New Bet if fans' goal for next year

When you don't have a good team, a new ballpark can be the perfect thing. When you don't have a good team, a new ballpark can be the perfect thing.Chris Marcisz, Commentary Among the leading perks to the sport is the place where the drama takes place -- the uniquely American architectural achievement that is the ballpark. Last week's Phillies series against the Red Sox at Fenway Park is a perfect example. From the Phillies gawking like tourists before the game, to Gregg Jefferies misplaying a fly ball in the leftfield corner, the series proved that the ballpark is a force in and of itself. Baseball fans devoutly meditate on these abstractions. And with the Phillies threatening to lose a hundred games this season, Philadelphia fans need to rely on them more than ever, to distract and to offer a glimmer of hope. It is a perfect time to start discussing a new ballpark. It must be hard for any Philadelphia sports fan to doubt the necessity of a new stadium. Veterans Stadium is truly an aesthetic nightmare, and this season has made it one of the most depressing places in professional sports. From the faded Eagles' logo permanently stamped on the carpet to the sea of empty blue seats, one wonders how on earth anyone can even think about playing baseball in such a place. Happily, Philadelphia can at least look forward to a serious and comfortable discussion about a future home for the Phils. With Bill Giles relinquishing day-to-day management of the team last week to focus his attention on a new stadium, the time for serious thought on the issue has arrived. Though Giles was known for his so-so guidance of the franchise, it is clear that he is a decent fellow who is committed not just to keeping the team in town, but to finding a favorable deal for the team, the government and the extremely dedicated (though highly exasperated) fans. Here in Philadelphia, the tempestuous drama of the high stakes big business of modern sports is not yet on the horizon. We should be thankful that unlike other teams--the Minnesota Twins for example--the Phils ownership isn't throwing fits and blackmailing the the city and its fans. So with the fear of a Cleveland Browns-like surprise averted, fans can begin to put together a wish list for a new ballpark. They can begin with the simple question of what should this new place look like? Everyone can rest assured that it will not in anyway involve Astroturf, and that the Phils won't have to share with the Eagles. On this topic, fans can play armchair stadium designers. I for one am a bit wary of the recent retro-ballpark fad -- all these places like Camden Yards, Arlington, and Jacobs Field. As a lifelong Red Sox fan who grew up making trips to Fenway several times each year, these new places are little more than malls with baseball diamonds in the food court. Keep in mind that just a few years ago the Skydome was considered pretty cool by just about everybody. Heck, twenty five years ago Three Rivers Stadium and the Vet seemed like good ideas. In the time before a deal comes around, architects and fans will have plenty of time to mull over new and innovative ideas, and Philly could find itself in the avant-garde of 21st century stadium design. There is the question of where to put the place. No matter how much the University tries to sleazily lure the stadium to the west bank of the Schuylkill, the idea is just too ridiculous to imagine seriously. A pennant race for the Phils (someday ...) could present all the transportation hassles of the recent U2 concert at Franklin Field, but stretched out over several weeks. I would like to see a new park somewhere along north Broad Street downtown. A centrally located park there would serve all sorts of beneficial ends. It would revitalize the area, and would be a balance to the heavy development of the city's Avenue of the Arts. And with access to the Orange Line, and maybe William Penn atop City Hall peeking over the rightfield wall, it could present another step forward for the city and its fans. I haven't presented many concrete ideas for the stadium, but that's my point. We have a wonderful opportunity to engage in a calm, exciting discussion about the team's future. And considering the dull misery of the Phillies' 1997 campaign, it is a beacon of hope for many beleaguered Philadelphia fans. And in a few years, who knows? Philadelphia could be the envy of Major League Baseball.