Rate Field
333 W. 35th StreetNew name. New blog. That’s how things work around here. Also, it’s been almost 10 years since I’ve blogged about this place.
I bet most people didn’t even realize the name of the stadium the White Sox play in changed names a couple of years ago. It’s just a slight name change. The old name, Guaranteed Rate Field was shortened to Rate Field. It’s the same mortgage company that owns the naming rights. They just shortened their name to Rate.
I’m not going to get in to the whole back story again but this is a yearly trip where I meet my dad, brother, and a friend from elementary/middle school. We’ve done it since my bachelor party in 2009 and it’s become something we all look forward to every year.
Things have obviously changed for all of us since 2009 and it’s hard finding a weekend that the Sox are home and all three of us are available. We all have kids in sports and between that and the regular summer things like vacations (not for me..I don’t get vacations), it’s tough.
We had tried to go to a game in April this year but right before buying tickets, we realized it was prom night for my brother’s kids and he didn’t want to miss that.
A few weeks ago, he texted the group and said what about August 8? It’s Ozzie Guillen retirement night and it was after summer travel softball ended for him. It was a week before my kids had a figure skating competition and the other two were available as well. I said I was in so my brother grabbed some tickets.
Rate Field is on West 35th Street and Wentsworth Avenue in Chicago’s Southside Armour Square Neighborhood. The stadium sits right off the Dan Ryan Expressway and the first time you actually see the stadium on the way to a game is from the Expressway. In most cases, you drive past the stadium (if you’re coming from the south) to get to the parking lots off 33rd Street.
We did our tailgate thing first. Because it was Ozzie Guillen jersey retirement night, the stadium was sold out. We couldn’t get parking in our usual lot so we ended up on the southside of the stadium. I had picked up BBQ from Smoque BBQ and wings from BadaBing Wings Zone. We got there three hours early and hung out in Parking Lot F off W. 37th Street. This is still one of my favorite things about going to games here. There is a huge tailgate culture. It feels like you’re at a Bears game just up the road at Soldier Field. There were lines to get in the parking lots well before 3:00 PM when the gates were supposed to open.
The giveaway for the night was an Ozzie Guillen jersey but we knew we weren’t going to get one. We didn’t want to go in to the stadium that early. The game was a sellout at almost 40,000 people. I don’t know how many they were actually giving out but I know it was 40,000.
We headed to the closest gate which was Gate 2. That’s actually on the backside of the building and brings you in to the stadium in the outfield. We typically park on the other side of the stadium and enter that way, but this was closest so we got in line. And man, there was a line. It has been a long time since any of us has been to a sold out game at this field.
It took about 15 minutes to weave our way through the parking lot and get to the gate. There were only two MAGS going so it took a little bit of time to get people through.
Once inside, you hit ramps to go up to the concourse level….but, at this gate, you also come to my favorite part of the ballpark. Leinenkugel’s Craft Lodge. This place is such a hidden gem at Rate Field and something we hit every year. I’m going to do a separate blog post about it then I’ll link it back here once it’s done.
The thing I’ve hated about Rate Field for years is how they check tickets again once you get inside. You can only walk around the main concourse IF you have a 100 level ticket. If you don’t, you have to go to the level your ticket is for. We had 100 level tickets so we were good but it’s always bothered me that you can’t walk around the 100 level if you don’t have a ticket for it.
Once on the 100 level concourse, you have two different atmosphere’s. Most of the concourse is covered by the upper deck. There are pretty wide aisles with vendors on both sides. Even on a sold out game, it didn’t feel super crowded and you could pretty easily walk around.
There is no upper deck over the outfield though so that area is much more wide open feeling. The width of the concourse is about the same. You walk right under the scoreboards which feel like they’re just towering above you
You have a pretty good view of the park from the outfield. In fact, when I was growing up in the 90’s, we always sat in the bleachers. They were cheaper and just more fun. This was my view of White Sox games for years until my buddy got a partial season ticket plan and we moved behind home plate.
There are a number of concession stands built into the wall underneath the scoreboards in the outfield. You’ve got all the classics but you also have some unique stands as well.
There are also standalone stands on the other side of the concourse behind the seating area. These are mostly beer stands but there are some smaller food stands as well.
All of those with jersey numbers retired have statues in the outfield. They’re all around the center field batters eye.
That batter’s eye? Man has that changed over the years. The first years in the park, it was just a simple, covered area. Nothing special at all. Over the year’s, they’ve activated the space and now behind the hedges that make up the batter’s eye, they have a really nice fan deck that sits up high in center field. This is a ticketed area so it’s not open to everyone. The concession stand underneath it and the area right around the television camera position are open to fans to hang out though.
The view from right behind the batter’s eye probably gives you the best view of the park.
There are a number of team shops throughout the concourse area. The one in the outfield is right below the main scoreboard.
There’s also a cool feature has not only made it all these years at Comisky Park/US Cellular Field/Guaranteed Rate Field/Rate Field but is also a remnant of old Comiskey Park. The Plumbers911.com or Old Comiskey Park shower is in the centerfield…it’s a way to cool off on those hot days.
As you continue around the concourse, you get back underneath the upper deck. The first few sections are still kind of open with not much between the concourse and the seating area.
As you get further in, there will start to be more food stands backed up against the seating bowl.
There is another team shop along the third base line. This is just one of several after you get in the park. There is a huge one right at the entrance on 35th Street as you’re coming in too.
The outside walls are line with concession stands all through the lower bowl. Most of these are more traditional concession stands with the more unique food at stalls as stand alones.
Behind home plate, there is another Team Store. Many, many years ago, this used to be a museum. I have no idea when they actually abandoned that idea but it was one of the cooler, more unique things about New Comiskey Park when it opened.
The concourse is a little closed off due to the way the upper deck hangs so low over the lower bowl seating. There’s not a lot of room to stand on the concourse and watch. It’s either an ADA section or there is usually some kind of concession kiosk in the way.
Getting to the rows is kind of like the portal system in some arenas. It seems like there are brick structures placed every four or five sections and even at the section, the entrance to the aisle seems very narrow.
My brother spent a little bit of money on the tickets. We were five rows off the field to the outfield side of the White Sox dugout. I’m not sure I’ve ever sat that close to the field before.
We had a pretty good view of the entire field from where we sat although I did keep calling my brother a Wrigley pole becuase every time he leaned forward, he blocked the view of home plate for me.
The seating bowl hasn’t got an update in a while. It’s been 20 years since they took out the original blue seats in 2006 and replaced them with the green ones reminiscent to old Comiskey Park. They’re a little narrow and a little uncomfortable. To me, this is the only downside to watching a game at the park but it’s just a small inconvenience.
To our surprise, the Sox actually won. We don’t have a very good track record over the years. We’ve seen way more losses than wins but this is the second game in a row we’ve actually seen a win and we even got some fireworks from a home run.
This is an unpopular opinion or a hot take or whatever, but I will die on the hill that Rate Field is better than Wrigley. The stadium is much more enjoyable to watch a game at, parking is easier, leaving the ballpark is easier, and it’s not the Cubs home field. I haven’t been to the Frat House on Addison in almost 30 years but I make it a point to go to this ball park at least once a year.
SW Michigan Dining 