Pelicans’ ballpark comes in sixth in Stadium Journey rankings
For the sixth straight season, the Myrtle Beach Pelicans’ TicketReturn Field at Pelicans Ballpark was among the top 10 in Stadium Journey’s Minor League Baseball Ballpark Rankings.
The home of the two-time defending Mills Cup champions came in at sixth on the list and is the highest-ranked Advanced-A MiLB team.
The Pelicans’ ballpark continued its reign as the highest-ranking ballpark among Carolina League teams since the magazine began putting out the rankings in 2011.
Stadium Journey annually ranks each ballpark within its own league, across Minor League Baseball and across stadium experiences in all sports. The ranking list is based primarily on the score of their correspondents, known as their FANFARE rating. This is a compilation score consisting of marks for 1) the ballpark's food & beverage options, 2) the overall atmosphere, 3) the neighborhood around the park, 4) the fans, 5) the access, 6) the overall return on investment, and 7) one category for any extras or special features. They also use the ratings of the site's readers, known as the “crowd score” as the primary tiebreaker.
The Pelicans received four or five stars in every category, with five stars being the highest mark possible. The team earned an overall FANFARE score of 4.5 for the 2016 season.
According to the review, “the Pelicans have done an amazing job of catering to both local die-hards and casual tourists. With the massive variety of food options and many entertainment options, TicketReturn.Com Field is easily a premier minor league venue.”
The publication waill release its Top 100 Stadium Experiences prior to next season, a list that has included the Pelicans’ ballpark in the top 50 each year. That list ranks stadium experiences across all sports including collegiate, NFL, MLB, NHL, MLS, NASCAR, and more.
Myrtle Beach’s highest recorded ranking came in 2012, when it was 19th.
This story was originally published October 31, 2016 at 4:31 PM with the headline "Pelicans’ ballpark comes in sixth in Stadium Journey rankings."