
### _[2026: New Venue #28](2026newvenuelist)_

_I've actually been to Madison Square Garden before, but as this is my first sporting event here, I'm marking this as a "new venue"._

I've mentioned that hockey is probably my favorite winter sport to watch, but the National Hockey League is currently the only major sports league that has yet to feature on this blog. Well, that changes today, because I'm writing about the NHL for the first time...ever!

I'm not sure how many NHL games I've been to vs. MLB games (as I've only seen NHL games at TWO buildings prior to this game[^1]), but the last NHL game I went to was a preseason game in October 2024 - JUST before I started writing about things that aren't baseball or college hockey. It was the Rangers and Devils at the [Prudential Center](2025-08-27_nysirens) in Newark, and while it did feature almost none of either team's NHL squads as both teams were in Europe (though there was one Jakub Zboril), the Devils had a certain (almost) famous name in net: Jeremy Brodeur, son of franchise legend Martin Brodeur (whom I actually got to see at least three times).

That aside, I'm not going to discuss my NHL allegiances here, but as a reminder: I live in New Jersey - to be more specific, North Jersey[^2]. In my experience, this area seems rather split between two major hockey teams: the aforementioned New Jersey Devils and the New York Rangers; while most folks I've met are Devils fans (such as many of the people I went to high school with), I feel like I know a fair amount of Ranger fans from the area. Whether that be due to the Rangers having been around 56 years longer than the Devils or Christians who cannot get behind supporting a team named the "Devils" I don't know, but one thing I do know: the fans of each team HATE the other team.

HOWEVER...

Despite them being the "closer" team (and also the team I THINK I've seen the most amongst the major North American leagues), the thing that prevents me from going to more Devils games (outside of ticket prices): Prudential Center's location. While downtown Newark isn't necessarily the worst place in the world, speaking from experience...it's not exactly "great". Yes, there are a number of parking lots very close to the arena, but given that they're arena lots, they're not exactly "cheap" for events; my dad was a monthly pass holder in one of the garages pre-COVID (as his office was a few blocks away), and he'd have to move his car prior to events to avoid having to pay event rates. In addition, while there is moderately convenient train service to the arena (as Newark Penn Station is connected via an elevated walkway), getting there from where I live is fairly awkward due to the "set up" of the city's trains; the station nearest me does not have direct access to Newark Penn, so I'd need to take a "connecting" train to get from Newark Broad Street to Newark Penn Station (and speaking from personal experience: both Newark Penn Station and Newark Broad Street are not the kind of places you want to be at for long periods of time - even in broad daylight)[^3].

The Rangers, on the other hand, are somehow better located despite being further away. Sure, driving into New York City sucks and parking is even worse, but unlike the Devils, trains are WAY more convenient, as their arena sits atop New York Penn Station - America's busiest train hub with direct connection to my station. Yes, it does feature a few...interesting sights (especially if you're there at 2 AM - something that I've done once before), but with just how much more "normal" people there are (because of Amtrak AND LIRR), it doesn't feel as "bad" as either Newark station. Also, I feel like I can at least "get behind" the Rangers WAY more than I ever could with the [Yankees](2026-06-04_nyyankees) (some of that being the "James Dolan pity effect"), so going to a game at Madison Square Garden - the self proclaimed "World's Most Famous Arena" - is definitely something I felt I'd be interested in. One thing you may not have known about the building: it's not the original Madison Square Garden.

Madison Square Garden was first opened in 1879 and named after a nearby public park[^4], but was apparently so dangerous that it was closed about ten years later. Its replacement - also named Madison Square Garden and built in the same area as the original arena - opened in 1890, but was closed in 1925 - one year before the Rangers debuted. A THIRD Madison Square Garden opened in 1925 and was the original home of the Rangers - despite being NOWHERE close to Madison Square (it was just northwest of Times Square). This MSG lasted until 1968, when the fourth (and current) Madison Square Garden was opened in the heart of Midtown Manhattan (and by virtue of it being nearly 60 years old, it holds the title of "longest lasting Madison Square Garden").

I mentioned earlier that the arena is on top of Penn Station; this has been fairly controversial since the building opened, as it replaced an ornate station building with, in essence, brutal and dimly lit concourses. In an attempt to revive the "vibe", there were calls to "move" the arena yet again, but between New York City being New York City and MSG (the company that owns the arena) refusing to leave, not much happened over the years. Eventually, Penn Station expanded itself into a nearby building which was largely vacant prior to the renovations, but that's getting WAY off topic (and also it's hard to "use" it if you're an NJ Transit customer like me), so let's get back to the arena.

Given its location in the heart of Manhattan, it should come as no surprise that it's one of New York's most prestigious concert venues in addition to being the home of the Rangers and Knicks. In fact, while this is the first time I've been to MSG for a sporting event, it's not my first visit to the place: I came here for a concert in 2019 (for a band which has since been "cancelled by association" - don't ask), and I also did a tour of the place once (which was by and large kinda "okay at best" - though I did get to hear Michael Buble doing vocal-warm ups as well as see the Knicks locker room).

