American Family Field: Stadium Review

Tenant: Milwaukee Brewers
Capacity: 41,900
Surface: Grass
Cost: $382 Million
Opened: April 6, 2001
Dimensions: 344-L, 390-LC, 400-C, 381-RC, 345-R
Architect: HKS Inc.
Owner: Southeast Wisconsin Professional Baseball District, Milwaukee Brewers
Naming Rights: American Family Insurance
Public Financing: 66%: 1/10th cent tax increase
Private Financing: 34%: $90 million from Brewers
Home Dugout: First Base

History Of American Family Field Stadium

The American Family Field Stadium is well-known for its tailgating extravaganzas outside of every Brewers game. Enjoy an ice-cold beer and a grilled bratwurst along with all of the other fans, preparing for the game together and having a good time regardless of the result. 

The ballpark was first thought up to replace County Stadium in the 1980s, once the older stadium started looking worse for wear. Bud Selig, the owner of the Milwaukee Brewers, wanted to build a new ballpark in order to generate more revenue for the club to spend on improving themselves. 

By the 1990s, Milwaukee officials were on board with the plan and started planning how to build the stadium. Many of the officials, as well as the Brewers players themselves, wanted it to be built in the parking lot of County Stadium. Other officials were campaigning for it to be built downtown. 

County Stadium had some hardcore supporters who created a group called Save Our Brewers, who wanted to see the Milwaukee Brewers stay at their original stadium. However, the team was adamant that they needed a new stadium and thus their efforts were lost. 

The plans for the new stadium were unveiled in December 1995 and financing was approved within a year. Construction began in November 1996, and the stadium was built in the parking lot of County Stadium. 

While it was originally planned to be finished by April 2000, a crane accident in 1999 tragically saw three workers killed and part of the first base destroyed. The stadium was finally completed in 2001. 

Who / What Is It Named After

For the first 20 years that the stadium was open, it was named after the Miller Brewing Company and was known as Miller Park. However, in January 2019, American Family Insurance bought the naming rights for the stadium. 

The insurance company purchased the naming rights for 15 years, which began in 2021. They then renamed it to be the American Family Field, and this is likely to remain the same for the next 15 years. 

When Did It Open

The Brewers first played at American Family Field Stadium on April 6, 2001, against the Cincinnati Reds. 

What Team Players There

American Family Field is the home of the Milwaukee Brewers. 

Location

The location of American Family Field is in Milwaukee, Wisconsin in the USA. It was built upon the parking lot of the old County Stadium. 

Capacity (Seated & Standing)

American Family Field has a total capacity of 41,900. 

What Are The Stadium Dimensions

The dimensions of the American Family Field stadium are as follows: 

Left: 344 feet

Left-center: 390 feet

Center: 400 feet

Right-center: 381 feet

Right: 345 feet

Seating Chart

Seats For Sale

Tickets are constantly being sold for American Family Field games, as well as other events. Season ticket deposits range between $600 for Loge or Club level seats and $1000 for Field level seats. 

The season tickets themselves range from around $1,400 for the Terrace Reserved to $10,000 for Field Diamond Platinum Row 1. 

Best Seats

There are countless seats in the American Family Field stadium that can be considered the ‘best seats’, as they all have excellent views of the playing field. The stadium is made up of four tiers of seating, stretching around the home plate from both the left and right foul poles. 

However, the worst seats can easily be determined. These are the Uecker Seats that can be found on the upper deck terrace level behind the home plate. They were named after the Brewers broadcaster Bob Uecker and are sold for only $1 as the view is obstructed due to the roof pivot. 

It’s unfortunate that these seats feature an obstructed view, as otherwise they’d be considered some of the best seats in the stadium. 

Notable Features

American Family Field looks as impressive on the outside as it does on the inside. There are countless notable features of this stadium, such as the red brick structure with arched windows and a clock tower at the entrance of the home plate. 

Outside of the stadium are statues of Milwaukee stars, such as Robin Yount and Hank Aaron. 

One of the most notable features of this stadium is the retractable roof, allowing the team to play here throughout the year without the weather becoming an issue. The roof is 12,000 tons, consisting of seven panels in a unique shape of a fan. 

Within just ten minutes, this roof can be opened or closed, and it sits 175 feet over the playing field. There is no air conditioning in this stadium, although an air circulation system keeps the ballpark 30 degrees above the outside temperature when the roof is closed. 

There is also a massive video scoreboard above the hitter’s backdrop in centerfield, and manual scoreboards on the left and right field walls to keep fans up to date with the scores of other MLB games. ‘

Memorabilia 

You can purchase your favorite Brewers merchandise at the team’s store at the home plate entrance at American Family Field. 

Mascot

The mascot of American Family Field is Bernie Brewer and the racing sausages. A new home was built for him in the left-field with his well-known chalet and slide. Bernie Brewer is a man with bright yellow hair and a large mustache. 

He is also joined by four racing sausages who are all dressed in sports costumes. The sausages are much taller than Bernie Brewer, so you’ll likely see them before you see the main mascot. 

Notable Events

There have been a number of notable events seen at American Family Field over the years, such as the 2002 All-Star Game. 

Alex Rodriquez hit his 400th home run for the Yankees on June 9, 2005. Prince Fielder also recorded 50 home runs in 2007. 

What Time Do The Gates Open

The gates open at American Family Field 90 minutes before the scheduled start time of the game, allowing you to purchase your memorabilia, food, and drinks, and get comfortable in your seat before the game starts. Bear in mind that these times are scheduled to change. 

How Much Is Parking at American Family Field Stadium & Best Option

There are a number of different options for parking, such as value parking from Monday to Friday, ranging between $12 and $25. 

Regular pricing on weekends, opening days, and cub games is slightly more expensive, with prices below: 

Advance General — $13

Advance Preferred — $19

Day of Game General — $20

Day of Game Preferred — $30

You can purchase parking online to prevent disappointment when you get there. 

Can You Get A Parking Pass

Yes, you can purchase a parking pass for the Brewers game that you have tickets for. This saves time and ensures that you have a space reserved for you on game day. 

How Many Parking Spots Does The Lot Have

There are 16 parking spots at this stadium, with a total of 12,000 parking stalls. 

Handicap Parking

Accessible parking spaces are first-come, first-served and require a valid state-issued hangtag or license plate. 

Is There Tailgating

Yes, as long as you adorn the rules of the stadium. The American Family Field is one of the best baseball stadiums for tailgating in the USA!

Public Transport

There are a number of public transportation methods to get to the American Family Field, including buses and rideshares. These are widely available on game days and you can often find a cheaper way of getting to the stadium through public transportation rather than paying for gas and parking. 

Best Food At American Family Field Stadium

New amenities allow fans to enjoy food at the brewpub, open-air patios, and walkways throughout the stadium. You can enjoy dinner during the game while watching it thanks to the Front Row Sports Grill in the left-field area. 

Upscale dining can be found at the club level down the left-field line, allowing fans to eat with a panoramic view of the ballpark. 

Can You Bring Your Own Food Into The Stadium

Yes, you can bring your own personal-sized food items into the stadium, such as sandwiches, small bags of pretzels, or fruit. However, larger food items are not permitted inside the ballpark. 

Can You Bring Your Own Drinks Or Water

Yes, you can bring your own sealed drinks into the ballpark. However, these must be 32 ounces or smaller and can only be soft drinks. Sealed bottles of water, juice, or soda can be taken in. alcoholic beverages and drinks larger than 32 oz are not allowed within American Family Field. 

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