Want to join in on the fun? All you need to do is register for this Web site and give some thought to sponsoring one of the stadium pages or making a smaller donation. To go to the stadium page in question, just click on the thumbnail image in the top right corner. NOTE: Responsibility for the text submitted by users is theirs alone. Please contact the Webmaster to alert him of any inappropriate material so that it may be deleted.
James Sutton, St. Louis, MO -- Oct 09, 2006 15:00 PM
1 visit(s). My rating: 4
I hope they have made this a better place to see a game since I went there in 1997. I went with my cousin with press passes. We didn't stick around to watch the whole game. The park was very dirty and the people were rude. The area isn't great either being right by planes taking off and landing. Unfortunately, this feature will carry over to their new park, which looks like a much needed improvement for the Mets. Of all of the cookie-cutter stadium, this is the worst with seats way too high up in the upper deck.
John Crozier, New York, NY -- Jun 11, 2007 15:13 PM
5 visit(s). My rating: 3
In my opinion, Shea Stadium is the worst stadium in the majors. It is an ugly doughnut stadium. The sightlines are horrible and most of the upper level seats are far from the action. Not to mention that Shea has probably the worst lighting system out of any other stadium. It is a very dark, cold and depressing building. When it gets demolished in 2009, Mets fans can rejoice knowing that this terrible stadium is in their rear view mirror.
David H, Queens, NY -- Jul 31, 2007 11:03 AM
10 visit(s). My rating: 4
I live within a 30 minute walk from Shea, 5 local stops on the 7 train. This is a pretty ugly and bland stadium, but it's our Shea. There's nothing like a nice summer night watching some good baseball. A good thing is that, since there's over 55,000 seats, it's usually easy to get tickets, which won't be as easy at Citi Field, since it will have about 10,000 less seats.
Dave Zanko, New Milford, NJ -- Sep 25, 2007 00:31 AM
10 visit(s). My rating: 9
While many baseball fans dislike the place, as a life-long Mets fan whose been here more times than I can count, this is home to me. I'm going to miss the place, roundness, symmetry and all. Never understood the hate for symmetry myself. Guess people like the older, asymmetrical places, even though they were only that way because that's all that'd fit.
Charles Alvarez, Bronx, NY -- Aug 02, 2008 10:24 AM
10 visit(s). My rating: 7
I have always been into sports architecture and Shea is one of the many reasons why. My father brought me to my first Mets game in 1975 and I have been a die hard Mets fan since. I was very fortunate to have been to a Jets game at Shea and being perplexed by the lower level that swung around for the football configuration. I had a old friend that told me that they had to send worker below those stands to make sure they chased out the cats that lived below the stands so that there would be unfortunate accidents.. Hmmmmm? That might explain the Mets lack of No-hitters... I digress, Shea has always been the home of my beloved Mets, despite its lack of "character" in comparison to the stadium where the Yankees play, Shea has always been bland and little nuances like the planes that fly over the stadium on route to and from LaGaurdia Airport, the "Diamondvision" screen in Left center and the massive scoreboard in rightfield and the "Big Apple" help make the stadium a better place to watch then the actual stadium itself. "Citi Field" will someday have the charm and charisma that "Shea" has lacked, but when this stadium comes down I will be heartbroken.
Stefanos K, Boston, MA -- Apr 12, 2009 09:57 AM
2 visit(s). My rating: 4
Ive been to Shea to see games twice, once in 1988 before the retrofitting for baseball and my seat facedaway from the infield.I also saw a Red Sox-Mets game here in 2006.I heard that the upper deck incline was bad I didn't think is was as bad as Yankee Stadium.The Bathrooms wern't the cleanest the food was ok I am not sad to see it go In 2009-2010 I am going to go to a game at Citi Field.
