Cardinals/Busch Stadium

[jim]

Really once you go to a few games its pretty easy to figure out what escalators go where.

...or quit being a cheapskate and buy box seats...geez

problem solved

I normally sit in the bleachers, which is easy.

It gets confusing the couple times a year I'm in other seats, and have no idea how to get to them.

I'm glad I'm not the only one. I remember once we were sitting behind homeplate, entered down the LF line. I ended up walking all the way down to the far RF area before I found a way to get up. Hell, I could have taken the LF way up if I knew I was going to end up all the way down there.

[JL21]

I'm glad I'm not the only one. I remember once we were sitting behind homeplate, entered down the LF line. I ended up walking all the way down to the far RF area before I found a way to get up. Hell, I could have taken the LF way up if I knew I was going to end up all the way down there.

You know what helps me? I have landmarks around the stadium that let me know where I am.

Hardee's = upper deck (ok, that one's obvious)

Build-a-Fredbird or whatever that thing is called- behind home plate, just on the 3B side

The Backstop Bar- directly behind home plate

Musial monument- the 3B side entry

I'm still creating them for myself but it actually helps.

[jim]

B2 with it's symmetry was also so logical. Everything went everywhere with those wavy ramps (they looked wavy to me from the outside). And like popeye said, you could just take the middle number of your section and pick that gate and be real close.

[cardinalkarp]

Are you guys just bad w/ directions in general?? Because I really find the stadium fairly easy to navigate.

Other than the 2nd level which has alot of restricted access areas due to the Redbird Club, BOA section and the suites the rest of the sections are easy.

I just typically head in gate 4 if I have bleacher or seats down the left field line, or if I have seats by homeplate I go in the main entrance (where Stan's statue is located).

Those are really the only two entrances I'll use (since I park at the AT&T building) and I don't feel like walking all the way around the stadium on the outside. There's an escalator in the LF and RF corners that will take you up to the any deck if need be and there's a walkway to the left by the Stan entrance and the Fredbird Build-a-Bear workshop.

[AdmiralKird]

Perhaps the clock was not designed to be read by those who need to stare directly upwards to see it.

Was ever a clock designed thusly?

If you are in Busch 3 and sitting directly under the clock and you want to know what time it is, what you do is LOOK FORWARDS because there's a digital clock near the press box.

RANTBLOCKER

I'm not ranting about the homeplate clock, which is actually on the same display as the temp, nor am I complaining about the wristwatch that I wear. The arguement is about the centerfield clock, and how it, as well as the lighting, was a poor design. You can look at the photo and judge it yourself. Regardless of your opinion on the Busch III clock, most static architectural clocks are easier to read at an identical angle (or worse), which simply makes this clock inferior. I'm not asking for the greatest clock known to man, but a modern stadium should be at least on par with designs a hundred years old or more.

[jim]

I hate to admit it but when you show the Wrigley clock I kind of see what you mean.

As far as getting lost in general karp, not really. Just can't get my bearings straight in b3, and quite frankly I'm a little shell shocked from my foray into the restricted areas and gun shy from previous experiences.

[cardinalkarp]

Well, on the pic you provided Admiral it looks like there may be a light out on that given night.

[AdmiralKird]

Here's a better comparison that a GIS yielded + my own photos:

The Nationals Park clock is equally poor, however their clock is about four times as large as ours.

Yes, there may be a light out during Game 5, however I believe the pictures speak for themselves.

[Radbird]

I went to a game at Nationals Park and had no idea that "W" was a clock.

[Popeye_Card]

Are you guys just bad w/ directions in general?? Because I really find the stadium fairly easy to navigate.

Other than the 2nd level which has alot of restricted access areas due to the Redbird Club, BOA section and the suites the rest of the sections are easy.

I just typically head in gate 4 if I have bleacher or seats down the left field line, or if I have seats by homeplate I go in the main entrance (where Stan's statue is located).

Those are really the only two entrances I'll use (since I park at the AT&T building) and I don't feel like walking all the way around the stadium on the outside. There's an escalator in the LF and RF corners that will take you up to the any deck if need be and there's a walkway to the left by the Stan entrance and the Fredbird Build-a-Bear workshop.

No, I have an excellent sense of direction.

I'm not really complaining much about the entrances for myself--I know approximately where I'm going. It's for when I have to tell somebody else which entrance to go into. It used to be easy--middle number of the ticket is the gate number closest to your seat. Why they went away from this very simple system, I have no idea.

What I am complaining about is the maze of steps and escalators inside. Some only go up to the second deck. Some only go from 2 to 3. It is really bizarre. And a lot of the staircases aren't the easiest to find. I get it figured out and get where I need to go, but it's not laid out well at all. Whoever designed it forgot the fundamental laws of designing public spaces--people don't want to have to figure things out, so make it easy for them. That's probably my biggest complaint about the new stadium (besides Lake DeWitt).