- Richard Smith
Funko Field at Everett Memorial Stadium- Everett AquaSox
Photos by Richard Smith, Stadium Journey
Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.00
Funko Field at Everett Memorial Stadium 3900 Broadway Everett, WA 98201
Everett AquaSox website Funko Field website
Year Opened: 1984 Capacity: 3,682
Having Fun at Funko Field
Twenty-five miles north of Seattle is the city of Everett, Washington. At little over 100,000 in population, Everett is the county seat of and the largest city in Snohomish County, Washington. It is the 7th largest city in the state. The AquaSox are not the only professional sports organization in town, as the Everett Silvertips hockey team plays in the Western Hockey League at downtown Everett’s Xfinity Arena. One of the most famous attractions near Everett is Boeing’s plane production facility.
It has the largest building in the world by volume at 116.5 million cubic feet. A tour of the plant and the Future of Flight Aviation Center is a must see for almost any visitors to the area. The Everett AquaSox started in 1984 as the Everett Giants, part of the San Francisco Giants organization. In 1995 the Everett Giants and Bellingham Mariners switched cities and the team was renamed the Everett AquaSox. The team remains a short season A affiliate of the Mariners playing in the Northwest League.
Baseball has been played at this location for years, but officially Everett Memorial Stadium opened in 1984 when the Giants came to town. The Everett School District owns and operates the facility. The stadium last expanded in 1998 and was renamed Funko Field at Everette Memorial Stadium in 2019. The local toy company will pay up to $1.1 million over eight years for the naming rights to the AquaSox home.
Food & Beverage 3
There are some pretty basic concession stands at the stadium. The bulk of them is behind the home plate area. The offerings are pretty good. Hot dogs are $3 and pizza $6. There are also some good combo pricing available. Drinks start at $3.50. There are some good in-game promotions for food. The team designates an opposing player as “the popcorn player.” If he strikes out, all popcorn is $1 that night. Luckily “the popcorn player” struck out in the first inning of the game I attended. There was also a milk and cookies inning. Dippin’ Dots has a standalone stand in the concourse area that is extremely popular with kids and families.
Atmosphere 4
The outfield fence is pretty unique with many unique angles of play and various distances. There is no substantial noticeable view beyond the fences. Seating around the park is generally metal bleachers along the field of play. They are pretty basic, although the more expensive seating does have dining delivery services as an offering. There is also a very nice lawn seating area behind the right field fence. A hand-operated scoreboard is along the outfield wall as well as a simple video board.
The AquaSox mascot, Webbly, wanders around doing the usual mascot kind of activities. The best attraction for kids is the kids activities behind home plate, as well as the large expanse of land for kids to run around and be kids. There literally is a football field (a practice one for the high school teams) located in this area as well.
Neighborhood 3
The neighborhood is very nice, right off of Broadway, but it is mainly residential. There are a few fast food restaurants close by. It might be best to hit some great Everett restaurants pre and post-game via car. Anthony’s HomePort, Brooklyn Brothers Pizzeria, Shawn O’Donnell’s American Grill and Irish Pub , Middleton Brewing, The Irishmen and AFK Tavern are some of the best bets. AFK Tavern is a video game bar. A bit further away in the Mill Creek Town Center is Blazing Onion Burgers. It is worth the drive for the Bacon, Bacon, Bacon Cheeseburger alone. There is also a location in nearby Marysville.
If you are into casino gaming the Tulalip Resort Casino is just north of the Everett area and is quite nice. They also have a huge big box retail area, as well as a premium outlet center located nearby. A good hotel recommendation is the Hampton Inn Seattle/Everett.
Fans 3
The fans that sit right behind the plate are knowledgeable. Once you get out to the fringe parts of the park you may see the more casual fan. The AquaSox draw well, although the stadium is not 100% filled on most nights. It still has a consistent fan base in attendance. The short season of the Northwest League tends to compress attendance into a shorter timespan.
Access 4
The stadium is not far off of the usually busy I-5. Take the exit towards Broadway and follow the directions. Parking is strange, in that there are areas on both the south and north parts of the stadiums. I parked in the south parking, largely by accident, and got free parking. But we heard that parking on the north lot costs money.
Return on Investment 4
The prices are quite reasonable for the region and the level of baseball. You can get an $8 general admission ticket as well reserved seats for up to $17. Some good package deals and special events nights are also offered.
Extras 4
Outside of the stadium is a plaque for were Ken Griffey Jr.’s first professional home run landed. He was playing for the rival Bellingham Mariners at the time. It is also neat to look at the nearby track and field/football stadium that is also part of the same Everett Memorial Stadium complex. It looks to be quite a nice place to watch some athletic competition. It is pretty small, but the lawn seating beyond the right field wall is a joy to see. Another extra is the large open area around the stadium. I saw many a kid play and hang out in this area before and during the game.
Final Thoughts
Everett Memorial Stadium is one of those minor league stadiums where it is impossible not to have a good time. The fan atmosphere is enjoyable, prices are low and the caliber of play is quite good.