The Cell or the Jake?

by cmkeller on Jan 20, 2011 10:59 AM EST

Due to automotive issues, a trip my family had planned for this weekend must be postponed. We were going to visit relatives in South Bend, Indiana. Since we are postponing it, I am considering trying to time the re-schedule to take in a game in which the Royals are visiting either the White Sox (2 hours drive from South Bend) or Indians (further from South Bend, but en route home to New York).

So....does anyone have any advice as to which I should choose? I'd like to hear comparative stadium experiences between U.S. Cellular Field and Progressive (formerly Jacobs) Field. Any factors I should consider - parking availability, parking costs, ticket prices, friendliness of opposing fans, accessibility of first base coaches for pummelling - would be appreciated. Just don't bother regarding the concessions; as Kosher-observant Jews, we would not be able to eat stadium food anywhere (except for New York and Baltimore - at least as far as I know).

Thanks to all!

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I'd hit The Jake on the way home.

The White Sox are a better team, but I personally have no interest in seeing their stadium.

by AxDxMx on Jan 20, 2011 11:16 AM EST reply actions

The Cell is a toilet

The Jake is a nice stadium. Also, the atmosphere at the Cell is really crappy. White Sox fans have a pretty high asshole quotient. The fans at the Jake are much nicer.

The immoderate moderator

by Scott McKinney on Jan 20, 2011 11:18 AM EST reply actions

for the one-time visitor

The Cell is the worst stadium in the majors. I suppose a Sox fan might like it, and others that visit it regularly…

but you’re locked into the level you bought your ticket. In other words, you can’t even walk down to the first deck to check it out if you bought a third deck seat, and the same works in reverse. I could make a comment about the third deck riff-raff but it’s honestly one of those stupid ideas that should never have come to pass.

If you’re seriously debating this, debate no more. The Jake is easily it’s superior in every way.

Nick Swisher is handsome.

by ChrisCEIT on Jan 20, 2011 5:01 PM EST up reply actions

New Comiskey is the rare exception

of a “new” ballpark that turned out craptacular. It feels like visiting a mall, and not the nice new mall either, but the one in the bad neighborhood where half the spaces are empty, the patrons all move in packs and never seem to go into any stores, and the only store you recognize is Radio Shack. Aesthetics aside, if you sit in the lower deck (and only the lower deck), it is not a bad place to watch a game. The upper deck, however, is about 8 miles above sea level and as steep as Devil’s Tower.

If you are going to spend more time in the city other than just the game, Chicago is a very fun city (just not around the ballpark). Wrigleyville is worth visiting even if there is no game that day, and you would leave thinking “man, I wish New York had a neighborhood park like this.”

by Gopherballs on Jan 20, 2011 11:39 AM EST reply actions

To be fair

It was built before Camden Yards set the standard for “new” stadiums. I suppose SkyDome might be considered a “good new” stadium that the Chicago architects might have emulated, but it’s really a product of the prior era of stadium-building, not the new one that everyone likes.

Chaim Mattis Keller New York City's # 1 Royals fan!

by cmkeller on Jan 20, 2011 12:02 PM EST up reply actions

They had the same architects and were essentially built at the same time

by Gopherballs on Jan 20, 2011 12:16 PM EST up reply actions

I'm surprised, but you're right.

I guess the real difference was that Baltimore was looking for a centerpiece of a general downtown revival, while Chicago just wanted a replacement stadium.

Chaim Mattis Keller New York City's # 1 Royals fan!

by cmkeller on Jan 20, 2011 12:26 PM EST up reply actions

Bingo

Its also funny that Skydome was considered the new model for stadiums at the time, and 20 years later it is almost obsolete

Relive Royals History at royalsretro.blogspot.com

by RoyalsRetro on Jan 20, 2011 12:37 PM EST up reply actions

the Cell really isn't bad

part of the reason why NY and ChiSox don’t have great neighborhood stadiums is because it would be impossible for them to do so. The Cell’s been upgraded, ala the K, multiple times this decade, and in general is better than it was a decade ago. I’ll always have weird memories of it, because I went to a game in April three or four years in a row, always a weekend night game when it was absolutely freezing and no one was there.

Its weird that Old Comiskey really never got any love. I don’t remember any outrage when it was torn down. It looks really cool and weird actually. Kinda wish it was still there.

by Freneau on Jan 20, 2011 1:29 PM EST up reply actions

It didn't have a gimmick like Fenway does.

But I have to admit, I do like gimmicks. I love playing video game baseball at the Polo Grounds. Extremely short homers to left, double in the gap becomes an inside the park homer for anyone not named Billy Butler. Maybe the Royals should consider letting the base of the scoreboard be the wall at Kauffman, or build the grass that’s there into a hill like in Houston.

by AxDxMx on Jan 20, 2011 1:41 PM EST up reply actions

It had an exploding scoreboard for a bit

Relive Royals History at royalsretro.blogspot.com

by RoyalsRetro on Jan 20, 2011 2:19 PM EST up reply actions

Old Comiskey was really was a pit

There were posts everywhere and the upper deck hung low, which kind of obscured the view, the seats were built for toddlers, and the men’s restroom was just a wall with a trench at the bottom.

It was kind of cool as a historical artifact without the gloss that has been added to Wrigley and Fenway, but I could see why Sox fans would have enough of a love/hate relationship with the place to not fight for its preservation.

by Gopherballs on Jan 20, 2011 3:11 PM EST up reply actions

Yep

The one time I was there, we had to look around a post to watch the game. We were several rows from the top. The wall there was falling apart, and we could look thru it and across the street into the new park (that was under construction at the time). Thankfully, they don’t build them like that anymore.

