Citizens Bank Park facts for kids
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CBP
The Bank |
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Citizens Bank Park in South Philadelphia in June 2021
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 Citizens Bank Park
Location in Philadelphia
Citizens Bank Park
Location in Pennsylvania
Citizens Bank Park
Location in the United States
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| Address | One Citizens Bank Way |
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| Location | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Coordinates | 39°54′21″N 75°9′59″W / 39.90583°N 75.16639°W |
| Public transit |  SEPTA Metro: B (NRG Station)  SEPTA bus: 4, 17 |
| Owner | City of Philadelphia |
| Operator | Global Spectrum |
| Capacity | 42,901 (2023–Present) 42,792 (2019–2021) 43,035 (2018) 43,651 (2011–2017) 43,647 (2007–2010) 43,308 (2006) 43,500 (2004–2005) |
| Record attendance | Hockey: 46,967 (January 2, 2012) 2012 NHL Winter Classic Baseball: 46,575 (October 2, 2011) 2011 NLDS Concert: 46,500 (September 18–19, 2023) Pink's Summer Carnival |
| Field size | Left field foul pole 329 feet (100 m) Left field power alley 374 feet (114 m) Monty's Angle (left of CF to LCF) 409 feet (125 m) – 381 feet (116 m) – 387 feet (118 m) Center field, straightaway 401 feet (122 m) Right field power alley 369 feet (112 m) Right field foul pole 330 feet (101 m)  |
| Surface | Kentucky bluegrass (2004–2012, 2016–present) Riviera Bermuda grass (2012–2016) |
| Scoreboard | Left Field HD display Board: 152 ft (46 m) x 86 ft (26 m) 13,072 sq ft (1,214.4 m2) Daktronics left field scoreboard message board, baseline message boards, HD displays and out-of-town scoreboards |
| Construction | |
| Broke ground | June 28, 2001 |
| Opened | April 3, 2004 |
| Construction cost | US$458 million ($710 million in 2022 dollars ) |
| Architect | EwingCole (formerly Ewing Cole Cherry Brott) from Philadelphia and HOK Sport Agoos Lovera Architects of Philadelphia |
| Project manager | Stranix Associates |
| General contractor | L. F. Driscoll and Hunt Construction Group |
| Main contractors | Synterra, Ltd. Don Todd Associates, Inc. |
| Tenants | |
| Philadelphia Phillies (MLB) (2004–present) | |
Citizens Bank Park is a cool baseball stadium located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It's the home field for the Philadelphia Phillies, a team in Major League Baseball. The stadium first opened its doors on April 3, 2004.
This awesome ballpark has 42,901 seats, making it a big place for fans to watch games. It was built to replace an older stadium called Veterans Stadium, which was used for both football and baseball. Citizens Bank Park has a real grass field, which is pretty neat!
You can also find lots of yummy Philadelphia-style foods here. Imagine eating cheesesteak sandwiches, hoagies, Tastykakes, and soft pretzels while watching a game! The stadium is named after Citizens Bank, a financial company.
It's part of a bigger area called the South Philadelphia Sports Complex. This complex also includes other sports venues like Lincoln Financial Field and Xfinity Mobile Arena. It's a busy place for sports and entertainment!
Contents
History of Citizens Bank Park
Why a New Stadium Was Needed
Back in 1999, the Phillies and other sports teams in Pennsylvania wanted new stadiums. Their old stadium, Veterans Stadium, was getting old. There was even an accident where a railing broke during a game in 1998.
So, the teams asked the government for help to build new, separate stadiums. Pittsburgh got its new stadiums first, PNC Park and Heinz Field, in 2001. Philadelphia's football team, the Philadelphia Eagles, got their new home, Lincoln Financial Field, in 2003.
Finding a Home for the Phillies
The Phillies first wanted to build their new ballpark in downtown Philadelphia. They looked at several spots in the city center. Many people thought a downtown stadium would be great for businesses and fans.