Alas, the building is...pretty much what you'd expect from an indoor arena: a pair of concourses (the upper one being particularly narrow I must say) with a bunch of stands for food and merch and almost no outdoor light. If you're in the upper sections, be aware that the building received a MASSIVE "transformation" during the 2010s (it used to be just one MASSIVE seating bowl), and as a side effect of this transformation, sightlines from some of the higher sections are obscured. When I was poking around the various sections while seeking tickets (i.e. the days before finding my seat), I found that the highest sections (which, it should be noted, are in only ONE of the ends) had no view of the scoreboard, and that certain rows in the "sideline" sections had what is known as a "bridge" obscuring views (though there's screens to show the action - something [Citi Field](2026-05-01_nymets) has for the back rows of some of its sections). Despite this game being a preseason game, there were some seats that felt WAY overpriced...but also some that were not so bad - and a couple of days before the game, THIS was available for just over 50 bucks (and at least 20% of that was fees):

![An image of a faceoff being taken at Madison Square Garden from the lower bowl](/images/2026/0922-msg.jpeg)

Anyway, I realize I haven't actually discussed the team at hand, but I also don't know how much that's necessary given their status as one of the most valuable teams in the NHL. The big thing you need to know about the Rangers (outside of them being an "Original Six" team) is 1994 - the year they won a Stanley Cup that broke a 54-year drought that THEY WILL NOT SHUT UP ABOUT (much to the chagrin of the Vancouver Canucks in more than one way). 

Despite this being a preseason game, I felt like the crowd/atmosphere was quite lively, and there were quite a few chippy moments including an honest-to-god fight - likely because the Rangers were playing against the OTHER New York team in the Islanders. The Rangers have had a few down years recently (though this doesn't seem to have a major effect on the secondary market FWIW[^5]), but took a 3-0 lead about midway through the game...and then lost in regulation (though again, preseason...).

Also, if you're not a fan of going to hockey games because of how loud goal horns are, I believe that MSG is one of two NHL arenas that lacks a real goal horn (the other being [TD Garden](2026-03-21_hechampionship2024)); they use a recording of a horn which is honestly a bit hard to hear in the arena.

<div id="merch" />

### MERCH

As this is the first time I'm covering the National Hockey League on this blog, there is one thing I do need to discuss: Retail Jersey Tiers!

While retail hockey jerseys have gone through a slew of "systems" over the years, the current system was, more or less, adopted in 2017 when Adidas became the league's jersey manufacturer. in 2024, a certain company which shall remain nameless "took over", but they largely kept the same system Adidas was using before then. 

1. Breakaway: These are basically the "replica" level for the NHL, and they've actually been manufactured by the same company (i.e. the faceless company now responsible for ALL NHL jerseys) since 2017. These are the least expensive, but they're also not that great: the material feels a bit rough IMO, and the graphics are a bit lacking (usually flat with an appearance of being screen printed). It should be noted, however, that for a while, replica hockey jerseys did not have stitched-on logos (namely in the CCM and Reebok eras[^6]), and the ones in the current system do (or at least the front logos are stitched).
2. Premium: This jersey is a step up from the replica: all logos are stitched (and even feature a bit of texture), and the jersey has a "fight strap" (which is meant to keep the jersey from being ripped off of a player in a fight). From 2017 until 2024, however, this was called an "authentic" jersey despite not actually being what players wore during games (as well as the fact that they were made in Indonesia), but it was the closest fans could get to what the pros actually wore, as those jerseys were largely unavailable to the public (i.e. not sold in stores).
3. Authentic Pro: This is what the players ACTUALLY wear. They're made in Canada and are NOTABLY different/better than the "Authentic" jersey...but they're also not cheap: I believe prices for these start around $400, and as someone who prefers physical retail over online retail, they're difficult to find in stores (case in point: I've only seen TWO stores stock these, and both were in **Boston**).

At this game, only the middle tier of jersey was available; also, I've found that most jerseys sold at arenas have player names already stitched on. There was one jersey I found that was available blank, but it lacked a special patch that its "named" counterparts all had (though thankfully the patch was available separately[^7]).

Having said all of this, I will admit that like other major sports leagues, most of the NHL stuff I've gotten - i.e. jerseys and pucks (and the occasional hat and/or mini stick, though I've been trying to cut down on those recently) - has been from various Dick's Sporting Goods/Lids, thrift stores (which includes a rather INSANE pull I'm hoping to talk about soon), one jersey I called a team's practice facility to order, and the NHL Store a few blocks from MSG (which, it should be mentioned, I have yet to see the high-tier jersey at). Coincidentally, I actually got a Rangers jersey at this NHL store around the time of the 2024 switchover from Adidas (as it was on sale then)[^8].

