Phillies Spring Training
| 2010 First Practice Dates |
Pitchers & Catchers: February 18Position Players: February 23 |
| Recent Attendance |
| Year | Total | Average |
2010 2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 | 136,523 143,500 114,715 121,519 105,382 104,693 113,037 | 9,102 7,972 8,194 8,101 7,025 7,478 7,536 |
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Spring Training Info
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| Philadelphia Phillies Spring Training |
Area Info - Clearwater |
Bright House Field Spring Training home of the Phillies since 2004Ballpark address: 601 North Old Coachman Road Clearwater, FL 33765 Opened: 2004 Capacity: 8,500 Send this page to a friend
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Location
Bright House Field sits alongside a stretch of US Highway 19 that is renowned for its congestion. The ballpark is right next to the highway. You can't miss it.
Directions
From Tampa and I-275 (aka the scenic route):
Travel West on Route 60 (Gulf To Bay Blvd) all the way to Old Coachman Road. Turn right and the ballpark is a short drive ahead on the right.
From the North or South:
Take US 19 to Drew Street. Travel West to Old Coachman Road and turn right. The ballpark is just ahead on your right.
Parking
The small paved lots on both sides of the ballpark fill up fast. Your most likely destination is the grass field across the street, which is three bucks cheaper than the "premium" lots. Two lesser known and utilized parking options can be found at the team's minor league complex and NE Coachman Park. The park is a long walk away, the minor league complex is next door.
Cost: $7 to $10 (stadium/complex) or $5 at NE Coachman Park
Stadium Information
Bright House Field raised the bar for ballpark standards in the Grapefruit League. It has many features that are commonplace at ballparks in Arizona, but were previously foreign to those in Florida. The concourse completely wraps around the stadium and is open to the playing field. The berm encompasses most of the outfield, not just one side. The bullpens are cut into the berm, literally putting fans on top of the relievers. The extremely popular Frenchy's Tiki Pavilion, a full service bar, is between the bullpens and left field foul pole. Picnic table seating is available on a terrace, an area for kids is behind it, and there's even a small upper deck with club level seating. This ballpark has it all, including an attractive Spanish Mediterranean exterior and a fountain plaza landscaped with palm trees. The stadium is named after Bright House Networks, the locally dominant cable television company that paid $1.7 million for 10 years of naming rights. The ballpark was called Bright House Networks Field for its first five spring trainings before its name was officially shortened to Bright House Field.
Fast Facts
Most fans enter the ballpark on its third base side, which was designed to be the main entry point and is officially dubbed the West Gate. There is also an entrance gate behind first base, known as the South Gate. Both gates are accessed via a flight of stairs.
Ticket windows can be found adjacent to each gate but the majority of them are to the left of the West Gate.
The concourse completely encircles and is open to the playing field. In modern parlance, it's a 360-degree open concourse.
A Kids Zone is tucked into the corner of the concourse down the left field line.
The bullpens are stacked on top of one another and cut into the left-center field berm. The visiting team bullpen is behind the outfield wall. The Phillies' bullpen is behind the visitor's.
The stadium's main scoreboard is in left-center field. It has a video panel and a display that alternates the time and temperature. A small scoreboard is attached to the facade of the first base grandstand for fans in the berm to view.
Hooters provides two ball girls for each game. The original Hooters restaurant, which opened in 1983, is just 1.5 miles from the ballpark.
Two souvenir shops can be found in the ballpark and one outside of it. The well-stocked Diamond Outfitters store serves as the main Phillies souvenir shop and is located next to the West Gate, outside of which a souvenir trailer has been set up. A small storefront called the Ondeck Circle is close to the South Gate.
Practice Fields
The Phillies' Minor League facility, known as the Carpenter Complex, is directly behind left field. A wooden sign on the outfield concourse that lists the distances to each of the Phillies' minor league affiliates touts the complex as being just 200 yards away and it is indeed so close that fans can see into it from the Bright House Field concourse.
There are four practice fields within the Carpenter Complex and each one is named for a Phillies legend and Hall of Famer, specifically Richie Ashburn, Steve Carlton, Robin Roberts and Mike Schmidt.
Types of Seating
All seats in the grandstand have chair backs and armrests. A large berm extends from left-center field to near the right field foul pole.
Stadium seats: 7,000
Bleachers: none
Berm: 1,500
Notes about the seating
The Phillies dugout is on the third base side. To make sure you're on the home side of the stadium, buy your tickets in sections 112-120.
All seats are painted blue, include cup holders and are angled towards the playing field.
Easily accessible handicapped seating platforms have been built atop sections 101, 103-104, 108-115, 120.
The backstop that stands behind home plate extends from sections 109-113 and was designed to be minimally obstructive.
The stadium has loads of great standing room viewpoints available from its 360-degree concourse and berm.
Ushers are restrictive and check tickets for admission into their sections beginning 45 minutes before game time.
Sections and rows
Rows for stadium sections range as follows:
1 to 19 in section 101; 1 to 23 in section 102; 1 to 19 in sections 103-104; 5 to 22 in section 105; 5 to 23 in sections 106-107; 1 to 17 in sections 108-109; 1 to 21 in sections 110-112; 1 to 17 in sections 113-114; 5 to 19 in section 115; 5 to 23 in sections 116-117; 1 to 23 in sections 118-119; 1 to 19 in section 120; 1 to 4 in sections 201-203.
There are three sections (P1-P3) of metal picnic table terrace seating down the left field line. P1 has four tiers of tables; P2 and P3 have two tiers.
Seats to avoid
None, although there are lots of places to stand if you get tired of sitting.
