New Stuff at Miller Park 2015 (More local restaurants, SSH HQ, supposedly improved Wi-Fi, etc.)

[hawing]

Cait Moyer's blog post

Miller Park will have more new stuff in 2015 than just that kinda weird-sounding Selig Experience:

 

Fare from local establishments Smoke Shack and Holey Moley Donuts and Coffee will be added to the concessions mix.

 

There will be a Season Seat Holder Headquarters (SSHHQ?) on the field level, first base side.

 

The loge level will now sport a kiosk for Guest Relations (previously limited to the field and terrace levels) and advance ticket sales.

 

The "JCI Club Patio" on the club level will get a facelift. (News to me is that a JCI Club Patio exists. Was it sponsored by someone else before?)

 

There will be some new additions to the menu at the "regular" (Delaware North) concession stands, among them "Bratchos" (the blog says "an epic combination of Klement’s sausages, kettle chips, cheese, fried sauerkraut, jalapenos and sour cream, all served in a cool Klement’s Racing Sausage bucket").

 

In news that is surely of interest to thablingster as well as to me, there will be more baked potato stands with new topping options.

 

The IT folks have "worked to improve mobile connectivity throughout the stadium," though on high attendance days it still may be difficult to get a signal. That doesn't sound like a change to me, but we'll see what April brings.

 

And the Selig Experience won't be ready until mid-season - so fans who for some reason consider seeing the Bud Hologram the main reason they're going to Opening Day will be disappointed.

[trwi7]

That Selig Experience gets more embarrassing every time I read about it.

[Cirillos Hot Corner]

Wifi at sports venues is kind of pathetic if you ask me. You're telling me you can't stay off your phone for a few hours to watch a game?

[SRB]

I'll be honest, I kind of want some Bratchos.

[pitchleague]

Wifi at sports venues is kind of pathetic if you ask me. You're telling me you can't stay off your phone for a few hours to watch a game?

 

Hear, hear! I can't believe so many people do this. In between innings? Okay, maybe. But during the game itself? Ludicrous.

 

I've actually seen several people walk right into others on the concourse walk right into people because their face is stuck in their smartphone screen. Once somebody fell down the cement stairs going down to their seats for the same reason. Really?

 

On topic, I don't get to many Miller Park games (living in AZ will do that to a person) but I've been satisfied with the offerings they give you.

 

edit: forgot to ask, what is the Season Seat Holder Headquarters supposed to be? Anything special at all?

[hawing]

I should ask Nate Hardwick what it's supposed to entail. I hope it supplements rather than replaces ticket window no. 5.

[JimH5]

The JCI club patio is the outdoor deck area of the club on the 3rd level in the LF corner. From the bar, you're able to go out into the open air and sit at tall bistro tables. Or at least that's how it was a couple of years ago.

 

I'm all for enhanced WiFi. Sorry to the purists, but try sitting with an antsy kid who is only half interested in the actual baseball, and then suffer through a 30 minute half inning, and try to endure that. Baseball is slowwwww for those who are only casual fans.

 

And if the doughnuts are good, I will eat them.

[DocLuna7]

I am definitely ready to eat some bbq at Miller Park this year. These sound like good improvements. Cannot wait for Opening Day.

[Outlander]

I'm all for enhanced WiFi. Sorry to the purists, but try sitting with an antsy kid who is only half interested in the actual baseball, and then suffer through a 30 minute half inning, and try to endure that. Baseball is slowwwww for those who are only casual fans.

Very true, it will enhance my game experience if my kids stay in their seat a little longer so I can watch the game. It is not as fun for me when I am watching the game on a tv while they race sausages or go down the miniature Bernie's slide.

[patrickgpe]

definitely excited about more potato stands with new toppings.

[LaprilOne]

Holey Moly Donuts are excellent.

 

The BBQ will be a Smoke Shack. Their is one near downtown, and it is very good. It is a Sorge Group venture.

 

However, I hope they don't use Smoke Shack to replace the Carver station on Field level, third base side.

[DocLuna7]

I was thinking about this last night... I am definitely more of a purist and (I know I am in the minority but I even hate things like the sausage race) but having faster wifi does allow a purist to have quicker access to things like baseballreference or updated box scores for other games, or you can quickly find out info about things related to the game itself. I guess that what I'm trying to say is that for me, faster wifi means that I will have an enhanced game experience.

[Invader3K]

The other thing about wifi is that for someone like me, it ensures access to email. I have had to respond to important work emails while attending a game, numerous times. Sometimes cell reception inside Miller Park can be spotty at best.

[bjkrautk]

I've never sprung for the cupcakes at Miller Park, so I'm guessing the donuts will be similarly overpriced. Certainly up for more baked potato stands, as long as they don't monkey with the price point (their being relatively cheap & filling is the selling point to me). Will probably try the Smoke Shack during a game this year.

