(2001–present) Left field – 330 ft (100 m) Left-center – 375 ft (114 m) (not posted) Center field – 400 ft (120 m) Right-center – 375 ft (114 m) (not posted) Right field – 335 ft (102 m) Backstop – 60 ft (18 m) Outfield wall height – 8 ft (2.4 m)
8,000 square foot Center field HD video board 60 feet (18 m) × 134 feet (41 m) (2016–present) 2,500 square foot auxiliary video boards in Right & Left Field (2016–present) LED Ribbon Board, facade of the 500 level (2018–present) Fan Deck Ribbon Board (2003–present)
Construction
Broke ground
May 7, 1989 (1989-05-07)
Built
1989–1990
Opened
April 18, 1991 (1991-04-18)
Renovated
2001–2012, 2015–2019
Construction cost
US$137 million[3] ($306 million in 2023 dollars[4])
US$118 million (2001–2007 renovations) ($173 million in 2023 dollars[4])
Guaranteed Rate Field, formerly Comiskey Park and U.S. Cellular Field, is a
baseballstadium located on the
South Side of Chicago, Illinois, United States. It is the
ballpark of
Major League Baseball’s
Chicago White Sox, one of the city's two MLB teams, and is owned by the state of Illinois through the Illinois Sports Facilities Authority. Completed at a cost of US$137 million, the park opened as Comiskey Park on April 18,
1991, taking its name from the
former ballpark at which the White Sox had played since
1910.
Guaranteed Rate Field is situated just to the west of the
Dan Ryan Expressway in Chicago's
Armour Square neighborhood, adjacent to the more famous neighborhood of
Bridgeport. The stadium was built directly across 35th Street from the original Comiskey Park, which was demolished to make room for a parking lot for the new venue. The location of Old Comiskey's home plate is represented by a marble plaque on the sidewalk next to Guaranteed Rate Field, with the foul lines painted in the parking lot. The spectator ramp across 35th Street is designed in such a way (partly curved, partly straight but angling east-northeast) that it echoes the contour of the old first-base grandstand.
History
View from the upper deck during construction, September 1990
The stadium was the first new major sporting facility built in Chicago since
Chicago Stadium in 1929. It was also the last one built before the wave of new "
retro-classic" ballparks in the 1990s and 2000s.
A few design features from the old Comiskey Park were retained. The front facade of the park features arched windows. The "exploding scoreboard" pays homage to the original, installed by
Bill Veeck at the old park in 1960. The original field dimensions and seating configuration were very similar to those of Royals Stadium (now
Kauffman Stadium) in
Kansas City, which had been the last baseball-only park built in the majors, in 1973.
As originally built, the park was criticized by many fans because of the height of the upper deck. The original architect, HOK Sport (now
Populous), wanted to eliminate the overhang problems present in many stadiums built since the 1970s. With this in mind, the upper deck was set back over the lower deck, and the stands rose fairly gradually. While it gave nearly every seat in the upper level an unobstructed view of the field, it also created one of the highest upper decks in baseball. The first row of seats in the upper deck of the new stadium is as far from the field as the highest row of seats in the upper deck at the old stadium. Due to the field being practically at street level, the original upper deck made the park look like a
cookie-cutter stadium from the outside. Fans sitting in this area did not get much chance for relief, as it was one of the few parks in Major League Baseball that did not allow fans sitting in the upper deck to venture anywhere else in the park, such as the lower deck concourse.
New Comiskey Park on opening day, April 18, 1991
In response to fan complaints, the stadium has undergone numerous renovations since the
2001 season in order to retrofit the facility to current architectural trends. These changes have included building a multi-tiered concourse beyond center field, adjusting the fences to make the outfield less symmetrical, and most significantly, the removal of 6,600 seats at the top of the upper deck.
The uppermost tier of the park now has a white and black screen behind the top row of seats, and is topped by a flat canopy roof supported by black steel truss supports that obstruct the view of a few seats. The original blue seats were also replaced by forest green seats. The new green and black color scheme, upper-level screen set back from the outer wall and canopy roof are reminiscent of the old Comiskey Park, as well as other classic baseball stadiums. Murals to the interior concourses were also added, a prominent feature of the old stadium.
The stadium houses 103
luxury suites located on two levels, as well as 1,822 "
club seats" on 300-level mezzanine between the lower deck and upper deck. The club seats receive in-seat wait-staff, and benefit from an enclosed concourse with multiple television viewing areas and bar-style concessions. The stadium has 400 wheelchair-accessible seats, 38 public
restrooms, 12
escalators, and 15
elevators. The new suites were one example of why the old Comiskey Park was demolished, as suites generate more revenue.
Naming rights
Originally called Comiskey Park, the stadium was renamed U.S. Cellular Field in
2003, after Chicago-based telecommunications company
U.S. Cellular purchased the
naming rights at US$68 million for 20 years.[8] U.S. Cellular would later pay $13 million to end the agreement seven years early, saving an estimated $10.8 million.[9] The stadium's current name was announced on October 31, 2016, after the Chicago-based private residential mortgage company
Guaranteed Rate purchased the naming rights in a 13-year deal.[10][11] It was later revealed that Guaranteed Rate would pay $20.4 million over ten years for the 13-year agreement. This translates to an average payment of $2.4 million, less than U.S. Cellular's yearly payment of $3.4 million as well as below the average MLB naming rights payment of $3.6 million at the time of the deal's signing.[12]
Attractions and features
Flickering LED Lights: The White Sox use the flickering LED Lights feature for whenever the team takes the field before the first pitch, hits a Home Run, or wins a game. They also used the feature for whenever their closer,
Liam Hendriks, comes out of the bullpen.
Fan Deck: A panoramic view of the playing field on the two-tiered Fan Deck atop the center field concession stands. Fan Deck includes catered food and beverage service consisting of chicken sandwiches, hot dogs, hamburgers, potato chips, popcorn, beer, soda, and water. Fan deck can accommodate around 150 people.
Miller Lite Landing: A 326-seat section in right field that features running water fixtures on all four sides, individual seating, spaces for group parties and a standing room area where fans can interact near the outfield concourse. The first few rows of the section includes cushioned seats, device charging ports, television screens and more.
Craft Kave: A two-tiered, open-air section located in right field next to the visitor's bullpen with food and drinks.
Rain Rooms: A place where fans can cool off during hot game days. Near section 107 & 537.
Kids Zone: Located in left field. This 15,000-square-foot (1,400 m2) area is devoted to young White Sox fans, providing them with the opportunity to learn the fundamentals of baseball. It features a youth-sized whiffle ball diamond for coaching clinics, batting and pitching cages, batting "swing" boxes for proper batting techniques and areas for base running and skills instruction.
