Fifth Third Park – Hub City Spartanburgers

Photos by David Welch, Stadium Journey

Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.71

Fifth Third Park 300 W. Henry Street Spartanburg, SC 29306

Hub City Spartanburgers website

Fifth Third Park website

Year Opened: 2025

Capacity: 5,000

---

Look LettUs Cook

The 2025 Minor League Baseball season marked the return of affiliated baseball to Spartanburg, South Carolina, for the first time in 31 years with the arrival of the Hub City Spartanburgers. Baseball in Spartanburg dates back to 1904, when the city fielded a team called the Spartans. Over the years the team adopted several names, including the Red Sox and Pioneers, and initially played at Wofford College before relocating to Duncan Park in 1926.

In the early 20th century, Spartanburg played independently across various leagues before settling into the South Atlantic League. The city had brief affiliations with the St. Louis Browns (1946) and the Cleveland Indians (1947–1955), but it would be the affiliation with the Philadelphia Phillies that lasted 31 years (1963-1994) which would leave a lasting impression on the city, which is still evident today.

During the three decades without affiliated baseball, Spartanburg remained active in the sport through summer collegiate leagues, including an earlier incarnation of the Spartanburgers. Now affiliated baseball has returned to Spartanburg; Hub City rejoins the South Atlantic League as the High-A affiliate of the Texas Rangers.

Food & Beverage   4

Fifth Third Park does a good job blending traditional ballpark fare with unique, regionally inspired options – Firebox Corner offers not just pepperoni and margarita pizzas, but also a deep-fried version topped with “Fairy Dust” (grated Parmesan), while Bojangles Chicken Crossing serves a small sampling of the southern chain’s menu, including Cajun chicken sandwiches, Chicken Supremes, and Bo’s Bird Dogs.

The star of the show, however, is the Spartan Burgers build-your-own burger bar. With nearly 70 available toppings, fans can stick to the basics or get adventurous with options like Nutella, jelly, or Froot Loops; burgers can also include veggie or meat patties. The standout “Spartanburger” is topped with pimento cheese, a fried green tomato, and onion straws, with additional food carts behind home plate specializing in sausage varieties and multiple styles of nachos.

The biggest downside of the otherwise strong concessions here is the “grab-and-go” setup – with items being left under heat lamps, it can leave some of the food cold.

Though the Carolinas are traditionally Pepsi country, Coca-Cola products are the stadium drink of choice. Other non-alcoholic options include Monster energy drink, Powerade, and fresh-squeezed lemonade from a stand near the left field gates.

Adult beverage selections are broad; along with typical domestic beers are craft-style options including beers from New Belgium, Wicked Weed, Sierra Nevada, and Golden Road’s Mango Cart. Seltzers, canned cocktails, and individual servings of wine are also available, and the Cabooze Bar Cart behind home plate offers handmade mixed and frozen drinks. While the beer list is extensive, more local brews would be nice to see.

Atmosphere   4

The Spartanburgers celebrate the city’s railroad legacy with their Hub City moniker, in reference to the city being a hub of railroads in the south. The tracks that run just beyond the third baseline are reminiscent of the early days of baseball, when fields were commonly found adjacent to the town’s train depot.

Upon first sight of First Third Park, the neon “Spartanburg” sign atop the stadium, in diner script, pops with city pride. The seating bowl is bi-level; the lower level is individual plastic chairbacks from midway up each line, with mesh-backed seats behind home plate. There are also several additional seating areas, including high top tables, group seating, concourse suites, drink rails, and a grassy berm stretching from left to left-center field. Though the rows are a bit steep, the seating bowl does provide excellent sightlines and plenty of leg room.

The outfield wall plays pretty consistent in right, but center field is a poke at 411’. Left field is a touch short at 328’ but it is protected by a wall approximately 15 to 18 feet high. The scoreboard, situated in right-center field uses a 1950s, drive-in themed display to provide game statistics, information on the pitcher’s pitch count, pitch speed, and pitcher and batter individual statistics.

Hub City does a good job keeping the burger and railroad themes going throughout the game. Strike outs are celebrated with the ringing of an “order up” style bell, the stadium announcer refers to base runners as “burgers”, and home runs are celebrated with the sounding of a train whistle – this really ties in both themes of the team well; even in-game entertainment pieces use burger-themed contests.

Spartanburgers game definitely have an atypical game presentation for baseball, but it goes a long way in creating a fun stadium atmosphere. For example, the stadium’s public address announcer uses the power of the microphone to stir the energy of the crowd with chants and prompts to get loud between pitches. In an era where baseball has become more of a laid-back experience, this approach works well in creating a fun game atmosphere that feels more like a basketball game than baseball.

