The New "Atlanta" Braves Stadium: A Lament

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Turner Field,  Atlanta
I'm not a hardcore sports fan. In fact, I'm close to not being a sports fan at all, much like one of my favorite theologians, Roger Olson, who does not understand some of the character traits sports fans have. I do, however have a soft spot for Baseball. This soft spot was instilled by people like my maternal Grandfather who was a ride or die Red Sox fan. I must admit, I have a profound loyalty to that particular team. With that said, I have found that I have also been drawn to the professional teams in the areas I've lived in. For example, I've been to quite a few Minnesota Twins games, and now that I live close to Atlanta I have been to a few Braves games as well.

While the game itself is fun to watch and it is easy to feed off of the energy of the crowd during a good play, what I enjoy most is the ambiance of where most stadiums are located, and that is often in the heart of the city. From places like Fenway Park and even Target Field it is easy to catch a view of each of the respective cities skyscrapers. Cities are more than their tall buildings however, they are a hustle and bustle of human activity. In the sunset hours when baseball games start, cities take on a whole new charm as people flock to the most popular attractions to have a good time. The people who reside in the city are often a part of what makes the city come alive. I remember one night after leaving a Braves game there was an African American gentleman situated under an overpass playing the saxophone which was amplified perfectly by the acoustics of the location. It was an enchanting experience.

I don't know how many of you keep up with baseball, or are even aware with what is happening with the Braves. They are moving from Turner Field, which was built initially for the '96 Olympics, and are moving to SunTrust Park, which is in Cobb County. The move has created somewhat of a kerfuffle in that there was some questionable practices regarding the new site's purchase, and that the company who owns the team has several farm teams spread around the Southeast that seem to be a drain on local economies. My issue is not with that though. My issue is that the moving the team from the heart of Atlanta to a somewhat more affluent county will subtract from the atmosphere the games have now. There will be less charm, less enthusiasm, less connection with people outside of our bubbles. There won't be anymore men playing the saxophone under a bridge, there won't be anymore visible skyscrapers, and the team will have less connection to Atlanta proper.

It's true that some people may classify these things as minor, but I believe that they add more to the game than we realize and now Braves fans are losing that.

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