Speed Pitch Machines: Near section 155 and 522
Shower: A carry-over from old Comiskey Park where fans can cool off during hot gamedays. Near Section 160.
Scout Seats: Located directly behind home plate and contains 314 leather seats.
The Patio: Located just behind the right center field fence at field level. The patio serves for group outings such as the Craft Kave and can accommodate from 50 to 100 people.
Home Plate Club: Located behind home plate. Features include a restaurant buffet, open bar, open air seating in padded, extra-wide 22" seats, private restrooms, flat-screen televisions throughout the club and seating area, private elevator entrance behind home plate at Gate 4, early admittance into the ballpark for select games to watch White Sox batting practice from the outfield.
The site of the home plate of (Old) Comiskey Park in 2007
#SoxSocial Tap Room: The Tap Room is open to all guests with a game ticket until the last out of each game. The Tap Room is accessible by the stairs located outside Section 157.
Pizza Pub: Fans can enjoy pizza straight out of the oven along with full bar options and a new seating area. Located near Section 163.
Xfinity Zone: Located outside Section 109. Fans can order food and beverages, watch sports on the big screen.
Scoreboard Shop: The Scoreboard Shop, formerly 47 Shop, offering souvenirs, hats and apparel from years past to today, is open on game days only. Located in front of the Fan Deck in the middle of Sections 101 and 164, directly under the HD video scoreboard.
Home Plate Shop: The Home Plate Shop, offering a wide variety of White Sox merchandise, is open on game days only. Located behind home plate on the 100 Level at Section 133.
New Era Cap Corner: Baseball caps of all colors, styles and sizes in a wide variety of team logos, is open on game days only. Located on the 100 level at Section 157.
Jim Thome Plaque: Located on the center field fan deck. The description of the plaque reads "On June 4, 2008, Chicago White Sox slugger Jim Thome became the first player ever to hit a baseball onto the Fan Deck of U.S. Cellular Field as the Sox beat the Kansas City Royals. He duplicated the tape-measure feat on September 30, 2008 as the White Sox beat the Minnesota Twins, 1–0, in a one-game playoff to win the American League Central Division championship."
The Two Blue Seats: The seats where Paul Konerko's Grand Slam (left field in section 159) and Scott Podsednik's game-winning home run (right center first row in section 101) that landed in game two of the 2005 World Series are the same original blue seats in use at that game.
White Sox Champions Brick Plaza: Located at the main entrance to the park, (Gate 4). The plaza is dedicated to the 2005 World Series Champion White Sox and their fans. Each legacy brick is inscribed with a personalized message that has become part of a new baseball diamond-shaped plaza outside the main entrance to the ballpark. A life-sized white bronze and granite sculpture celebrating the 2005 White Sox World Series Championship that stands at the center of the plaza, with a historical timeline of the franchise along the diamond's base paths. The statue weighs over 25 tons.
Old
Comiskey Park's home plate: Located just north of the park by Gate 5 in Lot B.
"ChiSox Bar and Grill": A multi-level restaurant and bar located inside of Gate 5. The establishment features both indoor and outdoor seating and a wide variety of food, drinks, and entertainment.
Chicago Sports Depot: A Chicago White Sox, Bears, Blackhawks, Bulls, and Fire merchandise store located next to ChiSox Bar and Grill at Gate 5. An entrance on the 100 level at Section 145 allows visitors to enter the store and shop during the game.
Renovations and additions
1996–1999
1996 – A bullpen bar was added in right field.
1998 – The batter's eye was painted from blue to black.
1999 – A new
Bill Veeck-esque showerhead in left field and a "Rain Room" in right field for fans to cool off during hot summertime games.
Main concourse upgraded with brick facade, stainless steel counter tops and decorative lighting.
Club-level concourse enclosed and carpeted with heating, air conditioning and comfortable seating areas throughout.
Party deck was added in center field, just below the scoreboard and above the batter's eye.
Phase III (2003 season)
U.S. Cellular Field in 2003 with the new video board and fan deck
Scoreboard and video boards were upgraded.
Full-color, high resolution 28 × 53-foot (16 m) video screen added to center field scoreboard.
Two 300-foot (91 m)-long, 5-foot (1.5 m)-high video LED "ribbon" boards added along the upper deck facade.
Design upgrades consistent with the lower deck finished on outfield and upper deck concourses.
Fan Deck, featuring food and beverage service in an elevated patio-like atmosphere, built on center field concourse.
Outfield steel framework and underside of canopy roof painted dark gray; concrete in seating areas and on pedestrian ramps stained gray.
A life size bronze statue of
Charles Comiskey was placed on the center field concourse behind section 100.
Capacity is increased from 45,936 to 47,098.
Phase III renovations cost approximately $20 million.
Phase IV (2004 season)
U.S. Cellular Field in 2004 with the new roof and lightingA translucent wall in the upper deck was added in 2004 to block the elements.
Upper Deck Seating Area – Eight rows and 6,600 seats were removed from the top of the ballpark's upper deck.
A flat roof, elevated 20 feet (6.1 m) above the seating area, has replaced the old sloped canopy-style roof, covering 13 of the 21 rows of seating.
Upper Deck Concourse was partially enclosed from the weather by a translucent wall.
Fan Deck in center field upgraded to feature tiered seating and standing room.
Lower Terrace balcony added to provide an additional party area and outdoor seating.
The outfield wall was redone with pictures of White Sox players who've had their number retired.
A life sized bronze statue of
Minnie Miñoso placed on the center field concourse behind section 164.
Capacity is decreased from 47,098 to 40,615.
Phase IV renovations cost approximately $28 million.
Phase V (2005 season)
U.S. Cellular Field in 2005, with the new Fundamentals Deck in left field
314-seat "Scout" seating area directly behind home plate added.
FUNdamentals Deck, an area for kids to work on various baseball skills, was added above the left field concourse.
Green seats, modeled after those in the original
Comiskey Park, replaced the old blue seats in the Club level and some scattered areas around home plate. The bleachers in left-center field were painted green.
A bronze statue of
Carlton Fisk was placed on the center field concourse behind section 164 on August 7.
Phase VI (2006 season)
Green seats reminiscent of those in the original Comiskey Park replaced the old blue seats in the entire Upper Deck and the Lower Deck between the dugouts.
Enclosed, ground level restaurant was completed, providing a lounge and dining area for the Scout Seats.
New banners were hung down on the outfield light towers. One for the
2005 World Series, one for the
1906 and
1917 World Series, one for all White Sox
American League pennants, and one for all the division championships.
The flags for these titles, now on the banners, were replaced with flags of all the Sox logos in club history.
