Charlotte Knights AAA Ballpark in Third Ward

[grodney 2948]

1 hour ago, CharlotteWkndBuzz said:

I don't know how much this would affect opening weekend, but 3 out of the 4 nights (Thursday through Saturday), the temp dropped fairly significantly in the evening (low 40s +-5).  So that probably hindered some people from going, just knowing that it would be cold. Sunday was gorgeous, but it was also a 2pm game.  

That's what I was going to say.....it was freaking cold and very windy the first two games.

 

[dylansukkert 847]

10,049 was the attendance for USC UNC last night. The Knights did a great job scheduling that game. Need more sell out college baseball games here.

[InSouthPark 841]

2 hours ago, dylansukkert said:

10,049 was the attendance for USC UNC last night. The Knights did a great job scheduling that game. Need more sell out college baseball games here.

I was there as well last night and it was slammed, sold out crowd (not going to talk about the game itself).  

My wife went to the UNCC / NC State game a few weeks ago and she said it was dead compared to last year.  USC baseball is a real draw (they average 7000pp/gm, year after year).  UNC, UNCC and State only average 1000-1500.

It will be hard to get too many sell outs unless they schedule some prime match ups.   Or schedule more games where two national champion basketball coaches throw out the first pitches!

 

[CharlotteWkndBuzz 2446]

13 minutes ago, InSouthPark said:

My wife went to the UNCC / NC State game a few weeks ago and she said it was dead compared to last year.  

 

 

Think the official attendance was around 6,500 for the CLT/State game.  Not bad, but wasn't like last year like she said.  

[InSouthPark 841]

^^ 6500 isn't bad.  She made it sound much lower...but that could also be tickets sold, not actual attendance, or just that 2000 less people makes it look less full.  

[End_The_Sprawl 289]

I went to the UNCC/NC State game and there were a ton of open seats. At least one section had no one there.

[CarolinaDaydreamin 1610]

4 hours ago, InSouthPark said:

I was there as well last night and it was slammed, sold out crowd (not going to talk about the game itself).  

My wife went to the UNCC / NC State game a few weeks ago and she said it was dead compared to last year.  USC baseball is a real draw (they average 7000pp/gm, year after year).  UNC, UNCC and State only average 1000-1500.

It will be hard to get too many sell outs unless they schedule some prime match ups.   Or schedule more games where two national champion basketball coaches throw out the first pitches!

 

I was there last night and I'd say it was 60% USC, 25% UNC and the rest neither. We should easily be in the running for ACC baseball tournament. We should attempt to get the SEC tournament, even if thats a little tougher to get geographically. 

[ah59396 3255]

So I went to the Knight's game last night, and I'd say for a Tuesday the attendance was mediocre.  Which, is fine and expected, even though the weather was fabulous and the Knights hit a couple bombs.  That said, this is more aimed at the "experience", which I found to be the worst I've had in the many, many times I've attended games there.

 

1.  This has been previously noted, but beer prices are outrageous.  $11 for a mason jar beer or $8 for a Coors light draft is insane.  Those are Major League prices at a Minor League game.  It would behoove the Knights to lower the prices a bit.  I'd imagine I'd end up spending more money at the end of the day, if the beer was slightly cheaper (aka I'd buy more than 1/2)

2.  The Knights must have decided ease of access was an issue.  Despite maybe a crowd of 5000, I stood in line to enter the stadium for over 15 minutes, with people pouring out onto the road.  The Knights now check bags and wand every person entering the stadium (a la the Panthers).  That said, they had a whopping 2-3 people doing it at the main gate, leading to a lot of exceptionally confused people standing in line, wondering why they were missing the first pitch at a half capacity ball game.  

3.  The Home Run Porch sucks.  I don't know why I always pay extra to stand up there, besides the view.  But the beer options up there are garbage, and your food options amount to - pretzel.  Even better, if there is a party going on, now they won't even let you access the bathroom up there.  Which means you've got to walk all the way downstairs, then back to the main entrance, to reach the closest bathroom.  I know I sound lazy, but seriously, let me use the bathroom 15 feet away from me as opposed to walking from Right Field to basically first base.

Edited May 3, 2017 by ah59396
wrong field

[InSouthPark 841]

$11 for 24oz of local craft beer is outrageous now?  Opening year prices mason jars were $12. They lowered to $10 and upped to $11 this year.  

I've been to sold out Friday night games and never waited more than 10 seconds to enter. I go in the center field gate and there is never a line. 

[ah59396 3255]

Well I'm pretty confident I didn't just imagine the lines last night.

 

@InSouthPark Your personal experience is fine, if you want to walk through Center Field gate.  I'm talking about hundreds of people standing in line, overflowing into the roadway at the main gate.  They can't all go to Center Field, or you'll have the same issue.  It's a problem that needs to be addressed is my point.  And yes, $8 for a Coors light is outrageous at a minor league ball game.  I wasn't aware the mason jars were 24oz.  They sure don't look it.  But if so, that's more reasonable than I initially thought and I'll recant my position.

Edited May 3, 2017 by ah59396
more

[InSouthPark 841]

9 minutes ago, ah59396 said:

Well I'm pretty confident I didn't just imagine the lines last night.

Not saying you didn't. I'm saying going forward, use the entrance that's always empty in center field.  There isn't a box office there but if you have tickets in hand, walk right in.

