On a 4th of July weekend, while visiting what became my wife and future in-laws, I had the opportunity to see the Cardinals vs Reds at Great American Ball Park.
I originally had no intentions of attending a baseball game during my visit, however, thanks to a church member of my future wife’s family, I was provided tickets and able to take advantage of this opportunity. Despite the last minute notification, it was worth it as I got to see some great baseball action and visit a park I had never attended before.
Here are my thoughts on Great American Ball Park.
Pros
Great American Ball Park is definitely fitting of its namesake. From the centerfield smokestacks to the Riverboat deck the overall atmosphere is amazing. The ballpark nest perfectly right off of the Ohio River in Cincinnati’s downtown sector.
The statues and odes to the previous legends and historic events is also something that I have enjoyed. The pride they show for their legends like Joe Morgan, Johnny Bench, Pete Rose, Tony Pérez and Barry Larkin is phenomenal.
The food options within Great American Ball Park is what initially caught my attention. As a visitor, the locals insisted that I try a hotdog from Skyline Chili and I must say that it was amazing. The venue prices at the stadium were also standard to what I’ve experienced at other parks.
The fan experience at the stadium was also one that stood out to me while at the ballpark. Although the game was on a Sunday, it was well attended and the fans were lively although their team was losing. Seeing fans still involved when the game is out of reach showed me that they have true pride in their team regardless of the outcome.
The stadium parking is something that I was amazed with because they provide several options and they are generally affordable for fans. The parking lots near the stadium look out for the fans and do not overcharge them because of they see and opportunity to do it.
The Cincinnati Reds also provide ticket discounts to member of who work in public service. To access these ticket deals for Reds tickets you have to have a verified GovX account. To obtain an account, you can sign up on govx.com and use current .gov or .mil email account.
Cons
The inning break events were not as entertaining as I have seen at other venues but it may have been downsized do to it being a Sunday afternoon game. I would have enjoyed seeing more interaction from the stadium crew in regards to inning break events. There were not any typical shirt tosses or giveaways at the game.
Also, this wasn’t a themed day at the park so that might have took some of the air out of the planning for said events. The seat food could have been better as it wasn’t comparable to the concession stand items. The cotton candy was also not as fluffy as it should have been. It left a lot to be desired.
Overall Game Day Experience
I would give Great American Ball Park an 8 out of 10. Very nice venue with a lively fan base inside and outside of the stadium. A lot of great seating options to view the game within the ballpark. The food choices are very affordable and mainly regional to the areas taste.
The Reds also have a lot of parking options that are not expensive or hard to find. That alone adds value to the stadium trip when not much is time and money is spent on parking.
