Reds develop rooftop patio at GABP as teams target casual, young fans

Don Muret

Reds develop rooftop patio at GABP as teams target casual, young fans image

The Cincinnati Reds have created a new social gathering space in the left-field corner of Great American Ball Park.

The Cincinnati Bell Fioptics District Rooftop, the name of the new destination, is a rooftop patio situated behind the left-field stands in the upper deck. The patio contains tables and chairs, drink rails and televisions to accommodate about 380 fans.

Single-game tickets cost $15 and include general admission to sit in seats among three sections of outfield seats. There is a limited view to the field from the rooftop patio. One free drink comes with the ticket cost, whether it's a beer, soda or bottled water.

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The new space was designed to cater to fans ages 21 to 35 as an area to hang out and meet other singles at the game. For the millennial generation, the game is not so much the focus of their interest as much as hanging with a group of friends and communicating on their mobile devices, according to teams' research.

“It’s a social way to watch the game,” Aaron Eisel, Reds vice president of ticketing and business development, told the Cincinnati Business Courier. “It’s really targeted at the crowd that’s there for the social impact. It’s a chance for them to mix and mingle. It should be a really fun place to hang out.”

In Major League Baseball, the Reds are the newest team to develop social gathering spaces that may not have a view to the game but have become popular destinations among fans of all ages. The Seattle Mariners were among the first teams leading the trend with The 'Pen, an open marketplace concept in the outfield at Safeco Field.

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Others followed, including the Baltimore Orioles' rooftop bar at Camden Yards, the Rooftop at Coors Field, home of the Colorado Rockies, and The Corner, a two-level bar with self-serve beer stations at Progressive Field, where the Cleveland Indians play.

Outside of Cincinnati, the Minnesota Twins have created Minnie & Pauls, a similar general-admission destination in center field that debuts this season at Target Field.

 

 

 

 

 

Don Muret