Chase Field, formerly known as Bank One Ballpark, is an enclosed stadium with a retractable roof located in Downtown Phoenix, Arizona. It serves as the home stadium for the Arizona Diamondbacks of Major League Baseball. The stadium was inaugurated in 1998, coinciding with the debut of the Diamondbacks as an expansion team. Notably, Chase Field was the first stadium in the United States to feature a retractable roof over a natural-grass playing surface, although it now utilizes artificial turf.
During the 1990s, a period marked by the construction of numerous baseball-specific stadiums, Chase Field was established as part of this wave. While most of these stadiums were open-air, it was widely understood that a domed stadium was necessary for a major-league team to thrive in the Phoenix area. Phoenix holds the distinction of being the hottest major city in North America, with an average high temperature of 99.1 °F (37.3 °C) during the baseball season. Game-time temperatures well above 100 °F (38 °C) are common occurrences in the scorching summer months.
Construction of the park commenced in 1996 and was completed just before the inaugural season of the Arizona Diamondbacks in 1998. At the time, it was the third Major League Baseball stadium to feature a retractable roof, following Toronto’s SkyDome (now Rogers Centre) and Montreal’s Olympic Stadium. Since then, other stadiums with retractable roofs have been built, such as Minute Maid Park in Houston, American Family Field in Milwaukee, Globe Life Field in Arlington, T-Mobile Park in Seattle, and LoanDepot Park in Miami. Notably, Chase Field was the first retractable roof stadium in the United States to have a natural grass playing surface.
During the 2001 World Series between the Arizona Diamondbacks and the New York Yankees, Chase Field hosted Games 1, 2, 6, and 7. The Diamondbacks won all four of their home games, ultimately winning the championship in seven games and preventing the Yankees from securing a fourth consecutive title. This marked the first time since 1991 that the home team had won every game of a World Series, with the previous occurrence taking place in 1987 by the Minnesota Twins.
In March 2006, Chase Field served as the venue for three first-round games of the World Baseball Classic. Additionally, it hosted the Major League Baseball All-Star Game in 2011.
Chase Field was the site of the 2017 National League Wild Card Game between the Diamondbacks and the Colorado Rockies. This was the Diamondbacks’ first appearance in the postseason as a Wild Card team. The Diamondbacks emerged victorious with an 11-8 win and advanced to the 2017 NLDS against the Los Angeles Dodgers, but were subsequently swept in three games. Game 3 of the NLDS was held at Chase Field, resulting in a 3-1 loss for the Diamondbacks.
The ballpark features a unique swimming pool located in right-center field, which can be rented as a suite accommodating 35 guests. Mark Grace became the first player to hit a home run into the pool. The park also had a dirt strip known as the “keyhole” between home plate and the pitcher’s mound, a feature commonly found in old-time ballparks until 1938. However, the dirt strip was removed in 2019 when synthetic turf was installed, leaving Comerica Park as the only remaining ballpark with this feature.
Chase Field has a larger foul territory compared to most stadiums constructed in the 1990s, with 80% of the seats located in foul territory. The upper deck is positioned higher than in many other ballparks, providing an elevated view of the game. The park’s suites are situated beneath the third deck, allowing the upper deck to be closer to the action, with the exception of the Dugout Suites positioned next to the home and visitor’s dugouts.
Before the start of the 2008 season, a new high-definition scoreboard was installed beyond center field, replacing the original one. This state-of-the-art scoreboard measures 46 ft (14 m) in height and 136 ft (41 m) in width, with a cost of $14 million. It is the fifth-largest HD screen in Major League Baseball, trailing only Kauffman Stadium in overall area. The Kauffman Stadium screen is larger in total area and square in shape, whereas Chase Field’s screen is longer and rectangular.
Chase Field offers various premium seating options, including 4,400 club seats, 57 suites, 6 party suites, an executive suite, batters box suite, two dugout suites, and a swimming pool.