UPMC Park - Erie SeaWolves

Photos by Marc Viquez, Stadium Journey

Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.57

UPMC Park 110 E 10th St Erie, PA 16501

Erie SeaWolves website

UPMC Park website

Year Opened: 1995

Capacity: 6,000

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A Great Ballpark on the Shores of Lake Erie

UPMC Park is the home of the Erie SeaWolves of the Eastern League. The home of the Double-A affiliate of the Detroit Tigers was built in 1995 to lure minor league baseball back to town after a one-year hiatus. The stadium seats 6,000 people, features a unique seating bowl configuration, and has a left wall that is connected to the city’s hockey venue, Erie Insurance Arena.

The SeaWolves began as a Pittsburgh Pirates affiliate in the New York-Penn League and proved very popular, setting a league attendance record of 181,815 in their first season. They broke the record in 1997 with 196,212 fans through the turnstiles. The club's popularity was such that it advanced to Double-A ball in 1999, serving as GGthe farm team of the Anaheim Angels. That affiliation would last until 2001 when the Detroit Tigers became the parent club.

Minor league baseball in Erie dates back to 1906, and for the majority of those years, the team's name was the Sailors. For much of that history,  games were played at Ainsworth Field. The site was first used in 1913, and in 1947, a new structure was erected. However, by 1993, the facility was outdated and not aligned with the modern standards for minor league stadiums. The team would relocate to Fishkill, New York, and be renamed the Hudson Valley Renegades. 

The construction of UPMC Park, originally known as Jerry Uht Park,  provided a sense of pride to the community. The cozy ballpark produced sell-outs and put the city on the map in comparison to the nearby larger markets of Cleveland, Buffalo, and Pittsburgh.

Food & Beverage 4

The ballpark selection of food at the many concession stands and kiosks. Fans new to town may want to purchase a few local options that can only be found in Erie. 

Smith’s natural casing hot dogs are locally made and offer a wonderful snap with every bite. They are the hot dogs of choice at the ballpark and are one-hundred-percent beef. Pepperoni balls might be the city’s official food, and they can be found at the stadium. The warm balls of dough are stuffed with pepperoni and cheese and then deep-fried. They are the perfect type of snack to enjoy at the ballpark. The third option is the roast ox sandwich, which is a roast beef sandwich served on a hamburger bun with its natural juices. 

A few more local options include the Greek Dog, made famous by the local New York Lunch restaurant, and Slow Hat Ice Cream, featuring the following flavors: bourbon caramel pecan, grasshopper pie, graham canyon, and deep sea treasure - served by the scoop down the first base side of the stadium.

The alcoholic drinks are varied and offer everything from beer, hard seltzers, lemonade, and canned cocktails. The brand names include Bud Light, Corona, Michelob Ultra, Miller Lite, Yuengling Lager, and varieties from New Belgium and Southern Tier Breweries. You can even get a tall 24-ounce can of Labatt Blue and Busch Light at the game.

A few items of note include deep-fried Oreos, a mac and cheese helmet, a chicken and bacon wrap, beer bats, and the South of the Border grill that includes a burrito bowl and super nachos. Pepsi products are the soft drink of choice, and cash and credit are both accepted at most concession stands.

Atmosphere 4

You can always tell what the atmosphere will be like an hour before the game. Fans line up outside the main entrance in the right field corner and watch the stadium crew prepare for the game. Giant inflatable rides are positioned in the Flagship Funland area, a small brass band prepares for tonight’s performance, programs are placed on racks, and a soundcheck tests out the PA system. All of this is well before the gates are open to the fans.

When the gates open up, the ballpark comes alive. The right field entrance is the hub of activity, including the team gift shop, which is packed with SeaWolves merchandise, ranging from faux back caps, the alternative Moon Mammoths, and their normal on-field fashions. Customers come out of their store with handfuls of shirts, caps, and other items to take back home. 

Outside the team store is Celebration Cove, offering numerous picnic tables and standing-room-only seats that line up the left field line. The Flagship Funland is a play area for kids, featuring putt-putt, a bouncy house, basketball nets, and other inflatable slides and rides. 

