a bunch of food stands and a couple A's stores to buy your A's gear. Upstairs their was a big old bar, which actually looked really nice with a view of the park and tables for dining services. As you walk around to the other side (around the outfield) its like a ghost town around there. Their was absolutely NO ONE there. Their was a "Club Level" there but I think that was intended for Raiders game cause it was Silver and Black. But the Ballpark was nearly empty.
The best thing about this ballpark for me is how its location is really close to the BART station. You just have to walk across the bridge that goes directly from bart to the Coliseum. No need to take a bus or anything. Parking here is fairly cheap as well, for the A's game it cost around $15 to park your car. AT&T Park was charging about $35 for parking. So even if you weren't so eco friendly you can still park here for a reasonable price.
The food here sucks, theirs like nothing here to eat. Theirs nothing really to look at here. But if you want to just watch some good old fashion baseball for cheap. Come out to the A's game!
Sunday, September 26, 2010
San Francisco Giants - AT&T Park (MLB - 1)
Starting off my MLB Ballpark Tour, I gotta start at home first so first up for the MLB is the San Francisco Giants. (My Favorite MLB team!) The Giants are a great team. 2010 season they are in first place and on their way to the playoffs. AT&T Park is beautiful, located right near San Francisco Bay in the China Basin. Right next to the Bay Bridge with a magnificent view. AT&T park itself has plenty of things to see and do. Great food is around. They got the huge Coca Cola slide there that you cannot miss and that you need to check out. The got a Build-A-Bear workshop right next to the slide. They even got a kids zone just for kids!
Tickets to the Giants game are pretty reasonable. Theirs no real bad seat in the house. Ive been here countless of times and even in the View Reserved you can have a decent view of the game. Bleacher sections get pretty roudy though! But thats where the true fans are. The food here is great. AT&T park is known for their Garlic Fries, so be sure to pick up an order. The Bratswurst are pretty good here as well, but as all sporting events are , its pricey.
Parking at AT&T Park is a bitch, this season it costs around $30 to park at the Stadium. (Just think of all the other things you can do with $30). Also in the parking lot area theirs a mini baseball field that was actually paid for and donated to by Barry Bonds himself. Very neat little mini park for the kids. Also you can find statues outside near the parking lot as well. But the best way to get here is on public transit. Its right off the Embacadero so their are always cabs around. I know the Pedicabs give free rides to afternoon games. Also the Muni T,J, and S (S - Shuttle only runs on game nights/days 2 hours before the game and after the game) BART goes to Pier 1 on the Embacadero, and you can take one of those Muni Lines there. Or if you take Caltrain, Caltrain Station is 2 blocks away! Definitely easier to get there than driving.
Overall this will always be my home team. As I venture out visiting other ballparks, I will find new things to do and explore. This is just 1 down and 29 more parks to go for the MLB. Will update this with new information as time goes on.
Tickets to the Giants game are pretty reasonable. Theirs no real bad seat in the house. Ive been here countless of times and even in the View Reserved you can have a decent view of the game. Bleacher sections get pretty roudy though! But thats where the true fans are. The food here is great. AT&T park is known for their Garlic Fries, so be sure to pick up an order. The Bratswurst are pretty good here as well, but as all sporting events are , its pricey.
Parking at AT&T Park is a bitch, this season it costs around $30 to park at the Stadium. (Just think of all the other things you can do with $30). Also in the parking lot area theirs a mini baseball field that was actually paid for and donated to by Barry Bonds himself. Very neat little mini park for the kids. Also you can find statues outside near the parking lot as well. But the best way to get here is on public transit. Its right off the Embacadero so their are always cabs around. I know the Pedicabs give free rides to afternoon games. Also the Muni T,J, and S (S - Shuttle only runs on game nights/days 2 hours before the game and after the game) BART goes to Pier 1 on the Embacadero, and you can take one of those Muni Lines there. Or if you take Caltrain, Caltrain Station is 2 blocks away! Definitely easier to get there than driving.
Overall this will always be my home team. As I venture out visiting other ballparks, I will find new things to do and explore. This is just 1 down and 29 more parks to go for the MLB. Will update this with new information as time goes on.
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
Introduction: My Mission
Hello Fellow Readers,
I have made this blog because my dream goal in life is to visit ALL: MLB, NBA, NHL, and NFL stadiums and arenas. I love sports so much that I wanted to do this. I first started wanting to visit all the MLB stadiums and see at least one home game (or 3 game series) just to see what other ballparks are like. Then I started adding the NBA, NFL, and finally the NHL to the list.
I love to travel and whats a better way to see a major city than traveling to their sports venue. Sports venues are all over the country such as Boston, Houston, New York City, Cleveland, Seattle. You name it they probably got at least ONE team.
In the case of the NHL and NBA, most teams share arenas. So Ill do my best to go to each one.
The hardest one would have to be the NFL. NFL season are 8 home games. Usually sold out (if its not then its blacked out from the television) so those might be harder.
My goal is to start off at home and work my way out a little at a time. I will definitely complete this and as I go along I will post a blog post for each team and the venue, describing my experience and how I liked it. I will also be posting a yelp review for the venue and I will connect it to my blog. I have made a yelp account just for this purpose so it will only be Arenas/Stadiums.
I will also post updates throughout my journey to update you with what I have accomplished and what are my next areas to go to and my plans for the upcoming year (Or seasons to travel. I work and go to school so my only travel time is Winter, Spring, and of course Summer) I will post small updates throughout the blog, so keep a lookout for those. They wont be as long as my posts for the actual sporting venues
My journey will take time. But I will finish it, and this will be my story.
I have made this blog because my dream goal in life is to visit ALL: MLB, NBA, NHL, and NFL stadiums and arenas. I love sports so much that I wanted to do this. I first started wanting to visit all the MLB stadiums and see at least one home game (or 3 game series) just to see what other ballparks are like. Then I started adding the NBA, NFL, and finally the NHL to the list.
I love to travel and whats a better way to see a major city than traveling to their sports venue. Sports venues are all over the country such as Boston, Houston, New York City, Cleveland, Seattle. You name it they probably got at least ONE team.
In the case of the NHL and NBA, most teams share arenas. So Ill do my best to go to each one.
The hardest one would have to be the NFL. NFL season are 8 home games. Usually sold out (if its not then its blacked out from the television) so those might be harder.
My goal is to start off at home and work my way out a little at a time. I will definitely complete this and as I go along I will post a blog post for each team and the venue, describing my experience and how I liked it. I will also be posting a yelp review for the venue and I will connect it to my blog. I have made a yelp account just for this purpose so it will only be Arenas/Stadiums.
I will also post updates throughout my journey to update you with what I have accomplished and what are my next areas to go to and my plans for the upcoming year (Or seasons to travel. I work and go to school so my only travel time is Winter, Spring, and of course Summer) I will post small updates throughout the blog, so keep a lookout for those. They wont be as long as my posts for the actual sporting venues
My journey will take time. But I will finish it, and this will be my story.
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