Bronze statues of
Nellie Fox and
Luis Aparicio were placed on the center field concourse behind section 100.
Phase VII (2007 season)
U.S. Cellular Field in 2007
Green seats replaced the old blue seats in the Lower Deck from the dugouts and the entire outfield seating area (including the left-center field bleachers which were previously renovated). The green seats between the dugout and the foul poles have been slightly turned, re-directing them toward the center of the field. (Visually Re-Directed Seats)
The seats where
Paul Konerko's Grand Slam (left field) and
Scott Podsednik's walk off home run (right center first row) landed in game two of the
2005 World Series are the same original blue seats in use at that game and stand out from the all-green seats.
The Scoreboard in right field was painted green.
A new premium seating/restaurant named the
Jim Beam Club (known as the Home Plate Club as of 2014)[18] was added in the former press box behind home plate on the stadium's Diamond Suites 200 Level.
A new press box was added on the first base side on the Diamond Suites 400 Level. The facility features 32 flat-screen televisions, wireless internet access and seating for 100 working members of the media.
A bronze statue of
Billy Pierce was placed on the center field concourse behind section 164 on July 23.
A Thome Ticker counting down to
Jim Thome's 500th career home run (hit on September 16 against the
Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim). The ticker was located in right field on the right advertising board, and was taken down after the 2007 season.
The beginning of the White Sox Champions brick plaza in front of the stadium (Gate 4) and Phase I of brick sales.
Extensive renovations (2008–present)
Renovations were added that were not part of the original plan:
2008 season
Champions Plaza
The Illinois Sports Facilities Authority unveiled the first environmentally friendly
permeable paving parking lot to be used by a Major League sports facility on April 8. The new lot (Lot L) saves taxpayer money by substantially reducing the amount of water entering Chicago's stormwater system, improving overall water quality and help reduce the
Urban heat island effect.
The White Sox Legacy Brick Program unveiled its brick plaza outside Gate 4 on April 11. Each Legacy Brick is inscribed with a personalized message and has become part of a new baseball diamond-shaped plaza outside the main entrance to the ballpark. A white, bronze and granite sculpture weighing over 25 tons that celebrates the 2005 White Sox World Series championship stands at the center of the plaza, with a historical timeline of the franchise along the diamond's base paths. Players on the sculpture from the 2005 team are
Paul Konerko,
Joe Crede,
Orlando Hernández,
Geoff Blum, and
Juan Uribe.
Plasma flatscreen television sets were added throughout the outfield concourse and at the top of its beer concession stands.
A bronze statue of
Harold Baines was placed on the right field concourse behind Section 105 on July 20.
2009 season
Out-of-town video board (2009–2015)
About $15 million in renovations were made to Gate 5 (north of 35th Street) to improve access to the park. The demolition (beginning of November 2008) of the easternmost portion of the pedestrian ramp and removal of the top two levels of the easternmost foot bridge across 35th Street, reducing it to one level with continuing access to the park on the main concourse level. The second foot bridge at Gate 5, about 75 yards (69 m) west of the east bridge, continues to offer access to the park on three levels. The project also included installation of escalators in a new, weather-protected enclosure and installation of elevators which provide additional access for fans with disabilities. The project was completed by opening day on April 7, when the White Sox defeated the
Kansas City Royals 4–2.
Inside the park, a new scoreboard (23 ft x 68 ft) with 913,000 LED lights (similar to
Tropicana Field) replaced the older out-of-town scoreboard in right field. In addition to displaying both lineups (that of the Sox and their opponents) the board showed season stats for the current batter and pitcher. It also served as an upgrade to the old "around-the-league" scoreboard that it replaced. While the old scoreboard showed only the current innings, scores, and pitchers' jersey numbers, the new board was capable of showing balls, strikes, outs, locations of any baserunners, and the current batter and pitcher by last name instead of by number. A slight disadvantage is that the new board only showed four games at a time in this manner, whereas the old board showed every game in progress simultaneously.
A small plaque honoring
Jim Thome located on the center field fan deck for his 464-foot (141 m) home run shot that landed there, becoming the first player ever to do so on June 4, 2008. The White Sox defeated the
Royals in that game. Thome duplicated this feat again on September 30, 2008, in a one-game playoff against AL Central rival
Minnesota Twins. His home run proved to be the game winner in a 1–0 shutout to win the AL Central.
For White Sox players, a new hydrotherapy room with three combinational hot-and-cold whirlpool tubs. An underwater treadmill that can curb problems relating to the abdominals, back and knee and strengthens the muscles and hip, is installed in one of the tubs.
"The Catch" was written on the left-center field wall above
Billy Pierce's image (now above a blank wall), at the location where
DeWayne Wise made a catch to rob
Gabe Kapler of a 9th-inning home run and ensure
Mark Buehrle's perfect game on July 23, 2009.
2010–present
2010 season
A new outdoor Beer Garden named "TBD's" was installed by July 26 (when the White Sox hosted the
Seattle Mariners) at Gate 5. The area served beer, wine, soda, and water, and also had 12 flat-screen TVs. TBD's was taken down and replaced by "ChiSox Bar and Grill" in 2011.[19] The restaurant was open at 11 AM on gamedays. Although it is technically outside the park and accessible with or without a game ticket, fans must be 21 or older to enter. Home Plate Club opens behind home plate
Frank Thomas' number and picture were added to the outfield wall as his number was retired.[20]
2011 season
Gate 5 entrance, restaurant and bar
A new Metra station (
Jones/Bronzeville) on the
Rock Island line (designed by Infrastructure Engineering, Inc.) worth $7.9 million was planned to be opened in 2009, but due to a year-long delay of construction, the station opened in 2011 after groundbreaking on June 29, 2009. The new station is located East of the ballpark just beyond the I-90/I-94 Dan Ryan Expressway.
A multi-level restaurant and bar inside Gate 5 called "ChiSox Bar and Grill" (formerly known as
Bacardi at the Park). The establishment features both indoor and outdoor seating and a wide variety of food, drinks, and entertainment for Guaranteed Rate Field guests that started in April 2011. "ChiSox Bar and Grill" is open during the baseball season, but plans made the restaurant and bar a year-round establishment.[21][22]
A bronze statue of
Frank Thomas was unveiled on July 31, against the
Boston Red Sox. It is the eighth statue to be placed on the outfield concourse.
2012 season
Chicago Sports Depot, a new merchandise store, opened on November 19, 2011, right next to Gate 5 and ChiSox Bar and Grill.[23]
2014 season
A bronze statue of
Paul Konerko was unveiled on September 27, against the
Kansas City Royals. It is the ninth statue to be placed on the outfield concourse.
