| The Corn Crib, which opened in 2010, is reminiscent of other Frontier League ballparks, though on a slightly larger scale and with a lot less intimacy. Apparently, because of the need to allow other sports to play at the ballpark (like soccer), the architects felt the need to design in a ridiculous amount of foul territory. So much so that it really ruins the baseball watching experience here.
Hits
- The ballpark is extremely roomy, so you definitely won’t feel crowded here. The large berms in both left field and right field allow for places for kids to work off some energy.
- The kids play area, located along the 3rd base concourse, features a few inflatables and is free of charge. It is annoying when teams charge extra for a bounce house.
- The corn theme is carried throughout the ballpark. From the corn stalks outside the ballpark and in center field to the random corn facts posted throughout the concourse to the old farming equipment on display, the team has done a nice job making sure that fans know where they are.
- A new awning was added behind home plate that provides more shade and covering than the ballpark had when it originally opened. Without this, I have no idea where fans when in case of a thunderstorm.
Misses
- The excessive amount of foul territory might be the most I have ever seen at a ballpark. It really makes the game hard to get into as the players and action seem so distant. Other ballparks that are multi-purpose don’t have the same amount of foul territory, so not sure the exact reason for it.
- The artificial turf! No matter how real it may look, you can still tell that is fake based on how the ball bounces on it. There is still something odd about watching a game not played on real grass.
- Prices are a bit high for both the level of play and location. Most of the seats are $12 with just a couple sections of bleachers being $7. Parking is $2 and concessions are also not cheap (i.e. hot dog are $4)
- The main entrance and ticket office are located in the outfield (near the parking lots). While this makes sense, it does give the park an odd feel.
Eats
- The standard ballpark fare can be found at several concession stands located around the concourse. Unfortunately, some stands were closed the night I was there.
- Some of the concession stands have video boards displaying the items available and prices. The problem with this is that all items don’t fit on a single screen, so sometimes you have to wait a few minutes to see all the options.
- As already mentioned, concession prices are a bit on the high side. Hot dogs are $4, fries are $4, chicken fingers are $6, and nachos are $5.
- Besides the usual food options, a stands on the 3rd base side sells some BBQ options including pulled pork sandwiches and pulled pork nachos.
While the corn theme does give the ballpark some character, overall The Corn Crib is a very non-descript and unmemorable ballpark. With real grass and less foul territory, it would be a much better place to see a game. After the 2018 season, the Frontier League team folded and was replaced by a collegiate Prospect League team.
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