Photos by Dave Cottenie, Gregory Kock, and Marc Viquez, Stadium Journey
Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 4.29
FirstEnergy Stadium 1900 Centre Ave Reading, PA 19605
Year Opened: 1951 Capacity: 10,000
The Carnival at Baseballtown
Reading is just different.
Baseball in Reading, Pennsylvania dates back to 1858 with the Reading Athletic Club playing other local teams. The organization of baseball in 1874 saw the birth of the Reading Actives. Baseball continued in Reading over the years as the monikers changed. In 1933, Reading joined the Eastern League as the Reading Red Sox, which was short-lived.
In 1952 Reading returned to the Eastern League as the Reading Indians, which was significant in the minor league careers of such stars as Rocky Colavito and Roger Maris. The current iteration of Reading baseball launched in 1967 as they began an affiliation with the Philadelphia Phillies and the Reading Phillies have been a cornerstone Double-A franchise ever since. They officially became known as the Fightin Phils in 2012.
Home for the Fightins, as they are sometimes locally known, is the historic and unique FirstEnergy Stadium. Opened in 1951 as Reading Municipal Memorial Stadium and dedicated to military personnel who died while serving, FirstEnergy Stadium provides one of the most unique experiences in Minor League Baseball. It is referred to as “America’s Classic Ballpark” borrows from the Detroit Red Wings and refers to itself as “Baseballtown.” The mix is truly unique with the experience having three distinct parts: one part baseball; one part museum; and one part carnival.
Food & Beverage 5
The culinary experience at FirstEnergy Stadium is the cornerstone of the carnival atmosphere at the game. The Diamond Credit Union Plaza, informally the Boardwalk, opens before the seating area at FirstEnergy Stadium and the plaza offers carnival food for fans to enjoy before the game begins. Big Straw Milkshakes with their cookie sandwiches, ice cream, and funnel cakes Plaza Favourites with their varieties of chicken and hot dogs and mac and cheese, and Grand Slam Grill with their burgers, and hot dogs offer fans a top-notch culinary listing before fans are even able to get to their seats.
Yuengling products, Suburban Brewing, and Miller Lite headline the beer options. Hard slushies and seltzers are also available. Pepsi products are the soft drink of choice. Once the concourse opens, there are another set of concession options including Manny’s Fries and The Lil’ O’s Pizza. Overall, there is not much a fan could be wanting for at FirstEnergy Stadium.
Atmosphere 5
FirstEnergy Stadium offers one of the most unique atmospheres in baseball. The exterior of the park is smart with brown brick, blue accents, and embedded concrete “Reading Phillies” name. Right away, it is apparent that the stadium is hiding its true age. Although classic, the exterior does not look like a seventy-plus-year-old facility.
A nod back to the original Reading Municipal Memorial Stadium is in the giant military dog tag sculpture in front of the stadium, dedicated to the veterans of the community. When getting closer to the ballpark, fans will find that the Fightins waste almost no space and celebrate their history perhaps more than any other team. It begins with the bricks on the main exterior plaza behind the home plate. Fans will find marble bricks in the ground for each year of the Reading Baseball Hall of Fame and the retired numbers of Ryne Sandberg, Mike Schmidt, Robin Roberts, Scott Rolen, and Jim Bunning.
The gates to the Plaza on the first base side open earlier than the rest of the stadium. The Diamond Credit Union Plaza creates that carnival atmosphere with some concession stands, an open plaza with picnic tables, and a stage for live, pregame music. Pregame activities such as mini golf, inflatable slide, speed pitch, mascot photos, and autographs are great options for some pregame fun. The plaza is protected by overhead netting making it viable for use during the game also.
The plaza also has huge murals of former Reading greats and a full accounting of the Baseballtown Hall of Fame. Two murals of the group stand out. First the large picture of Max Patkin, the “Clown Prince of Baseball” gives the area an old-time feel. Secondly, a large mural in honor of Taylor Swift from nearby Wyomissing, Pennsylvania, depicts the megastar’s long and significant relationship with the Phils and FirstEnergy Stadium.
