- Michael Davis
Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark – Oklahoma City Dodgers
Photos by Michael Davis, Stadium Journey
Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 4.14
Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark 2 S Mickey Mantle Dr Oklahoma City, OK 73104
Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark website
Year Opened: 1998
Capacity: 9,000
All Dodger Blue in OKC
Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark is in the heart of downtown Oklahoma City. The ballpark is home to the Oklahoma City Dodgers of the Pacific Coast League. The ballpark opened April 16, 1998 and incorporated the Bricktown entertainment district into their name, Bricktown Ballpark, and then later added Chickasaw. Although the ballpark has been open for only 2 decades, Oklahoma City has been home to professional baseball for almost 115 years; the love affair between the two started in 1904 with the Oklahoma City Metropolitans. OKC’s current franchise began operation in 1962 when the Houston Colt .45s top affiliate, the Oklahoma City 89ers, began play at the franchise’s former home All Sports Stadium, located on the state fairgrounds on the outskirts of downtown. The 89ers were named after the Land Rush of 1889 which established the area around Oklahoma City.
The last two decades at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark has seen plenty of sponsor name changes, but Bricktown has always been a part of it. The team has changed names over the years as well – when the 89ers moved to Bricktown the team became the Oklahoma RedHawks, and then in 2009 the team returned to the Oklahoma City name with the Oklahoma City RedHawks. In 2015 the Los Angeles Dodgers bought a 50% interest in the club and rebranded their affiliate as the Oklahoma City Dodgers.
The ballpark is an open-air grass field, which currently seats 9,000 due to using several large tarps to block off the upper deck in right field; the ballpark has the capability to seat up to 13,066 if the tarps were removed.
Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark annually hosts the Big XII Baseball Tournament and the Bedlam Series between the University of Oklahoma and Oklahoma State University. The ballpark also served as host to the AAA Championship Game between the Pacific Coast League and the International League from 2006 thru 2010. However, the Bricktown ballpark is used for more than just baseball – the venue also hosts numerous other events both during and outside baseball season.
Food & Beverage 5
There are plenty of food and beverage options when it comes to Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark. The club seating has an incredible menu that changes and can compete with any ballpark in the country. The rest of the ballpark doesn’t have the top chef type feel of the club, yet still hits a home run when it comes to providing a great menu for fans.
There are plenty of permanent concessions stands in the ballpark. The Flashpoint Grille provides all the ballpark staples, with entrée prices varying from $4 hot dogs to $6.50 1/3 lb. cheeseburgers or grilled chicken sandwiches. The available snacks fans can choose from are pretzels, peanuts, Cracker Jack, candy, chips, and nachos.
But the food item that every baseball fan should get here is the Farmer John Dodger Dog, the best $5 hot dog in baseball – these are the real deal as they are contracted out from the parent club. When ordering be sure you ask for the Dodger Dog, though, as there are two different types of hot dogs served at the same stand in the park. If that isn’t to your liking, however, then behind home plate are Steakadelphia and Burgertopia which offer an outside-the-box stadium menu of cheesesteak, grown-up grilled cheese, and burgers to cover all tastes; hand-cut fries are sold at these stands as well. The items at these two stands range around $8.50 for a main dish with fries costing $4.25.
There are also several portable stands throughout the concourse for fans. Franx is a gourmet hot dog stand serving Coney, New York, and Porker hot dogs in Section 111, while next to Franx is Salsa. Salsa serves nachos and burritos, and then there is also Smokie’s Sausage Shack offering hot dogs, bratwurst, and assorted sausages. There is also a grab-and-go stand, while for a sweet tooth there are Dippin’ Dots stands.
The ballpark beverages are Pepsi products with prices being around $5; there are also a wide variety of adult beverages. Bud Light, Landshark, Beck’s, Goose IPA, Rolling Rock, Hoegaarden, and many more brands can be found throughout the ballpark. However, if you want a local craft, located on the first base side concourse is a beer garden featuring taps from the local brewery COOP Ale Works. For fans that enjoy an IPA, I would suggest purchasing F5.
The Dodgers have improved their concessions inside Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark in both the food and drink department, as well as the relocation of stands to better serve fans. Overall the Dodgers provide an outstanding menu for fans without going over the top with food creations or prices.
Atmosphere 3
The hardest thing about atmosphere is keeping it consistent for every game. There are not many ballparks across America that can claim the atmosphere is top-notch every game, and Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark atmosphere is an example of this statement. There will be games when the atmosphere makes Bricktown Ballpark the best ballpark in the country, yet there will also be those off games. There are many factors that can change the daily atmosphere for fans, however, the Dodgers game day staff is 100% committed to providing the best atmosphere for fans. The ballpark was recently reduced in size so fans will feel closer to the game, the video board is the 7th-largest screen in minor league baseball, and the staff is always looking to improve the game day experience.
There is also plenty of activity going on between innings to keep fans involved. First there are the typical promotions, such as t-shirt tosses, dugout dances, and 50/50 raffles, but in addition, the team’s two mascots, Brooklyn and Brix, travel throughout the ballpark to entertain fans. There is also a playground area in the outfield for children in attendance to help on days that the game drags.
