Explore Great American Ball Park, home of the Cincinnati Reds
Cincinnati is the birthplace of professional baseball. The game's and the franchise's storied history is impossible to miss at Great American Ball Park, located along the Ohio River downtown.
History
Cincinnati Reds
Established: 1869
National League Central
Ballpark: Great American Ball Park (opened 2003)
Cincinnati has long taken its status as having baseball's first pro franchise seriously. It's where the Red Stockings were founded in 1869 by Harry Wright and they went 57-0 in their barnstorming first season before disbanding the following year. When the National League was founded in 1876, the Red Stockings returned as a charter franchise.
The Reds' greatest years didn't come until nearly a century later, when a dynasty called "The Big Red Machine" and its superstar lineup with Johnny Bench, Pete Rose and Joe Morgan packed Riverfront Stadium, a multi-purpose facility shared with the NFL's Cincinnati Bengals. The Reds won back-to-back World Series in that stadium in 1975 and '76. By the late 1990's Riverfront -- later renamed Cinergy Field -- became outdated and lacked the nods to the Reds' historic past. That all changed when Great American Ball Park was built -- a true home for the Reds as the facility's sole tenant.
Great American Ball Park
Ballpark location (via Google Maps)
Reds' schedule
Reds' roster
100 Joe Nuxhall Way
Cincinnati, OH, 45202
Capacity: 45,814 (originally 42,271)
Dimensions: left field, 328 feet; center field, 404 feet; right field, 325 feet
Park factors (2024)
100 = league average
Runs: 110 | Homers: 124 | Hits: 103
Unique Characteristics
Located on the corner of Second St. and Joe Nuxhall Way, Great American Ball Park (or GABP) was built right next door to its predecessor and opened in 2003. It co-anchors what later became a new downtown neighborhood, The Banks, with the Bengals located about a half-mile away at the other end in their own stadium. Right next door is Heritage Bank Center, the city's primary arena and the home of concerts, minor league hockey's Cincinnati Cyclones and the occasional basketball game or monster truck event. On the other side of Joe Nuxhall Way is The Banks, which begins multiple blocks of residential living and businesses that include restaurants and bars, as well as Smale Park along the riverfront and the National Underground Railroad and Freedom Center. To the north, bridges that cross above Interstate 71/Fort Washington Way bring pedestrians to the ballpark from the downtown business district. The city's light rail system -- The Connector -- can also ferry fans to a stop outside of the stadium from other parts of downtown and the Over-the-Rhine neighborhood.
GABP has some rare distinctions. With it being open-ended, fans in the upper decks can actually see another state – Kentucky -- and the Ohio River itself. It's also believed to be the only place in MLB history where a home run traveled out of the ballpark and wound up in a different state. In 2004, Adam Dunn slugged an estimated 535-foot homer (a GABP record), and after the ball cleared center field and landed outside on Mehring Way, it bounced approximately another 200 feet to the banks of the Ohio River before resting on a piece of driftwood. Technically, the state line begins at the riverbank.
Parking is available throughout The Banks and downtown in the form of mostly garages but also some surface lots. There is a garage beneath GABP as well. When the river level on the Ohio is low enough, fans can also park on the Public Landing near the arena.
Most fans will arrive at Great American Ball Park via the home plate entrance plaza. The area features numerous statues of former Reds greats such as Rose, Morgan, Tony Perez and Crosley Field-era players Ernie Lombardi, Ted Kluszewski, Frank Robinson and Joe Nuxhall. A statue honoring Bench is located outside the entrance of the Reds Hall of Fame and Museum, another must-see spot adjacent to GABP that features detailed exhibits honoring the franchise's history.
Once inside GABP, fans will find themselves on the main concourse. Most of the concourse has views of the field while being walkable. GABP's seating bowl has multiple sections. Primarily, it has three decks that include field-level seats, suite- and club-level spaces and the view level on the upper deck. In left field, there is also seating and an upper-level bleachers section. Right field houses the sun/moon deck, which mimics a feature at old Crosley Field. On the concourse between first base and right field is the Fan Zone, which features a playset for young kids, batting cages, a Wiffle-ball field, a band stage and other games and attractions.
In the left field upper deck, the Altafiber Fioptics District features a walk-in bar serving beer and liquor that is open to all guests. Seating in The Fioptics District allows exclusive admittance to The Fioptics District Rooftop above the GigaBar. This rooftop patio provides unique views of the Cincinnati skyline, comfortable furniture for watching the game on a 15-foot video board, a private bar, and offers bocce ball, cornhole and other games. Over in right field, The Handlebar offers indoor and outdoor seating with more luxurious options.
Concessions
Each level at GABP features numerous places to find food and beverages. Obviously, the staples of hot dogs, peanuts, pretzels, soft drinks and beer are well covered. But the stadium also features numerous iconic Cincinnati brands. Get cheese coneys at Skyline Chili, pulled pork or chicken from Montgomery Inn, or a scoop of ice cream from Graeter's. Other local brands include 50 West for burgers, LaRosa's for pizza and Penn Station for cheesesteaks. All concession stands are cashless payment only.
Mascots
The Reds don't just have one or two mascots, but four that are frequently roaming the ballpark throughout games. They are Mr. Redlegs, Rosie Red, Mr. Red and Gapper.
Local attractions
A city of various neighborhoods, Cincinnati has plenty to offer people and families of all ages. Top destinations include the Cincinnati Zoo, the Newport Aquarium and Washington Park. The local amusement park, Kings Island, is located about 30 minutes from downtown. For educational experiences, there is the Museum Center at Union Terminal and the National Underground Railroad and Freedom Center.
Food and Drink
There are numerous dining and drinking options throughout Cincinnati that go beyond the previously-mentioned icons of Skyline Chili, Montgomery Inn and Graeter's ice cream. Two downtown fine-dining restaurants include Boca and Sotto. In the adjacent Banks district, pregame and postgame beverages and meals can be had at The Holy Grail, The Nation and Morelein Lager House. For a hearty breakfast downtown, the Sleepy Bee and Maplewood are two of the more popular spots.
In the historic Over-the-Rhine neighborhood, there are several popular spots -- including The Eagle for fried chicken, Sacred Beast for comfort food with a twist and Pepp and Delores for Italian food. OTR also has a brewery tradition dating back to the 19th century. Rhinegeist is one of the most popular local craft breweries that honors that history. Be sure to get a pint on its rooftop deck for city views during a pleasant day or evening.