Once the concourses open, fans are again taken back in time as there is practically no space on the walls. A trip through Reading baseball history removes the claustrophobic nature of the concourses. Murals and trophy cases could keep a treasure hunter occupied for the duration of the game. Special attention is given to those Phillies who came through Reading on their way to winning the 2008 World Series.
The main grandstand runs between first and third bases with some overhead coverage. Fixed plastic and metal seats are not the most comfortable and fans are reminded of the age of the facility. Disjointed stands on both the third base and first base sides help bring the capacity up. New to the park is the Redner’s Event Center, which offers a variety of group seating options and houses events during and after the baseball season. On the facade, along with some local, static ads, are the five retired numbers for the Phils. An underused train motif can be found in right centerfield with a smoking train sign with flashing lights that fire up on Fightin home runs. Right field also features a very popular Pool Pavilion, perfect for hot days.
The gameday atmosphere at Reading is quintessential Minor League Baseball with activities and promotions happening at a near-constant pace. The Phils feature a full band of mascots and the ingame host is constantly busy. To sum up the atmosphere, the Phils do everything within their power to make fans forget that the ballpark is not the greatest structure when fans are sitting in their seats, a significant task that the team does to perfection.
Neighborhood 2
FirstEnergy Stadium is located at the north end of Reading. It is not the greatest neighborhood and taking the car somewhere is probably going to be necessary. There are several spots available for pre or post-game fare. These include Mike’s Tavern, B2 Bistro Bar, and The Farmhouse Kitchen. Reading is perfectly located to facilitate a baseball road trip being pretty much equidistant from Allentown, Harrisburg, and Philadelphia. Other sporting options in Reading include the ECHL’s Reading Royals. Other tourist options include the Mid-Atlantic Air Museum and Reading Public Museum. The SureStay and Red Roof Inns are available for fans who wish to stay near the ballpark.
Fans 5
The Fightins enjoy solid fan support. In the 2023 season, the Fightin Phils welcomed an average of over 5,900 fans per game. This ranks as a respectable 21st in Minor League Baseball and 4th in the Eastern League and Double-A. The fans in attendance of the game that was reviewed were into the game and supportive of the Phils.
Access 4
FirstEnergy Stadium is located at the north end of the City of Reading. It is just south of Highway 12 and west of Highway 61, or Centre Street. Getting to FirstEnergy Stadium is not too difficult and there are parking lots to the west of the stadium, some of which are free. For fans who wish to take public transit to the game, some buses travel both Centre Street and 5th St. Fans should consult the Berks Area Regional Transportation Authority for fares, schedules, and maps. Getting around FirstEnergy Stadium can be a bit of a challenge as would be expected for a stadium built in the fifties. Concourses can be crowded and this stadium would be a challenge for anyone with mobility issues.
Return on Investment 5
There is tremendous value in a Reading Fightin Phils game. Box seats run $18 apiece while General Admission tickets, which are for the left field or right field grandstands, are only $12 each. Parking can be free with a little luck but reserved parking is only $9. Concession prices are about what one would expect for a Minor League Baseball game. The gameday atmosphere in Reading is amongst the best in MiLB and it is truly a unique experience. Overall this equates to an experience that is affordable and perfect for the entire family.
Extras 4
An extra mark for the fresh and unique approach to baseball that the Fightins take making FirstEnergy Stadium unlike anything else in MiLB.
An extra mark for the long history of baseball in Reading.
An extra mark for the brilliance of opening the Plaza early before games for fans to congregate and enjoy, and truly taking that unique experience to the next level.
An extra mark for the massive and thorough Baseballtown Hall of Fame
Final Thoughts
Baseball fans who feel that they have experienced it all and have not been to see the Reading Fightin Phils are fooling themselves. The atmosphere at FirstEnergy Stadium is truly unique and a trip to see the Fightins will not disappoint. One part museum, one part ballpark, and one part carnival. Does it get better than this?
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