Tension is the enemy. - Charlie Lau

by aHorseWithNoName on Jan 20, 2011 3:30 PM EST up reply actions

The Skydome is perfect for Toronto

big, convenient, and bland

Making watching baseball as fun as doing your taxes.
My Twitter feed.

by Matt Klaassen on Jan 20, 2011 2:50 PM EST up reply actions

and now it gets to use the canadian spelling of center in its name

everyone wins

by Freneau on Jan 20, 2011 3:45 PM EST up reply actions

South Bend til I die

I don’t mind the Cell, but would probably have to say stopping in Cleveland on the way home is a better, easier option. One thing about the Jake however, unless you have a good seat, everything seems really far from the field, if that makes sense. The upper decks and outfield seem to be really far from the action.

by Freneau on Jan 20, 2011 11:44 AM EST reply actions

Also

South Bend I believe has a team in the same league as the Kane County Royals – may want to catch THE #1 FARM SYSTEM IN ALL OF BASEBALL

Relive Royals History at royalsretro.blogspot.com

by RoyalsRetro on Jan 20, 2011 12:37 PM EST reply actions

which one would that be??????

"Things could always be worse." - Buddy Bell

by buddyball on Jan 20, 2011 1:04 PM EST up reply actions

At Omaha or NWA maybe

But isn’t the Midwest league where the Royals put the crap players? (Kansas City notwithstanding)

Chaim Mattis Keller New York City's # 1 Royals fan!

by cmkeller on Jan 20, 2011 1:23 PM EST up reply actions

I think Eibner may be there?

A few guys from last year’s draft class will probably be there. NWRoyal would know better than I.

Relive Royals History at royalsretro.blogspot.com

by RoyalsRetro on Jan 20, 2011 2:20 PM EST up reply actions

they already said Eibner's gonna be in Wilmington most likely

look for pitching. Adam, Ventura, Yambati, and Simmons are the “next wave” if you will of pitching prospects. position players unfortunately won’t be too exciting unless they get aggressive with some young Latin players like Bonifacio, Caxito, Cuthbert, or Arteaga.

R.I.P. cwhitman412, Frederick0220, & Mets2k9
http://twitter.com/doublestix

by doublestix on Jan 20, 2011 6:40 PM EST up reply actions

"The Cell"....

sounds like a place that most White Sox fans should be held in until someone bails them out – sooo I’d pass. I’ve never been to either (though I did once catch a game at the old Comisky park), but I’d rather go to the Jake.

Tension is the enemy. - Charlie Lau

by aHorseWithNoName on Jan 20, 2011 1:16 PM EST reply actions

I'd go to the Jake.

Never been, but I think that the Cell is just an overpriced piece of shit. Went there a couple of days after a Cubs game at Wrigley last year to see the Twins play and the ballpark is just crap. The aging mall reference is spot on IMO. Not to mention that Sox fans have a much higher douche quotient than Cubs fans.

The prophecy has been fulfilled.

by mitchfreakingmaier! on Jan 20, 2011 1:28 PM EST reply actions

Angry drunks versus happy drunks

by Gopherballs on Jan 20, 2011 2:59 PM EST up reply actions

Jake all the way

parking is cheap, u can park in a parking garage 5 minutes away for 4 bucks…
plus the Winking Lizard is close by, and that place is awesome…great wings, ribs, pizza and beer…they used to have a Fishbones Beer Farm with about 100 drafts on tap…Another cool place…
nothing against the Cell, Chicago is a great town, but man that upper deck used to scare me, then they redid it so i assume it is better..

by Greg Toth on Jan 20, 2011 3:11 PM EST reply actions

Cleveland

Used to live there, but haven’t been back downtown in a couple of years. Fishbone’s became the Boneyard, and then was replaced by another business, so it’s no longer there (it was awesome). The Lizard is still there I believe. There are another 5-10 bars in the area, and some stuff like Hard Rock close by too.

by killa on Jan 24, 2011 8:53 PM EST up reply actions

The Cell

I live near Chicago (actually pretty close to Kane County woo hoo!) and my wife is a Sox fan so I have been to quite a few games at the Cell. I have never been hassled when wearing Royals gear to the game, I think most fans are kind of amazed to see a real live Royals fan out in the world, a few jeers here and there but nothing bad. It does cost 23 bucks to park at the Cell which is insane, I’d recommend taking the red line to the game and save about 20 bucks.Maybe you could time it to catch a Kane County game and forget both stadiums.

by royalrevenge on Jan 20, 2011 3:56 PM EST reply actions

$23!?!??!

That’s like two trips to Taco Bell!

by AxDxMx on Jan 20, 2011 4:09 PM EST up reply actions

I don't know

what kind of fancy deluxe items you are buying. $23 yields 7 or 8 trips to taco bell for me, even if I’m buying for the wife and kid probably get 3 trips out of 23 bucks heh. 23 is so obnoxious though. They raised it from 20 to 23 last season. I fully expect it to be 26 this year so everyone has to fumble with dollar bills for the parking attendants. Probably a conspiracy with the bums that try to sell you their newspapers after the game so they know everyone has ones on them.

by royalrevenge on Jan 20, 2011 4:14 PM EST up reply actions