My Experiences: Stadium 3; Truist Park

The spring of 2017 was a big one for the Atlanta Braves as they began to call up an immense amount of MLB talent to the active roster as well as open a brand new stadium and ballpark village. I had the opportunity to visit this stadium in its first year of existence, and I was blown away by it. The ballpark and ballpark village was nothing like I had ever experienced previously. There are so many shops, restaurants, bars, and stores waiting before even reaching the ballpark. I remember vividly having a hard time choosing where we wanted to eat because of the options. I also will never forget taking the usual lap around the concourse that I usually make to check out the entire park and what it has to offer.

The games and youth sections were incredible, and some of the games and events they held in the kids village were very unique to what I had seen before at an MLB game. It was more of what I would expect at a minor league baseball game. Regardless, it was awesome to see the legendary Braves statues and take some pictures.The game however we expected to be one of the less hype games we would ever see because the Braves and Phillies were not the best teams in 2017. It was August 9th, 2017 when I had the opportunity to visit, and the game ended in a 3-2 Phillies win. I remember thinking there was quite the mix of young talent, players nearing the end of their careers, and some star power on these teams. It was a weird mix, but each franchise has gotten good again in a hurry.

One of the bright sports at the time appeared to be Odubel Herrera, but he has had some struggles since I saw him play in 2017. Freddie Freeman was also a treat to see in person for the first time because he is a polished and well rounded hitter that has remained loyal to the Braves over several years.

Another aspect I liked about this park was the cheap parking and being able to pay a little less to walk a little farther. Some businesses rent out their parking lots for public parking, so we made sure to take advantage of cheaper parking and walking a little farther to get to the game.If there is anything I recommend about the Braves baseball experience it is get there early for cheaper parking, take a walk through the villate to scope out places to eat, drink, and shop, and take a lap around the concourse to enjoy all the different experiences this ballpark has. In my time in Atlanta, I certainly felt the southern hospitality.

The next stadium I had the chance to visit was not long after. I visited Marlins Park when the large sculpture still stood in center field. It was also a very new park, and it was a game I will never forget!