#nomaDD: MLB Stadium Rankings

“Joe Mauer Day” at Target Field, Minneapolis, Minnesota - June 15, 2019

Over the years as I traveled to new places, I started to tag my social posts with #nomaDD - an obvious reference to my initials and a common nickname, DD. As much as I love Kansas City, every now and then I need to get away and my writing is no different. Sometimes, I need to take myself away from Kansas City. #nomaDD posts will follow my travels.

Originally published in April, 2016. Most recently edited May 25, 2021.

In April of 2007, I attended my first ever Major League Baseball game (Minnesota Twins vs. Kansas City Royals at Kauffman Stadium). Since I was a young boy idolizing the likes of Kirby Puckett, Ken Griffey, Jr. and Bo Jackson, I have always been a huge fan of “America’s Pastime”. However, growing up in a rural community, I never had much of an opportunity to attend a game in person until I was in college. Since that day, I have been making up for lost time. Over the past thirteen seasons, I have attended approximately 120 Major League Baseball games (including six playoff games and the 2014 and 2015 World Series!) in, as of this past weekend, thirty-two different stadiums.

One of the coolest things about baseball is how unique every stadium is. Since the rules of baseball allow for more flexibility in field dimensions than any other sport and the Major Leagues have existed longer than any other professional sport in this country, the age and design of ballparks varies more than any other sport as well.

Every time I visit a new stadium, no fewer than three people end up asking me, “Where does it rank for you?” or “How does it compare to ________?”. I have always kept a private ranking of ballparks but with only 2 parks remaining (Reds & the impending 2020 Rangers’ park), it seemed appropriate to finally make my rankings public.

I anticipate much debate from my readers. Some will choose to agree with me largely based on the parks they have been to. Others will accuse me of bias (namely the fans of those teams whose stadium ranks lower than they feel it should be). Nonetheless, I look forward to the discourse.

If anything, I hope that my own rankings will encourage fellow baseball fans to get out and take the opportunity to take in a game at a new stadium. The first thing I do when I visit any city is to see if the local team is playing at home. Additionally, I make it a point to take at least one trip a year that will take me to a new ballpark. If my own list does nothing else, I hope it encourages other fans to begin their own tour of these meccas.

Below, I have included the name of the ballpark at the time I visited, the team who plays there, and in parenthesis the season I most recently visited that park (I have been to seven of these multiple times).

I am happy to have a conversation to explain why I like or dislike certain ballparks or why I ranked them where I did. I have chosen on this occasion to forego explanations that defend my rankings because the majority of people just care about the rankings. Many of them have likely skipped this introduction to get to my list.

Without further ado, here are my rankings:

1. AT&T Park - San Francisco Giants (2013)

2. PNC Park - Pittsburgh Pirates (2012)

3. Fenway Park - Boston Red Sox (2011)

4. Petco Park - San Diego Padres (2013)

5. Target Field - Minnesota Twins (2019)

6. Camden Yards - Baltimore Orioles (2016)

7. Comerica Park - Detroit Tigers (2015)

8. Wrigley Field - Chicago Cubs (2010)

9. SunTrust Park - Atlanta Braves (2017)

10. Kauffman Stadium - Kansas City Royals (2019)

11. Citi Field - New York Mets (2011)

12. Safeco Field - Seattle Mariners (2014)

13. Nationals Park - Washington Nationals (2016)

14. (NEW) Busch Stadium - St. Louis Cardinals (2009)

15. Great American Ballpark - Cincinnati Reds (2021)

16. Minute Maid Park - Houston Astros (2019)

17. Citizens Bank Park - Philadelphia Phillies (2011)

18. (NEW) Yankee Stadium - New York Yankees (2011)

19. Coors Field - Colorado Rockies (2015)

20. Angels Stadium - Los Angeles Angels (2013)

21. Miller Park - Milwaukee Brewers (2013)

22. Progressive Field - Cleveland Indians (2012)

23. Chase Field - Arizona Diamondbacks (2016)

24. Rogers Centre - Toronto Blue Jays (2018)

25. Dodger Stadium - Los Angeles Dodgers (2013)

26. US Cellular Field - Chicago White Sox (2010)

27. Marlins Park - Miami Marlins (2019)

28. Globe Life Park (DEFUNCT) - Texas Rangers (2014)

29. Tropicana Field - Tampa Bay Rays (2010)

30. Oakland-Alameda Coliseum - Oakland Athletics (2013)

31. Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome (DEFUNCT) - Minnesota Twins (2009)

32. Sun Life Stadium (DEFUNCT) - Florida Marlins (2010)

I originally had aspiration to visit very MLB stadium by the end of the 2020 season and then, well, COVID-19 happened. With my trip to Cincinnati in 2021, I finally accomplished my goal of seeing a home game for all 30 MLB teams! However, the quest is never complete. New stadiums are going up all the time. The Rangers opened a new stadium this year so it’s hard to say if I’ll ever be to a point where I’ve been to every MLB stadium. And to be frank, I am ok if this list continues to be a work in progress.

That’s the list! Do you agree? Disagree? I look forward to any and all feedback.