Menu
Facilities

Braves' Opening Homestand At SunTrust Park Withstands Potential Parking, Traffic Issues

The potential traffic and parking issues at the new SunTrust Park that worried many Braves fans "went more smoothly on the opening homestand than had been feared and forecast," according to Tim Tucker of the ATLANTA JOURNAL-CONSTITUTION. During the ballpark's opening week, the adjacent mixed-use development, The Battery Atlanta, "showed early signs of its potential to enhance the fan experience, even though only about a half-dozen restaurants and bars were open." But operations "hit a few snags, too." The "much-touted plan for post-game Uber pickups didn’t work and had to be changed." Some concession stands had "intermittent computer problems with accepting credit and debit cards," and some concourses, "particularly behind home plate, became too heavily congested." SunTrust's first seven games "attracted 215,394 fans, an average of 30,771 per game." That means attendance "increased by an average of 5,261 fans per game from last season’s first seven games at Turner Field." But the "same general pattern that has long characterized Braves attendance held: big crowds on weekends, much smaller crowds on weeknights." Braves President of Business Derek Schiller: "We are still very happy with the attendance. It’s a lot of people to come through here in our first homestand." Tucker noted fans also "tested the boasts from the Braves and technology provider Comcast Business that the ballpark would have the fastest WiFi speed of any North American sports venue." More than 21,000 unique devices "connected to SunTrust Park’s WiFi last weekend, engaging in more than 61,000 sessions." Braves President of Development Mike Plant said the team before its next homestand on May 1 will have "five construction designs [they're] going to tweak to make operations better" (ATLANTA JOURNAL-CONSTITUTION, 4/23). 

SBJ Morning Buzzcast: March 18, 2024

Sports Business Awards nominees unveiled; NWSL's historic opening weekend and takeaways from CFP deal

ESPN’s Jay Bilas, BTN’s Meghan McKeown, and a deep dive into AppleTV+’s The Dynasty

On this week’s Sports Media Podcast from the New York Post and Sports Business Journal, ESPN’s Jay Bilas talks all things NCAA. Big Ten Network’s Meghan McKeown shares her insight into the Caitlin Clark craze. The Boston Globe’s Chad Finn chats all things Bean Town. And SBJ’s Xavier Hunter drops in to share his findings on how the NWSL is making a social media push.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

SBJ I Factor: Nana-Yaw Asamoah

SBJ I Factor features an interview with AMB Sports and Entertainment Chief Commercial Office Nana-Yaw Asamoah. Asamoah, who moved over to AMBSE last year after 14 years at the NFL, talks with SBJ’s Ben Fischer about how his role model parents and older sisters pushed him to shrive, how the power of lifelong learning fuels successful people, and why AMBSE was an opportunity he could not pass up. Asamoah is 2021 SBJ Forty Under 40 honoree. SBJ I Factor is a monthly podcast offering interviews with sports executives who have been recipients of one of the magazine’s awards.

Shareable URL copied to clipboard!

https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Daily/Issues/2017/04/24/Facilities/SunTrust-Park.aspx

Sorry, something went wrong with the copy but here is the link for you.

https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Daily/Issues/2017/04/24/Facilities/SunTrust-Park.aspx

CLOSE