The Best Source for Information on Professional Sports Stadiums is a Saratogian
Gregory Kristan's Stadium Reviews gets him big policy questions from across the country. PLUS: Jimmy Fallon, West Ave's new vegan treats, and where to go for St. Paddy's Day.
I’ve been to exactly one professional sports stadium: PNC Park, where I watched the Pirates win (or did they lose?) to some other MLB team. Clearly, the game itself wasn’t all that memorable. What I do remember is exploring the city beforehand—specifically the Duquesne Incline—as well as sitting way up in left field (or was it right field?), eating a hot dog as I looked out at the Pittsburgh skyline. If you ask me, PNC Park is pretty dang nice. But don’t take my word for it.
In 2019, Worcester native Greg Kristan began reviewing MLB stadiums he’d been to on his website, thestadiumreviews.com. He set out with the goal of showcasing his search engine optimization skills (he runs an SEO consulting firm) by documenting his quest to visit all 30 stadiums, but quickly realized he’d stumbled upon an untapped market.
“I went to Cleveland for a game and did a little bit of research before, just trying to get an idea of what it would be like to be at the ballpark,” Greg says. “From what I saw online, there wasn’t a lot of great information. You had the official Cleveland Indians [now Guardians] website, but nothing really in depth.”
After visiting, Greg blogged about the incredible food at the stadium. His review blew up on Reddit, as did a follow-up story about the lackluster food available at the Detroit Tigers’ stadium. “On that Detroit trip, I couldn’t find any information at the time about the bag policy,” Greg says. “So I showed up at the stadium and they were like, ‘You can’t bring a bag in.’ I had to find a hotel that would let me leave it there. And I realized that, as a fan, there are certain things I would like to know beforehand—the bag policy, some of the food options, and the parking situation.”
And so, he took it upon himself to compile that information for all MLB stadiums—as well as professional hockey, basketball, football and soccer stadiums—on his website. And it took off. Greg even put his personal phone number on his site, so fans can call him directly with questions. “I get calls from people who just want to talk to somebody,” he says. “You can’t really get into contact with the MLB.”
These days, fans also call or email Greg, who moved to Saratoga in 2020, to share their experiences at different stadiums, as do his friends around the country whom he employs to take photos of stadiums and report back on food, bag policy and parking. He’s been a guest on multiple sports podcasts, and was invited to Madison Square Garden for a food taste test. He’s even been able to monetize his site with ads, partnering with a ticketing website and parking company called SpotHero.
So, with all this knowledge of sports arenas across the country, what’s Greg’s favorite stadium food? While he can’t pick just one, he points to Yankee Stadium for its over-the-top milkshakes and coveted 99 Burgers, which are named in honor of Aaron Judge—#99—and sell out at every game; only 99 are made, and fans get there early to stand in line for one. Pro tip: You can get all the best Yankee stadium food (OK, maybe not the 99 Burger) without the lines if you go there to watch the New York City Football Club play, because those games draw about half as many fans as Yankees games do.
And Greg’s favorite stadium overall? Based on his equation that takes into account the venue itself, the surrounding area, the food, how you get there, the atmosphere and the “repeat value” (how much he wants to return to a stadium), the current frontrunner is…PNC Park.
I may not know much about baseball, but I sure know a good vibe when I see one. And at PNC Park? The vibes are immaculate.
—Natalie
Quote of the Week
"That's the place people get f***ed up for cheap.”
—Overheard in front of Desperate Annie's
Fallon in Love
If you didn’t catch the extensive coverage of Jimmy Fallon’s heartwarming visit to Albany on @twobuttonsdeep, we’ll recap. The Saint Rose alum made appearances at his old college apartment (the current residents thought they were getting punked); a kegs and eggs frat party on Hudson Ave; and on stage at the Nate Bargatze comedy show at MVP Arena, where he gave shoutouts to some of his favorite Albany establishments and Capital Regionites—including Saratoga Living’s own Steve Teabout, who lived with the future host of The Tonight Show their sophomore year of college at Saint Rose. Though the school may be shuttering its doors, Jimmy made it clear during his standup performance at MVP Arena that he’ll never forget his time there: “Rosebud forever.”
Pop Off
If your Veganuary eating habits stuck around ‘til now, listen up: West Ave Pizza (our favorite Saratoga Living event caterer) now has vegan mozzarella for pizzas as well as—get this—vegan jalapeño poppers on the menu. The new items come from Imposter Food, a Troy-based company that prides itself on making vegan cheese that actually melts. Mario, if you’re reading this: Thank you!
Weekend warriors
Wondering the best way to celebrate Saint Paddy’s weekend in Saratoga? Kick things off at a St. Baldrick’s fundraiser at Saratoga City Tavern, going on today at 10am. Head over to Franklin Square Market for Cans + Clams, where you can get the best seafood in town with a bucket of beer from 3-7pm on Saturday and noon-5pm on Sunday. For some of the best traditional Irish food, check out the special St. Paddy’s menu at Harvey’s on Saturday or Sunday. And for “eggs and kegs,” as Jimmy Fallon calls it, don’t miss Kings Tavern’s annual Sunday morning rager. Top it off with a 99 cent single-scoop ice cream cone from Stewart’s in celebration of the holiday.
ICYMI
Our annual Design issue has arrived! We unveiled the mag online yesterday, and hard copies are being distributed around the Capital Region as we speak. Read the full issue here, or check out some magazine stories and more here:
Teakwood Builders’ Homegrown Success
Saratoga Joinery Makes Woodworking Accessible to All
Fashion Design Meets Shopping at The Beekman Atelier
Choices Hair Studio Dominates the 2024 Beauty Besties