Photos by Dave Cottenie and Marc Viquez Stadium Journey
Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 4.29
Day Air Ballpark 220 N Patterson St. Dayton, OH 45402
Year Opened: 2000 Capacity: 7,230
The Streak
The marker for the off the field success of any professional sports organization is at the turnstile. The sellout is elusive to many and sought after by all. At one point, the Portland Trail Blazers of the NBA were the team that could boast about having the longest continuous sellout streak in professional sports. Spanning over 800 games and 18 seasons, the Blazers streak, which ran from 1977 to 1995 was more than impressive. To say that streak has been eclipsed would be a mild understatement in the least.
The Dayton Dragons began their existence in 1988 as the Rockford Expos. After a couple of decades in Rockford, Illinois with a number of different monikers and affiliations, the team was relocated to Dayton, Ohio in 2000, where the legend of the Dragons was born. The duration of their time in Dayton, the Dragons have been a Single-A affiliate of the Cincinnati Reds in the Midwest League. The current sell-out streak, which at the time of writing was still in effect, has stretched 23 seasons and over 1,500 games. The streak was paused due to the restrictions of play during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Dragons are owned by three Harvard friends who comprise Palisades Arcadia Baseball LLC.
One of the main reasons for the tremendous support that the Dragons have enjoyed is their home, Day Air Ballpark. Opened in 2000 as Fifth Third Field by the City of Dayton, Day Air Ballpark has been the home of the Dragons since they arrived in Dayton. The naming rights were sold to Day Air Credit Union in 2020 and Day Air Ballpark has previously been home to the Atlantic 10 baseball tournament.
Food & Beverage 5
The concession experience at Day Air Ballpark is amongst the best in all of Minor League Baseball. Steakadelphia, Greater’s Ice Cream, Dragon Fire (Burgers), Mac & Cheese, Monument Ave BBQ, Coney and Smokie’s Sausage are some of the providers of wares for those hungry baseball patrons. A wide variety of alcoholic beverage options can be found at various points in Day Air Ballpark. The Sam Adams Pub offers a full bar experience. The Dragons website has a full listing of options available for fans who wish to plan their culinary experience. Perhaps the highlight of the concession scene at Day Air Ballpark is Sweet & Boozy Ice Cream which provides custom made ice cream sundaes with some
Atmosphere 4
Built in 2000, Day Air Ballpark is a solid baseball facility. The exterior is traditional brown brick and the main entrance can be found in the Don Crawford Plaza which is the perfect meeting place for pre game festivities and is at the northwest corner of the block at Patterson Blvd. and Monument Ave. The Dragons regularly put together a bit of a street party in the plaza complete with food trucks, cornhole, inflatables and appearances by mascots Heater and Gem. The main entrance is at home plate and the park faces due east.
Inside the concourse, there is enough space to get around and checking out the amply stocked team store is a must stop for all fans. The concourses feature a number of banners depicting the history of the Dragons in Dayton. These include breaking the sellout streak at 815 straight games, Opening Day in 2000, former coaches Chris Sabo, Tom Browning and Ken Griffey, all members of the Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame, and the career of 2010 National League MVP, Joey Votto. There is plenty to look at for fans who are interested in those historical tidbits. The single concourse wraps around into a 360 degree walking experience. The kid zone is behind the batter's eye and offers children the opportunity to make posters, play games and use the inflatable. A variety of seating options are available and the lawn seating behind right field is very popular. The seating bowl is two tier and luxury suites are found behind the second deck seats. A highlight of the park is the videoboard behind leftfield, which has large dragons framing the board which light up and smoke for key Dragon moments. The number 1 has been retired by the Dragons for Dayton Dragon fans and is memorialized on the left field wall.
The Dragons take the gameday productions to the next level. There seems to be non-stop action between innings led by the Green Team, promotion group. Mascots Gem and Heater take part in the festivities. Roofman makes an appearance between innings and throws soft baseballs out to the fans, and is definitely a highlight of the game. The team store hosts postgame autographs for a select player and fans will line up for the opportunity to get an item signed, a great connection to the community.
Neighborhood 4
Day Air Ballpark is in the Webster Station neighbourhood of Dayton, immediately east of Downtown. There are a number of pre and post game options in the immediate area including, Canal Street Arcade & Deli, Dayton Beer Company, Foundry, Moeller Brew Barn, Dayton Barrel Works, Barrel House and Flyboys Deli.
Other sporting options in Dayton lean towards the colleges with the Dayton Flyers nearby, and UD Arena, which is home annually to the NCAA First Four. Wright State Raiders are also a Dayton option. Other tourist options include the 2nd Street Market, Dayton Aviation Heritage National Historical Park and America’s Packard Museum. For fans wishing to stay near the ballpark, the AC Hotel Dayton is on the other side of 1st Street.
Fans 5
The Dragons have enjoyed the strongest support in Minor League Baseball. In the 2023 season, the Dragons welcomed an average of more than 7,800 fans per game, which is second in MiLB and first in the Midwest League. For a High-A team to average more fans than nearly all Triple-A teams, most of which enjoy a higher stadium capacity, is quite a feat. The sellout streak for the Dragons is over 1,500 games at the time of writing. Is it possible for a team to do any better?
Access 4
Day Air Ballpark is located in the Webster Station neighbourhood of Dayton, immediately south of the Miami River and surrounded by Monument, Patterson, Sears and 1st St. Getting to the ballpark is not too difficult as it is less than a mile away from I-75, the main artery for the city. There are some surrounding parking lots and garages within steps of the ballpark. For fans wishing to take public transit to the game, there are buses on the streets surrounding the ballpark. Fans should consult the Greater Dayton RTA website for fares, schedules and maps.
Inside the ballpark, numerous sellouts will make the concourses crowded, but it is not impossible to get around. The 360 degree concourse helps a bit to alleviate crowding. Concession lines can be long and the washroom facilities are adequate for the park.
Return on Investment 5
There is tremendous value in a Dayton Dragons game. Tickets go for $17 with general admission to the lawn for only $13. Parking will run a couple of dollars in a nearby lot and concession prices are not out of sorts with other Minor League experiences. The Dragons put together a great show and the fans come out in droves to support the team. Great value from top to bottom.
Extras 3
An extra mark for the Dayton Dragons holding the longest consecutive sellout streak in professional sports at over 1,500 games and 23 seasons. It’s not possible to get better than this.
An extra mark for a terrific affiliate arrangement with the Cincinnati Reds. It is just over 50 miles from park to park and having the nearby Reds as an affiliate for the entirety of the team’s life in Dayton is yet another drawing card for fans.
An extra mark for the nod to Don Crawford with Don Crawford Plaza. Don Crawford was a pioneer in race relations and the first African-American city commissioner of Dayton, and worthy of this honour.
Final Thoughts
The success that the Dayton Dragons have enjoyed at the turnstile is unprecedented. For a High-A team to have such a tremendous supporting fanbase is a testament to what can be done in Minor League Baseball. Baseball fans must take a trip to Dayton for a Dragons game at Day Air Ballpark. It will not disappoint.