Turner Field

Food

Stacey opted for the corn dogs when she found out her "supreme nachos" were basically some cheese wiz and salsa.  I went with the Atlanta Braves staple, the pulled pork sandwich.  I chose mac & cheese and candied pecans for my sides to make it a platter.  I was disappointed that the only place that sold this was in the main concourse beyond centerfield - on the exact opposite side of the stadium as our seats.  It was WELL worth it!  This was the absolute best ballpark food I've ever had.  The pulled pork was in giant, fresh pieces (like it was actually smoked and pulled!) and didn't really have a sauce.  The pour-your-own barbeque sauce was a perfect choice.  I chose the pecans as one of my sides because you only see two things locally promoted on Georgia roadside billboards - peaches and pecans.  It acted as a nice "dessert" to the meal.  For $9, it was a complete meal - much more filling than the $9 Cuban sandwich in Tampa.  The other menu items seemed to be priced reasonably as well.

Fan Experience

The Braves offer a complimentary shuttle from the main subway interchange to the stadium (and back), which actually turned out very well.  They had at least 9 or 10 buses lined up after the game, so we didn't have to wait long (though it was packed).  Before the game started, they showed a minute long segment on the history of the Cincinnati Reds (including key games versus the Braves) and their starting pitcher, Johnny Cueto.  I thought that was a great feature for baseball fans and non-fans alike.  The Braves fans, however, were pretty tame through the game, until they did the chop.  Everyone likes the Braves chop.  Otherwise, they really had to goad fans into cheering during key moments even though the crowd was decent.  The game was close and low scoring, but it didn't exactly feel like a pitching duel.  Both teams combined for only 12 Ks - the same exact number that David Price had two days earlier in the game in Tampa.  The game was a battle of the ground outs (the Braves with 16) versus the fly outs (the Reds with 12).  It reminded me how much I hate the National League.  Jair Jurrjens abruptly stopped a rally in the 5th with two on and 1 out by bunting into a double play.  The most memorable part of the game was Braves' closer Craig Kimbrel's pitching stance.  He looks like a bull while he's waiting for the call!

Stadium

Overall, Turner Field is not unlike any of the other newer parks.  Take down the "Braves" signs and you couldn't really distinguish it from many others.  The Braves logo and the tomahawk above the scoreboard should be much larger (the Delta sign in left is bigger).  However, I really did like the small fireworks that came from the "Gas South" sign.  The other feature that is really cool are the bullpens that stretch away from the field.  It gives fans a great view, including the one below from the concourse.  The part of the city in the backdrop are mostly just hotels, but it is something.