2016 season
2016 renovations with new HD scoreboards
Three new HD video boards were installed before the start of the 2016 season at a cost of $7.3 million.[3] The auxiliary boards in left and right field, and the main video board in center, were all replaced with new HD screens. The project was funded via the Sox' capital repairs budget.[24]
2018 season
The visitor's clubhouse was renovated to meet up to date technology.
A virtual reality home run derby batting cage was installed in the Chicago Sports Depot.
A 30-foot (9.1 m) high safety netting has been extended to the outfield end of both dugouts, or from section 122 to 142.
A new LED ribbon board was extended to run the entire length of the grandstand, meaning the retired numbers that resided behind home plate had to be moved to the first and third-base lines.[25]
2019 season
A 326-seat section dubbed "The
Goose Island" (now known as the "
Miller Lite Landing") replaced sections 106 and 107 in right field. The section includes running water fixtures on all four sides to create the "island" of beer and baseball. The section also features individual seating, spaces for group parties and a standing room area where fans can interact near the outfield concourse. The first few rows of the section also provide a "modernized" game day experience with cushioned seats, device charging ports, television screens and more. The revamped section expanded the presence of Goose Island, which is owned by beverage conglomerate
Anheuser-Busch InBev, inside the stadium. The previously known Craft Cave became the Goose Island Craft Cave. Formerly a 10 foot (3.0 m) Goose Island tap statue overlooked the stadium from the special section. The section opened by opening day on April 4.[26]
An extension of the safety netting from the dugouts to foul poles was completed during the 2019 season.[27]
2021 season
The White Sox added the flickering LED lights for whenever the team either comes out of their dugout before the first pitch, hits a home run, wins a game, or whenever their closer comes out of the bullpen.[28]
2023 season
The White Sox added two new viewing bars in the 500 level prior to the start of the 2023 season. To accomplish this, eight rows of seats in the two 500-level sections had to be removed. According to the website that released the permit, the project cost was approximately $284,500. Located near Sections 516 and 548, the bars feature walk-up beverage service with seating offering excellent views of the field, creating new amenities for all fans on the 500-level concourse. [29][30]
Retired numbers
There are 12 retired numbers on the facade of the 1st and 3rd base sides of the 300 level.
Baines' number was retired after he was traded to the
Texas Rangers midway through 1989. The number was unretired for him in 1996 and 2000 when he returned as a player, and in 2004 as an assistant hitting coach. Hall of Fame (2019)
Guaranteed Rate Field can be reached by using the
CTA's "L" Rapid Transit system. The stadium's station stops are
Sox–35th for the Red Line and
35-Bronzeville-IIT for the Green Line. The Red Line is also used by Cubs fans to reach
Wrigley Field (
Addison Station) on the North side of Chicago. (When the White Sox take on the Cubs every year, usually in June, many fans will use the Red-Line to get to the games. The series is dubbed the Cross-Town Classic or the Windy City Showdown.)
A new Metra station (
35th Street), which helps fans with more accessibility, opened on the
Rock Island line in 2011. It is also accessible by CTA bus route #35 (31st/35th Street) and the suburban
Pace Guaranteed Rate Field Express shuttle service.
Guaranteed Rate is just west of the I-90/94 Dan Ryan Expressway. The "Dan Ryan" was under construction in 2006–2007 in hopes of relieving traffic congestion.
The ballpark has eight main parking lots.
The ballpark has seven main entrances:
Gate 1 is located on the South side of the park in right field
Gate 2 is located on the Southwest side of the park down the right field
Gate 3 is located on the West side of the park on the 1st
Gate 4 is on the Northwest side of the park behind home
Gate 5 is located on the North side of the park on the 3rd base
Gate 6 is located on the Northeast side of the park down the left field
Gate 7 is located on the East side of the park in left field.
The main level is accessible only to fans who have a ticket to a seat in the lower level.[32]
April 18, 1991: The inaugural game of the ballpark. The White Sox were defeated by the
Detroit Tigers 16–0. Attendance: 42,191
April 22, 1991:
Frank Thomas hits the first White Sox home run in new Comiskey Park as the Sox defeat the
Baltimore Orioles, 8–7, in the first night contest in the new ballpark. Attendance: (30,480)
September 27, 1993: White Sox clinch the American League West Division with a 4–2 victory against the
Seattle Mariners giving them their first postseason berth since 1983. Attendance: (42,116)
October 5, 1993: New Comiskey hosted its first ever playoff game, game 1 of the
1993 ALCS. The Sox lost to the
Toronto Blue Jays, 7–3. The park also played host to games 2 and 6 of the series, which the Sox lost, four games to two. Attendance: (46,246)
September 14, 1997:
Carlton Fisk's number 72 was retired by the White Sox as the Sox played the
Cleveland Indians. The Sox would lose 8–3. Attendance: (32,485)
2000s
September 13, 2002: The
Rolling Stones, on their
Licks Tour, play the first-ever concert held in the stadium.
July 25, 2003: White Sox hall of famer
Frank Thomas hits his 400th career MLB homerun against the
Tampa Bay Devil Rays off of pitcher
Jorge Sosa becoming the 36th player in MLB history to do it. Attendance: (22,617)
September 13–14, 2004: U.S. Cellular Field hosts two games between the
Florida Marlins and the
Montreal Expos, due to
Hurricane Ivan in
Florida. The Marlins sweep by scores of 6–3 and 8–6. The series would return to Florida to finish the last three games, with the Expos taking two. Game 1 attendance: (4,003). Game 2 attendance: (5,457)
August 7, 2005: A life-sized bronze statue of catcher
Carlton Fisk is unveiled on the center-field concourse behind section 164. The White Sox defeat the
Seattle Mariners 3–1. Attendance: (35,706)
October 23, 2005: The stadium hosted game 2 of the 2005 World Series the following day between the White Sox and Astros. The White Sox were trailing the Astros 4–2 in the bottom of the 7th. The White Sox had the bases loaded for
Paul Konerko after the Astros brought in
Chad Qualls to help them get out of the jam. Konerko would hit a Grand Slam on the first pitch from Qualls to put the White Sox up 6–4. They would hold the lead until the 9th inning when closer
Bobby Jenks had a blown save and allowed Astros pinch-hitter
José Vizcaíno to tie the game on the first pitch with a 2 RBI single. In the bottom of the 9th, the Astros were attempting to force extra innings when
Scott Podsednik, who hit zero Home Runs during the regular season, hit a walk-off Home Run off
Brad Lidge to win the game for the White Sox 7–6 and take a 2–0 Series lead. The White Sox would win the next two games in Houston to win the World Series, their first since
1917. Attendance: (41,432)
October 28, 2005: After winning the 2005 World Series, the team's victory parade begins at U.S. Cellular Field, players boarding double-decker buses that travel north to downtown Chicago. A throng estimated at more than 200,000 celebrates the first
White Sox championship since 1917.
