"Stadium Review #2 - Boise's Memorial Stadium"

Stop #2 on the Rob Fai Nation NWL Tour has me stopping in Boise, Idaho focusing on Boise's Memorial Stadium. I have graded each stadium in the NWL on five dimensions: 1) Fan Experience (line-ups, washrooms and ushers, etc...) 2) Food (signature item, palatable, etc) 3) Seating Bowl (comfort, image, etc) 4) Ambience (nostalgia, feel, PA music, etc.) 5) The 'It' Factor (what makes this stadium stand out) Boise's Memorial Stadium has one of the nicest exteriors in the league and truly looks like a 'baseball stadium'. Huge signage welcomes you as you drive up the path to the stadium and let's you know you about to enter 'The home of the Hawks'. As soon as you walk into the stadium through the front gates, you get a chance to walk into the souvenir shop, check out the daily line-ups and standings or go and grab a bite to eat. The front gate is inviting and has a number of ushers and ticket takers to welcome you inside. The washrooms are a little bit small in size, but are clean and have information inside keeping you busy as you 'powder your nose'. The ushers are great as they get dressed up and really get into the game with one usher behind home plate holding up different signs to get the crowd cheering. The mini-whiffle ball stadium down the first base line has kids playing their hearts out trying to become the next Boise Hawk, and the little field beside the big boy field is a nice touch. Total: 4 out of 5 baseballs. The Hawks have a few nice items including a large sized portion of pizza. The 'za is baked down the first base line and is gooey and very tasteful. I was looking for a bit more selection wise, and could use a few more points of purchase, but for the quality of what they have, I thought it was pretty solid. Total: 3.5 out of 5 baseballs. The seating bowl at Memorial Stadium is pretty darn good as well. Very nice high sight lines allow you to see the game from pretty much any perspective in the seating bowls. There are even nice sight lines from the BBQ area down the 3rd base side. The only knock, and maybe this is a personal preference, is the aluminum seating in the cheap seats. In Boise, the temperature can get to 100 degrees, can you imagine sitting on one of those benches on a day like that? Those would be some cooked buns. Overall, Boise's Memorial stadium has a pretty nice seating bowl to watch a baseball game. Total: 4 out of 5 baseballs Ambience is great in Boise. I have to admit I was in Boise for the 4th of July, a week where they nailed it! The team had vintage 1908 Chicago Cubs uniforms on, the anthems were perfectly sung - and the 7th inning stretch was done very well. The only thing I might work on is the on-field contests which were okay - but not overwhelming... I will say this, the Boise Hawks have a post-game on-field interview with a player who performed well for the Hawks and fans stick around to see this. A very, very nice touch giving the fans a look at a future star and the player the chance to learn the art of an interview in front of a crowd. Win Win. Total: 4 out of 5 baseballs. The 'It' Factor is simple. The Hawks broadcast all of their home games on Hawks TV. With play-by-play man Mike Safford calling the game, the Hawks hit a grand slam when it comes to their media presentation. I well produced broadcast that adds a visual to the presentation, it separates Boise from the rest in the league. Hey, if Jesse Barfield mentions it, you know parents of every kid in the NWL are looking to the Boise website to see their kid break into the minors. Great stuff. Total: 5 out of 5 baseballs. Overall Total for Boise's Memorial Stadium: 20.5 out of 25 (very well done)