Outlet ranks Guaranteed Rate Field pregame experience ahead of Wrigley Field
CHICAGO — As we round into April, Major League Baseball season is in full swing, with 162 games set to take place between Wrigley Field on the North Side, and Guaranteed Rate Field on the South Side this summer. What might surprise Chicagoans though, is where each stadium’s pregame experience ranks, at least according to one outlet.
In many cities around the country, MLB stadiums are epicenters situated smack dab right in the middle of the summer season. No such thing is different in Chicago, where many around the city go to Chicago Cubs and White Sox games during the time of year many enthusiastically proclaim as “Summertime Chi.”
The Cubs, once known as the “lovable losers” who ascended to World Series Champion-status after breaking a 108-year-old championship drought, have an entire neighborhood dedicated to the atmosphere around baseball season, but according to bookies.com, the White Sox actually offer a better pregame experience.
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The sports gambling research outlet created an algorithm based on a multitude of factors to determine what they said is the best pregame experience. Those factors include:
Proximity: Close to the population center, plus accessible to fans
Tailgating: The ability to park and enjoy a summer day with a beverage and grill.
Entertainment Around Stadium: A vibrant bar and restaurant scene within walking distance of your seat.
Family Sentiment: Is the area safe and entertaining for kids and those with kids?
For the 2024 season, Bookies ranked the Cubs as having the third-worst pregame experience in all of baseball.
The outlet had this to say about the experience leading up to a Cubs game:
“Cubs pregames are something to experience – for the fan of a certain age or ilk. But there isn’t tailgating, parking is brutal and the trek getting in and out of the area is borderline torturous, plummeting the Cubbies’ overall score,” Bookies said. “Families were also wary of the raucous Wrigleyville area, though it’s still something to be experienced at least once.”
By comparison, Bookies ranked Guaranteed Rate Field as tied for 20th among all MLB stadiums, and had this to say about the White Sox’s pregame experience:
“The stadium is right off of Interstate 94 and within walking distance of a train station; few stadiums offer such easy to get to,” Bookies said. “There’s no bar scene, but tailgating is allowed, keeping the score high despite a low score from families and 20-somethings seeking a pub.”
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The outlet’s top five MLB stadiums for pregame experience were Oracle Park (San Francisco Giants) and Busch Stadium (St. Louis Cardinals) tied for fourth, Great American Ballpark (Cincinnati Reds) at third, Petco Park (San Diego Padres) coming in at second, and PNC Park (Pittsburgh Pirates) taking first place.
For the full rankings of all 30 MLB stadiums’ pregame experiences, those interested can visit bookies.com by clicking here.
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