Chase Field

Home of Arizona Diamondbacks, 1998 to present

(also known as Bank One Ballpark, 1998 to 2005)

BUILT: 1998

CAPACITY: 48,500

FIRST GAME: March 31, 1998, vs. Colorado Rockies (Rockies 9, Diamondbacks 2)

• Andy Benes (L) vs. Darryl Kile (W); HR: Vinny Castilla 2, Travis Lee (in his MLB debut)

• First Hit: Mike Lansing
• First Double: Todd Helton
• First Triple: Neifi Perez (April 2nd, 1998)
• First HR: Castilla (off Benes)
• First Run: Castilla
• First RBI: Helton

HIGH SEASON ATTENDANCE: 3,610,290 (1998)

LOW SEASON ATTENDANCE: 2,056,697 (2010)

LONGEST HOME RUN: 503 ft. to center by Richie Sexson

Chase Field is the only park with a swimming pool in view of the field. Outside the centerfield fence is a large pool available for rent by groups of fans. Home runs routinely land in the pool. The park used natural grass from its opening until 2018, but switched to artificial turf in 2019.

Previously known as Bank One Ballpark, the park was renamed Chase Field beginning in 2006. It has a retractable roof. It was built to coincide with the Diamondbacks' admission into the National League in 1998, as part of that year's expansion and has been the D-Backs' home park for their entire history. The team has a lease with the ballpark that runs through 2028. The ballpark is owned by Maricopa County, which includes the municipality of Phoenix, AZ.

The 2001 World Series was played here, as well at the 2011 All-Star Game, as well as games of the 2006 and 2013 World Baseball Classic.

In March 2016, a study was released indicating that the ballpark would need $187 million in upgrades over the remainder of the lease to remain current, an amount of capital that the County does not have. As a result, the D-Backs began talking to partners about alternatives in the Phoenix area. The team was not expected to want to stay in Chase Field beyond 2028 in any case, and indicated it would leave earlier if the County did not keep its end of the deal and ensure that Chase Field remained a top-rank facility for the duration of its use. In August, Maricopa County supervisor Andy Kunasek gave a clear response in a letter to D-Backs President Derrick Hall, accompanying his hand delivery of the letter with an expletive-filled tirade stating "take your stupid baseball team and get out" and (go back to) "f–king West Virginia." On January 3, 2017, the D-Backs filed a suit against Maricopa County, asking that the repairs be performed, or if not, asking that the lease be terminated early. The County replied that a large portion of the repairs were of a cosmetic nature and therefore the responsibility of the team. As the issue headed to arbitration that Summer, a likely lengthy process, a spokesman for the team indicated both the Diamondbacks and Major League Baseball were losing patience over the situation and that a move to another location was not out of the question if a solution was not found quickly. On May 2, 2018 the team and Maricopa County came to an agreement that gave the D-Backs the right to start looking immediately at various options such as relocation or reconstruction of Chase Field in return for dropping the lawsuit. The D-Backs upped the pressure in spring training in 2020 when they revealed that they had visited Vancouver, BC and looked at the indoor facility BC Place as a possible alternative in case problems with Chase Field weer not resolved.

GOOGLE EARTH: View Chase Field in Google Earth

Further Reading

• Alan Eskew: "D-backs unveil exciting changes at Chase Field: Additions include 20th Anniversary Experience, many new food options", mlb.com, March 21, 2018. [1]
• Steve Gilbert: "D-backs in contract dispute over Chase Field: District denies club's request to discuss possible alternatives to stay in downtown Phoenix", mlb.com, March 25, 2016. [2]
• Rebekah L. Sanders: "Arizona Diamondbacks sue Maricopa County to explore leaving Chase Field", "AZ Central", The Arizona Republic, January 3, 2017. [3]
• Rebekah L. Sanders: "Could MLB move Diamondbacks over stadium conditions? Team suggests 'yes'", "AZ Central", The Arizona Republic, August 1, 2017. [4]
• Rebekah L. Sanders: "Arizona Diamondbacks permitted to start looking for new stadium", "AZ Central", The Arizona Republic, May 9, 2018. [5]