Gwinnett Field - Gwinnett Stripers

Section 108, Row E, Seat 1

History

Gwinnett Field is the home of the Gwinnett Stripers, the AAA team for the Atlanta Braves. Not far from Atlanta, this brings an advantage to the Braves organization when it comes to calling guys up; teams across MLB have started to bring their AAA teams as close to their home base as possible. The Stripers have called Gwinnett Field home since 2009, and the field has seen the team through a name change; they came to Gwinnett as the Gwinnett Braves and changed to the Stripers in 2018.

Atmosphere

Fans in Gwinnett are super engaged with the game, and they root for all the players that came through. I think this is helped by the fact that this team feeds into Atlanta which is just down the interstate; not only is this their local minor league team, but since most folks in the area are Braves fans, it's also an investment in the future of their favorite team. Fans are also happy to answer questions and start up conversations with the folks around them.

Concessions

While concessions are a little pricey, there are definitely plenty of options in Gwinnett. In addition to ballpark favorites including beer and seltzer, there's also stands that sell a good variety of options, including barbecue and pizza. I went with the barbecue option and got pulled pork mac-and-cheese, and it was perfect for a chilly night in Gwinnett.

Access

Gwinnett is super close to Atlanta, and there are plenty of hotels in the area depending on how far out of Atlanta you want to be. Parking is extremely close to the stadium, and you can pay day of at all the closest lots. The big downside is the traffic, but that's expected when you're in the Atlanta metro; just make sure to leave yourself extra time to get to the field.

Final Thoughts

Even ignoring my bias towards all things Braves, Gwinnett is a great facility. With plenty of concession options, a mix of reserved chairbacks and a grass berm in the outfield, and an engaged fan base, it rivals some of the best minor league parks I've visited. And, if you time it right, you can catch the Braves and their AAA affiliate in the same week to see both the big Braves and what's coming next.