Spring Training Online

Is this the best spring-training facility in the Cactus League? Cubs fans may make a compelling case for HoHoKam being more beloved than Peoria Stadium, but only Scottsdale Stadium comes close to offering as complete package for a fan as found in Peoria Stadium. Between a convenient location, a circuslike atmosphere and a boatload of local amenities, Peoria Stadium is a must visit for anyone attending Cactus League spring training. Best of all, the Seattle Mariners and the San Diego Padres share the ballpark, so a visit to Peoria -- a suburb of Phoenix -- during any point in spring training will undoubtedly find a game going on, with tickets available for most dates.

But not all: Seattle fans love their Mariners, and Seattle fans have the good sense to bail from the pallor of the Pacific Northwest in March, so tickets to a weekend game can be a difficult buy.

The stadium itself isn't very distinguished: the exterior is done up in Arizona adobe brown and the shaded grandstand has a full assortment of concession areas. There is also a slew of concessions down each line in the sun. There is outfield grass seating; you won't want to sit there during the day unless you brought your SPF 30 suntan lotion. But the stadium is very accessible, has good sight lines, and can accommodate larger crowds very nicely.

The larger complex was the first MLB spring training and player development facility in the country shared by two teams. Peoria Sports Complex contains two 40,000-square-foot clubhouses, indoor and outdoor batting tunnels, 12 major-league-sized practice fields (two lighted), and two half fields.

Spring Training History

The Seattle Mariners have trained in Arizona since their American League inception in 1977: from 1977 to 1993 the team trained in Tempe, while in 1994 the team moved to the new ballpark in Peoria.

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