SI likes the Ted

Sports Illustrated did a reasonably interesting ranking of major league ballparks and ranked the Ted fifth in the majors, which I suppose is fitting since the Braves are probably about 5th in the majors right now, as well. It's interesting to hear an outsider come to a game and make the same observations that I and countless others have made about the park: terrible neighborhood, occasional traffic problems, relatively blase fans, but reasonably priced with good amenities and, most importantly, a terrific product on the field.

The only beef I have with the rankings is that they gave a low score to the neighborhood around Camden Yards, which is a load of crap because, as the author admits, a fan can follow the crowds three blocks to the Inner Harbor and have a host of eating and drinking options. I've always wished that the Ted would have been integrated into a cooler neighborhood and have held Camden Yards and Coors Field out as the archetypes, although I'm not sure what that neighborhood would have been. Maybe in between the Georgia Dome and downtown (assuming that downtown ever develops some nightlife)? It would have been neat to build the stadium on the old site of Ponce De Leon Park, but there would be no freeway access from that point and MARTA doesn't go there, so the hordes from Cobb and Gwinnett, who make up a plurality of the Braves' fan base, would come to games with less frequency.