April 2, 2006: The Sox open the 2006 season with the unveiling of their
2005 World Series Championship banner on the left-center light tower. Three other banners are placed on the other light towers: One for the
1906 and
1917 World Series championships by the Sox on the far left tower. The one on the right-center tower is for all the team's American League Championships. The one on the far right is for all the division championships. The Sox defeat the
Cleveland Indians 10–4. Attendance: (38,802)
April 18, 2007:
Mark Buehrle tossed a
no-hitter against the
Texas Rangers with it being the first no-hitter in the stadium, the 16th in franchise history, and the first no-hitter in franchise history since
Wilson Álvarez in 1991. Attendance: (25,390)
September 16, 2007: Hall of famer
Jim Thome hits his 500th career homerun in walk-off fashion to win it 9–7 against the
Los Angeles Angels off of pitcher
Dustin Moseley. Thome became the first player in MLB history to hit his 500th career homerun in walk-off fashion and being the 23rd player in MLB history to join the
500 home run club as well as the first and only to do it in a White Sox uniform. Attendance: (29,010)
April 8, 2008: The Illinois Sports Facilities Authority unveil the first environmentally friendly permeable paving parking lot to be used by a Major League sports facility in parking lot L.
April 11, 2008: The White Sox dedicate their new brick plaza to the 2005 World Series Champions and their fans. The Sox are defeated by the
Detroit Tigers 5–2. Attendance: (26,094)
July 20, 2008: A life-sized bronze statue of
Harold Baines is unveiled on the center-field concourse behind section 105. The Sox are defeated by the
Kansas City Royals 8–7 and
Jim Thome of the Sox collects his 2,000th career hit. Attendance: (32,269)
August 14, 2008: White Sox hit four consecutive home runs against the Kansas City Royals with the batters being
Jim Thome,
Paul Konerko,
Alexei Ramírez, and
Juan Uribe off of
Joel Peralta and
Rob Tejeda. It was the 6th time in MLB history that an MLB hit four consecutive home runs and the first time its ever happened in franchise history. Attendance: (32,788).
September 29, 2008: White Sox came into a big game. If the White Sox won, they force an AL Central tiebreaker game against the
Minnesota Twins the next day. The White Sox won the game 8–2 against the Detroit Tigers with rookie Alexei Ramírez hitting a go-ahead grand slam in the 6th. Attendance: (35,923)
September 30, 2008: U.S. Cellular Field hosted the
2008 American League Central tie-breaker game between the Minnesota Twins and the Chicago White Sox. The game decided who would win the American League Central and would face the
Tampa Bay Rays in the
American League Division Series. White Sox fans were encouraged to wear all black at the game to show their support which they would do. The game was a pitching duel between
John Danks of the White Sox and
Nick Blackburn of the Twins until the 7th when Jim Thome hit a go-ahead home run off of Blackburn to give the White Sox a 1–0 lead. The game would end on a diving catch by White Sox outfielder
Brian Anderson and the White Sox won 1–0 and clinched the AL Central Division. The White Sox would lose to the eventual American League champion Tampa Bay Rays in four games in the ALDS. Attendance: (40,354)
July 23, 2009: The
first perfect game and second no-hitter at U.S. Cellular Field.
Mark Buehrle strikes out six batters and records 11 ground ball outs to get a perfect game against the
Tampa Bay Rays. The perfect game included an amazing play by White Sox outfielder
DeWayne Wise, who came in as a defensive replacement, where he robbed a home run from
Gabe Kapler in the top of the 9th. It is the second no-hitter of Buehrle's career, the last occurring on April 18, 2007, against the
Texas Rangers. He is the first player since
Hideo Nomo to throw multiple no-hitters, and the first to throw a perfect game since
Randy Johnson did it May 18, 2004 against the
Atlanta Braves at
Turner Field. In a remarkable coincidence, Buehrle's first no-hitter was 2 hours and 3 minutes and Buehrle's second was just as long. Another coincidence was home plate umpire (#56, same as Buehrle's)
Eric Cooper who called both Buehrle's no-hitters. Yet another coincidence is that
Ramón Castro, who caught for Buehrle, wears the No. 27 on his jersey, the number of consecutive outs needed for a perfect game. It was also Cooper's third no-hitter called with his first one with
Hideo Nomo on April 4, 2001. Attendance: (28,036)
2010s
August 29, 2010: The
White Sox host
Frank Thomas Day at the ballpark against the
New York Yankees. Thomas's jersey is retired, along with his image posted on the legends' wall in left-center field next to
Billy Pierce on his left and
Carlton Fisk on his right, and also right under "The Catch" logo. Yankees defeat the Sox 2–1. Attendance: (39,433)
May 3, 2011:
Minnesota Twins pitcher
Francisco Liriano throws a no-hitter against the White Sox. It was the Twins' 7th no-hitter in franchise history and the first no-hitter in franchise history since
Eric Milton in 1999. Attendance: (20,901)
July 31, 2011: The White Sox unveil a replica statue of
Frank Thomas on the outfield concourse behind section 160. The White Sox lose to the
Boston Red Sox 5–3. Attendance: (28,278)
September 27, 2014:
Paul Konerko is honored before the game for his retirement from baseball. A statue of him is unveiled on the left-field concourse next to
Frank Thomas' Statue. Konerko was the last member of the 2005 Champion White Sox left on the team at the time of his retirement. The Sox defeat the
Kansas City Royals 5–4. Attendance: (38,160)
May 23, 2015:
Paul Konerko's number 14 is retired by the White Sox with a pregame ceremony. He became the 10th player to have his number retired by the White Sox. The White Sox were defeated by the
Minnesota Twins 4–3. Attendance: (38,714)
June 24, 2017:
Mark Buehrle's number 56 is retired by the White Sox with a pregame ceremony. Buehrle becomes the 11th player in White Sox history to have a retired number. The White Sox were defeated by the
Oakland Athletics 10–2. Attendance: (38,618)
September 2, 2018: White Sox host Hawk Harrelson day to honor their announcer
Ken Harrelson in his final year of commentating. The White Sox would beat the
Boston Red Sox 8–0. Attendance: (30,745)
September 23, 2018: White Sox announcer Ken Harrelson would call his final game as a broadcaster. White Sox would lose to the
Chicago Cubs 6–1. After the game, teams and fans from both sides gave Hawk one final standing ovation and a tip of the cap as a thank you. Attendance: (39,449)
2020s
August 16, 2020: White Sox hit four consecutive home runs against the
St. Louis Cardinals with the batters being
Yoán Moncada,
Yasmani Grandal,
José Abreu, and
Eloy Jiménez off of pitcher
Roel Ramírez, who was making his MLB debut that day. It was 10th time in MLB history a team hit four consecutive home runs and the second time in franchise history. Attendance: No in–person attendance due to
COVID-19 pandemic.
