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BALLPARK REVIEWS

HALEY TOYOTA FIELD
​HOME OF THE RED SOX

Review from July 11, 2018
Salem Red Sox vs. Winston-Salem Dash
Best View in Baseball!
By: Matthew Preslar

After our whirlwind trip through East Tennessee, we returned to home territory... Advance A Ball, Carolina League, home of the Salem Red Sox! Unfortunately we experienced a game out of the normal for Salem. Just across the street from Haley Toyota Field was the Salem Fair. Unfortunately for baseball, it's a hard sell against a once-a-year event for the local market. A baseball league with 70 home dates a year will struggle against such an attraction.

Bad for business at the baseball yard, but great for us!!! We quickly met a couple of ushers who were very eager to engage and connect with the small audience. We informed one particular usher that we travel around to MiLB games writing reviews, and he quickly called over the team GM, Ryan Shelton. Mr. Shelton spent some time talking to us about the business, the stadium, and showed us some of the breathtaking views the park has to offer. We were very thankful for the time he spent with us and will speak very highly of the staff. Even with a small crowd, they were not obligated to give us any of their time, but we truly appreciative the insight they offered. 
​

The stadium itself was a very nice ballpark. In some ways it seemed to be nearing 25 years old. In other respects, it seemed ahead of it’s time. One aspect I didn’t like was the team store being SO FAR away from the main entrance. There was no signage directing you to the store which may discourage one from going to purchase merchandise. If I didn’t buy a home hat for every park, I might have quit looking very quickly. If they don’t care to direct me, why should I care to look? Another outdated and unadvertised stadium attraction is Mini Fenway. With a little attention, this could be a nice destination in the park, especially for children to play. The grass looked unkempt and the whole area looked almost like an afterthought at the stadium. We have seen parks where they replicate portions of Wrigley Field (Myrtle Beach) with much more respect and care. This can be a nice feature of an affiliate park, but only if some effort is made.

In contrast, some aspects of Haley Toyota Field were well ahead of time. My favorite amenity of the stadium is what I will call the “concessions concourse”.  Most of the concession and drink areas opened up on the playing field side of the concourse wall. Being concerned about safety, everybody should keep an eye on the game in progress, but one could walk to the stand and place an order without missing any of the action. There was also a high top seating section in this concourse. You could face the game while you sat at the table and had your meal or drink. Another unadvertised promotion was Wing Wednesday. All wings were $.75 and were restaurant quality. Great unexpected food helped make this place a favorite.

The best aspect of the park, and the biggest attraction to distinguish this venue, is the incredible view of the mountains. No words can describe what this park offered for a view. Please look at the pictures - and they even cannot do it justice. Its hard to imagine any more beautiful scenery in the world. An artist couldn't produce images like this view.  I want to return to Salem and see this facility on a normal night, with a normal crowd, and observe how the local Red Sox fans enjoy their baseball team. We often talk about the venues we loved the most and wish to go back ands see again, but Salem just made the top of our list.  The views and the staff make this a must-return attraction. Thank you, Salem Red Sox.

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HALEY TOYOTA FIELD at SALEM MEMORIAL BALLPARK
Salem, Virginia

OUR RATING: 
50 / 50

HOME OF THE:
SALEM RED SOX

MLB AFFILIATE:
BOSTON RED SOX


BUILT: 1995
CAPACITY: 6,300
CLASS: ADVANCED-A
LEAGUE: CAROLINA LEAGUE

TICKET VALUE  11/10

  • $8 General Admission in the upper deck; actual seats, not bleachers
  • $10 Reserved seats on main level
  • $12 Behind the Plate
  • ​Prices very competitive amongst other members of the Carolina League
  • Seats high in the upper deck offer panoramic views of the Virginia mountains... may be the best view in baseball!

CONCESSIONS  9/10

  • Wings Wednesday: $.75 bone-in or boneless wings - restaurant quality with wide selection of sauces
  • Souvenir soda cup - Series of 4 designs. Our cup featured former Salem player Anthony Rizzo (current Chicago Cub)
  • $5 Souvenir Soda includes $1 refill coupon valid any day this season (= 2 large drinks and the cup for only $6!)
  • Hamburgers, chicken tenders, BBQ sandwich baskets $8.75
  • Entree alone for $5
  • Kid's meals for $6
  • $2-5 snacks (candy, chips, popcorn, etc)
  • Draft beer: 20oz domestic $6.25; premium $7.75
  • Check ID station at Guest Services booth by gate
  • Several concession stands were field side of concourse, you could peak over your shoulder and watch the game while waiting in line
  • Some other stands were a bit hidden with minimal directional signage; you wouldn't know they were there unless you'd wandered around the whole stadium (wings, ice cream)
  • Dippin' dots cart with helmet choices beyond the Salem Rex Sox, including several MLB teams

