| For some reason I was expecting more out of Fox Cities Stadium, especially
after having been to Beloit the week before. Being in Wisconsin, I
expected a good atmosphere and some good concessions. But Appleton's
ballpark fails on both counts compared to Pohlman Field. Fox Cities
Stadium is located off of Route 41 in Grand Chute in what was an open
field. This is understandable since the team probably wanted plenty of
parking so that the fans could tailgate. And the tailgating here (as in
Milwaukee) seems to be a favorite pastime as fans are out early cooking
brats and drinking beer. The exterior of the park has a very low profile
due to it being sunk in below ground level. Structurally, it reminds me a
lot of Coveleski Stadium in South Bend. Fans enter onto the covered
concourse which overlooks the field. Instead of the press box and luxury
boxes being elevated and on a level of their own, they are right on the
concourse level as well. Seating is made up of maroon fold downs and
metal benches with backs. In addition there are large grassy berms down
each line for overflow crowds. Another seating option are the "Patio"
seats. These give you a table and four chairs for $48 and are located just
past the bags on each side. As mentioned already, concessions are subpar.
Perhaps it's because they figure so many fans tailgate. The variety of
concessions was quite weak and the quality was average at best. You should
always be able to get a good grilled brat in Wisconsin, but that is not the
case here. The one I had tasted as if it had been microwaved and then
thrown on a grill for just a few seconds. Maybe better food options are
available in Leinie's Lodge (a lounge/bar) located off of the concourse.
The atmosphere was also not to my liking as it reminded me of the craziness
that a some of the east coast ballparks resort to - lots of sound effects
and music, tons of free stuff thrown into the crowd, and numerous between
inning games. At least a couple of the games such as the beer bottle race
and the go-cart race are unique. Also, because this is Wisconsin, drinking
seems to be the most popular activity. Hence the fans got especially
excited during the singing of "Roll Out The Barrel" in the 7th inning. A
couple of other small complaints with the park. First, egress is rather
poor because of only one exit and the concourses being a bit narrow.
Second, upkeep on the stadium could be better as there were numerous seats
with paint chipping, which is odd considering how new the park is. It's
not all bad here, though. The team does give out free programs as you
enter the park, a trend that seems to be becoming more prevalent and one
that I really appreciate. Fox Cities Stadium is an adequate facility, but
there is nothing really unique or memorable about it. Add to that a poor
atmosphere, and there really is no reason to go out of your way to see a
game here.
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