However, residents in the Chinatown area protested. They worried a new stadium would change their neighborhood too much. So, the city and the team decided to build the ballpark in the South Philadelphia Sports Complex. This is where the old Veterans Stadium was located.
The main architect for the new stadium was Stanley Cole. The design was shown to the public on June 28, 2001. On June 17, 2003, Citizens Bank agreed to pay a lot of money to have the stadium named after them. The ballpark was finished and opened in April 2004.
Changes Over Time
After Citizens Bank Park first opened, some small changes were made. The areas where pitchers warm up (called bullpens) were swapped. This gave the Phillies' pitchers a better view and protected them from noisy fans.
The stadium was known for having many home runs hit, especially to left field. So, after the 2005 season, the left-field wall was moved back a bit. Even with these changes, it's still considered a great park for hitters.
The Phillies have a fantastic record in postseason games played at Citizens Bank Park. Their winning percentage is the highest in Major League Baseball history for any team playing at their home stadium in the playoffs!
Memorable Moments and Events
Citizens Bank Park has seen many exciting moments:
- April 12, 2004: The first regular-season pitch was thrown by Randy Wolf. Bobby Abreu hit the first home run for the Phillies in the park.
- June 14, 2004: Phillies player Jim Thome hit his 400th career home run here. That's a huge achievement!
- October 25, 2008: The park hosted its first World Series game. The Phillies won against the Tampa Bay Rays.
- October 29, 2008: The Phillies won their second World Series championship right here! Brad Lidge struck out the last batter, and the crowd went wild.
- October 6, 2010: Pitcher Roy Halladay threw a "no-hitter" in a playoff game. This means no opposing player got a hit!
- May 1, 2011: Fans chanted "U-S-A!" during a game when news broke that Osama bin Laden had been killed.
- April 16, 2019: It was announced that Citizens Bank Park will host the Major League Baseball All-Star Game in 2026. This will celebrate America's 250th birthday!
- November 2, 2022: The Houston Astros pitchers combined to throw a no-hitter in a World Series game here.
- August 9, 2023: Phillies pitcher Michael Lorenzen threw a no-hitter in his first home start.
- August 30, 2023: Bryce Harper hit his 300th career home run at the park.
- August 15, 2024: Weston Wilson made history by hitting for the cycle, which means he hit a single, double, triple, and home run in the same game!
Cool Features of the Park
Ashburn Alley: A Walk Through History
Behind the center field area, you'll find a special walkway called Ashburn Alley. It's named after Richie Ashburn, a famous Phillies player and broadcaster. He played for the team from 1948 to 1959.
Ashburn Alley is a fun place with restaurants, games, and cool stuff from Phillies history. There's a shop for souvenirs and a big bronze statue of Richie Ashburn. You can also see flags, including the U.S. flag and flags celebrating the Phillies' championships.
Other Fun Spots
- CP Rankin and Hall of Fame Clubs: These are special seating areas. The CP Rankin Club is behind home plate and has an indoor area with exclusive food. The Hall of Fame Club has even more food, souvenirs, and cool memorabilia from the team's past, going all the way back to the 1880s!
- High and Inside Pub: This pub is open to groups before games and to everyone once the games start.
- Liberty Bell: This huge, mechanical replica of the Liberty Bell is 102 feet (about 31 meters) tall! It "rings" and lights up every time the Phillies hit a home run or win a game. It's a really exciting sight!
- New Era Phillies Team Store: This store is open all year round and is where tours of the ballpark begin. You can find all sorts of team merchandise here.
- Pass and Stow: This is an indoor and outdoor bar and restaurant located near the third base entrance. It opened in 2019.
- Phanatic Phun Zone: This playground is perfect for younger fans, aged eight and under. It has slides and places to climb and play. There's even a separate area for toddlers!
Statues of Phillies Legends
Outside the stadium, you'll find statues of famous Phillies players. Besides Richie Ashburn, there are statues of Robin Roberts, Mike Schmidt, and Steve Carlton. These statues are 10 feet (about 3 meters) tall and were made by a local artist named Zenos Frudakis.