FAMILY FRIENDLINESS  5/5

  • Kids play area with inflatables
  • ​Mini Fenway Park for kids to toss balls and run around in small-scale replica of Fenway Park. 
  • Mugsy the mascot
  • Between-inning contests and activities

ATMOSPHERE  7/10

  • ​No booklet-style programs
  • Fans were given a "scorecard" with cover designed like classic carnival... "greatest show in town"
  • Due to the Salem Fair in town, using the adjacent parking lot as their fairgrounds, ballgame attendance was very low (not a typical week, according to the GM)
  • Low attendance and relaxed crowd allowed us opportunity to speak with ushers and meet the GM, who showed us the best spots in the ballpark to catch the mountain view and a gorgeous sunset. These team employees made us feel at home and part of the Salem Red Sox family.
  • Salem Fair was not announced in advance via social media or website. No co-promotion with fair. (i.e. discount Red Sox tickets with your fair ticket... or "come to the fair at 4pm and the ballgame at 7pm"). Website in general not as comprehensive as other teams in the league.
  • Being from out-of-town and unfamiliar with the local events (Salem Fair), it was confusing to arrive and search for parking... hoping we were anywhere near the entrance. Additional instructions in advance or signage would have been helpful for ballpark visitors. (i.e. "BALLGAME TONIGHT - PARK HERE" banner by the road)
  • Music and between-inning contests
  • ​Clearly-marked First-Aid station near the entrance
  • Several conveniently-located Restrooms, not air conditioned
  • Minimal directional signage in stadium towards Team Store (separate building located down the concourse, a distance from the entrance gate), Kids section, or "Mini Fenway Park" (also located quite a way down the concourse, hidden from view unless you walked the whole way around)
  • Party sections for groups located down both baselines

CHARACTER  12/10

  • Traditional stadium built in 1995
  • All brick entrance displayed commanding presence
  • Pennant flags waving along top of stadium wall, alternating Salem and Carolina League... proud of their city and identity with Carolina League
  • Team name and uniforms align the team with parent club: Boston Red Sox; very strong identity for the farm team
  • ​​Brick archways along the concourse
  • Banners in Team Store and along concourse of notable Salem Red Sox players, including: Jackie Bradley, Jr., Yoan Moncada, Ryan Lavarnaway, and Andrew Benintendi; Anthony Rizzo on souvenir soda cup
  • Huge American flag waving on the outfield wall
  • Nets stop at edge of dugout
  • Picnic high top tables behind plate in concourse / walkway; seating here is first come/first served, but a prime spot to enjoy your snack while still watching the game
  • Concourse stops well before fair poles; Not having a 360 degree concourse ensures all visitors maintain the great view of the mountains from wherever they are in the stadium, looking out toward the field.
  • View from floor level is great; view on top rows of upper deck is stunning!
  • INSIDE INFO FROM GM: Walk to the top of the upper deck along the first base side. Around 8:30pm you can catch a gorgeous sunset over the mountains facing AWAY from the field. From the same spot facing the field, you can see the iconic "Roanoke Star" lit up miles away in the distance once it's dark.

PARKING  6/5

  • FREE parking
  • Paved lot, close to stadium
  • We had to park further away due to the Salem Fair using the typical parking lot, but parking was still free
Read More Reviews
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TICKET VALUE
(10 points)

• Ticket Prices
​• View from Seat

​CONCESSIONS
​(10 points)

• Variety, Quality & Price of Food
• Variety of Drinks / Souvenir Cups
• Length of Lines at Concession Stands

​FAMILY FRIENDLINESS
​(5 points)

• Play Areas
• In-Between Inning Activities & Contests
• ​Mascot
• Family Bathrooms

​ATMOSPHERE
​(10 points)

• Local Experience
• Sound-Effects & Music
• Programs
• ​Restrooms

​CHARACTER
​(10 points)

• Home Team Uniforms & Colors
• Architecture of Stadium
• History of Stadium
​• Tributes to MLB Affiliate / Local Players
• Location of Stadium & Surrounding Scenery

​PARKING
(5 points)

• Price for Parking
• ​Size, Quality & Location of Lot
Our Rating System
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