They Build ’em Nice in Jersey

Exterior of Somerset Ballpark, Jul-1999.

A look at the attractive interior, Aug-2010.

The unspectacular view is blocked by advertising signs.

• Location: East Main Street (SR 533) west of I-287, Bridgewater, N.J.
• Opened: 1999 as Somerset Ballpark
• Additional names: Commerce Bank Park (2000), TD Bank Ballpark (2009)
• Home team: Somerset Patriots, Atlantic League (1999-present)
• Capacity: 6,800 (est.)

Chronological Tour: Stop 155

Rating: 4 baseballs

Everybody raved about Atlantic City and Bridgeport when they opened. Newark’s park is nice too. Somerset Ballpark in Bridgewater, N.J., home of the Somerset Patriots, seems to have topped them all, though.

It’s a very nice red-brick structure as seen from East Main Street. Inside, the seating bowl is roomy, not nearly as cramped as Bridgeport. The seating layout doesn’t break too much ground, except that the foul territory does taper off, with the farthest sections getting smaller to accommodate 315 feet of foul line and the bullpens (which are in the field of play). And instead of being located directly behind the plate, the press box is offset by two sections, maximizing the number of behind-the-plate seats.

It’s a beautiful facility, complete with a live organist (something you don’t find too often anymore) complementing the recorded music at some games. And along with the obligatory big furry mascot, the Patriots, who got their name from New Jersey’s history as the Crossroads of the American Revolution, employ a fellow in a Revolutionary War general’s outfit. His name? General Admission.

I do have a problem with the total lack of view. The outfield wall is one of those triple-decked advertising monstrosities that blocks spectators from seeing anything beyond. However, the high wall is necessary to avoid distraction from the flashing lights of NJ Transit trains – the park is right next to the Bridgewater station, and they use a commuter park-and-ride lot for some of their parking.

The ticket prices, as of the park’s opening, were also the highest in the Atlantic League. Somerset County is an affluent area, no doubt, and the club owners have taken a “whatever the market will bear” attitude. High prices, however, haven’t scared away spectators yet. The club sold a million tickets in just under three seasons. Sundays are family days, when kids can go down to the field and get autographs before the game, and then run the bases after the game. People are coming, and so far, they’re coming back too. The club has offered discounted or free tickets to area residents through local sponsors. And in all fairness, looking at it again in 2001, prices at the park are now reasonable when compared with other area parks.

Just prior to the Atlantic League All-Star Game in July 2000, an area bank signed on to be the park’s naming sponsor. The park became known as Commerce Bank Park; it became TD Bank Ballpark in 2009 after the financial institution changed hands.