Anyway, as you'd expect for a major arena, there are several merchandise areas dotted around the concourses of MSG; I counted two "stores" (both on the main concourse) and three "booths" around the arena - not including what I consider to be the "main" store. What I find interesting about the main store - i.e. the one that is open outside of events - is that it's fully inside the arena's "secure" area, so if you're trying to visit it during non-event times (which I've done in the past), you still have to go through security. Similar to TD Garden, however, is the fact that it's outside the "paid" area, so I'm pretty sure you can't visit it after you've scanned your ticket.

(Finally, I feel like I should mention Gerry Cosby - a old local sports shop which used to be across the street from MSG. I got a few things from them back in the day, but based on things I saw when I looked them up, they've moved to...western Massachusetts.)

---

[^1]: I was SUPPOSED to see a game at the Meadowlands as a kid, but we didn't make it due to a flat tire.

[^2]: I specify "North Jersey" here because South Jersey is a bit of a different beast given that the Flyers are closer to most of the residents down there.

[^3]: And before you ask about walking from Broad Street to the arena: no. Absolutely not. Again, speaking from personal experience.

[^4]: Fun fact: Madison Square Park is the home of the original Shake Shack. I visited it once (as my mom worked in an office in the area), and all I can say is that Shake Shack ain't what it used to be...

[^5]: The lowest "get-in" price (i.e. the price of the least expensive ticket for a particular game) is $80, and only six of the team's 42 home games had get-in prices less than $100 (this is all as of the date this was originally published). Also, if you're wondering, the get-in price for Knicks preseason games was north of $100 when I checked prior to publishing this post, and given EVERYTHING about them in 2026...

[^6]: I will note, however, that I did randomly find a Reebok replica jersey with a stitched-on logo at a Marshalls back in 2025 (some eight years after the switch to Adidas). Strangely, despite the store being just north of Philadelphia, it was a Toronto Maple Leafs jersey.

[^7]: Had I been unable to find the patch, I would have had some serious thoughts about dropping nearly $300 on a jersey that normally costs $230...and I should note that said patch was GLUED ON.

[^8]: There were A LOT of Adidas jerseys for sale at the game, but they were not discounted at all...

I FINALLY talk about the National Hockey League

New York Rangers (National Hockey League) @ Madison Square Garden (New York, NY)


The Premier Lacrosse League was founded in 2018 as an upstart lacrosse league meant to compete with Major League Lacrosse - the more established league at the time (which debuted in 2001). What made the PLL unique among professional sports leagues is that it used a barnstorming model, where instead of teams traveling to visit each other, the entire league would descend on a stadium and play multiple games there during a weekend (a la [Cosmic Baseball](2026-05-15_cosmicbaseball) or, in some respects, [Banana Ball](2025-08-23_bananaball_bos)). Originally, six teams with no geographic locators (Archers, Atlas, Chaos, Chrome, Redwoods, and Whipsnakes) competed in the first season (2019), and a seventh (the Waterdogs) joined in a COVID affected 2020 season (yes, the PLL played in 2020).

In the fall of 2020, the PLL sent shockwaves through the sports world by announcing that as part of a merger with Major League Lacrosse, the combined leagues would operate under PLL branding and practices - meaning that **it had won**. The league added the Cannons Lacrosse Club as its eighth team (based on one of MLL's most historic identities), and while the league still currently has eight teams operating in a barnstorming model, each team was given a "home market" in 2024, and the league's stops include each team's home market, where the "in market" team plays two games in a certain weekend (while other teams typically play one or none). Those eight teams are:

- Utah Archers
- New York Atlas
- Boston Cannons (the MLL team "added" in the merger)
- Carolina Chaos
- **Denver Outlaws (formerly the Chrome Lacrosse Club)**
- California Redwoods
- **Philadelphia Waterdogs**
- Maryland Whipsnakes

This game - the league's 2026 championship game - features the two teams in bold from this list, so let's talk about them a bit.

### Know the competition

I'll start with the "underdog" Denver Outlaws - simultaneously the "older" and "newer" of the two.

The Denver Outlaws, despite "only" being founded in 2006, were a legendary MLL team: they appeared in MLL's championship game a whopping TEN times - even if they only have three titles to show for it. However, as the Cannons were "chosen" as the lone MLL identity to carry on in the merger, the Outlaws ended up "going dormant". Meanwhile, the Chrome Lacrosse Club was one of the PLL's founding teams, but were never truly successful - spending four years alternating between second and last place finishes. When the PLL announced home markets in 2024, the Chrome Lacrosse Club was "retired" in favor of a return of the Outlaws.

On the other side, you have the Philadelphia Waterdogs - the top team in the PLL this year. The Waterdogs were founded in 2020 as the PLL's first expansion team (as mentioned earlier), won a PLL championship in 2022, and were assigned Philly as their market in 2024 (which had an MLL team from 2004-2008 and then again in 2020). Outside of that...there's not much to say about them I feel - though it should be noted that Philly seems like a somewhat odd market: the aforementioned MLL team won three titles in their short time in Philly, but went dormant in 2009 amid financial issues (also: the [Philadelphia](2025-08-27_phiwings) [Wings](2026-04-12_phiwings2)).

