ESL Ballpark - Rochester Red Wings
- Dave Cottenie
- 11 hours ago
- 6 min read
Photos by Dave Cottenie, Stadium Journey
Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 4.29
ESL Ballpark One Morrie Silver Way Rochester, NY 14608
Year Opened: 1996
Capacity: 13,500
Rochester’s Miracle
The Rochester Red Wings are the Triple-A affiliate of the Washington Nationals and have been around since 1899. The Red Wings were saved in 1957 after their affiliation with the St. Louis Cardinals ended and it looked like baseball in Rochester was for naught. Morrie Silver led the "72 Day Miracle," which sold over 8,000 ownership shares to over 200 investors to purchase the team and stadium and keep Rochester baseball strong. Members of the Silver family still work for the Red Wings and the street outside the Red Wings’ home is named Morrie Silver Way.
Since 1989 the home for the Red Wings has been ESL Ballpark. Originally Frontier Field, the park replaced the venerable Silver Stadium and has entrenched the Red Wings as one of the cornerstone franchises in the International League. The county-owned ballpark is a perfect size for Triple-A baseball with a capacity of 13,500. In 2026, the naming rights were sold to ESL Federal Credit Union.
Food & Beverage 5
ESL Ballpark offers some of the best concessions in baseball. There are numerous concession stands and each one has a unique menu. All of the ballpark favorites are present, of course, and there are some local standards as well. Subs and deli sandwiches, ice cream, Zweigle’s hot dogs and sausages and the Western New York favorite, Beef on Weck are all available and should be considered. For something truly unique to Rochester, fans should consider the “Plate.” Rochester is known for the Garbage Plate, which is definitely unique and versions can be found at ESL Ballpark. The 10th Inning bar area has a whole host of local craft beers and local Genesee beer can be found throughout the park also. Labatt Blue, which is popular in Western New York, is also prevalent in the park. It is hard to fathom that there is anything that a fan would want to eat at the ballpark that can’t be found at ESL Ballpark.
Atmosphere 4
ESL Ballpark will not awe fans with striking beauty or a bevy of unique features. That being said, ESL Ballpark is a solid ballpark that has everything that fans would want in a Minor League Baseball experience. The exterior of the stadium is not imposing. A simple design that features a sunken field and red brick is more functional than beautiful. ESL Ballpark incorporates what was once an old firehouse on the left field side of the stadium for offices. Fans who enter the front gate, behind home plate, will be welcomed first by Rochester baseball legend, Morrie Silver and a couple kids, in bronze statue form.
Upon entering the stadium, fans will find more items to catch their attention. A horse made of baseball gloves and a large red wing bird sit right outside of the team store, which is on the left of the main gate. The Red Wings Hall of Fame can be found on the right field side and is worth some exploring for members of memories past. Upon exiting, on the left field side, fans can pass the bronze statue of Joe Altobelli.
The seating bowl for ESL Ballpark is a separated, two tier seating area with some of the left and right field side seating covered with some sun protection. Alternative seating including berms, pavilion and picnic areas are also available. The sightlines at ESL Ballpark are excellent; there isn’t a bad seat in the house. ESL Ballpark has videoboards beyond both left Center and right Center field. They are probably coming to the end of their lives, but do the job. Often, videoboards try to cram so much information on at a time that the result is text that is too small to easily see. The Red Wings are not guilty of this and feature pitching statistics on one board and hitting statistics on the other. The outfield wall in left Center displays the retired numbers of Jackie Robinson, Luke Easter, Joe Altobelli and Morrie Silver. The number 8,222 represents the original number of shares in Rochester baseball that were sold to keep a Minor League team in the city. The ten Governors’ Cup Championships are on display on the wall in right center.
The gameday atmosphere is not over-the-top in Rochester as it is in other Minor League venues. The staple promos are there including the 50/50 draw and other promos. Organ music is still a staple at Red Wings games and organist Fred Costello has been at it for a long time. Red Wings mascots Spikes and Mittsy interact with fans and the in-game host.
