Review from May 20, 2018
Durham Bulls vs. Indianapolis Indians
Durham Bulls vs. Indianapolis Indians
Day Trip to Durham
By: Matthew Preslar
Our day trip to Durham happened to work into our schedule. To fully appreciate the DBAP (Durham Bulls Athletic Park), a person has to understand why The Durham Bulls franchise is so iconic. My wife and I watched the 1988 film BULL DURHAM the Saturday night before our Sunday game. This famous movie is what makes the minor league franchise a nationally known entity, in which the people of Durham have much pride.
Part of the adventure is the drive. Near the DBAP is the original Durham baseball stadium, the one featured in the movie, Durham Athletic Park. From what we could see from the road (with the stadium locked up), it is a traditional baseball stadium with bleachers and covered grandstands. It’s quite an experience to see the stadium in person and to relive that history after watching the film. The Bulls left this stadium when the DBAP was built in 1995. It is still used by North Carolina Central University. Seeing this stadium was a great appetizer to the main event right across town.
DBAP is a beautiful facility, so well maintained we couldn’t tell it is 23 years old. There is ample parking, many restaurants, and a lot of life around the stadium. Visitors experience so much baseball even before going into the stadium. The sidewalk featured plaques with facts about the team such as affiliates over the years. One brick wall outside the main entrance displayed retired numbers featuring Chipper Jones and the fictional “Crash” Davis. The main entrance itself made me feel like was walking into a baseball fan’s sanctuary. It has the most attractive and inviting entrance we have seen. The DBAP also has the most extensive team store. They sell practically every hat and shirt you could imagine, plus gift sets. Options were so plentiful, any fan can dress in support of the team. Pre-game store hours allowed us to maximize our time in the ballpark once gates opened an hour before first pitch.
We continued to be impressed from the moment we entered the stadium. The concourse featured a wide selection of food options. Bull Durham Beer Company actually brews in the stadium but several other craft and local breweries also sold their own drafts. As we walked around to our seats, we noticed so many people wearing Durham Bulls merchandise, more than any other stadium we have visited. This was exciting to me as a baseball fan. I like knowing I am at a game where the crowd actually roots for the home team. We could tell that Durham fans have a lot of pride for their team.
The playing field has several unique features. Perhaps the most noticeable feature is a 30’ tall blue left field wall. There is a large video board on this wall featuring stats and other information on the current batter. The continuously changing videos really keep the fans engaged with the action and build a connection to the team. Just like from the movie, there is a bull atop the left field wall that says “Hit Bull, Win Steak”. The Bull’s tail wags when the home team hits a home run. The stadium itself is built in a booming area of the city which creates a beautiful back drop from every seat of the stadium.
Everything about this facility and the surrounding town was first class. On our outings, we are always looking for a future place to call home. So far, Durham ranks incredibly high on our list.
By: Matthew Preslar
Our day trip to Durham happened to work into our schedule. To fully appreciate the DBAP (Durham Bulls Athletic Park), a person has to understand why The Durham Bulls franchise is so iconic. My wife and I watched the 1988 film BULL DURHAM the Saturday night before our Sunday game. This famous movie is what makes the minor league franchise a nationally known entity, in which the people of Durham have much pride.
Part of the adventure is the drive. Near the DBAP is the original Durham baseball stadium, the one featured in the movie, Durham Athletic Park. From what we could see from the road (with the stadium locked up), it is a traditional baseball stadium with bleachers and covered grandstands. It’s quite an experience to see the stadium in person and to relive that history after watching the film. The Bulls left this stadium when the DBAP was built in 1995. It is still used by North Carolina Central University. Seeing this stadium was a great appetizer to the main event right across town.
DBAP is a beautiful facility, so well maintained we couldn’t tell it is 23 years old. There is ample parking, many restaurants, and a lot of life around the stadium. Visitors experience so much baseball even before going into the stadium. The sidewalk featured plaques with facts about the team such as affiliates over the years. One brick wall outside the main entrance displayed retired numbers featuring Chipper Jones and the fictional “Crash” Davis. The main entrance itself made me feel like was walking into a baseball fan’s sanctuary. It has the most attractive and inviting entrance we have seen. The DBAP also has the most extensive team store. They sell practically every hat and shirt you could imagine, plus gift sets. Options were so plentiful, any fan can dress in support of the team. Pre-game store hours allowed us to maximize our time in the ballpark once gates opened an hour before first pitch.
We continued to be impressed from the moment we entered the stadium. The concourse featured a wide selection of food options. Bull Durham Beer Company actually brews in the stadium but several other craft and local breweries also sold their own drafts. As we walked around to our seats, we noticed so many people wearing Durham Bulls merchandise, more than any other stadium we have visited. This was exciting to me as a baseball fan. I like knowing I am at a game where the crowd actually roots for the home team. We could tell that Durham fans have a lot of pride for their team.
The playing field has several unique features. Perhaps the most noticeable feature is a 30’ tall blue left field wall. There is a large video board on this wall featuring stats and other information on the current batter. The continuously changing videos really keep the fans engaged with the action and build a connection to the team. Just like from the movie, there is a bull atop the left field wall that says “Hit Bull, Win Steak”. The Bull’s tail wags when the home team hits a home run. The stadium itself is built in a booming area of the city which creates a beautiful back drop from every seat of the stadium.
Everything about this facility and the surrounding town was first class. On our outings, we are always looking for a future place to call home. So far, Durham ranks incredibly high on our list.
DURHAM BULLS ATHLETIC PARK
|
TICKET VALUE 10/10
CONCESSIONS 11/10
FAMILY FRIENDLINESS 4/5
ATMOSPHERE 9/10
CHARACTER 11/10
PARKING 5/5
|
|
|
Our Purpose is to show that going to a baseball game is the best value in entertainment. Baseball Makes Memories.
|
|