Riders Field - Frisco RoughRiders

Photos by Terry McCutchen, Stadium Journey

Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 4.57

Riders Field 7725 Gaylord Pkwy Frisco, TX 75034

Frisco RoughRiders website

Riders Field website

Year Opened: 2003

Capacity: 10,316

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Frisco RoughRiders - Riders Field

Frisco, Texas is a bustling suburb of the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex in north Texas. As home to the world headquarters of the Dallas Cowboys, Major League Soccer’s FC Dallas, Dude Perfect’s New Theme Park, and the PGA Tour’s new corporate facility, as well as many museums and numerous shopping options, Frisco has become a destination city, especially for sports enthusiasts.

Riders Field is a beautiful “Park within a Park”, utilizing different pavilions for concessions separated by a dirt and tree-lined concourse, creating a series of interconnected spaces instead of one single monumental structure. The feel one gets once entering the gates is that you have entered a cozy coastal village, instead of a traditional ballpark.

Food & Beverage   5

There are 16 unique food and beverage vendors, each serving different menu options. Each standalone concession stand offers different items and is named in such a manner that the flavor profile of the food is obvious. For example, El Rincon and Rojo’s serve Mexican-inspired dishes, Frank’s and Coop and Kennel serve hot dogs and chicken dishes, respectively, while The Sweet Spot serves ice cream.

There are also three separate bar areas where mixed drinks are offered in addition to beer. All these areas are also enclosed, with air conditioning and TVs showing live action of the game – this can create a nice respite during hot Texas summer evenings. Beer options are not limited to just the popular domestics, either; you can also get Yeungling, Dos Equis, Eight, and Shiner among other brands around the ballpark. In addition, if beer is not your alcohol of choice, mixed drinks, especially local favorite margaritas, and several wine options are also available. Non-alcoholic drink options are Dr Pepper and 7-Up products, based on a previous naming rights deal with Dr Pepper for the stadium. Other non-alcoholic options include bottled water, lemonade, and Snapple, as well as both white and chocolate milk.

Atmosphere   5

Riders Field presents a unique visual experience beginning when you drive up – the light blue pavilions trimmed in white look like architecture you would see in a coastal town, not in the middle of a north Texas community, and no matter which gate you use to enter the ballpark, you will pass through the buildings before seeing the field itself. Once you have passed through the walkway between buildings, you realize that the concourse is at ground level and the field is lower, which presents a beautiful image. The traditional viewpoint from home plate out toward centerfield is picturesque, as is the inverse, looking back toward home from the centerfield fence. In fact, the most vivid image this writer saw was looking back toward home plate and the beautiful buildings as the sun was setting.

The coup de maître is the Lazy River and CoServ Cabana just past the right field fence; while this area is for group outings most game days, it is available for single game tickets on Thursdays and Sundays. Also, just a word to the wise – Thursday evening is sponsored by Twisted Tea and dubbed “Rowdy @ The River”, so attend that night knowing the pool area will be packed, loud and full of energy!

Neighborhood   5

Riders Field is located in Frisco, Texas, a suburb of the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex. The stadium is nestled in a bustling shopping district and destination mecca near the intersection of two major highways running through North Texas.

There are plenty of hotels to choose from within walking distance of the ballpark including Embassy Suites-Frisco (which is attached to the ballpark), Hilton Garden Inn-Frisco, Hyatt House Dallas-Frisco, and Tru by Hilton Inn-Frisco, among others. In addition, the lodging options within a few minutes’ drive of the stadium include most price points and amenity levels.

When looking for dining options outside the stadium, the choices within a short drive are virtually endless; one can easily walk to Wild Pitch Sports Bar and Grill, Perry’s Steakhouse, Norma’s Cafe, Rodeo Goat, or Gloria’s Cantina, among others.

Fans   4

The Roughriders consistently rank in the top 5 for attendance in Double A baseball. In 2024, they averaged over 5,100 fans per game, seeing a total of 371,149 people pass through the gates. Frisco fans are knowledgeable and attentive to the game, as well – they are loud at appropriate times, assisted by the large video scoreboard, which gives cues at key moments.

Many factors have created such an inviting atmosphere here; the stadium’s design presents a unique visual experience, while in-game promotions keep fans engaged, which appeals to fans of all ages and interest levels. It’s easy to see how Riders Field could be a popular after work hangout for young professionals, looking to spend after hours leisure time together.