 

 

As for WiFi, if it works during pre-game or between innings, I'm all for it. Having better WiFi will also allow the Brewers to push MLB's "At the Ballpark" app....which probably leads to more in-game revenue for the club.

[hawing]

As for WiFi, if it works during pre-game or between innings, I'm all for it. Having better WiFi will also allow the Brewers to push MLB's "At the Ballpark" app....which probably leads to more in-game revenue for the club.

Indeed. It's definitely a first-world problem, but I get irked by the occasional tease of At the Ballpark welcoming me to the ballpark and then I can't check in because of middling internet access.

 

Improved internet access has both casual and diehard fan applications. I've certainly used Twitter to ask in-game questions of the in-house media, since that's less disruptive and more effective than my standing up, turning around, and yelling at the press box.

[ewitkows]

I tend to txt my friends who might also be at the game or friends that I know are brewers fans during the game

[BrewersSuperCollector]

I'm all for wifi. The day is coming that I'll be able to bring a tablet in and watch the game as older generations listened with a radio. That way I'll be able to see a replay once in a while. All the time in between pitches and they won't show a replay of a relatively close play.

[DoubleSwitch]

WiFi is fine in my opinion. I'm certainly not going to be playing on my phone during the game, but some people have work or other obligations they may have to check in on at some point in a 4 hour game.

 

You could call that a sad statement on the world we live in, or you could call it an improvement over having to work in an office and not go to the game at all.

[JimH5]

At County Stadium, there used to be a line of phone booths with payphones. I remember one time we were buying a house, and using one of those phone booths to get a report on a home inspection that we had ordered. I was standing in one of the glass booths, jotting down notes for 15 or 20 minutes while the inspector's Admin. Assistant read through the report for me. Often we were interrupted by cheering fans (not really soundproof), and that phone booth felt like about 110 degrees inside.

 

I came out drenched in sweat, with barely legible notes scrawled on the margins of a game program.

 

So. . .the conveniences of the 21st century are just fine for me.

[pete]

There's not a lot at the MLB At the Ballpark app webpage that seems all that enticing to me. Are the special offers generally a buck or 2 off of a drink or food item? Are there ever seat upgrades?

[JohnBriggs12]

I'm all for enhanced WiFi. Sorry to the purists, but try sitting with an antsy kid who is only half interested in the actual baseball, and then suffer through a 30 minute half inning, and try to endure that. Baseball is slowwwww for those who are only casual fans.

Very true, it will enhance my game experience if my kids stay in their seat a little longer so I can watch the game. It is not as fun for me when I am watching the game on a tv while they race sausages or go down the miniature Bernie's slide.

 

I used to sit through doubleheaders at 7 and 8 years old before there was any frills. Being there watching my heroes like Mathews and Aaron I didn't want to miss a thing. The only time I was antsy was between games watching the ground crew spruce up for the second game. When my parents took me to single games, I felt bummed because I didn't get to spend enough time at the ballpark.

[Bigblast]

I'm all for enhanced WiFi. Sorry to the purists, but try sitting with an antsy kid who is only half interested in the actual baseball, and then suffer through a 30 minute half inning, and try to endure that. Baseball is slowwwww for those who are only casual fans.

Very true, it will enhance my game experience if my kids stay in their seat a little longer so I can watch the game. It is not as fun for me when I am watching the game on a tv while they race sausages or go down the miniature Bernie's slide.

 

I used to sit through doubleheaders at 7 and 8 years old before there was any frills. Being there watching my heroes like Mathews and Aaron I didn't want to miss a thing. The only time I was antsy was between games watching the ground crew spruce up for the second game. When my parents took me to single games, I felt bummed because I didn't get to spend enough time at the ballpark.

 

and your parents sent you outside to play with a stick and you had fun with that stick for many hours.

[JimH5]

 

I used to sit through doubleheaders at 7 and 8 years old before there was any frills. Being there watching my heroes like Mathews and Aaron I didn't want to miss a thing. The only time I was antsy was between games watching the ground crew spruce up for the second game. When my parents took me to single games, I felt bummed because I didn't get to spend enough time at the ballpark.

 

Most of those games were played in 2:30 or less with more action than today's game.

[Mays Hayes]

I'm all for enhanced WiFi. Sorry to the purists, but try sitting with an antsy kid who is only half interested in the actual baseball, and then suffer through a 30 minute half inning, and try to endure that. Baseball is slowwwww for those who are only casual fans.

I used to sit through doubleheaders at 7 and 8 years old before there was any frills. Being there watching my heroes like Mathews and Aaron I didn't want to miss a thing. The only time I was antsy was between games watching the ground crew spruce up for the second game. When my parents took me to single games, I felt bummed because I didn't get to spend enough time at the ballpark.

 

and your parents sent you outside to play with a stick and you had fun with that stick for many hours.

 

But only on the days that he didn't attend school. Which he had to walk miles to, even in the winter, through 3 feet of snow, up hill both ways.

[ewitkows]

And barefoot