On Tuesday, the Indians announced that construction has begun on “Phase 2” of a multi phase renovation of Progressive Field, the soon-to-be 22 year old crown jewel ballpark in downtown Cleveland.
According to various press reports, the second phase this winter will mainly consist of the construction of a new club behind home plate on the main level of the concourse. This will provide season ticket holders, particularly those season ticket holders in the “Diamond Box” and “Field Box Front” sections, an area with a full bar, new concessions options, a customer service center and a glass front to view the game. It will also stay open after games to allow for traffic to clear. A secondary goal for this club is to improve views of the field for all fans walking along the main concourse.
According to the official Indians press release, “a large, large majority” of the latest renovations will be privately funded. A small portion, which will go toward things such as heavy machinery in new concession areas, will come from the sin tax.
“We’re very excited to continue these impactful renovations, the second phase of which will continue to dramatically enhance the fan experience at Progressive Field,” said Tribe Senior VP of Public Relations Bob DiBiasio in the press release. “The first phase significantly improved the Right Field District, and the next phase will similarly impact the Infield and Left Field districts.”
As you can see from the photo above, seats from the back section of the main level are being removed to allow for the new club section, which will likely not include any seats. For the renovation heading into the 2015 season, about 7,000 seats were removed; this follows the trend in professional sports of eliminating seating capacity as demand to attend games has gone down over the years.
Although television viewership dropped significantly in 2015, the Indians are turning Progressive Field into a full entertainment center with activities that involve attention outside of baseball. Essentially, the ballpark has become a place to “hang out” and catch up on the days activities with friends and family with a baseball game occurring in the background.
Whether you agree with the direction that the organization is taking with the ballpark, they are simply keeping up with features that the “newer” ballparks built after 2000. These features include places inside which are a liken to pubs and restaurants, which obviously brings in an influx of cash.
In an era when watching the game on television can be better than watching it at the ballpark, the Indians are doing a great job of keeping “up with the times” and drawing individuals to the ballpark that are not necessarily baseball fans.
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