Review from May 11& 12, 2018
Winston-Salem Dash vs. Down East Wood Ducks
Winston-Salem and the Dash
By: Matthew Preslar

Our trip to Winston-Salem came about very organically. I had an unexpected opening in my work schedule, so we looked around to see what minor league teams had games over the weekend. We realized Winston-Salem was only 1.5hr from our home, the Dash were in town, and the area also featured historical sites that would provide entertainment for the whole family.

As stated in my post "Winston-Salem Preview", I had researched enough history of BB&T Ballpark to create anticipation for the trip and excitement to see the surrounding area. Apparently, the area had developed reasonably well since the stadium’s inception. Within a half mile, we noticed several restaurants, bars, galleries and museums. Winston Salem is also home to the historic community called OLD SALEM. Old Salem is a living museum depicting Moravian life between 1750-1900. The exhibits featured homes/workplaces of a doctor, gunsmith, silversmith, baker, and many gardens. This trip into the past was a great way to spend the day, adding a little education to our baseball outings.

Now, back to the ball field. The series featured the Dash vs. the Down East Wood Ducks. The Wood Ducks play out of Kinston, NC and are an affiliate of the Texas Rangers. A lot of these players have matched up previously in Single-A Ball as these teams came up from Kannapolis (CWS) and Hickory (Texas). As players keep getting promoted, many of these matchups will have happened at lower levels of minor league ball. 

The two games we saw Fri and Sat night had very few notable moments. The Wood Ducks had comfortable leads early in both games which left little in doubt. In our second game, the Dash had chipped away at the lead enough that the Wood Ducks needed their closer (C.D. Pelham) to finish that game. Pelham appeared to be the top prospect in these games. He is a local from Lancaster, SC and quite the physical specimen: left handed and listed at 6’6” and 235 lbs!  BB&T Ballpark’s scoreboard radar gun clocked several of Pelham’s fastballs at 99mph.  Given his size, his velocity, and being a left handed pitcher, Pelham is virtual certainty to pitch in the major leagues sooner than later. 

​We enjoyed the whole Winston-Salem experience. This was our first trip to a Carolina League facility and our first experience with Advanced-A level baseball. BB&T Ballpark rated very well according to several sources, and we certainly were happy with the venue. The aesthetics were great. The talent level met my expectations. Our paid seats were very close to the action and had no nets blocking the view. As for value, this was a great experience. I should be able to convince my baseball acquaintances to make the same trip. Thank you #DashCity.

BB&T BALLPARK
Winston-Salem, North Carolina

OUR RATING: 
46 / 50

HOME OF THE:
WINSTON-SALEM DASH

MLB AFFILIATE:
CHICAGO WHITE SOX

BUILT: 2010
CAPACITY: 5,500
CLASS: Advanced-A
LEAGUE: Carolina League

TICKET VALUE  9/10

  • Lawn tickets as low as $7, Behind plate up to $15
  • Nets stopped at dugouts, our seats beyond dugout ($13) had uninhibited view of the field; plus seats so close to field we were thrown balls from coaches
  • Ticket prices for Carolina League (Advanced-A) slightly higher than what we've seen in South Atlantic League (Single-A)
  • Multiple ticket packages advertised in flyers around the park (Daddy Daughter Date Night, Thirsty Thursday Lawn Plan, and others)
  • Chic-fil-a Family 4-pack on several Saturday nights throughout the season. Our Sat PM game was through this package - included 4 decent seats, 4 Dash hats, and 4 free chic-fil-a sandwiches!) Lots of fans wearing the free Dash hats!
  • Vouchers for Free Lawn Ticket to future game handed our in contests and in team store, encouraging fans to come back to another game
  • Excellent views from ever seat in the park

CONCESSIONS  9/10

  • Best food/snack value we found: Popcorn in Souvenir Plastic Batting Helmet with UNLIMITED REFILLS for only $10. 
  • Mason jar souvenir cup with team logo and sponsor sticker: $6 soda / $10 draft beer 
  • Several food stands: Kona Ice, Ice Cream, Gourmet Hamburgers, Popcorn, and Krispy Kreme Donuts (1st time we've ever seen donuts at the ballpark!)
  • Typical ballpark concessions available at average prices: hotdogs, hamburgers, chicken fingers, fries, nachos, peanuts, etc.
  • Concession lines were not too long, even with a big weekend crowd.
  • A few inconsistencies between menu and what was actually available​
  • Purple stars coordinate with Dash branding - excellent attention to detail

FAMILY FRIENDLINESS  5/5

  • Fenced-in kids zone with inflatables and vintage carousel; provided security for families and also helped keep concourse walkway free of children running around
  • Between-inning contests and music; employees did great job keeping crowd engaged
  • Large open lawn section full of kids, and grassy space behind centerfield for kids to run around
  • Bolt the mascot was present for the whole game
  • ​Clearly marked restrooms and first aid station
  • Not many game balls being tossed into stands to kids (but being in the front row by dugout, our two children were tossed balls from coaches. Sometime picking a prime seat is worth it!)
  • Fireworks Friday set off from the field - right above our heads!
  • Kids run the based on weekends

ATMOSPHERE  10/10

  • ​Full-color program featuring rosters of the visitors during the current homestead
  • Plaques around stadium honoring not only former Winston-Salem players, but also CAROLINA LEAGUE players. Most notable Winston-Salem player depicted was HOFer Wade Boggs. Plaques also commemorated Carl Yastrzemski, Joe Morgan, Chipper Jones, and the real life "Crash" Davis made famous by the movie BULL DURHAM. Typically stadiums only feature their team and/or city, but it was nice to see pride in such a historic league named after our state.
  • Speakers around the 360 degree concourse with music and sound effects playing throughout the game, keeping crowd engaged
  • Foothills Brewing bar / seating area behind left center field wall
  • Grassy section behind bar with picnic tables and rocking chairs. Minimal view of the field in that area, but a relaxing place for crowd to enjoy a drink and socialize
  • Video scoreboard in center field with engaging videos and team/player stats​

CHARACTER  9/10

  • Walking up to stadium or pulling into parking lot provides a unique overview of stadium down the hill
  • Box office and stadium entrance located by centerfield- very different than most stadiums with entrance located behind the plate
  • Box office and team store both in trailers; has a temporary. unfinished feel
  • Excellent views of city skyline, especially at night under the lights
  • Plenty of brickwork, helps stadium maintain a classic ballpark look
  • Beautiful home white uniforms with purple hats and trim. Unique color scheme as very few teams wear purple.
  • White Sox logo on sleeve representing the MLB affiliate team
  • Good location near downtown. Very walkable from area restaurants and bars (with free shuttle service to stadium available from select locations around city)​

PARKING  4/5

  • ​$6 paved lots located by stadium entrance, expensive but convenient
  • Free shuttle service to stadium available from various points around the town

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