Guaranteed Rate Field
Team: Chicago White Sox
Address: 333 West 35th St
Location: Chicago, Illinois
Opened: April 18, 1991
Capacity: 40,615
Visited: August 1, 2018
Rating: 7/10
Guaranteed Rate Field, home to the Chicago White Sox, is located in Chicago, Illinois. Formerly known as Comiskey Park (1991-2003) and U.S. Cellular Field (2003-2016), the ballpark has gone through numerous renovations since it was first built. There is a rain room to cool off when it's hot out and a kids zone for children who want to learn the fundamentals of baseball, but nothing that allows the ballpark to surpass others in special features or amenities.
Guaranteed Rate Field is located directly off the I-90 Express and is easily accessible via Chicago's public transportation system. There are seven main entrances for the park and eight main parking lots. There's also a designated Uber/Lyft pickup area.
This ballpark offers a large variety of foods and sweets. Tacos, bacon on a stick, and deep-dish pizza are just a few of the options that Guaranteed Rate Field provides. Mini donuts, chocolate caramel pretzel rods, caramel apples, churro ice cream sandwiches, and caramel praline ice cream bars are some of the sweets that can be found. There are not many vegetarian options available, but I decided to purchase the corn which was only $5. My friend got a hot dog for the nearly unbelievable price of $1. As a comparison, that same hot dog was available at Wrigley Field for $7.
The ballpark was kept clean and the atmosphere was average. Having gone to a night game during the middle of summer, the weather was not too hot or cold. It briefly sprinkled, but no one left their seats and it passed quickly. However, the lack of fans and basic ballpark amenities led me to believe that very few people would name Guaranteed Rate Field as their ballpark of choice.
The Chicago White Sox won the World Series in 2005 when they swept the Houston Astros. The city of Chicago seems to have forgotten as the Chicago Cubs reign supreme. The ballpark was nowhere near half full, but the fans who showed up made a decent amount of noise. Unfortunately, the opposing team's fans were just as loud. It'd benefit the Chicago White Sox to step up their marketing efforts and get more fans to fill the seats.
Guaranteed Rate Field was not a bad experience, but it also was not an overly exciting experience. Whether this was due to the lack of fans or the fact that the ballpark did not offer any superior elements, it was probably one of the most basic ballparks that I have attended thus far. If one does not love the Chicago White Sox or the game of baseball, it might be a bit boring to visit. The cheap seats and food prices cannot be beat though, so if you're looking for something to do in Chicago for less, then I'd definitely suggest checking out a game.