Neighborhood 5
Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark is in the historic Bricktown District in downtown Oklahoma City, Bricktown being the entertainment district here. Formerly a major warehousing district, the area was renovated with the construction of Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark in 1998.
Bricktown offers an exceptional pre/postgame atmosphere being just across the street from the ballpark. Like San Antonio’s famous Riverwalk, Bricktown has a canal that allows boat trips between the many restaurants; some of the restaurants in the area are the Bricktown Brewery, Jazmo’z Bourbon Street Café, Toby Keith’s I Love this Bar and Grille, Earl’s Rib Place, Fuzzy’s Taco Shop, and the popular Mickey Mantle’s Steakhouse.
Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark, OKC Bricktown Canal, Photo by Michael Davis, Stadium Journey
This area also provides lodging next to the ballpark, with Hampton Inn & Suites and Hilton Garden Inn in view of the ballpark seats beyond the outfield. Sheraton and Marriott hotels are also located nearby on the other side of the Cox Convention Center, near the Chesapeake Energy Arena (home of the Oklahoma City Thunder).
Some of the attractions around Oklahoma City outside of Bricktown include the Capitol Building and Oklahoma City National Memorial Museum, located just north of the ballpark, as well as the Oklahoma City Museum of Art, myriad botanical gardens, the USA Softball Hall of Fame Complex and Museum, and the Oklahoma City Zoo.
Fans 4
Oklahoma City consistently ranks right in the middle of the PCL in terms of attendance; in the last five years the average attendance has been 6,670 fans per game. The ballpark can hold over 13,000 but the Dodgers have helped in keeping the place intimate for fans by reducing its capacity for Dodgers games to 9,000. These numbers indicate that the ballpark is about 75% full throughout the season.
The OKC fans show a wonderful commitment to the OKC Dodgers. They show up to games supporting the Dodgers blue, although the closest MLB team is the Texas Rangers. The fans are enjoyable to be around and are generally into the game. Oklahoma City has always had great sports fans – they love and are dedicated to their teams, and the fans at the Dodgers show and represent Oklahoma City with pride and passion.
Access 5
Usually downtown ballparks can be a hassle but getting to Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark is easy. The venue is located on Mickey Mantle Drive between Reno and Sheridan Avenue, just to the north of I-40 in downtown Oklahoma, which runs east-west beyond the southern border of the property. The facility can also be reached via nearby Interstates 235 or 35; Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark is located just blocks from both Interstates 40 and 235. The home plate entrance is at the corner of Reno Avenue and Mickey Mantle Drive, and there are buses and trolleys that have drop off points in the Bricktown area. The OKC airport, Will Rogers World Airport, is just 11 miles away.
The ballpark features a wide concourse that offers views of the action, and there are excellent sight lines. The Dodgers operation has all lines, including the pro shop, concessions, and bathrooms to a minimum so fans can spend more time doing other things in the ballpark. For a downtown ballpark there is not much overload on control points, making the trip outstandingly accessible for fans.
Return on Investment 3
Local OKC baseball fans have a wonderful opportunity when it comes to getting a high return on their investment. The Dodgers offer wonderful seating prices in their recently created Oklahoma Fidelity Suites, Champions Suite, 4Topps, and Entertainment Suites. Fans interested in these areas should call the OKC Dodgers or check out the website.
For fans that are going the single game route there are four levels for single game Dodgers tickets. These levels are home plate seating $28, field level seats $23, right field corner seats and upper deck seats $15, and tickets on the lawn $10. These prices are for advance ticketing, so for day-of-game purchases add $1 to each ticket level.
Parking is plentiful in the surface lots and the Bricktown garages surrounding Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark, costing between $5 and $10. There are limited on-street parking options in the neighborhood for those early birds, although for weeknight games these spaces are a little harder to find. Concessions here are priced like most concessions in other top-level minor league parks, so a Dodgers game is an affordable and outstanding way for families to enjoy the day together.
Extras 4
Professional baseball has been played in Oklahoma City since shortly after the Land Run of 1889, within a block of the current ballpark. However, Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark has changed the Oklahoma City landscape over the last 2 decades.
There is a something special about baseball in this neighborhood; the Dodgers do a wonderful job in honoring Oklahoma City’s past relationship to the sport. There are three statues honoring notable OKC area residents which are located outside the three main entrances to the ballpark: Mickey Mantle (third base entrance), Johnny Bench (home plate entrance), and Warren Spahn (right field entrance). Inside the ballpark itself there are also murals honoring OKC’s baseball history, and the Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame and Jim Thorpe Museum are both part of the ballpark. Lastly, in front of the venue you can find a row of busts of Oklahoma City baseball heroes, along the walkway outside the ballpark on Mickey Mantle Way.
Final Thoughts
Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark is one of the best minor league ballparks in the country. The ballpark has already celebrated 20 years, yet other ballparks have yet to make this OKC gem outdated. The ballpark has received numerous accolades over the years and rightfully so, since the ballpark has single-handedly revitalized the Bricktown area.
The ballpark continues to be a great place for people to have a good night with family and friends while watching baseball. This ballpark is a hidden gem in a city that doesn’t get much love as a tourist spot, yet all the fans in Dodger Blue know that Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark and OKC should be on any ballpark chaser’s bucket list.