August 25, 2020: White Sox pitcher
Lucas Giolito throws a no-hitter against the
Pittsburgh Pirates. The no-hitter was the 19th in White Sox history. Attendance: No in–person attendance due to COVID-19 pandemic.
September 17, 2020: White Sox clinch a playoff berth for the first time since 2008 with a 4–3 win against the Minnesota Twins. Attendance: No in–person attendance due to COVID-19 pandemic.
April 14, 2021: White Sox pitcher
Carlos Rodón pitched a no-hitter against the
Cleveland Indians. Rodón had a perfect game going into the 9th and got the first out with an amazing stretch play by José Abreu before he hit
Roberto Pérez in the foot ending his chances of a perfect game. Rodón retired the next two batters he faced completing the 20th no-hitter in franchise history. Attendance: (7,148) Limited in–person attendance due to COVID-19 pandemic.
May 25, 2021: Long time Major League Baseball umpire
Joe West umpired his 5,376th game passing
Bill Klem for most games ever umpired. Attendance: (16,380) Limited in–person attendance due to COVID-19 pandemic.
July 31, 2021: White Sox catcher
Seby Zavala became the first player in MLB history to hit his first three career home runs in the same game. The White Sox lost to the Cleveland Indians 12–11. Attendance: 35,866
October 10, 2021: Guaranteed Rate Field hosted its first playoff game since 2008 with game 3 of the
2021 American League Division Series between the
Houston Astros facing the White Sox with the Astros taking a 2–0 series lead and looking for a sweep. The game went back and forth in the first four innings with the White Sox scoring first in the first inning before the Astros answered with 5 of their own in the next two innings and took a 5–1 lead in the third. The White Sox answered with a 5 spot in the bottom of the third with home runs by Yasmani Grandal and
Leury García to take a 6–5 lead. The Astros tied it in the fourth before the White Sox answered with a 3 spot in the bottom of the fourth and eventually won the game 12–6 to force game 4 which they would lose. Attendance: (40,288)
May 9, 2022:
Cleveland Guardians'Josh Naylor became the first player in MLB history to hit two three-run home runs or grand slams in the ninth inning or later and the first player to have at least eight RBI in the eighth inning or later the same game. Naylor led a ninth inning comeback where the Guardians were down 8–2 to the White Sox where they rallied off 2 runs before Naylor came up to bat and crushed a game-tying grand slam. Naylor appeared in the top of 11th where the game was tied 9–9 and Naylor hit a go-ahead three run home run to give the Guardians a 12–9 win. Attendance: (17,168).
April 30, 2023: The White Sox were trailing 9–5 to the
Tampa Bay Rays in the bottom of the 9th and came back and won 12–9 with a 7 run inning that was capped off by a walk–off three–run home run by
Andrew Vaughan. The win snapped a 10–game losing streak. Attendance: (17,049)
August 23, 2023: Three spectators were injured by a stray bullet. The suspect "reportedly snuck the gun in past metal detectors hiding it in the folds of her belly fat."[33] A post-game concert was supposed to be held after the game for the I Love the 90s Tour with singers
Vanilla Ice,
Rob Base, and
Tone Loc to perform but that was cancelled for the reasoning being "technical issues."[34]
^"Attendance Records"(PDF). 2016 Chicago White Sox Media Guide. Major League Baseball Advanced Media, L.P. February 26, 2016. Retrieved November 1, 2016. U.S. Cellular Field capacity was 44,321 from 1991-2000, 47,522 in 2001, 47,098 in 2002-03 and 40,615 since 2004.
(2001–present) Left field – 330 ft (100 m) Left-center – 375 ft (114 m) (not posted) Center field – 400 ft (120 m) Right-center – 375 ft (114 m) (not posted) Right field – 335 ft (102 m) Backstop – 60 ft (18 m) Outfield wall height – 8 ft (2.4 m)
8,000 square foot Center field HD video board 60 feet (18 m) × 134 feet (41 m) (2016–present) 2,500 square foot auxiliary video boards in Right & Left Field (2016–present) LED Ribbon Board, facade of the 500 level (2018–present) Fan Deck Ribbon Board (2003–present)
Construction
Broke ground
May 7, 1989 (1989-05-07)
Built
1989–1990
Opened
April 18, 1991 (1991-04-18)
Renovated
2001–2012, 2015–2019
Construction cost
US$137 million[3] ($306 million in 2023 dollars[4])
US$118 million (2001–2007 renovations) ($173 million in 2023 dollars[4])
Guaranteed Rate Field, formerly Comiskey Park and U.S. Cellular Field, is a
baseballstadium located on the
South Side of Chicago, Illinois, United States. It is the
ballpark of
Major League Baseball’s
Chicago White Sox, one of the city's two MLB teams, and is owned by the state of Illinois through the Illinois Sports Facilities Authority. Completed at a cost of US$137 million, the park opened as Comiskey Park on April 18,
1991, taking its name from the
former ballpark at which the White Sox had played since
1910.
Guaranteed Rate Field is situated just to the west of the
Dan Ryan Expressway in Chicago's
Armour Square neighborhood, adjacent to the more famous neighborhood of
Bridgeport. The stadium was built directly across 35th Street from the original Comiskey Park, which was demolished to make room for a parking lot for the new venue. The location of Old Comiskey's home plate is represented by a marble plaque on the sidewalk next to Guaranteed Rate Field, with the foul lines painted in the parking lot. The spectator ramp across 35th Street is designed in such a way (partly curved, partly straight but angling east-northeast) that it echoes the contour of the old first-base grandstand.
History
View from the upper deck during construction, September 1990
The stadium was the first new major sporting facility built in Chicago since
Chicago Stadium in 1929. It was also the last one built before the wave of new "
retro-classic" ballparks in the 1990s and 2000s.
A few design features from the old Comiskey Park were retained. The front facade of the park features arched windows. The "exploding scoreboard" pays homage to the original, installed by
Bill Veeck at the old park in 1960. The original field dimensions and seating configuration were very similar to those of Royals Stadium (now
Kauffman Stadium) in
Kansas City, which had been the last baseball-only park built in the majors, in 1973.
