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| Your Ballpark Guide |
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Telus Field / Edmonton
Trappers
| Year Opened | 1995 |
| Capacity | 9,200 |
| Dimensions | 340L, 420C, 320R |
| Surface | Turf infield, grass outfield |
| League | Pacific Coast League |
| Level | Class AAA |
| Affiliation | Montreal Expos |
| Web Site | www.trappersbaseball.com |
| Online Broadcasts | Yes |
| Online Ticket Sales | Yes |
| Phone | 780/451-8000 |
| Address | 10233 - 96 Av., Edmonton |
| History |
Snobbish Americans may not think of a Canadian stadium being groundbreaking or influential, but when I started covering ballparks and the business of baseball seriously in 1998, one of the things I heard most often from minor-league operators looking to build a new stadium is that they were looking to build something like Telus Field. Winnipeg's CanWest Global Park certainly owes a debt to Telus Field, as does Fargo's Newman Outdoor Stadium.
All three have the same basic configuration: a second-level concourse featuring concessions and amenities, with all the seats sloping down the playing surface. In the case of Telus Field, all the seating is in the main concourse: the grandstand features arm-chair seating, while aluminum bleachers can be found down each line.
Telus Field does feature one huge quirk: the infield is artificial turf and the outfield is grass. Despite some rumors that former parent team Minnesota Twins requested the artificial turf, Trappers management say that they duality exists to avoid rainouts and snowouts -- a problem in the cold Canadian climate.
It's very likely that Edmonton will be the final Class AAA team left in Canada: this offseason the Calgary Cannons moved to Albuquerque and insiders are betting that this is the last season the Lynx play in Ottawa. However, the Trappers are owned by the same company that owns the CFL's Edmonton Eskimos and have a long-term lease at Telus Field, so they appear to be safe for the time being.
| News |
National
Post: Baseball's last Triple-A outpost
NEW!
Posted February 13, 2003 (feedback)
(submit story) (discuss)
A
look at the Edmonton Trappers (Class AAA; Pacific
Coast League) as the team enters the 2003 season.
The Trappers begin with a new major-league
affiliate -- the Montreal Expos -- and several
economic strikes against the team: it's now even
more geographically isolated now that the Calgary
Cannons relocated to Albuquerque and players'
wives can't work due to Canadian work laws.
However, the team is on solid economic footing --
it's owned by the CFL's Edmonton Eskimos -- and
the team draws fairly well, averaging
5,673 fans a game in 2002.