Our Methodology
Call us quirky or diligent, but we have a set ritual for experiencing each stadium. Some of these rules were set from the start, and others developed over time as "Best Practices" for assessing stadium quality, but they all have the same end effect - they allow us to standardize the experience of each stadium and fairly evaluate it's merits.
Stadium Walkaround
This one is the most important part of our ritual. You could hardly evaluate a stadium without seeing every possible angle it has to offer. That's why the very first thing we do upon arriving to a stadium is to circumnavigate the outside of the stadium. Sometimes this is (frustratingly) not possible. There are a few stadiums constructed next to a body of water, or other non-accessible area. Either way, we will see every part of the outside allowed. Once inside, we make an additional loop on all concourse levels where a full loop is possible. Nearly every stadium has one level where you can go around the whole way (the ones that don't infuriate me). This allows us to see every single bit of the inside, checkout all of the vendors and fan activities, and plan what things to try. This is also crucial because it gives you a better idea of the structure, and allows you get really understand the architecture of the entire stadium.
Using The Main Enterance
When we enter the ballpark, we always try to use the "main entrance". I put this in quote because i am fairly sure this isn't a real thing that people notice, or that stadium designers intend. Most stadiums have an entrance that has the stadium name in big letters across the top (photo op) and maybe a statue and a fountain. Essentially, this is the entrance that has all of the pomp and circumstance where the team shows you the side of the stadium they want fans to see first. This part of our methodology helps because sometimes there are cool elements at the main entrance, like a team hall of fame in the foyer, that you wouldn't be able to experience otherwise.
Arrive Early
We always try to arrive at least 2-3 hours before the game starts. Not only are there pregame activities to watch, but we also spend time soaking in the stadium and taking a look around. We could hardly call ourselves stadium enthusiasts if we just came to see the game. This part of our methodology allows us to not miss a single second of the experience, and it also ensure we don't accidentally show up late.
Trying the Food
We try to get at least 2-3 food different food items at the stadium. If the stadium has a particular food they are well-known for, then we have to try that item (cheesesteak in philly or hot dogs in Chicago). This gives us an idea of the quality and availability of the food. Needless to say this approach can be costly - Stadium food isn't cheap. They are just lucky that price and cost effectiveness isn't a criteria.
Talk To People
People are a wonderful stadium are a wonderful resource for background information. Fans will love to tell you about the team and their struggles, and locals will tell you about the stadium's history, and how the city had to fight to get it built. You can hear a lot of rumors and behind the scenes information by talking to fans. Once you tell them you're touring all the stadiums, they love to talk and have tons of stadiums. They are also usually willing to point out things about their stadium that you might not have noticed or known. Ultimately talking to people is an invaluable tool to help evaluate the stadium,
Buying a Hat
This is a quirky one - I always but a hat from the home team. This allows me to cheer on the home team and "fit in" with all of the other dedicated fans. As a consequence, I own a team hat from nearly every baseball team. This one doesn't really help evaluate the stadium in any way, it is just a quirk of our game ritual that developed over time.
Don't Leave Early
This one might seem obvious to some people, but never leave early. This is a rule even if I am at a local Padre game not on "official business" evaluating a stadium. Why would you ever leave a stadium early when you paid all this money to be there? The "beat the traffic" argument never caught on for me. There are many games I have been to where there was a final triumphant and miraculous comeback by the home team. Everyone who left missed out on the experience, and the true fans were left to enjoy the final minutes of the game. Also, if you don't want to wait in traffic, you can always just hang around the stadium for a bit. Think of it as some extra time to see what the stadium looks like when it isn't performing it's chief duty of hosting the game.
At stadiums that have retractable roofs, often times they will close or open the roof once the game is over. This is a great opportunity to see the fabulous engineering that goes into these huge mechanized roofs as well as getting to see the stadium in both positions (opened and closed). Interesting side note, stadiums actually kick you out pretty quickly if you stay around. We generally linger and look around. Often times the security slowly creeps up the aisles asking you to leave. We have had a few times where we told security what we were doing (watching the roof close) and that we were doing a stadium tour. Many times they let us stay to watch the end and even enthusiastically ask us questions about what we though of their stadium. They can also be good sources of behind-the-scenes information about the stadium and it's history. The point here is don't leave the game early - you are missing out.
At stadiums that have retractable roofs, often times they will close or open the roof once the game is over. This is a great opportunity to see the fabulous engineering that goes into these huge mechanized roofs as well as getting to see the stadium in both positions (opened and closed). Interesting side note, stadiums actually kick you out pretty quickly if you stay around. We generally linger and look around. Often times the security slowly creeps up the aisles asking you to leave. We have had a few times where we told security what we were doing (watching the roof close) and that we were doing a stadium tour. Many times they let us stay to watch the end and even enthusiastically ask us questions about what we though of their stadium. They can also be good sources of behind-the-scenes information about the stadium and it's history. The point here is don't leave the game early - you are missing out.
Rooting For The Home Team
This is a rule and ritual ingrained in the existence of baseball itself. "...Root root root for the home time...". Wherever we go, we MUST unequivocally root for the home team - and enthusiastically so. This an be hard if at the stadium of a team we dislike (Dodgers) or if the Padres happen to be playing at a stadium we visit, but we always do it.