As originally built, the park was criticized by many fans because of the height of the upper deck. The original architect, HOK Sport (now
Populous), wanted to eliminate the overhang problems present in many stadiums built since the 1970s. With this in mind, the upper deck was set back over the lower deck, and the stands rose fairly gradually. While it gave nearly every seat in the upper level an unobstructed view of the field, it also created one of the highest upper decks in baseball. The first row of seats in the upper deck of the new stadium is as far from the field as the highest row of seats in the upper deck at the old stadium. Due to the field being practically at street level, the original upper deck made the park look like a
cookie-cutter stadium from the outside. Fans sitting in this area did not get much chance for relief, as it was one of the few parks in Major League Baseball that did not allow fans sitting in the upper deck to venture anywhere else in the park, such as the lower deck concourse.
New Comiskey Park on opening day, April 18, 1991
In response to fan complaints, the stadium has undergone numerous renovations since the
2001 season in order to retrofit the facility to current architectural trends. These changes have included building a multi-tiered concourse beyond center field, adjusting the fences to make the outfield less symmetrical, and most significantly, the removal of 6,600 seats at the top of the upper deck.
The uppermost tier of the park now has a white and black screen behind the top row of seats, and is topped by a flat canopy roof supported by black steel truss supports that obstruct the view of a few seats. The original blue seats were also replaced by forest green seats. The new green and black color scheme, upper-level screen set back from the outer wall and canopy roof are reminiscent of the old Comiskey Park, as well as other classic baseball stadiums. Murals to the interior concourses were also added, a prominent feature of the old stadium.
The stadium houses 103
luxury suites located on two levels, as well as 1,822 "
club seats" on 300-level mezzanine between the lower deck and upper deck. The club seats receive in-seat wait-staff, and benefit from an enclosed concourse with multiple television viewing areas and bar-style concessions. The stadium has 400 wheelchair-accessible seats, 38 public
restrooms, 12
escalators, and 15
elevators. The new suites were one example of why the old Comiskey Park was demolished, as suites generate more revenue.
Naming rights
Originally called Comiskey Park, the stadium was renamed U.S. Cellular Field in
2003, after Chicago-based telecommunications company
U.S. Cellular purchased the
naming rights at US$68 million for 20 years.[8] U.S. Cellular would later pay $13 million to end the agreement seven years early, saving an estimated $10.8 million.[9] The stadium's current name was announced on October 31, 2016, after the Chicago-based private residential mortgage company
Guaranteed Rate purchased the naming rights in a 13-year deal.[10][11] It was later revealed that Guaranteed Rate would pay $20.4 million over ten years for the 13-year agreement. This translates to an average payment of $2.4 million, less than U.S. Cellular's yearly payment of $3.4 million as well as below the average MLB naming rights payment of $3.6 million at the time of the deal's signing.[12]
Attractions and features
Flickering LED Lights: The White Sox use the flickering LED Lights feature for whenever the team takes the field before the first pitch, hits a Home Run, or wins a game. They also used the feature for whenever their closer,
Liam Hendriks, comes out of the bullpen.
Fan Deck: A panoramic view of the playing field on the two-tiered Fan Deck atop the center field concession stands. Fan Deck includes catered food and beverage service consisting of chicken sandwiches, hot dogs, hamburgers, potato chips, popcorn, beer, soda, and water. Fan deck can accommodate around 150 people.
Miller Lite Landing: A 326-seat section in right field that features running water fixtures on all four sides, individual seating, spaces for group parties and a standing room area where fans can interact near the outfield concourse. The first few rows of the section includes cushioned seats, device charging ports, television screens and more.
Craft Kave: A two-tiered, open-air section located in right field next to the visitor's bullpen with food and drinks.
Rain Rooms: A place where fans can cool off during hot game days. Near section 107 & 537.
Kids Zone: Located in left field. This 15,000-square-foot (1,400 m2) area is devoted to young White Sox fans, providing them with the opportunity to learn the fundamentals of baseball. It features a youth-sized whiffle ball diamond for coaching clinics, batting and pitching cages, batting "swing" boxes for proper batting techniques and areas for base running and skills instruction.
Speed Pitch Machines: Near section 155 and 522
Shower: A carry-over from old Comiskey Park where fans can cool off during hot gamedays. Near Section 160.
Scout Seats: Located directly behind home plate and contains 314 leather seats.
The Patio: Located just behind the right center field fence at field level. The patio serves for group outings such as the Craft Kave and can accommodate from 50 to 100 people.
Home Plate Club: Located behind home plate. Features include a restaurant buffet, open bar, open air seating in padded, extra-wide 22" seats, private restrooms, flat-screen televisions throughout the club and seating area, private elevator entrance behind home plate at Gate 4, early admittance into the ballpark for select games to watch White Sox batting practice from the outfield.
The site of the home plate of (Old) Comiskey Park in 2007
#SoxSocial Tap Room: The Tap Room is open to all guests with a game ticket until the last out of each game. The Tap Room is accessible by the stairs located outside Section 157.
Pizza Pub: Fans can enjoy pizza straight out of the oven along with full bar options and a new seating area. Located near Section 163.
Xfinity Zone: Located outside Section 109. Fans can order food and beverages, watch sports on the big screen.
Scoreboard Shop: The Scoreboard Shop, formerly 47 Shop, offering souvenirs, hats and apparel from years past to today, is open on game days only. Located in front of the Fan Deck in the middle of Sections 101 and 164, directly under the HD video scoreboard.
Home Plate Shop: The Home Plate Shop, offering a wide variety of White Sox merchandise, is open on game days only. Located behind home plate on the 100 Level at Section 133.
New Era Cap Corner: Baseball caps of all colors, styles and sizes in a wide variety of team logos, is open on game days only. Located on the 100 level at Section 157.
Jim Thome Plaque: Located on the center field fan deck. The description of the plaque reads "On June 4, 2008, Chicago White Sox slugger Jim Thome became the first player ever to hit a baseball onto the Fan Deck of U.S. Cellular Field as the Sox beat the Kansas City Royals. He duplicated the tape-measure feat on September 30, 2008 as the White Sox beat the Minnesota Twins, 1–0, in a one-game playoff to win the American League Central Division championship."
The Two Blue Seats: The seats where Paul Konerko's Grand Slam (left field in section 159) and Scott Podsednik's game-winning home run (right center first row in section 101) that landed in game two of the 2005 World Series are the same original blue seats in use at that game.
White Sox Champions Brick Plaza: Located at the main entrance to the park, (Gate 4). The plaza is dedicated to the 2005 World Series Champion White Sox and their fans. Each legacy brick is inscribed with a personalized message that has become part of a new baseball diamond-shaped plaza outside the main entrance to the ballpark. A life-sized white bronze and granite sculpture celebrating the 2005 White Sox World Series Championship that stands at the center of the plaza, with a historical timeline of the franchise along the diamond's base paths. The statue weighs over 25 tons.
