Photos by Meg Minard, Stadium Journey
Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.71
Banner Island Ballpark
404 W Fremont St
Stockton, CA 95203
Year Opened: 2004 Capacity: 5,000
Mudville Nine
The Stockton Ballpark, affectionately referred to by locals as Banner Island Ballpark, sits on what no longer is an island in Stockton, CA. The inlets have mostly been filled in, but the name lives on.
The Stockton Ports, a Single-A affiliate of the Oakland Athletics, play in the California League and make their home at this ballpark. They were the Brewers’ affiliate for much of the 80s and 90s. Oakland is closer, and fans seem to appreciate that. The team began operation in 1941. They did not play during WWII, nor from 1973 to 1978. They have won the California League championship 11 times.
The team lays claim as the possible inspiration for “Casey at the Bat,” a famous baseball poem by Ernest Thayer published in 1888.
Mudville Nine is the fictional team depicted in the poem, and the people of Stockton believe this is a reference to the team that played on Banner Island, otherwise known as Mudville, during that time. Controversy abounds as to the real Mudville, and other cities also claim the Nine as their own.
Food & Beverage 4
Banner Island Ballpark has plenty of food offerings around the concourse, with concession stands and kiosks offering a variety of choices.
David’s Pizza, whole or by the slice ($34/$6), is on the third base concourse. This stand also sells salad for $11. Gus’s Cantina, also on the third base concourse, provides the Mexican fare: burritos, carne asada, or pollo bowls ($12).
The larger concession stands sell traditional stadium food: Loaded nacho helmets, hot dogs, regular nachos, pretzels, peanuts, candy, etc. ($4 - $14). A kid’s meal (hot dog, chips, and a drink) is $8. Flash Point Grill also offers cheeseburger and chicken tender baskets ($13), French fries, garlic fries, and popcorn. The concession menus list the calorie count of each item.
Get your ice cream at a little stand down the first baseline. The stand sells cones, bowls, novelties, and other treats. The stadium also has a sausage cart; bratwursts are $10.
Most stands offer Pepsi products and bottled water ($5 - $6).
Domestic and craft beer, as well as wine, are sold at all concession stands. The Hopps Craft Beer Stand near section 108 is a suitable place to get the craft beers on tap ($14 - $20). If you buy a $15 souvenir draft beer, bring the cup back the rest of the season, and the beer is $10.
It’s a nice variety, and most fans will find something to suit their taste and thirst.
Atmosphere 5
Banner Island Ballpark is a delightful venue to watch minor league baseball. It provides the perfect game day experience with good baseball, affordable entertainment, easy access, and a staff who is extremely friendly, good-spirited, and welcoming.
One level of 16 or so rows of standard green fold-down stadium seats with cup holders is the main level. The third base side (above the home dugout) and behind home plate have a few sections for “premiere seating.” There’s plenty of legroom to stretch out. Nets run to the end of the dugouts; the outfield baseline seats are net-free as is any outfield seating (berm, party deck, etc.).
The right field berm features the Back Porch which can be rented out for 25 – 50 people. Tickets start at $40 and include food. A kids' play zone is near the Back Porch.
How often do you get to stand behind a foul pole (left field) let alone with a drink rail and watch the sunset over the grandstand with a water tower in the distance? Here you can. It’s beautiful. The Adventist Health Arena is the ballpark’s left-field neighbor and is impressive to see from the seats.
A mascot called Splash greets fans as they enter the ballpark. Splash traverses the seating area during the game for photo-taking and high-fiving.
The Ports provide the expected between-inning entertainment (they, fortunately, are not overwhelming – as baseball still seems to be the main reason the fans are there). Gimmicks and contests include a condiment race, the dirtiest car in the parking lot, a dizzy bat race, and more. The PA announcer does a good job, though the sound system is muffled, making it difficult to hear him at times. They do a fantastic job of not playing music when the PA announcer is talking. More stadiums should take heed of this.
