Kauffman Stadium
Kansas City Royals
Major League
TL;DR? Here’s the long-form piece in a nutshell:
Praised as a 20th century classic for its clean, modernist lines and outfield fountains, my take on Kauffman Stadium is one of the site’s more controversial ones, as longtime ballpark enthusiasts generally place The K in the top 10.
My rationale is twofold: 1) I didn’t like the aesthetic changes made to the outfield scene during the sweeping 2008-08 renovations, and 2) I still can’t get past the suburban setting.
1) The central appeal of old Kauffman was not only the fountains, but the gorgeous, flowing simplicity of the grass embankments in the outfield. It’s an aesthetic travesty that modern-day economics forced the Royals to convolute the timeless uncluttered greenery with seating, ads, playgrounds, and putt-putt courses, because the greenery allowed the fountains to stand out. I find the outfield appearance too muddled and busy now.
2) Kauffman Stadium is the ultimate suburban “parking lot ballpark,” with one of the lowest walkability scores in baseball. My enduring persuasion is against venues not integrated with the city center or a neighborhood. America’s venerated ballparks resonated with fans because they were part of a community, and suburban baseball can never replicate that appeal.
Kauffman has a few other flaws—the lack of a locally-operated BBQ joint in the stadium representing America’s BBQ capital is confounding, for example—but there’s still plenty to like here.
The fountains are still there. The interior lines are still sharp. The sightlines are good. The videoboard topped with a crown is iconic. And other than the food, a big caveat, the amenities are spectacular: Kauffman has (a) some of baseball’s best craft beer, (b) wonderful social spaces like Craft & Draft and Rivals Bar, (c) the Royals Hall of Fame, and (d) the Outfield Experience offering baseball’s #1 family-friendly kids’ areas.
But the superb “classic K” is greatly missed. Wrigley, Fenway, and Dodger managed to incorporate 21st century amenities without taking away so much aesthetic appeal.