[Jt282506 3852]

As a side note. They are leading the league in attendance thus far 

[grodney 2948]

On 5/3/2017 at 9:33 AM, InSouthPark said:

$11 for 24oz 

Mason jars were sold to us as "20oz".  I took mine home and checked.  It's 20oz to the bottom of the neck, and just under 22oz if you go all the way to the brim.....with surface tension (depending on the beer) you might get all the way to 22oz.....obviously that never happens.

So if you assume you get 21oz (you probably don't) ($0.524/oz), then it's better to buy the "16oz" for $7.50 if you get at least 14.4oz in it ($0.521/oz).

Edited May 5, 2017 by grodney

[InSouthPark 841]

8 minutes ago, grodney said:

Mason jars were sold to us as "20oz".  I took mine home and checked.  It's 20oz to the bottom of the neck, and just under 22oz if you go all the way to the brim.....with surface tension (depending on the beer) you might get all the way to 22oz.....obviously that never happens.

So if you assume you get 21oz (you probably don't) ($0.524/oz), then it's better to buy the "16oz" for $7.50 if you get at least 14.4oz in it ($0.521/oz).

You are not factoring in the souvenir cup!  Seriously...these are my favorite water cups!  I have a whole set at home. Holds the perfect amount of water/ice and they don't sweat through. 

On your point of getting it filled up all the way...you say 'never happens'...I say it happens to me a lot and it's annoying. The servers always try to fill it to the brim, taking twice as long to pour as it should and then I spill it on my hand after one step. In the end, I'm sure I spill an ounce or two down my hand. 

[grodney 2948]

1 minute ago, InSouthPark said:

On your point of getting it filled up all the way...you say 'never happens'...I say it happens to me a lot and it's annoying. The servers always try to fill it to the brim, taking twice as long to pour as it should and then I spill it on my hand after one step. In the end, I'm sure I spill an ounce or two down my hand. 

Haha, so true. 

[navigator319 2135]

Perfect Sunday.

[NCMike1990 4143]

Just now, navigator319 said:

Perfect Sunday.


 

Love the pic but look at that color saturation! It looks like a video game.

[dylansukkert 847]

So far this season after 15 home games attendance is up almost 300 fans per game. The Knights are averaging 9,244 fans a game this season. Honestly I thought the new had started to wear off but it looks like it hasn't. They do need to fix the Home Run Porch bathroom situation when there's private events and those with regular Home Run Porch tickets have to go all the way down stairs or "jump the rope" when no one is looking. Also pretty excited to have the bar at MLK and Graham open up, that place with have a killer view... does anyone know a time frame on when it'll open? Sign on the building says Spring...

[JoshuaDrown 1317]

On 5/3/2017 at 9:33 AM, InSouthPark said:

$11 for 24oz of local craft beer is outrageous now?  Opening year prices mason jars were $12. They lowered to $10 and upped to $11 this year.  

I've been to sold out Friday night games and never waited more than 10 seconds to enter. I go in the center field gate and there is never a line. 

Great crowd last night at Bring Your Dog to the Park Night, and much like your experience, I went in through the CF entrance. Three people in front of me, a wait of 30-seconds or so, and a beer in my hand 2-minutes later.

It's definitely not a "cheap" night out, but certainly holds its own on entertainment value with the other options Uptown... two 24-ounce beers, $23, mini corn dog, fries, and a standard dog, $13. Beautiful views of our skyline, with the perfect sights and sounds of baseball... Priceless. 

Edited May 16, 2017 by JoshuaDrown

[Guest]

Great crowd last night at Bring Your Dog to the Park Night, and much like your experience, I went in through the CF entrance. Three people in front of me, a wait of 30-seconds or so, and a beer in my hand 2-minutes later.
It's definitely not a "cheap" night out, but certainly holds its own on entertainment value with the other options Uptown... two 24-ounce beers, $21, mini corn dog, fries, and a standard dog, $13. Beautiful views of our skyline, with the perfect sights and sounds of baseball... Priceless. 

It actually looks empty. I don't understand the people who buy tickets and just vedge out in the concourses


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[JoshuaDrown 1317]

1 minute ago, ricky_davis_fan_21 said:

It actually looks empty. I don't understand the people who buy tickets and just vedge out in the concourses


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It was still a bit empty at first pitch, which was about when I took this picture, but filled up quickly. There were a ton of people settling in on the outfield grass... perhaps due to "Dog Night", and there were a lot of people (and pups) in the stadium. 

[AP3 1583]

53 minutes ago, ricky_davis_fan_21 said:

It actually looks empty. I don't understand the people who buy tickets and just vedge out in the concourses


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Yesterday was the hottest day of 2017 so far, and it does get toasty in there from my personal opinion. 

[InSouthPark 841]

I have never been there when it is even half full by first pitch and wonder "how the heck is this sold out".  However by the 2nd / 3rd inning, majority of seats are full and always tons of people on the concourse no matter what the inning.  On their thirsty Thursdays however, I would say half the crowd is socializing on the concourse for most of the game. 

[birky 312]

3 hours ago, AP3 said:

Yesterday was the hottest day of 2017 so far, and it does get toasty in there from my personal opinion. 

It's not as toasty if you enter through the center field gate.

[KJHburg 67672]

I love this ballpark and it has done so  much for 3rd Ward and this whole side of Uptown. And for Uptown in general. Many cities have used it as an example including San Antonio in their quest for a new downtown ballpark.