Seats under cover and in the shade
The second deck overhangs rows 18 & up in sections 108-112 and rows 19 & up in sections 105-107. The handicapped seating platforms at the top of sections 108-112 are also covered by the overhang. All open-air club and suite seats (200-level) have a roof over them. At the beginning of the game the sun will be above the first base side of the grandstand, a position that enables rows 13 & up in sections 104-110 and rows 15 & up in sections 111-112 to be shaded.
VIP seating
Padded club level seats comprise all of the second deck seating (sections 201-212). Five tiers of barstool seating on the left field Tiki Pavilion that used to be available on a first-come, first-serve basis are now sold as Tiki Terrace. The Tiki Bar itself has seating for 75 people. Fans in the Hooters VIP Diamond Dugout enjoy all you can eat ballpark food, complimentary programs and wait service provided by two Hooters girls.
Game Day
Gates open 2½ hours before game time, which is about midway through Phillies batting practice.
Food, drink and bag policy
Neither food or drink can be brought into the stadium. Bottled water is banned by that policy too.
Bags are allowed up to a maximum size of 16" x 16" x 8".
Getting autographs
Phillies players sign en masse before the game for fans gathered down the left field line in sections 118-120. Postgame autographs are more scarce and the best place to be is at the edge of the third base grandstand, where a Phillies player or two will sign for fans on their way to their clubhouse in the left field corner. The tunnel to the visitors clubhouse is in their dugout. Any autograph opportunities will occur near it in section 104.
Unique ballpark fare
It wouldn't be a Phillies game without a cheesesteak and they are available at the concession stand behind home plate. For the 21 & up crowd, the third base concourse's Beers of the World sells over 70 types of bottled beer plus a half dozen beers on tap (Blue Moon, Bud American Ale, Hook & Ladder Ale, Piper's Pale Ale, Shock Top, Yuengling Bock). Bud, Bud Light and Philly fav Yuengling can be found on draft throughout the ballpark, as can Coca-Cola.
Ballpark Area Info
Bright House Field is among a Mecca of commercial development...and clutter. No matter which direction you're coming from you're likely to get stuck in traffic, especially leaving the ballpark. Fittingly, given the commercialism of US Hwy 19, a Buffalo Wild Wings, LA Fitness and Floor & Decor all share the stadium's paved South side parking lot, from which the first base entrance gate is accessed. Fans can wait out the post-game traffic at Buffalo Wild Wings or just remain inside the stadium, where the Frenchy's Tiki Pavilion stays open for a good while after the game.
Travelers' notes
The closest Interstate, I-275, is about 10 miles away.
The stadium is in a much safer area of Clearwater than Jack Russell Stadium was.
 Restaurants close to Bright House Field |
| Distance | Restaurant | Street Address | City/Zip | Phone |
| 0.1 miles | Buffalo Wild Wings | 21688 US Hwy 19 N | Clearwater, FL 33765 | 727-723-9100 |
| 0.2 | Tilted Kilt Pub & Eatery | 2571 Drew St | Clearwater, FL 33765 | 727-724-6177 |
| 0.25 | Don Pancho Villa | 2551 Drew St | Clearwater, FL 33765 | 727-799-0253 |
| 0.25 | Savant Fine Dining | 2551 Drew St | Clearwater, FL 33765 | 727-421-9975 |
| 0.45 | Brookell's Deli | 22097 US Hwy 19 N | Clearwater, FL 33765 | 727-726-3662 |
| 0.45 | Lenny's Restaurant | 21220 US Hwy 19 N | Clearwater, FL 33765 | 727-799-0402 |
| 0.75 | IHOP | 22996 US Hwy 19 N | Clearwater, FL 33765 | 727-725-8821 |
| 0.75 | Chick-Fil-A | 2516 Gulf To Bay Blvd | Clearwater, FL 33765 | 727-723-1992 |
| 0.75 | Oriental Super Buffet | 2456 Gulf To Bay Blvd | Clearwater, FL 33765 | 727-725-2083 |
| 0.8 | Azara's Italian Restaurant | 768 N Belcher Rd | Clearwater, FL 33765 | 727-441-1644 |
| 0.8 | Perkins | 2626 Gulf To Bay Blvd | Clearwater, FL 33759 | 727-799-2019 |
| 0.8 | Panera Bread | 2679 Gulf To Bay Blvd | Clearwater, FL 33759 | 727-723-9495 |
List your restaurant or bar |
 Hotels close to Bright House Field |
| Distance | Hotel | Street Address | City/Zip | Phone |
| 0.35 miles | La Quinta Inn-Central | 21338 US Hwy 19 N | Clearwater, FL 33765 | 727-799-1565 |
| 0.45 | Buena Vista Hotel | 21252 US Hwy 19 N | Clearwater, FL 33765 | 727-799-1569 |
| 0.6 | Hampton Inn | 21030 US Hwy 19 N | Clearwater, FL 33765 | 727-797-8173 |
| 0.6 | Radisson | 20967 US Hwy 19 N | Clearwater, FL 33765 | 727-799-1181 |
| 0.7 | Motel 6 | 20788 US Hwy 19 N | Clearwater, FL 33765 | 727-797-2600 |
| 0.7 | Super 8 | 22950 US Hwy 19 N | Clearwater, FL 33765 | 727-799-2678 |
List your hotel |
 Airports close to Bright House Field |
| Distance | Airport | Airport Code |
| 5.2 miles | St. Petersburg-Clearwater International | PIE |
| 12.0 | Tampa International | TPA |
| 42.2 | Sarasota Bradenton International | SRQ |
| 91.4 | Orlando International | MCO |

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