### Gameday

![A photo of a lacrosse game at Sports Illustrated Stadium](/images/2026/0920-pllchampeenship.jpeg)

This trip was NOT my intended time/place to see the PLL: I originally had plans to see the league in Fairfield, CT (which was a "neutral site" event)[^1], but rain on the day I intended to go scuttled that idea. After that, I thought about heading down to see the league stop in Philadelphia, but rain put a damper on THAT weekend as well. Heck, this game featured rain throughout, but the stadium's upper deck and covered concourses meant that there was ample space for fans to stay dry. This is also not my first time seeing the Premier Lacrosse League - I saw the league's quarterfinals played at Gillette Stadium in 2023, but I didn't write about it for many, MANY reasons (namely the fact that I had a WHOLE lot of background stuff happen that day)[^2].

As this is the FIFTH time I'm visiting Sports Illustrated Stadium in the past year or so, I won't be talking about it much - use the links in the "sidebar" to read more about my other visits. However, I wasn't sure if there were plans to have a "plaza" outside the stadium (like the other games I've been to here), but I would not be surprised if the league had to move things due to the weather; there were plenty of related things in the "bowels" of the stadium (i.e. between the stadium gates and the stairs to the main concourse), including various activities and vendors (it's all under the main concourse, so it's all covered).

One side note about field lacrosse: in hockey and soccer, I find that one of the more interesting things about watching them live versus on television is seeing the goaltender idle around while their team is attacking on the other side of the rink/field. I don't know how it's exactly worded, but in essence, field lacrosse rules require both teams to have at least three players on either side of the midfield line at ALL TIMES. Personally, I kinda enjoy watching the guys who have nothing to do while all the action occurs on the other half of the field, because it's something you don't get to see on television. Also, as lacrosse has deep Native American roots, this game featured a land acknowledgement (i.e. a statement about the natives who lived in America prior to its colonization in the 1600s) prior to the national anthem - something I've only seen done for Australian sports.

![An image of players on a lacrosse field](/images/2026/0920-backline.jpeg)

<figcaption>"So, who's your NLL team now that the Wings are <a href="https://www.nll.com/news/national-lacrosse-league-to-move-forward-with-12-active-member-clubs-for-2026-27-season/" target="blank">gone</a>?"</figcaption>

To be fully honest, I forgot how fun field lacrosse is to watch prior to seeing this game (though part of that is me only having been to [ONE](2025-08-26_rulacrosse_mens) field lacrosse game prior to this). It is a bit difficult to get to more games (what with the PLL being in different cities every weekend), but it's definitely something I'd go back (and since New Jersey has a fairly interesting lacrosse culture, don't be surprised to see more next year).

<div id="merch" />

### MERCH

In the past, PLL jerseys were more or less designed similar to hockey (or, fittingly, box lacrosse) jerseys, with a large logo on the front (though they are short sleeved). This year, the league landed a deal with Nike, and for whatever reason, the template has now switched to a more American football style (i.e. big numbers with a script above). I do not know exactly what the "common" design for FIELD lacrosse jerseys is, but as someone who kinda sorta prefers blank jerseys, I'm not really sure I'm a fan (another reason I'm not super into football jerseys)[^3].

Having said that, though, I've always kinda felt that the PLL leans HEAVY into marketing/selling merchandise - it kinda has to as a niche league/sport. for example, a few years ago PLL game balls and miniature lacrosse sticks were available at Walmart of all places (though it's been a bit since I've seen them), and the "program" for this game (i.e. the lineup) featured a rather large "ad" for merch on the back.

My memory of the merchandise booths at the Foxboro game is a bit hazy, but I do recall going a bit crazy with hats as well as buying a (not Philadelphia at the time) Waterdogs jersey (because I liked the color)[^4]. At this game, there were four different booths around the concourse, and it seemed like while there were some "common" items, each one had WILDLY different items available: the "main" one on the sideline was the only one with jerseys, while another one was the only one with mini sticks, a different one had shirts for each team with Nike's famous "JUST DO IT" catchphrase, and a fourth one had things such as PLL hoodies and team pennants (though they didn't have all pennants for all of the teams). Also, at least two of the booths had championship items available literally seconds after the game ended (a shirt, a hat, and a hoodie).

Oh right, I should probably talk about the game since I haven't done that yet...

### The Champeenship

This game got off to a VERY hot start - three minutes into the game, the teams had already combined to score five goals!

However, as the game wore on, one team CLEARLY outclassed the other both offensively and defensively - to the tune of them allowing ZERO GOALS for the entire second half (a rare feat in lacrosse), and the losers tying a record for fewest goals scored in a lacrosse championship game (four).

