| Steinbrenner Field (originally knows as Legends Field) is a nice enough new park, but it simply feels too big for either minor league or even spring training games. Depending on which type of game you attend here, you'll get a vastly different experience. I have been to spring training games here in 2000 and 2011, and I felt more like I was at a major league park rather than a spring training facility. And have also attended a Florida State League game in 2007 in which there was just a handful of people in the park (which is the norm during the minor league season). Some people refer to Legends Field as a "mini Yankee Stadium", but frankly I don't see the resemblance beyond the blue seating and the facade. Despite being built in the era of new ballparks, it lacks some of the common features now found in other parks - most notably a concourse which overlooks the field and a gift store accessible from inside the park. But Yankee fans are there to see the players, so I doubt this fazes most of them. Seating is split into a lower level and an upper level, split by a walkway which leads to the concourse. The seats and aisles are wider than in most parks making for a more comfortable time watching the game, though many of the seats are a bit far from the field. The concourse area (located behind the seating areas) features a great selection of food items (at least for spring training games) - from ordinary ballpark cuisine to deli sandwiches, Little Caesars Pizza, Outback burgers, arepas, BBQ nachos and funnel cakes. For FSL games, only basic ballpark fare is offered. Concession prices are quite reasonable and the quality good. The atmosphere for FSL games is rather bland - the team does have a mascot, but he's useless as he hardly makes any appearances. And the team only does a couple of between inning contests. It really is about the baseball here. Steinbrenner Field is located directly across the street from Raymond James Stadium along the busy Dale Mabry Avenue. The constant buzz of traffic can be heard from inside the park, which does not make for a very peaceful setting. My biggest complaint is the traffic after spring training games. It took nearly one hour to get out of the parking lot and back onto the highway which is just a couple miles from the park. Apparently the problem was that it was a weekday afternoon and the rush hour coincided with the game letting out as I did not experience the same issue with a night spring training game. Parking is $10 for spring training games. But for FSL games, free parking is available behind the ballpark and traffic is not an issue. Steinbrenner Field was built as a spring training venue, so that is the best time to attend a game. But if you decide to go to an FSL game here, be forewarned, you'll have the place to yourself.
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