Alex J, Winter Park, FL -- Oct 29, 2009 10:59 AM
6 visit(s). My rating: 7
I got to see games at Shea about 6 or 7 times, mostly before 1971. Never got to sit in the field level seats; most were trips with school groups that got real cheap tickets - dooming us to sit in the Upper Level. That was like watching a game from a blimp! You were so high up at that level that it was a full-second of a sound delay. The pitcher would throw a pitch, the catcher would catch it, and it would be a FULL SECOND later before you would hear the sound of the ball hitting the mitt! Ditto for when the batter connected with the pitch. At the time, though, I thought Shea was pretty cool - better than old Yankee Stadium was (you'll see a comment from me there as well). I did get to sit in a better seat one time in 1970 on a Varsity Club trip. We had reserved seats behind Home Plate on the Mezzanine level. It was a double-header against the Cubs (yes, back in the good old days when you could actually pay one price and see TWO games!). Nolen Ryan pitched a one-hitter that day against the Cubs - one of his best outings as a young up and coming pitcher - the only hit coming on a line drive homerun by Ron Santo into the left field bullpen over the 358 ft marker.
James Locopo, Garden City, NY -- Jan 21, 2010 13:32 PM
10 visit(s). My rating: 9
Is this a biased opinion from a life long Met fan who misses Shea? Yup! My first visit to Shea was in 1973 as an 8 year old boy and even though the stadium was less than 10 years old at the time, it was already a mess...but it didn't matter as to me it was glorious. Over the years, I desperately wanted a new stadium for the Mets but after the plans of the new Ebbets Field were proposed, I started to look at the old girl a little differently.
I was there for the last game in 2008 where the Mets completed another late season collapse and it was a truly depressing game. I did allow myself during the game to take one final walk around and the ceremonies after the game while tinged with disappointment for the 2008 season, were fantastic.
Yes, I have been to the new Eb-debts Field and I truly wanted to hate it with the Dodgerfication of the Mets. And while I hate what it represents with ownership thinking that we are all a bunch of closet Dodger fans (ummm...I'm 45 and Dodgers left 6 years before I was born), it's not a bad stadium. But I'd rather have my old Shea back...that was truly the home of the Mets
Derek M, Los Angeles, CN -- Feb 18, 2010 01:01 AM
1 visit(s). My rating: 3
Yikes! While I'm sure Mets fans loved their old home, Shea was certainly no picnic. To be fair, I went there in its final year, so I'm sure the organization wasn't spending mucnh on the upkeep. The multi-purpose design was just awful and our seats had a horrible view. Paint was chipping off all the handrails, and the restrooms where a mess to say the least. Food concession stands were on their last legs, and what ballpark is cash only!? Maybe I just went to the wrong stand. And goodness gracious...WHY BUILD A STADIUM UNDER A FLIGHTPATH!? Finally, the thing that always perplexed me about Shea (and Citi Field now too) was why in a city that loves the subway, was the stadium surrounded by parking lots? I'm sure the Mets wanted to make the stadium accessible to Long Island residents but the enormous lot kills the ambiance of a stadium and isolates its energy.
Zach LaFleur, Fowlerville, MI -- Apr 22, 2016 19:36 PM
1 visit(s). My rating: 7
Think about the Polo Grounds when you see the semicircular backstop at Citi Field also. However here, it is a much better view of the infield (even from the upper levels, because home plate is 45 feet from the backstop, whereas at the Polo Grounds it was 65 feet and the sweeping curve was also much further away, despite ultra short foul lines) as well as their upper deck being closer because of the sight obstructing poles holding it and its roof up. The original backstop at Shea Stadium beared a striking resemblance to Ebbetts Field in Brooklyn until it was shortened in distance after the Jets left in 1984 to play at the old Meadowlands Stadium (Giants Stadium) since demolished when the new Meadowlands Stadium was built soon after Citi Field was built.
Shane Schirmer, Medina, OH -- Oct 10, 2019 09:00 AM
1 visit(s). My rating: 4
Meh, once was enough for this old yard. It was a cookie cutter bowl with the outfield cut out. I didn't find much character or charm, other than the fact that the fans were informed and actually quite entertaining around me.