In 2011, a bronze statue of the beloved broadcaster Harry Kalas was also added. It's placed near the restaurant named after him. These statues help remember the great players and voices of the Phillies.
A Green Stadium
The Philadelphia Phillies were the first Major League Baseball team to join the Environmental Protection Agency's Green Power Partnership Program. This program encourages organizations to use green power to help the environment.
Citizens Bank Park uses 100% renewable energy! This means the stadium is powered by clean energy sources. They also recycle glass, cardboard, and plastics used during games. Even the frying oil is recycled to make biodiesel fuel. The stadium uses eco-friendly products too, showing they care about our planet.
Other Events at Citizens Bank Park
Ice Hockey Games
Citizens Bank Park isn't just for baseball! On January 2, 2012, it hosted the 2012 NHL Winter Classic, a big outdoor ice hockey game. The New York Rangers played against the Philadelphia Flyers in front of a huge crowd of 46,967 fans. The Rangers won that exciting game.
A few days before, an alumni game was played with former Flyers and Rangers players. Even more fans came to watch! These outdoor hockey games were a big hit, bringing in over 138,000 people in total.
Concerts and Music
Many famous musicians have performed concerts at Citizens Bank Park. The very first concert was by Jimmy Buffett in August 2005. Since then, artists like Bon Jovi, The Police, Billy Joel, Elton John, Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band, Justin Timberlake, Jay-Z, Beyoncé, Jason Aldean, Paul McCartney, Green Day, P!nk, and many others have rocked the stadium.
These concerts bring in huge crowds, sometimes even more than baseball games! For example, P!nk's concerts in September 2023 had a combined attendance of 93,000 people over two nights.
Stadium Announcements
The public address announcer, Dan Baker, has been introducing players since 1972. When a Phillies player comes up to bat for the first time, he says their number, position, and name in an excited voice. For example, "Now batting for the Phillies, number 11, shortstop Jimmy Rollins!" For other times at bat, he just says their position and name.
When announcing players from the other team, he uses a calmer voice. He also only says the city of the opposing team, not their nickname.
Video Boards
Citizens Bank Park has awesome video screens! When it first opened, it had large displays that showed scores and player stats.
In 2010, the stadium got a brand new, huge HD scoreboard. It was much bigger than the old one, nearly tripling its size! This made watching replays and information even better for fans.
Then, on March 21, 2023, an even newer and bigger "PhanaVision" scoreboard was revealed. This 4K HDR video board is 77% larger than the previous one, measuring 152 feet (about 46 meters) wide and 86 feet (about 26 meters) tall! It's super clear and makes the game experience even more exciting.
Awards and Recognition
Citizens Bank Park has won some cool awards!
- In 2007, the food at the park was named the "Best Ballpark Food" by Food Network viewers.
- PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) has also recognized Citizens Bank Park multiple times. They rated it as America's most vegetarian-friendly ballpark in 2007 and in five of the next seven years! This means there are lots of tasty plant-based options for fans.
Images for kids
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Outfield view from Ashburn Alley
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Home plate side of CBP on Pattison Avenue
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Scoreboard with singer
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The view from I-95
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Entrance to the Ballpark
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A view of the skyline from inside
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The front of the park as seen from a parking lot at Lincoln Financial Field
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The scoreboard in left field as viewed from right field
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Temporary center field bleachers added for the 2012 NHL Winter Classic
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Citizens Bank Park hosting Game 3 of the 2022 NLDS
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Citizens Bank Park hosting Game 3 of the 2022 World Series
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Citizens Bank Park during a 2023 regular season matchup against the Rockies
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See also
In Spanish: Citizens Bank Park para niños
- List of Major League Baseball stadiums
- List of Major League Baseball spring-training stadiums
- Jefferson Street Grounds (Philadelphia) (site of first game in history of Major League Baseball)
- Lists of stadiums