Neighborhood 4
ESL Ballpark is located near Downtown Rochester, just outside of the Inner Loop in the Brown Square neighborhood. There are a few dining and lodging options that are close to ESL Ballpark, but the best bet is to hop in the car and take a two- or three-minute drive to the preferred destination. Some options fans may consider include the Genesee Brew House, 809 Sports Bar and Rocky’s. Over by the Blue Cross Arena, fans will find the old train station that is currently home to the Stadium Journey favorite Dinosaur BBQ. Also, it may be of interest to hit up the founder of the Garbage Plate, Nick Tahou Hots.
Other sporting options in Rochester would include the Rochester Americans of the AHL and Rochester Knighthawks of the NLL. Fans could also head to Henrietta to take in some RIT Tigers hockey at the Gene Polisseni Center.
Other tourist attractions in Rochester include Susan B. Anthony Museum & House, RMSC, and Seneca Park Zoo. However, the must do tourist attraction is The Strong National Museum of Play which is fantastic!
For fans wishing to stay near the ballpark, the Holiday Inn and Hyatt are among options that are not too far away.
Fans 4
The Rochester Red Wings are one of the oldest franchises in Minor League Baseball and have enjoyed prolonged success at the turnstile. At the time of writing, in the 2026 season, the Red Wings have averaged over 5,500 fans per game. The previous season, the Red Wings averaged over 5,800 fans per game. They ranked 11th in the 20 team International League and 8th previously, pretty much right in the middle. Fans in attendance are knowledgeable and loud at the appropriate times.
Access 4
ESL Ballpark is located in Brown Square in Rochester, at the junction of the Inner Loop highway and I-490. Getting to the ballpark is pretty easy. If you are interested in public transit to the ballpark, the Rochester-Genesee Transit Authority has buses that travel on Broad, Main, Plymouth and State Streets. Check out the RTS website for maps, schedules and fares. There is plenty of parking available for Red Wing games in the lots of the former Kodak Tower. Parking goes for only a few dollars and the local police do a great job of making it easy to get in and out of the parking lots.
The main ticketing gates are behind homeplate, in the main square by Morrie Silver Way. At times lineups can be a bit of an issue for the late purchasing crowd, so being prepared is always a good idea. Another gate for entry is near the old fire station at Morrie Silver Way and Plymouth Ave, in left field. Getting around the stadium is no problem at all. There is a spacious inner concourse, where all of the concessions can be found and an outer concourse to travel by as well. There are also plenty of washroom facilities.
Stadium Journey recognizes that security protocols are in constant flux for sporting events. Although at the time of writing security entailed walking through metal detectors and bag checks, Stadium Journey highly recommends consulting the Rochester Red Wings and ESL Ballpark websites for the latest security procedures including prohibited items and bag policy. ESL Ballpark is a cashless facility.
Return on Investment 5
Tickets for the Red Wings are $23 for 100 level seats and $19 for 200 level. Parking will cost a couple of dollars and concession prices are what one would expect from a Minor League facility. The return is a great afternoon or evening of baseball in an excellent park. The math all seems to work out.
Extras 4
An extra mark for organist Fred Costello, who has been the organist of the Red Wings since 1977, the longest-reigning sports organist in history.
An extra mark for Morrie Silver and the 72 Day Miracle that saved baseball in Rochester and made the Red Wings a truly community team.
An extra mark for the view of the iconic Kodak building beyond left field. Although Kodak is no longer, the building is currently used by Monroe Community College.
An extra mark for Red Wings CEO and Rochester Royalty, Naomi Silver, daughter of Morrie Silver. She can often be found around the ballpark interacting with fans.
Final Thoughts
The Rochester Red Wings are one of the oldest franchises in Minor League Baseball and a cornerstone of the International League. Taking in a Red Wings game is everything that is great about Minor League Baseball in a simple, satisfying package.
