Chicago White Sox

On September 10, one day before heading to Miller Park for the 2nd time on September 11, 2003, I headed to U.S. Cellular Field for my first visit while on an ElimiDate shoot.

US Cellular is the White Sox second ballpark, playing at the fabled Comisky Park for the previous 81 years.  And up until 2003, this park too was called Comisky Park since it’s construction was completed in 1991.  So I arrived during it’s first year as “US Cellular Field” …which just didn’t have the same ring as Comisky.  But I tried to stay positive.  That didn’t last too long.

Apparently, one of the best things about US Cellular Field is the pre-party in the parking lot.  I hadn’t heard about that, but there were definitely a lot of Chicagoans tailgating.  Too bad we missed out on that as it likely would have improved my opinion of the experience.

To be honest, the park just kinda seems… Eh.  It was about 12 years old, and didn’t really make a strong architectural impression.  I suppose you would just call it a modern style park.  It wasn’t the big awkward 70’s style multipurpose stadium, but it was built just before the rebirth of the Retro-style parks that started with Camden Yards in 1992.  So it just sorta feels modern-ish.

Interestingly, the upper deck was set back to avoid any overhang.  This is kind of nice as it does feel sleek, and make the park seem large.  But apparently fans who sit in that upper deck area are pretty far from the field and are up pretty high. 

I also didn’t love how symmetrical the field is.  It’s not totally symmetrical, but it’s so close that it just makes the experience feel somehow artificial.  Like you’re in the middle of a large parking lot next to the expressway.  Which you basically are.

And the real elephant in the room is that it’s just on the other side of Chicago from the historic Cub’s and Wrigly Field — which is such a historic and cool building.  So this just feels boring.  It’s not modern enough to be groundbreaking, and not old enough to be cool.

I tried, US Cellular,  I tried.  At least I get to go to Miller Park tomorrow.

Update:  The home of the White Sox is now called Guaranteed Rate Field (as of October 2016).

For my visit in June of 2022, I headed back to film UFC’s Juliana Peña throw the first pitch at the White Sox vs. the Dodgers.  We met up with the PR Person and waited for Juliana.  She was so late that she jumped out of her car (a teammate was driving) on the freeway and ran all the way to the Park.  She made it by about 30 seconds and we got the shot of her throwing out the first pitch.

We then headed up to a suite to watch the game.  While my initial impression of the park in 2003 was not so kind, this VIP experience made my visit to Guaranteed Rate much more pleasant.