Congratulations to your 2026 Premier Lacrosse League champions:

![A photo of the celebrations](/images/2026/0920-champeens.jpeg)

# The Philadelphia Waterdogs.

(In some sense, they had a MASSIVE advantage with all the water in the air...)

---

As a final note: I was actually supposed to be doing something else COMPLETELY different this weekend, but there are reasons I had to "pivot" to this. In related news: don't be surprised to see me report on another champeenship soon...

---

[^1]: In case anyone was wondering: Fairfield IS part of the New York City media market, but the New York team had its homecoming weekend at Hofstra University on Long Island - after having it in Albany in the two prior seasons.

[^2]: I mentioned a bit ago that I had a few stadiums I went to but never wrote about. Well...Gillette is NOT getting one of those posts for various reasons - namely the fact that it is more or less a "standard" football stadium with not much to talk about, plus one other reason that I'll get into soon.

[^3]: I could also make a snarky comment about the sponsor all PLL jerseys now feature below the back number, but all I'll say is try a bidet if you can.

[^4]: One other note: I've only seen ONE jersey available at a PLL event that wasn't a sublimated replica, but I wasn't that interested in it as it's a BIT of an ego trip (it was for one of the league's founders, and it cost $200 - a bit much for a "t-shirt" as a recently-in-the-news rapper would probably tell you).

America's professional Field Lacrosse league crowns its 2026 champion

Premier Lacrosse League Championship Game: Denver Outlaws vs. Philadelphia Waterdogs @ Sports Illustrated Stadium (Harrison, NJ)


### [SUMMER OF BASEBALL 2023: STOP 16](summerofbaseball2023)

Wahconah Park is a very historic park - it boasts that it has hosted “professional baseball since 1892” (20 years before the opening of [Fenway Park](bananaball_bospt3)). A host of minor league and independent teams have come through far western Massachusetts, with the last one leaving town as recently as 2011.

![a photo of a manual scoreboard at Wahconah Park](/images/baseball2023/wahconahscoreboard.jpeg)

<figcaption>I don't believe this scoreboard was in use when I came here</figcaption>

A year after that team left, the Futures League came to town with the Pittsfield Suns - named after Wahconah’s most unusual feature: the fact that the batter faces WEST. This means that for a brief period of time during evening games, the sun is directly in the batter's eyes, and “sun delays” are common during games (to avoid this causing any advantages/disadvantages).

The main feature here was a wooden grandstand built in 1919 (making it one of the oldest wooden grandstands in the United States); it was almost torn down some time ago, but local community efforts saved it (in fact, the guy who wrote Ball Four wrote a book about this campaign). Behind this grandstand, you've got a "plaza" area that's fairly similar to a bunch of other New England summer league parks, but one of my favorite parts of the park has to be this old-timey (and mildly horrifying now that I see it again) "ad" in the outfield:

![An image of a sign that says "STRIKE OUT TOBACCO"](/images/baseball2023/wahconahad.jpeg)

Unfortunately, with a lot of history comes a lot of wear and tear...and Wahconah was no exception.

I was only able to visit once in 2022 and 2023, and both years, the wooden grandstand was inaccessible to fans (though the concession stands were open, and some staff were allowed inside). Metal bleachers were set up around the field for seating, and I distinctly recall being REAL close to the dugouts, which made for an...interesting viewing experience.

![A photo](/images/baseball2023/wahconahgrandstand.jpg)

<figcaption>History: so close, and yet so far away...</figcaption>

<div id="merch" />

### MERCH

Unlike the concession stands, merch is sold in a small shed across from the grandstand. While I don't FULLY remember everything they had (i.e. they MIGHT have had a jersey available, but I can't remember), Pittsfield was unique amongst Futures League teams in that they sold exclusively _fitted_ player hats (as opposed to the other teams in the league which sell flexfit hats).

The first time I came here, I bought the team’s two fitted hats (one red, one black) in the size I’ve been getting New Era hats in (having recently gotten back into collecting fitteds). However, I felt that they were kinda big, so the second, I got the hats again in a smaller size - and they fit quite well! 

## ---

Now, if you've been following my series of baseball posts over the past few weeks, you probably noticed that the numbers indicate me skipping this one when it was _supposed_ to come up. That's because...

The problems with Wahconah Park got so bad that the Suns went dormant in 2024, and while it does seem like they’re TRYING to come back eventually, it’ll have to wait a bit, as the grandstand was (supposedly) demolished in 2026 (this according to the local news). I don’t know if/when I’ll be able to come back (or if the Suns will come back, as there's no timeline on a new grandstand due to - what else? - funding), but I’m sure it’ll be quite different (and whether or not it will still face west is definitely a good question). With that in mind, I decided to "postpone" this to the end of this series, as there's a chance that the Suns are, in fact, going the way of the [Winnipesaukee Muskrats](2026-04-11_wpsmuskrats) and have played their final game. 

But with this...I've FULLY caught up with the things I did back in 2023...mostly. I'm not done with my "catching up" just yet, however, as there are a few venues I've been to in the last few years that I haven't posted about yet. I actually didn't write about, but I've decided to at least talk briefly - but I'm going to wait on those posts for a bit.

