Chase Field
Arizona Diamondbacks
Major League
TL;DR? Here’s the long-form piece in a nutshell:
As the first baseball-only stadium with a retractable roof, Chase Field is all function over form, geared toward pumping in air conditioning to make baseball work in the desert. Often likened to an airplane hangar, it’s the least aesthetically attractive MLB ballpark of the post-1990 building boom, lacking any architectural intrigue. It often lands in the bottom 5 of ballpark rankings.
Chase Field’s big and boxy exterior profile features terribly clashing architecture, typifying an era where inevitably modern retractable roof parks tried to be “retro.” Inside, Chase Field feels like watching baseball in a giant gym. When the roof is closed, almost no natural light is emitted into the building. When the roof is open, Chase Field’s aesthetic sensibility is much better — panels fold up throughout the entirety of the outfield — but it still feels like watching baseball in a box. And the cavernous upper deck screams outdated empty stadium.
With a dearth of significant enhancements over the years, Chase Field’s amenities have not aged well. Think mall-like concessions, pedestrian food quality, a poor craft beer selection, minimal social gathering areas, two aging outfield restaurants (although, at least decent burger joint now occupies one of them), tired premium spaces at field level, and a worn club level.
That’s before getting into the behind-the-scenes technical issues fans don’t always see. The roof can only be opened or closed when the stadium is empty due to a broken pulley (fan safety issue). The roof leaks, as seen during the 2023 World Baseball Classic. It’s made the local news rounds for grease fires in the kitchens, burst pipes, faulty scoreboard lights, and other issues.
Chase Field has some bright spots. It’s a downtown ballpark. There’s the pool. I love the murals in the rotunda celebrating natural Arizona landmarks. It’s still a pretty functional building for watching baseball despite all the behind-the-scenes issues, with superb seating geometry and an open main concourse without interruptions in field visibility.
Bottom 5 is right, but it doesn’t deserve to be grouped with the “bad” ballparks in Tampa, Oakland, and to a lesser extent, Toronto. It’s safely in that #25-#27 range. The Diamondbacks desire a new ballpark or a top-to-bottom renovation to Chase Field.
