Co ‘Merica Park
They’re only open for six months every
year. During those six months, they’re only open on 81 days. And on those 81
days, they’re only open for a few hours. But at the end of each season, nearly
3 million customers patronize their single brick and mortar location. They’re
the Detroit Tigers, and Comerica Park serves as their headquarters, their one
store, and their home. There, you won’t find utilitarian value. But I can
guarantee you’ll find an experience and for some, more emotion than you’ll feel
anywhere else.
Experience: An irrefutable aspect of the
Detroit Tigers and Comerica Park is that fans come for the experience. Sure,
you’ll get to experience a handful of the greatest baseball players in the
world, but it’s more than that. As you walk to your seat you’ll have to hurdle
by the bright-shirted men carrying ballpark hotdogs. You’ll smell them, and the
mustard and ketchup that cover the franks (Only in the last couple decades have
vendors even carried ketchup for hot dogs. It’s truly a disgrace to America but
amateur fans enjoy it so it’s a moneymaker). Once you find your row, you’ll
feel the satisfying crunch of peanut shells beneath your feet. Next, you’ll
hear the best sound of all: the crack of the bat when it meets the ball. And if you
haven’t had these experiences, a trip to Comerica Park in early April is a
necessary one.
Emotion: I’ll be honest. I’ve suffered
more heartbreak from the men wearing the Old English “D” than any girl I’ve
ever looked upon. Those same men also provided me with a greater feeling of
happiness than the finest cuts of steak, and I love steak. We, as Detroiters,
have more loyalty to the Detroit Tigers, their players, and their personnel
than any other business in the world. Maybe it’s because we love baseball, or
maybe we just love competition.
But I think I know my audience, and I
realize that many of you won’t feel the need to ride the roller coaster that is
the Detroit Tigers season. So let me describe the more common emotion: You have
relaxed on beautiful beaches, and seen outstanding movies in large theatres,
and eaten food that rolled your eyes into the back of your head. The experience
at a baseball game brings all of these emotions together and at the same
magnitudes.
Truthfully, I’m bias, but I’m not
ignorant. From Fenway Park to Dodger Stadium, the Detroit Tigers’ business
competitors serve up a pretty incredible experience as well.