### ON DECK

I'm not exactly sure. It'll probably involve Rutgers, but there's NO WAY it can go worse than the UMass game...right?


A historic stadium in multiple ways - and the tragedy of that fact means for the present

Pittsfield Suns (Futures League) @ Wahconah Park (Pittsfield, MA)


### [SUMMER OF BASEBALL 2023 - STOP 31](summerofbaseball2023)

Martha’s Vineyard is one of Massachusetts’ most popular tourist destinations. I remember visiting the island as a kid WAY back in the day, but I don't remember much of what happened on that trip (though my parents have a memory of nearly getting involved in an incident with Carly Simon - look her up if you don't know who she is).

Given the large number of people on the island in the summer, a baseball team here makes some sense. Said team was established in 2011 as a founding member of the Futures League (and named after the movie Jaws, which was filmed on the Vineyard), where they were decently successful - winning a pair of championships (kinda)[^1]. In 2019, the team switched over to the NECBL (a year before [Bristol](2026-06-30_briblues)), and since moving, they’ve added an NECBL championship (in 2022) to their name.

One thing I learned when I came here: when you’re trying to figure out how to get to 30 different baseball stadiums within a two-month period...planning a trip here is a DOOZY.

First, Martha’s Vineyard is too far from land to be accessed by bridge, so you have to take a ferry to even get to it. Once you get to the island, you still need to take a bus or car to where the ballpark is because it’s way too far from the ferry dock to walk to. In all honesty, all of that wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world...if games didn’t start at 7 PM. Things (i.e. the bus and ferry) don’t run super late (or often) on the island (though they do run more in the summer), so being at the mercy of TWO public transportation schedules hoping you don’t end up stuck on an island where hotels are (probably) quite booked and quite expensive can be insanely stressful (I didn’t want to book a hotel for...reasons I honestly don’t fully understand looking back).

Thankfully, cars are allowed on the ferries, so you can bring a car and cut a lot of the middle stuff out...as long as you book early enough (i.e. not in the summer and potentially spring); spots are limited and sell out FAST. I bought my ferry tickets in January of 2023 once I selected my date (the day the schedule came out), and the ferry was not cheap (it also didn’t help that I accidentally booked for the wrong day).

![A photo of Vineyard Baseball Park](/images/baseball2023/vineyardgrandstand.jpeg)

All of THAT aside, I’d liken the Sharks’ stadium to - quite fittingly - [Buck Hardee Field in Wilmington](2026-06-22_ilmsharks). It's officially known as "Vineyard Baseball Park", but seems WAY more commonly known as "The Shark Tank"; Wikipedia doesn't have a page for it, but it does note that it's on the campus of the island's high school, and received renovations at some point (seemingly to accommodate the arrival of the Sharks).

There’s a grandstand with seats apparently taken from Oriole Park at Camden Yards, a fairly expansive space on the right side (you enter from left center and then walk around the right side of the field), a beer garden in the outfield, and some interesting little shacks behind home plate; I’m not sure which ones are used for various things during games, but one of them had ice cream when I went. There’s also a brick backstop a la the [Chatham Anglers](2025-08-17_chaanglers), though the paths around the ballpark are sand and gravel as opposed to being paved.

Interestingly, grandstand seating was sold as reserved seats when I visited (a rarity in these summer leagues) and (somewhat obviously) cost more than general admission. Normally, this wouldn’t be such a big deal since you could simply buy a cheaper ticket then sit in a “more expensive” seat once you realize no one’s going to take it. However, the Sharks are one of the better drawing teams in New England (they've been first in the NECBL for a few years), so those reserved seats are probably going to be used by the people who bought them (in fact, the names of what I assume are the season ticket holders are on the backs of the seats).

![A photo of the field at Vineyard Baseball Park](/images/baseball2023/vineyardpark.jpeg)

Having mentioned the fans, I should note that I got to the game (in 2023) about an hour before first pitch (when gates typically open), and...I was the only one there for a while. It wasn’t until the game was about to start that there were more people, and the stadium seemed to fill after the game started (attendance, apparently, was just under 2500).

<div id="merch" />

### MERCH

I would honestly say that merch here isn’t OVERLY special - it’s sold from what appears to be the back of a truck and features items that don’t stray too far from what you’d expect to get at a baseball game. I don’t recall ever seeing the team sell logo baseballs or mini bats, however - just clothing (including old jerseys FWIW). Like the [Sanford Mainers](2026-09-10_sfdmainers), the Sharks sold both fitted and flexfit hats when I came here in 2023 (I didn’t check for flexfit hats the first time).

