TD Bank Ballpark (Bridgewater, NJ), has been named Ballpark Digest’s Best Independent Minor League Ballpark in the nation.
“We are very proud, excited and honored to be voted as the Best Ballpark in all of Independent Minor League Baseball by Ballpark Digest, the most respected industry leader in ballpark news and coverage in the world. These results reinforce what our fans, marketing partners, and our entire community knows- that TD Bank Ballpark is a very special place for families, businesses, organizations, and friends to enjoy quality time together. We may be locally family owned, but our brand is nationally known,” said Steve Kalafer, Chairman of the Somerset Patriots and a Founding Member of the Board of Directors of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball.
“This is not just an honor for our ballpark, but also for everybody that works here in every capacity to make TD Bank Ballpark and the Somerset Patriots experience the best it can be all season and year long,” said Jonathan Kalafer, Vice Chairman of the Somerset Patriots.
“We were honored to be in the discussion with all the great ballparks and teams involved in the competition. We know what a great job all the other organizations in minor league baseball do to provide affordable family entertainment and America’s favorite pastime. To come out on top is extraordinary and we are proud to receive this honor on behalf of our community,” said Vice Chairman Josh Kalafer.
“We want to thank all of our fans, marketing partners, and the entire community that continue to show their unwavering support of the Somerset Patriots and our home TD Bank Ballpark. After 17 years, we continue to grow and be an important part of our community and beyond. We are very proud of this honor and thank Ballpark Digest and everyone that participated in the contest. We would especially like to thank the Somerset County Board of Chosen Freeholders for having the vision to build our ballpark in Bridgewater at no tax payer expense, and their continued partnership to provide affordable family and community entertainment to Central New Jersey residents,” said Patrick McVerry, President/General Manager of the Somerset Patriots Baseball Club.
“This award confirms what thousands of Somerset County residents already know – at a Somerset Patriots game at TD Bank Ballpark people will have a great time. The facility is first class, and the Somerset Patriots organization goes the extra mile to give their fans a classic American baseball experience,” said Mark Caliguire, Somerset County Freeholder Director.
TD Bank Ballpark, the “Jewel of the Atlantic League,” has been for 15 years, the premier family and community destination in Central New Jersey.
The 6,100-seat ballpark is owned by Somerset County and run by the Somerset Patriots, who have consistently drawn over 5,300 fans per game and 370,000 fans per season since 1999.
The Patriots’ home had it’s official groundbreaking at what is now home plate on April 29, 1998 with a special ceremony that included team representatives and Somerset County elected officials. The ballpark was designed by Clarke Caton & Hintz and SSP Architectural Group and built by Epic Construction.
A little over a year after the groundbreaking, the ballpark opened for business on June 7, 1999 as Somerset Ballpark.
Renamed Commerce Bank Ballpark in July of 2000 during the first of two Atlantic League All-Star Games held at the location, the Patriots and Commerce Bank’s partnership was one of the largest minor league baseball naming rights agreements in the country.
With Commerce Bank becoming TD Bank, the ballpark name was changed to TD Bank Ballpark in April of 2009.
Over the years, the Patriots have set single game attendance records multiple times, most recently on July 3, 2009 with 8,537 fans.
The ballpark has been honored with two selections in Baseball America’s “Great Ballparks” calendars in 2000 and 2005. The league also named TD Bank Ballpark the “Ballpark of the Year” for the 2007 season.
In addition to 70 Patriots home games, the ballpark is a multi-use facility that has been the home to several events. TD Bank Ballpark has hosted college baseball championship tournaments for the Big East and the Northeast Conference. Each year, the ballpark is the site for the Somerset County Baseball Championships and several high school games used as fundraisers for the participating schools.
Other sporting events held at the location have included Sky Blue FC Women’s Professional Soccer games, Major League Lacrosse, and Professional Cricket.
TD Bank Ballpark is also the home of several community events, including The American Diabetes Association’s Step Out Walk To Fight Diabetes and Operation Shoebox New Jersey packing events
Somerset County Park Commission has used the ballpark to host concerts over the past decade that have included big name acts such as Jessica Simpson, Willie Nelson, Jerry Lee Lewis and Tony Bennett.
TD Bank Ballpark has also been the site for The Big Apple Circus every March before the start of the baseball season.
