Chicago is no stranger to sports teams. We’ve got a bunch of ’em. Basketball, Baseball, Soccer, Football, Hockey, Roller Derby, and more. There is so much happening, incredible traffic, and surprisingly high ticketing fees at many of them that it can all be a bit much.
The story is somewhat different for the Chicago Dogs and we like it that way. It’s July and we’ve been to a handful of games so far this season. A personal family record for seeing a sports team in a single season. Here’s our top 10 reasons we love having the Chicago Dogs as our local team and attending their games.
The Chicago Dogs are members of the American Association of Independent Professional Baseball. Named after Chicago’s favorite and oldest culinary tradition, the Chicago Dogs’ logo features the colors and stars of the iconic Chicago flag.
10.) LOCATION
The team is based in Rosemont, IL, just off the tollway. It is right near the airport, shopping, and a breeze to get to from the suburbs. Want to arrive early and walk around? Cool. There is shopping across the street, hotels that make an overnight easy, local breweries, restaurants, a movie theater nearby, and more.
9.) BALLPARK
The Impact Field stadium is a $63 million development. It is big enough to feel like attending a game is a special outing, yet small enough to feel like a small community. There are 6,300 seats, 7 private seating experiences, food/beer, and more.
It’s a cash-free stadium and gates open 60 minutes prior to game time.
We like to arrive early, find out seats, get food, and settle in for a fun time. There isn’t anything like watching a ballgame while seeing airplanes take off in the background from nearby O’Hare Airport and hearing the occasional tractor trailer honk its horn while passing along the nearby interstate. Also, Impact Field is a smoke free facility.
8.) TICKETS
Tickets for Chicago Dogs games start at as little as $9. They are easy to purchase in person and online. There also make group outings easy because the tickets can be printed out and given to group members ahead of time to make getting into the game a piece of cake.
7.) AFFORDABILITY
The costs of attending a Chicago Dogs game is among the most affordable sports events in the area. There are deal nights too with $1 hotdogs and $2 beers from time to time. That makes Chicago Dogs games accessible to everyone that wants to see a baseball game in a world-class facility.
6.) SQUEEZE’S SCHOLARS
The Chicago Dog’s reading program for all local students in pre-k through 8th grade is called Squeeze’s Scholars. Teachers in local schools can sign-up their classes for free. In exchange for reading, kids can earn free Chicago Dogs tickets! I reached out to the team via social media and they confirmed that the program will be returning next season.
5.) KID’S ZONE
Parents (and caregivers alike) know what is involved with taking anyone under the age of 10 to a stadium for an event that involves a lot of sitting. There is a strong need for the little ones to get up and run around periodically through the game. That’s where the Chicago Dogs Kid’s Zone comes in handy. Open before and during the game there are various games and competitions kids can take part in to let that energy out if they can’t sit still in their seats. Our kids (11 & 7) love it.
4.) THEME NIGHTS + FIREWORKS + GIVEAWAYS
Sure, all local Chicago sports teams have theme nights, but the theme nights at Chicago’s Impact Field are top notch: Bark at the Park (bring your pets), Star Wars, Elvis, and more. They often include fun giveaways like hats, Hawaiian shirts, flags, food, and more. The fireworks nights are great as well. I’ve yet to see a better fireworks show at any local sports park.
3.) PARKING
The main Chicago Dog’s parking lot has 850 parking spots and is attached to Impact Field. An overflow parking lot is located just behind the stadium. That means there is always enough parking and for only $3 a spot! You can’t beat the affordability and ease of a parking lot like that in nearly all of Chicago sports.
2.) STREAMING APP
The AA Baseball TV app offer free and paid coverage of teams in the league. The free version of the app allows for streaming games live without a subscription. The premium version of the app is offered at $14.99 a month and includes a full archive of the league’s games from current and previous seasons. Some games are audio and some are video experiences.
1.) LOW-STRESS OUTING
The whole process of planning, attending, and leaving Chicago Dogs Baseball events is the lowest stress level for attending any Chicago sporting event I’ve ever experienced. The staff is wonderful. The flow of traffic and people is reasonable. The prices are lower than one would expect at a high quality ballgame. Even security for getting in and picking up tickets at Will Call (or downloading them from the website) is a breeze.
We love the Chicago Dogs and jump at any chance to attend a game that we get. Sometimes we buy tickets (like when they gave out these cool hats this year) or we attend as guests of the team. Either way, it’s our favorite Chicago sports team. Go Dogs!