I do have to also mention the fact that the team hosted the 2022 NECBL All-Star Game (which I went to as it was SLIGHTLY easier to handle as an all-day thing[^2]), and for THIS GAME ONLY (as I've yet to see the NECBL do it since), each team in the league had a special hat (a la what MLB does for their All-Star Game). At the All-Star game, I bought a game ball (as they were on sale) and a whopping THIRTEEN hats: one All-Star hat for 12 of the league’s then-14 teams, and a normal Sharks hat[^4]; getting ALL of them from the game to the bus to the ferry and then to the shuttle to the ferry's parking lot and then finally back to my car was...interesting.

![An image of a bunch of hats stacked on top of each other](/images/baseball2023/necblhats.jpg)

Finally, prior to me coming here, I once attempted to order a hat from the team as they had it listed on Facebook Marketplace (or what was essentially an equivalent to it back in 2020), but they were unable to complete the order for whatever reason...

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[^1]: I have yet to mention this, but in 2018, Game 3 of the Futures League championship series (i.e. the series deciding game) was cancelled due to rain delays dragging it way too late into August (remember, the players are college students who have to go back to school). The two teams that played in the series - the Sharks and [Worcester Bravehearts](2026-08-18_woobravehearts) - were declared co-champions.

[^2]: Yes, I had to leave "early", but the fact that the day started at 1 instead of 7 meant that I could be there for several hours, take in a few of the festivities (such as the Home Run Derby) plus a bit of the game, and then head back at a time when I knew I wouldn't have to worry about missing any critical transportation connections.

[^3]: The two I didn’t end up getting were [North Shore](2026-08-22_nsnavigators) and [North Adams](2026-09-02_nasteeplecats), as I had found them at the team’s stadiums earlier in the year; some of the teams sold their All-Star hats at their own stadiums before and after this game, and the Sharks themselves sold their OPPONENT’S All-Star hat when I came here in 2023 (partially because _theirs_ sold out at the All-Star Game). Also, unlike the All-Star game the following year, I don't remember if jerseys were actually available for sale...

[^4]: The ferries from Cape Cod to the Vineyard do have parking options, but they're a bit far from the actual ferry docks (largely due to land); shuttles carry passengers from the lots to and from the docks, and I actually saw quite a few of the teams waiting in line for the ferry when I arrived.


The absolute JOURNEY I took to complete my 2023 goal

Martha’s Vineyard Sharks (New England Collegiate Baseball League) @ Vineyard Baseball Park (Oak Bluffs, MA)


### [SUMMER OF BASEBALL 2023: STOP 30](summerofbaseball2023)

You’ll probably never guess how the Sanford Mainers got their name, but they were founded in 2002. They’ve won three league championships (with the third being this past year), and while their average attendance seems a bit low, part of that is due to the relative “size” of Sanford vs. other cities in the NECBL as well as their stadium, as it’s the smallest one in the league at under 1,000 seats.

Goodall Park was opened in 1915 (one year before the Chicago Cubs moved to Wrigley), and among other things, is apparently the site where one George Herman Ruth played his final game for the Boston Red Sox (an exhibition game against a local team). Outside of that, there's not a lot of information on teams that have played here (due to Sanford's size/location plus the low capacity), but apparently the old grandstand burned down in the 90s and had to be fully rebuilt (which is part of why I like this place quite a bit).

![A view of Goodall Park from the grandstand](/images/baseball2023/sanford.jpeg)

Instead of wooden (or even metal) benches, the seats here are actual individual seats (like the ones you’d find in a regular stadium), the stairwells feel “modern” enough (even as they approach 30 years old), and there’s some rather ornate details. Thanks to this rebuilt grandstand, I would say that Goodall Park is one of the more "comfortable" NECBL parks to watch a game (though the grandstand is covered with foul ball netting if you're concerned about obscured views). There's also a little statue of a baseball behind the grandstand, and while it doesn't really do much to impact the overall experience, it is still a neat touch.

Somewhat similar to Bristol, there’s a large concourse outside the grandstand, but it’s a bit different in layout and the fact that it’s basically a small lot instead of a sidewalk and almost exclusively down the right field line. Lines for parking spots can be seen in this area, but it's off limits to vehicles during games (plus parking right next to a foul line during a baseball game is just asking for trouble in SO MANY ways...)

Despite Sanford being fairly remote from Boston (as it's a fairly local route once you leave Interstate 95), I came here two times: once in 2022 on the FINAL day of the regular season as the end of a "suspended" game (which I mentioned back when I talked about the [Winnipesaukee Muskrats](2026-04-11_wpsmuskrats)), and another time for a "full" game in 2023. Coincidentally, the 2022 visit featured...the Keene Swamp Bats, who I saw START a game against [Bristol](2026-06-30_briblues) that got suspended before it went official.

<div id="merch" />

### MERCH

Wikipedia implies that at some point, merchandise was sold from the concession stand under the grandstand. The reason I bring it up here is because when I visited, merch was instead sold from a “shed” in the plaza across from the grandstand.