In 2020, Banner Island Ballpark underwent renovations that included the addition of new video boards. The main scoreboard is in left field above the bullpens. It provides the line score and strikes, balls, outs, a picture of the batter, along with his stats, and the lineup. The first baseline has a video board that shows the pitcher’s stats. No closed captioning is offered. Ten retired jerseys are displayed underneath the press box. The most prominent one is for Dallas Braden who pitched a perfect game for the Athletics in May 2010 and still supports Stockton and the Ports.
It can get hot during day games but cools off nicely during evening games. Bring layers just in case it gets too cool.
Neighborhood 2
With the construction of the stadium and the adjacent arena, the city hoped the neighborhood would grow into more of a destination place with restaurants and bars where fans can spend time pre or post-game. That has not yet happened in Stockton.
Picturesque McLeod Lake waterfront and walkway are behind right field, though fans can’t see it from the seating area. Take a walk around the 360-degree concourse to get a view. The concourse is 1/3 mile. Across the lake, the Children’s Museum of Stockton may be worthwhile visiting, or head to the Regal Stockton City Center & IMAX to catch a movie.
Several eateries are about a mile away along Weber Ave: Cast Iron Grill, Papa Urb’s Grill (Filipino), and more. A little over a mile north is Valley Brew. They have 30 or so craft beers on tap, serve food, and have plenty of TVs tuned to sporting events.
The closest hotel (walking distance 0.3 miles) is the University Plaza Waterfront Hotel.
Other minor league baseball to see if visiting the area are the Modesto Nuts (30 min drive) or the Sacramento River Cats (50 min drive). The Ports’ parent team, the Oakland Athletics, is a little over an hour’s drive from Stockton.
Fans 3
The fans are extremely friendly and welcome all visitors. Most stay in their seats during game action. Some even keep score. The staff does a superb job of making fans feel appreciated. Visitors will see fans wearing lots of Angels, Dodgers, Giants, Ports, and even some Athletics gear. Average attendance in the last few seasons is around 1,700 – 1,800, a drop from pre-Covid records.
Access 4
Banner Island Ballpark has excellent wheelchair accessibility upon entering the stadium, the seating area, and the bathrooms. The concourse is plenty wide to accommodate the crowd.
Parking is $10 -$15 (pricey for Single-A); the stadium only accepts credit cards, even for parking. Fans can park on neighborhood streets a block away for free, just watch for the signs on where to park (or not).
Stockton’s small airport (SCK) is 15 minutes south. Commercially, it only services Phoenix and Las Vegas via Allegiant Airlines. Stockton has a bus service, but it does not look like it services the ballpark well. Uber or Lyft may be the better choice.
The restrooms are clean and abundant.
Return on Investment 5
Take advantage of the weekly promotions the Ports offer:
Taco Tuesdays (two tacos for $8 or two tacos and a margarita for $15)
Wine Wednesdays ($6/glass). Wednesdays are also Silver Sluggers (fans 55+ can join the program and get in the stadium free on Wednesdays).
Thirsty Thursdays ($1 for Busch Light, $2 popcorn, $3 hot dogs, $8 field box seats).
Fireworks after Saturday home games
Sundays are Bark in the Park games
The Ports have an abundance of giveaway days during the entire season.
Ticket prices range from $13 - $18 at the box office (a dollar more when purchased on game day). It’s a great ballpark to watch a game, chill, and take a break from life for a few hours.
Parking is $10 or $15. Food and drink prices are similar to those at other California League stadiums.
The merchandise shop has a decent selection of items, including hat pins, caps, shirts, and more.
Extras 3
Banner Island Ballpark and the Stockton Ports have several additional items worth mentioning.
The customer service desk provides starting lineups and rosters. Visitors receive a decent program as they walk into the stadium.
The bullpens are adjacent, directly below the video board, in front of a left-field party area, making a unique configuration.
You can still watch net-free baseball here, and kudos to the game-day operations for not playing music over the PA announcer.
Final Thoughts
Banner Island Ballpark is an extremely fun ballpark. It provides a perfect minor league game day experience. Fans and staff are friendly and welcoming. It’s affordable and not overdone with extras. The ballgame takes center stage with clever, non-intrusive games and contests between innings.
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