Sahlen Field: Home of the Buffalo Bisons
Located in the heart of Buffalo sits the largest ballpark in minor league baseball. Built in 1988, the stadium was constructed with the intention to bring a major league team to the Nickel City. When the building opened it boasted a capacity of over 16,500 and had plans to add a third deck if and when a major league franchise was awarded. Although that dream never quite panned out, the city still has a old yet intriguing stadium where they can watch Triple-A baseball.
Buffalo Bisons (Triple-A affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays since 2013)
Established: 1979
League: International League (since 1998)
Ballpark: Sahlen Field (opened 1988)
Championships: 1997 (in the American Association), 1998, 2004
Notable Alumni: Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Moises Alou, Jay Bell, Otis Nixon, Tony Peña, R.A. Dickey, Mike Hessman
While the city failed to secure an MLB franchise, the ballpark has seen major league action in it's 35+ year lifespan. Following the Covid-19 pandemic, the Toronto Blue Jays called Sahlen Field their home for parts of the 2020 and 2021 seasons due to the travel ban between the United States and Canada. The Blue Jays ended up playing 49 games in Buffalo.
In fact, this isn't my first visit to Sahlen Field. I visited the ballpark in July 2021 for a game between the Toronto Blue Jays and Boston Red Sox. However, this was my first time attending a Bisons game and there were plenty of positives that I enjoyed at Sahlen Field.
Location/ Scenery/ Amenities (3.8/5)
The best feature this ballpark has is it's location in downtown Buffalo. Situated right near KeyBank Center, Sahlen Field sits within walking distance of just about every landmark in the downtown area including Canalside, Naval Park, along with all types of restaurants, pubs, and breweries. Another positive within Sahlen Field was that it was easy to navigate as the concourse was wide enough to accommodate for large crowds.
On the other hand, there were some negatives at this ballpark. First off, while the stadium was constructed in mind for an MLB franchise, it is definitely showing it's age. Most areas within the stadium do not suggest that there has been any sort of renovations. The seats look to be the same seats from 1988 and they were not very comfortable. Additionally, the stadium has an issue with bees within the park as it seemed that everywhere I went there was a bee circling around me.
Food (4/5)
The food was spectacular at Sahlen Field. For people unfamiliar to the area, Sahlen's is a local hot dog brand so it's no surprise that you can find Sahlen hot dogs at every other concession stand. Needless to say, I got a Sahlen's Hot Dog ($5) which did not disappoint. I also got a Fried Bologna Sandwhich ($9) which featured grilled Bologna topped with cheese and peppers on a kaiser roll. This sandwich was amazing and ranks as one of the best dishes I have found at a ballpark so far. Finally, I also tried the Pizza Logs ($7) which were deep fried logs filled with cheese and pepperoni. Overall, the food scene was amazing and the Fried Bologna Sandwich stole the show.
Entertainment (3/5)
There wasn't anything to crazy on the entertainment side of things. There was a mascot race and plenty of crowd cams that kept people entertained. Other than that, there wasn't much to speak of, leading to this middle of the road score.
Sam's Score: 71.6/100
Overall, Sahlen Field ranks as one of the better parks that I have visited, however, that doesn't come without some negatives. I'll say it again, what really makes this ballpark great is it's location and food options. With that being said, if you are in the Western New York/Northeast PA/Cleveland areas, this city and ballpark is definitely worth a visit.
