After beginning the competition as the #20 seed, five rounds of voting with over 54,000 participants saw Delta Dental Stadium win Ballpark Digest’s Double-A Best of the Ballparks vote, as the home of the New Hampshire Fisher Cats (Eastern League) defeated Whataburger Field, home of the Corpus Christi Hooks (Texas League) in the championship final round.
All 30 Double-A ballparks started in a bracket-style competition. Delta Dental Stadium beat Riverwalk Stadium, home of the Montgomery Biscuits, in Round 1; defeated Toyota Field, home of the Rocket City Trash Pandas, in the Sweet 16; bested Smokies Stadium, home of the Tennessee Smokies, in the Elite Eight; got past defending champ Dunkin’ Park, home of the Hartford Yard Goats, in the Final Four; and then earned the title by beating Whataburger Field, home of the Corpus Christi Hooks, in the Championship Round. Over 54,000 fans voted at least once in the course of the competition.
Delta Dental Stadium opened in downtown Manchester on the Merrimack River in 2005, the year after the Fisher Cats won the Eastern League championship in its inaugural 2004 season at Gill Stadium. The team has captured two additional league titles in 2011 and 2018 and have hadover 150 former players reach the Major League level. Located in downtown Manchester on the Merrimack River, Delta Dental Stadium is one of the most scenic ballparks in all of Minor League Baseball.
“It is an incredible honor for Delta Dental Stadium to be awarded the title of Best Double-A Ballpark in America,” Fisher Cats General Manager Michael Neis said. “Our fans continuously impress us with their passion and dedication, and we appreciate the overwhelming support for our great stadium in this competition. The ballpark has seen some exciting additions and new seating areas this year, and we would love for our fans both locally and worldwide to come experience the atmosphere.”
“Double-A is one of our most competitive fan votes—there is such an abundance of great ballparks at this level,” said Ballpark Digest publisher Kevin Reichard. “To begin as a #20 seed and then win out in a very competitive field is an accomplishment both for the Fisher Cats and their loyal fans, who turned out day after day to propel the ballpark to victory.”
PREVIOUS DOUBLE-A BEST OF THE BALLPARKS CHAMPS
2022: Dunkin’ Park, Hartford Yard Goats
2021: Dunkin’ Park, Hartford Yard Goats
2020: Blue Wahoos Stadium, Pensacola Blue Wahoos
2019: Hodgetown, Amarillo Sod Poodles
2018: Dunkin’ Park, Hartford Yard Goats
2017: Dunkin’ Park, Hartford Yard Goats
2016: Blue Wahoos Stadium, Pensacola Blue Wahoos
2015: Regions Field, Birmingham Barons