The team’s location in the Dallas-Fort Worth metro area, the nation’s 4th largest such area, plus their proximity to the parent club, the Texas Rangers (a mere 30 minute commute south), provides the perfect set-up for rehab assignments. This gives fans a chance to witness big league players in action at lower ticket prices, and at a much closer vantage point than usually possible in MLB parks. At a recent RoughRiders game, for example, Wyatt Langford played in front of over 12,000 fans.

Access   4

Located just off the intersection of Dallas North Tollway and State Highway 121, and less than 30 miles from both Dallas Love Field and Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) International Airport, Riders Field is easily accessible no matter which airline is chosen for out-of-town travelers.

Other than the normal traffic of a major city, traffic flow around the ballpark is smooth and clearly marked. With signage posted beginning over a mile from the venue, it’s not difficult to get to the designated parking areas from multiple points of entry. The main parking lot sits across Rough Riders Trail from the south of the stadium and the main gate, while ticket windows are at the corner of Rough Rider Trail and Diamond Drive.

The facility is easily walkable from multiple hotels and a large shopping mall. There is no public transit that services the area, but there should be plenty of rideshare rides available around the clock.

Return On Investment   4

Ticket prices range from $14 to $45 with most tickets in the bowl area costing $25 or less. There are no bad seats inside Riders Field, so no matter where you choose to sit the sightlines are clear and top-notch, ensuring the game will be an enjoyable experience.

Parking for RoughRider games is only $10, and the lot is across the street from the main entrance is large enough to hold most of the vehicles during a normal game. There are a couple of free parking options as well; one choice is to park and walk from Stonebriar Mall, while the other option is to park in the limited number of parallel parking spots along the streets surrounding the facility. In the humble opinion of this author, however, neither of the free parking options are better than parking within 50 yards of the entrance in a well-lit, secure lot for a single ten-dollar bill.

Concession prices here are slightly higher than at other Texas League stadiums in Texas and its surrounding states. For example, a souvenir soda costs $9, bottled water $5, and a 16-ounce beer $9.50. Hot dog baskets are $11, burgers cost $15, and most other specialty food items will require between $16 and $20. Most importantly, don’t forget your debit/credit card (or your smartphone), as Riders Field is cashless and only accepts digital or card payments.

Extras   5

Between inning games and activities are prevalent, and the crowd is entertained during most of the breaks in play, beginning with the “Play Ball” Kid before first pitch. The emcees are also engaging during the fan interaction games that take place; examples include the Frozen T-Shirt Race, quizzes, relay races, and the 7th-inning stretch. Other between-inning crowd engagement activities include the Simba cam, Dance cam, Dot Race, and Kiss cam, all of which utilize the big scoreboard located in left-center field. All these engaging pursuits, combined with the MiLB push to speed up games via the between-inning and pitch clocks, ensure there is little downtime, making the game fly by.

The Lazy River and Cabana not only create a signature touch at Riders Field, but also ensure that fans can enjoy a ballgame in a cool setting on a hot Thursday evening or Sunday afternoon.

The staff and fans are extremely friendly and helpful – every person this writer came in contact with was approachable and more than willing to provide assistance, or engage in a brief conversation.

Souvenirs can be acquired from the Rider Outpost team store, which is large and very well stocked. There is a wide selection of t-shirts and caps in many sizes and colors; the most popular logos appear to include some form of Teddy Roosevelt, the original RoughRider and 26th US President, but the Double R logo on the home cap provides a classic look on a modern-style hat.

Concessions can also be purchased using Stadium Drop – fans are able to scan a QR code, order and pay digitally, and then have their food delivered to their seat. This is an extremely convenient option which this writer personally didn’t utilize, but I can see how the convenience is worth any extra expense or time required for the wait.

Final Thoughts

Frisco RoughRider games are a wonderful experience; the setting is beautiful and the game presentation is top notch. Concessions here  are above average and the options are plentiful, even though the prices are slightly higher than other teams at the same level of play.

Based on the location in the north DFW suburb of Frisco, shopping, dining, and outside entertainment nearby are practically endless. Accessibility via a personal vehicle, or via air travel using your airline of choice, should be no problem since both Dallas-Love Field (Southwest Airlines) and Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport are approximately the same distance from Riders Field.

Riders Field is a must-visit location for any baseball fan, and can easily be included in a multi-stadium vacation due to its proximity to many other minor league and independent league ballparks, as well as to Globe Life Field, home of the Riders’ parent club Texas Rangers.