Miller Park
As a Wisconsinite this was an easy choice. As a baseball aficionado, it wasn’t as easy, but history has it’s place … in history. I remain pretty confident in Miller Park.
The lore of Miller Park starts outside the stadium where a bunch of pavement quickly turns into a mix of every type of blue and white pinstripes as Brewers fans tailgate about as well as anyone. Brats and beer are everywhere and frankly not a single substitute is worth it.
If you’re visiting, you can’t go wrong drinking with Wisconsinites. They’d never let you down. And so, far before the game, your baseball experience is already off to an better start than the Chicagoans and their neighborhood.
The scariest thing about that neighborhood is the stadium in the middle of it, actually. When I go to a baseball game, I’d prefer to be as safe as possible, not exposed to a concrete tangle that tends to fall apart at the corners from time to time. Miller Park’s newness kicks Wrigley’s falling bricks out to the side of I-90. Plus, there’s the roof.
Ever have a great day go sour after a few raindrops? Not a problem in Milwaukee. Day ruined in Chicago’s north side. The retractable roof cost millions of dollars but it guarantees every fan that has a ticket has a dry seat in the stadium and a baseball game unfolding before them. It’s sadly not the case in Chi-town. The Midwest climate can be a dangerous thing for baseball’s multi-seasonal year; so don’t mess around with anything less than a guarantee.
But the quality of baseball puts Miller Park over the top. The Billygoat and Bartman continue to curse the Cubbies from every taste at a championship. Meanwhile, the Brew Crew tend to weasel their way into talks of division contention seemingly every year.
If I want to go to a baseball game, I want to see some winning baseball. This has happened much more in Milwaukee than Chicago over the last five years and this young season is no different. The Brewers have opened up a 14-12 record already in 2013. That includes a weekend sweep of the Cubs two weeks ago. I rest my case.
-Sean Zak
Wrigley Field
Tradition. Need I say more?
Tradition and baseball go together like beer and tailgating.
Over the years Wrigley Field has played host to some of the best baseball players to ever play the game. Think Ernie Banks, Sammy Sosa and Greg Maddux – one of which is a hall of famer, while another was a part of one of the greatest slugoffs in baseball history in 1998 when his 66 home runs were barely bested by Mark McGwire’s 71.
Miller Park can’t boast a back story like that.
Sure the Brewers have been winners as of late, but in a comparison based purely on the venue, this seems like a cheap shot – kicking a losing team while it’s down. Besides, when you look at the two teams historically, the Cubs have had their share of success as well. In 2003 they made it to the National League Championship Series against the Florida Marlins before winning back-to-back division titles in 2007-2008.
Nestled in the heart of “Wrigleyville,” Wrigley Field is a part of the very framework of the city around it – boasting a fan experience that can’t be found anywhere else. Where else can you sit in stands across the street on a rooftop and watch the game? Not to mention the close vicinity of some of the best restaurants and bars Chicago has to offer within minutes walking distance from the ballpark.
So before you decide to “upgrade” to a new cushy, modern stadium, think about what you are giving up. Nothing beats sitting in the sun in Wrigley Field’s outfield bleacher section as a hot afternoon turns into cool summer evening, and as for a Cubs win, well that’s just a bonus.
-Nick Daniels