As my first visit was on the absolute last day of the 2022 season, the team was running out of items to sell, but I was able to get a jacket (and a hat that’s too big for my head). Prior to my second visit, I ordered a hat from the team (Sanford having probably the most robust online store in the NECBL), but it was not mailed properly, so it arrived pretty beat up (I ended up exchanging it at the game).

One thing I found interesting about Sanford: while most teams in the NECBL and Futures League use flexfit hats, a few do use fitteds (such as the two Rhode Island teams). Sanford, on the other hand, sold BOTH fitted and flexfit hats (at least they did in 2023) - something only one other team did when I was going around the New England leagues (though my recent visit to [Danbury](2026-07-24_dbywesterners)[^1] indicated that they had fitted hats for at least a year or so before switching back to flexfit hats).

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[^1]: Who, it should be noted, lost to Sanford in the 2026 NECBL Championship series.


All the information is in the team's name

Sanford Mainers (New England Collegiate Baseball League) @ Goodall Park (Sanford, ME)


### [SUMMER OF BASEBALL 2023: STOP 27](summerofbaseball2023)

The Upper Valley Nighthawks were founded in 2015 in the White River Junction area of Vermont (near the intersection of the two major interstate highways that travel through the state). The family who established the team (and it seemed like they were still in control when I visited) were involved with the then-[Laconia Muskrats](2026-04-11_wpsmuskrats), but I guess they moved from the Lakes and decided to set up operations in White River Junction.

They've been playing at a local park known as the Maxfield Sports Complex since their inception (which, it should be noted, doesn't have a Wikipedia page). I don’t think I can properly discuss this place without discussing my experiences trying to catch a game AND get a hat since I didn’t have a regular Nighthawks hat when I visited (emphasis on the "regular" - which I'll get into later).

Let’s start with the field itself and the best part: games are actually free to attend (or at least they were back in 2023)! It’s the only stadium I've been to outside of Cape Cod that does this (though Mystic is seemingly doing it now since they moved out of Dodd), and it made what happened a little less painful. Outside of that, I’d say it’s pretty standard NECBL material - not awesome, but not a horrible experience. There are very FEW bleachers, so much like a Cape League game/Danbury/Ocean State, a lot of fans show up with lawn chairs and plop then down along the fences.

So what actually happened?

Let’s start with this: the date I used to mark this post is actually the THIRD time I visited the Nighthawks; my original plan for Summer 2023, in essence, gave me only one chance to come here (it is somewhat drivable from Boston at a 2-ish hour drive, but it’s not a fun drive IMO). However, thanks to my parents booking a week in Vermont (partially as my plans to visit the [Lake Monsters](2026-09-05_vtlakemonsters) and [Mountaineers](2026-09-07_vtmountaineers) coincided with them vacationing with my mom's cousin), I had a week in which the team was home three times: Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. That same week, however, featured another thing: rain. Basically every day.

On Monday, I saw that the team was scheduled to play a doubleheader - neat! I can go down and get my "stuff" done early...or so I thought. Instead, it rained so hard on the way to the stadium that I thought I’d end up hydroplaning off the winding roads of Vermont for like a good two miles. When I got to the stadium, it was still pouring...but thankfully the rain eventually stopped. The doubleheader turned into a single game that started at 7 and didn’t go nine innings because of the rain, and the uncertainty with the weather caused the team to opt not to sell concessions/merch (part of the reason I went to all of these stadiums is because I like collecting team hats, which are usually unavailable online).

After that mild disappointment, I decided to give it another go on Wednesday - my weather models that I use to check conditions seemed to indicate that things should be fine. Unfortunately, things were very much NOT fine, and the game was postponed to I don't know or remember when because it's honestly not important.

Finally, on Friday, things worked out and I ended up going to a game, getting the stuff done that I wanted to do before heading back to Massachusetts (where I lived at the time). Unfortunately for the team, they end up getting walloped by the worst team in the league that year ([North Adams](2026-09-02_nasteeplecats))...

<div id="merch" />

### MERCH

As mentioned earlier, the first game I went to did not feature concessions or merchandise, as the team wasn’t sure if it’d actually go on as scheduled. However, the second game featured the team’s standard concession stand (i.e. the press box), from which VERY LIMITED merchandise was sold - by which I mean just hats and NOTHING ELSE. Honestly, this was fine by me as I was really only looking for hats , but the team seemingly did have a few old jerseys lying around, though I wasn’t super sure if they were available (and they were shirseys, so I wasn’t actually that interested).

However, it should be mentioned that the second game featured local food trucks, and one of the trucks sold maple products (unlike the other Vermont stadiums) including something I had never heard of until 2023 (even if it is more or less just soft serve ice cream) - a creemee (AND it was in a mini helmet to boot)[^1]!

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### ON DECK

The NECBL's most self-descriptive team.

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[^1]: I think I mentioned it in another post, but this particular week marked what I think is the first time I've ever been in Vermont in the summer - EVERY other time I've been has been during one of the other three seasons.


Sportventures

King of the Sticks

Go West

The Real Amity Island

Maine Master

Up and Down and All Around