The design is vastly different from the typical Double-A stadium. It offers lower box seating on both sides.  However, the left field seating bowl is a traditional design that incorporates a large area of seats and suites on top with concession areas below. The right field seating area is an upper deck design.

Neighborhood 3

The ballpark is downtown and next to the Erie Insurance Arena, where the Erie Otters of the Ontario Hockey League operate from September to March. If in town during the summer months, there are many options a few blocks away, offering indoor and outdoor seating before and after the game.

BIGBAR is known for deep-dish pizzas, cheesesteak sandwiches, calzones, and chicken wings, with 22 varieties of sauces and dry rubs. The corner restaurant is a popular destination, but the kitchen closes at 10 pm every day of the week. Further down from the stadium is Calamari’s Squid Row, which features flatbread pizzas, wraps, and chicken parmesan sandwiches, including an outdoor patio.

A few spots for a drink or two exist at Cloud 9, Room 33 Speakeasy, and the Plymouth Tavern. There are also two microbreweries near UPMC Park: Voodoo Brewing Company and Lavery Brewing. Voodoo is off the busy State Street and offers a relaxed atmosphere. Lavery features a free parking lot, couches, board games, and a food menu of handheld sandwiches and small bites.

The Lake Erie waterfront is worth a visit. There are pirate ship tours, stunning sunset views from The Shoreline Bar & Grill. The Erie Maritime Museum and Bicentennial Tower are two places to visit. Presque Isle State Park is a 3,112-acre state park located on a sandy, curved peninsula that extends into Lake Erie, just 4 miles west of the city. Visitors enjoy hiking trails, beaches, and sunset views.

For the baseball traveler, Ainsworth Field is worth checking out. It is less than 3 miles from the SeaWolves home and is a 1947 structure that has seating for 3,000 people. There might be an event taking place during your visit, and adding another baseball game is always a plus in our book.

Fans 3

SeaWolves games are well-attended on most weekend nights. The visitor should expect a large crowd ready to enjoy a night out at the ballpark. The fandom has supported the team with record crowds in its 30-plus-year history. Those numbers are not as big as they used to be, but various promotions and giveaways draw in the Erie faithful. 

Access 3

UPMC Park is a downtown minor league ballpark and offers very little parking. The best options are to park on the street and pay the meter (25 cents every 20 minutes) until 6 PM. There are private lots near the ballpark that charge a small fee and a few free spots further down the road. 

The stadium’s design is unusual, featuring a small concourse that leads fans to their seats. The third base side offers a majority of upper box seating, and the first base side features a majority of lower box seating. The main entrance of the stadium is in the left field corner.

Return on Investment 4

There are two price points: $16 for upper box seating and $20 for lower box seating. However, if purchasing within a day of the game, the price is reduced by $3 and $4, respectively. The concession prices are in line with other Eastern League stadiums, and there is quite a variety of options, including 24-ounce cans of beer for $9. The gift shop is brimming with merchandise on the shelves, and a hat and t-shirt combo sells for $40, but expect to pay $28 and up for most team caps and special identities.

Extras 4

UPMC Park earns a point for its pre-game celebration at the third base entrance that includes a festive play area for kids, free programs, a live band, and plenty of food options. The second point is for the regional foods that include pepperoni balls, ox tail sandwiches, and Smith’s natural casing wieners. 

The design of the ballpark earns a third point. It stands out among other venues in minor league baseball and offers a few quirks, including the hockey arena doubling as the left field wall and stadium club building, offering a rooftop view of the field.

Final Thoughts

UPMC Park was a fun night at the ballpark. The pre-game ceremonies, food options, merchandise variety, and vantage points place it in a category all of its own in the Eastern League. When you add the city of Erie to your travels, you have a pleasant weekend to spend along the lake with friends and family.

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Follow all of Marc’s stadium journeys on Twitter @ballparkhunter and his YouTube channel. Email at Marc.Viquez@stadiumjourney.com