The best time of the year is almost here. Spring training baseball starts in March, and if you have ever been to a game you know the atmosphere is unlike any other sporting event. The Cactus League (Arizona's segment of spring training) has become a driving force in the state's economy. Studies estimate spring training teams and the ballparks they play in now generate more than $809 million in economic impact for the state annually.
There are 15 teams that compete in the Cactus League, but there are only 10 ballparks across the valley. My job is to break down the best spring training stadiums in the valley so that you are prepared come March. So without further adieu, here are my picks...
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BOTTOM FEEDERS
10. Indians and Reds, Goodyear Ballpark (Goodyear) – Where are the Ohio strong baseball fans? This place is pretty lifeless. Both at the bottom of the attendance ledger by wide margins, you have to seriously wonder if both franchises made a major screw up in exiting Florida for the southwestern most venue in all of Spring Training. Both clubs are among the furthest away from their home city of any Spring Training team.
9. Rangers and Royals, Surprise Recreation Campus (Surprise) – These two teams share the same facility and it often doesn’t matter which one is playing or who the opponent is. The park itself is among my favorites for its great and simple design, but the atmosphere can often border on a big yawn.
ON THE BUBBLE
8. Dodgers and White Sox, Camelback Ranch (Glendale) – This ballpark is just too big for Spring Training and too big for fair weather LA fans and even White Sox fans who simply do not come out in droves like Cubdom. It really affects the atmosphere and not in a good way, although the occasional near sell outs aren’t bad.
7. Brewers, Maryvale Baseball Park (Phoenix) – The Crew used to be the ultimate snooze-fest when it came to atmosphere at Spring Training, but it has gotten better in recent years. Maybe it has something to do with those Racing Sausages also getting in their Spring Training workout.
6. A’s, Hohokam Stadium (Phoenix) – From 1997 to 2013, the stadium was the spring training home of the Chicago Cubs. Hohokam Stadium has the largest scoreboard in the Cactus League, measuring 12 by 16 feet.
5. Mariners and Padres, Peoria Sports Complex (Peoria) – The only team besides the Expos/Nationals not to play in the Fall Classic, the M’s always bring the highest percentage of out of state fans to the Valley. This is by far the best atmosphere in the West Valley.
THE FOUR TO GO SEE
4. Angels, Tempe Diablo Stadium, (Tempe) – Before the Angels won the World Series, this place boarded on comatose. But then everything changed and it continues to get better every year. Like for the Giants, the atmosphere here also includes some of the best desert scenery, and I mean for the wandering eyes of the species, too.
3. Giants, Scottsdale Stadium (Scottsdale) – I love coming to this place and often wrestle with “is it the best atmosphere?” And if you’re a man, Scottsdale has the best female scenery in the Cactus circuit with Tempe right behind it.
2. Diamondbacks and Rockies, Salt River Fields at Talking Stick (Scottsdale) –It is the newest spring training facility home and the first MLB park to be built on Native American Indian land. It hosts the hometown Arizona Diamondbacks, and it was constructed within three years. It is absolutely beautiful, and there are over 4,000 lawn seats so make sure to snag one.
1. Cubs, Sloan Park (Mesa) – They don’t call them the lovable losers for nothing. In Cubdom, losing breeds a festive celebration. There’s something simple, pure and authentic about this place, even though the park itself is nothing special. The Chicago Cubs opened Sloan Park in 2014. The new facility boasts a unique character reminiscent of historic Wrigley Field. Year after year, game after game, the best atmosphere in the Valley is around Cubs fans.