The concourse is kept lively by Steve the Conductor, who makes his way around the concourse dressed in overalls and a conductor’s cap; Steve greets fans and gets them to join him in belting out a loud “Choo-Choo!” rallying call.

Neighborhood   4

Fifth Third Park is a short walk from downtown Spartanburg, an area with an artsy vibe and plenty of personality. Sculptures line the sidewalks and the Spartanburg Music Trail highlights local musicians via QR codes – there are 11 markers, including one honoring The Marshall Tucker Band, most notable for their song, “Can’t You See”.

Downtown also has a strong collection of locally-owned restaurants along a section of Main Street, which is closed to traffic so tables can be set up for spacious outdoor dining. Music fills the air day and night, providing both pre and post-game options for food, drink, and music. One establishment of interest in the area is FR8yard, an outdoor bar and music venue that has seats from Duncan Park. Downtown Spartanburg also seems to be in the midst of a revitalization, as empty store fronts appear to be in the process of being filled.

The Children’s Museum of the Upstate, Hub City Railroad Museum, and the free to play Sparkle City miniature golf course are all family-friendly points of consideration in the area.

Fans   4

Excitement around town is high with the return of professional baseball. Early attendance numbers over 3,000 fans per game, with crowds swelling to over 4,000 for weekend matchups, especially when rivals like the Greenville Drive visit. If this trend continues, the Spartanburgers will finish among the South Atlantic League’s top five in attendance this season.

Access   3

Spartanburg is at the junction of two interstates that run though the southeast, namely I-85 which runs regionally from Atlanta to Charlotte, and I-26 that runs from the South Carolina coast in Charleston to Asheville, North Carolina.

Fifth Third Park is just south of downtown Spartanburg. Some streets around the stadium shut down leading up to gates opening, so the easiest approach is from the north side of Morgan Avenue. This provides for the easiest access to the multi-level parking deck just beyond the left field confines, and this garage provides direct access into the ballpark. There is also some street parking within walking distance if you arrive early enough; street parking is free after 5 pm.

Primary entry points can be found in the right and left field corners of the stadium, with the left field gates being the most popular. There is also a home plate gate, but it is more out of the way, so it doesn’t get nearly as much use as the other points of entry.

Even with many concourse level suites and food carts, there is still plenty of room for fans to move around without feeling as though they are packed in shoulder to shoulder. Fifth Third Park is not completely circumnavigable, however – fans can only walk to center field and roughly three-quarters of the way down the right field line. In future years, though, office space and housing will begin to pop up in the open grassy area beyond right and center field, which may help to tie both sides of the field together with one continuous walkway.

Return on Investment   3

Tickets start at just $5 for weekday berm seating, increasing to $8 on Fridays and $10 on weekends and holidays. Fees typically add 21–28% to the ticket price.

Parking seems reasonable at $10, but if you are willing to walk, free spots can be found in the downtown area – street parking is free after 5 pm.

Concessions seem reasonably priced, in line with typical ballpark prices. Apparel and other souvenirs do seem to be on the expensive side, however, but nothing that isn’t in line with current industry standards.

Extras   4

Mascots Chuck the Burger, an anthropomorphic cheeseburger, and a yet-to-be-named Carolina Parakeet have an on-going playful rivalry that sees the feathered mascot constantly chasing Chuck around the field, concourse, or other parts of the stadium. While not engaged in the chase, both mascots are busy taking countless photos with fans around the stadium, as well as helping host mid-inning games.

A display inside the home plate entrance features vintage wooden seats from Shibe Park, home of the Philadelphia Phillies from 1909 to 1970; the seats were later reused at Duncan Park. The display includes photos chronicling Spartanburg’s baseball history, with a separate exhibit behind home plate commemorating the Spartanburg Mill League in the early 1900s.

A large children’s play area is located down the left field line, providing a great space for kids to burn off some energy during the game; the climbing wall there incorporates a colorful mural of Spartanburg into its design.

There is a specific focus on using art as part of the wow factor at Fifth Third Park, from the mural-covered walls to the baseball-themed chandelier just inside the Home Plate Gate, and the giant bobbleheads placed at each of the outfield gates – all of these add to the artistic beauty of the stadium.

Final Thoughts

A new team and stadium usually bring a lot of buzz to a city, and the Hub City Spartanburgers really deliver on that. Fifth Third Park is not just a fun spot to watch baseball; it feels like a celebration of Spartanburg. The diner and railroad themes, mixed with the recognition of the city’s baseball past and artistic vibe, bring into the ballpark much of what has shaped Spartanburg into the city it is today.