Went into Vintage Vinyl today to pick up my last paycheck and whaddya know; Lew, one of the owners, lays a pair of tickets on me for tonight’s Cardinals-Brewers ballgame. So, the new Busch? Well, it’s, um . . . okay. Boy is it thoroughly underwhelming in it’s okay-ness. I was very surprised by the lack of any kind of vibe, especially compared to that of the old Busch. It’s a retro ballpark all right: everything looks and feels old school, but with all the modern amenities. There is a severe lack of personality to the joint, and it’s only a matter of time before some egghead emerges with some great thesis citing the blandness of the new stadium as some reflection of the city’s true psyche. Whatever...
But hey, as a place for actually watching a game, it’s just fine. Sightlines all seem to be great, and you’re much closer to the action on the field than you were at the old ballpark. This new Busch doesn’t seem overly kid-centric either, which I found pleasantly shocking, given how the old Busch had practically turned into a Chuck-E-Cheeze during its final years. And the PA and piped in music are at a surprisingly low volume too. If anything the place is a little too quiet, but trust me, that’s not a complaint.
The new Busch is far from great, but it’s not all that bad either. What really saddened me though were seeing literally no people of color sitting in any of the seats. I saw maybe a dozen at the most, and I’m not exaggerating. Of course this is not the new stadium’s fault, the reasons for this trend are multi-layered and are shared by every city with a Major League Baseball team. But I do have to put some of the blame at the feet of the Cardinals’ownership, who I’m sure are just fine with the demographics of the crowd, as it looks no different from any rally for their good buddy’s Bush & Cheney.
Wednesday, April 12, 2006
BASEBALL: Meet The New Busch...
Posted by steve scariano at 11:53 PM
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
5 comments:
No black people and no one but corporations can sit behind home plate. So 1952 and 2002 at the same time.
One woman who's been inside said it looks and feels like a Woolworth's. A man who's been inside said it's like a colorized "Leave It To Beaver" with lots of AC.
But did the Cards win the game you saw?
Hello Steve. Saw your band "The Love Experts" a few weeks back at the Duck Room. A fantastic show indeed! Been enjoying your blog too.
Many interesting points regarding the new Busch Stadium. I'm going to a game in a couple weeks. I do wonder if the new stadium is necessary. The crowd demographic is disturbing too. Sounds like it was a bit dull? Maybe it's too early to tell, but the hype is definitely overwhelming. It's good to see an honest opinion of this new stadium. Well written and appreciate the thoughts.
BTW, KTRS really sucks too. I can't bear the promos and newly hired radio personalities...
Enjoy the blog Steve, and I'll see you around town.
Spencer
Vintage Vinyl gives lovely parting gifts?
Who knew?
-Happy talk
Sounds like Savvis. Nice place, with all the creature comforts -- but without the "stench and style" that made the Arena such a special place to take in a hockey game. Similar shift in demographics, too.
Still, if the fan is closer to the action and the sightlines are better, than this new place can't be that bad. We'll just have to soak the ground in beer and other fluids so that someday soon, you get that authentic foot-sticking sensation that says when you're climbing to your seat, "yeah, I'm at a Cards came."
-Dave
To Toby:
Yes the Cardinals won, but the only baseball team I root for is my rotisserie baseball team, so it didn't matter on way or another to me.
To Spencer:
Thanks for the kind words, hope you keep tuning in.
To Dave:
New Bush is indeed a lot like the Savvis.
Post a Comment