Camden Yards Ticket & Event Info
- Location: Baltimore, Maryland
- Capacity: 48,262
- Parking: Parking is available for purchase
- Year Opened: 1992
- Primary occupant: Baltimore Orioles
Camden Yards is the baseball stadium in Baltimore, Maryland that serves as the home venue for the local Baltimore Orioles. Camden Yard is considered by many fans to be the ideal design for a modern baseball stadium, as it maintains a 'throw back' character (charm) that does not exist in many of its contemporary ballparks.
The Baltimore Orioles are one of the original eight charter franchises of the American League that began play in 1901, and they bounced from Milwaukee to St. Louis before settling in Baltimore in 1954. The team began to play at Memorial Stadium in downtown Baltimore, Maryland, which they shared with the then-Baltimore Colts of the NFL. During the Orioles' first year in the city, they drew more than a million fans to the ballpark and began to establish a loyal fan base. While Memorial Stadium was a great place to watch a baseball game, by the 1980s the stadium was beginning to show its age. The Orioles commissioned the construction of a new stadium in the late '80s and they would move into their glittering new home in 1992.
Orioles Park at Camden Yards is widely regarded as one of the most beautiful ballparks in all of baseball. It began the modern trend of combining extensive amenities with a classic red brick façade that pays homage to many of the storied ballparks built in the early 20th century. The ballpark is located in the heart of downtown Baltimore with plenty of parking opportunities and access to the city's public transportation system.
Along with its impressive architecture and accessibility, the Orioles also took great pains to improve the fan's overall experience. The park includes the All-Star Cafe, a marketplace-style food court that gives attendees a chance to sample a few Baltimore favorites like Boog's BBQ, as well as their traditional ballpark favorites. The venue also included standing room seating down at the club level called drink rail seating. This is a feature that has caught on at stadiums and arenas around the country and gives fans an open and social environment to enjoy a few drinks without having to pay full price for a seat.
The Orioles have also made a commitment to honoring the history of their franchise and Maryland sports in general with the opening of the Sports Legends Museum in 2005. The facility pays tribute to the many great names that have worn an Orioles uniform, such as Cal Ripken Jr., Frank Robinson, and Jim Palmer. While the Orioles play in what's widely considered the most competitive division in baseball, fans have high hopes for the direction of the team and hope that the squad's young stars can guide the team to another World Series championship.