Review from July 11, 2018
Salem Red Sox vs. Winston-Salem Dash
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 Another outdated and unadvertised stadium attraction is Mini Fenway.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.
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.
HALEY TOYOTA FIELD at SALEM MEMORIAL BALLPARK
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TICKET VALUE 11/10
CONCESSIONS 9/10
FAMILY FRIENDLINESS 5/5
ATMOSPHERE 7/10
CHARACTER 12/10
PARKING 6/5
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