Old
Comiskey Park's home plate: Located just north of the park by Gate 5 in Lot B.
"ChiSox Bar and Grill": A multi-level restaurant and bar located inside of Gate 5. The establishment features both indoor and outdoor seating and a wide variety of food, drinks, and entertainment.
Chicago Sports Depot: A Chicago White Sox, Bears, Blackhawks, Bulls, and Fire merchandise store located next to ChiSox Bar and Grill at Gate 5. An entrance on the 100 level at Section 145 allows visitors to enter the store and shop during the game.
Renovations and additions
1996–1999
1996 – A bullpen bar was added in right field.
1998 – The batter's eye was painted from blue to black.
1999 – A new
Bill Veeck-esque showerhead in left field and a "Rain Room" in right field for fans to cool off during hot summertime games.
Main concourse upgraded with brick facade, stainless steel counter tops and decorative lighting.
Club-level concourse enclosed and carpeted with heating, air conditioning and comfortable seating areas throughout.
Party deck was added in center field, just below the scoreboard and above the batter's eye.
Phase III (2003 season)
U.S. Cellular Field in 2003 with the new video board and fan deck
Scoreboard and video boards were upgraded.
Full-color, high resolution 28 × 53-foot (16 m) video screen added to center field scoreboard.
Two 300-foot (91 m)-long, 5-foot (1.5 m)-high video LED "ribbon" boards added along the upper deck facade.
Design upgrades consistent with the lower deck finished on outfield and upper deck concourses.
Fan Deck, featuring food and beverage service in an elevated patio-like atmosphere, built on center field concourse.
Outfield steel framework and underside of canopy roof painted dark gray; concrete in seating areas and on pedestrian ramps stained gray.
A life size bronze statue of
Charles Comiskey was placed on the center field concourse behind section 100.
Capacity is increased from 45,936 to 47,098.
Phase III renovations cost approximately $20 million.
Phase IV (2004 season)
U.S. Cellular Field in 2004 with the new roof and lightingA translucent wall in the upper deck was added in 2004 to block the elements.
Upper Deck Seating Area – Eight rows and 6,600 seats were removed from the top of the ballpark's upper deck.
A flat roof, elevated 20 feet (6.1 m) above the seating area, has replaced the old sloped canopy-style roof, covering 13 of the 21 rows of seating.
Upper Deck Concourse was partially enclosed from the weather by a translucent wall.
Fan Deck in center field upgraded to feature tiered seating and standing room.
Lower Terrace balcony added to provide an additional party area and outdoor seating.
The outfield wall was redone with pictures of White Sox players who've had their number retired.
A life sized bronze statue of
Minnie Miñoso placed on the center field concourse behind section 164.
Capacity is decreased from 47,098 to 40,615.
Phase IV renovations cost approximately $28 million.
Phase V (2005 season)
U.S. Cellular Field in 2005, with the new Fundamentals Deck in left field
314-seat "Scout" seating area directly behind home plate added.
FUNdamentals Deck, an area for kids to work on various baseball skills, was added above the left field concourse.
Green seats, modeled after those in the original
Comiskey Park, replaced the old blue seats in the Club level and some scattered areas around home plate. The bleachers in left-center field were painted green.
A bronze statue of
Carlton Fisk was placed on the center field concourse behind section 164 on August 7.
Phase VI (2006 season)
Green seats reminiscent of those in the original Comiskey Park replaced the old blue seats in the entire Upper Deck and the Lower Deck between the dugouts.
Enclosed, ground level restaurant was completed, providing a lounge and dining area for the Scout Seats.
New banners were hung down on the outfield light towers. One for the
2005 World Series, one for the
1906 and
1917 World Series, one for all White Sox
American League pennants, and one for all the division championships.
The flags for these titles, now on the banners, were replaced with flags of all the Sox logos in club history.
Bronze statues of
Nellie Fox and
Luis Aparicio were placed on the center field concourse behind section 100.
Phase VII (2007 season)
U.S. Cellular Field in 2007
Green seats replaced the old blue seats in the Lower Deck from the dugouts and the entire outfield seating area (including the left-center field bleachers which were previously renovated). The green seats between the dugout and the foul poles have been slightly turned, re-directing them toward the center of the field. (Visually Re-Directed Seats)
The seats where
Paul Konerko's Grand Slam (left field) and
Scott Podsednik's walk off home run (right center first row) landed in game two of the
2005 World Series are the same original blue seats in use at that game and stand out from the all-green seats.
The Scoreboard in right field was painted green.
A new premium seating/restaurant named the
Jim Beam Club (known as the Home Plate Club as of 2014)[18] was added in the former press box behind home plate on the stadium's Diamond Suites 200 Level.
A new press box was added on the first base side on the Diamond Suites 400 Level. The facility features 32 flat-screen televisions, wireless internet access and seating for 100 working members of the media.
A bronze statue of
Billy Pierce was placed on the center field concourse behind section 164 on July 23.
A Thome Ticker counting down to
Jim Thome's 500th career home run (hit on September 16 against the
Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim). The ticker was located in right field on the right advertising board, and was taken down after the 2007 season.
The beginning of the White Sox Champions brick plaza in front of the stadium (Gate 4) and Phase I of brick sales.
Extensive renovations (2008–present)
Renovations were added that were not part of the original plan:
2008 season
Champions Plaza
The Illinois Sports Facilities Authority unveiled the first environmentally friendly
permeable paving parking lot to be used by a Major League sports facility on April 8. The new lot (Lot L) saves taxpayer money by substantially reducing the amount of water entering Chicago's stormwater system, improving overall water quality and help reduce the
Urban heat island effect.
The White Sox Legacy Brick Program unveiled its brick plaza outside Gate 4 on April 11. Each Legacy Brick is inscribed with a personalized message and has become part of a new baseball diamond-shaped plaza outside the main entrance to the ballpark. A white, bronze and granite sculpture weighing over 25 tons that celebrates the 2005 White Sox World Series championship stands at the center of the plaza, with a historical timeline of the franchise along the diamond's base paths. Players on the sculpture from the 2005 team are
Paul Konerko,
Joe Crede,
Orlando Hernández,
Geoff Blum, and
Juan Uribe.
Plasma flatscreen television sets were added throughout the outfield concourse and at the top of its beer concession stands.
A bronze statue of
Harold Baines was placed on the right field concourse behind Section 105 on July 20.
2009 season
Out-of-town video board (2009–2015)
About $15 million in renovations were made to Gate 5 (north of 35th Street) to improve access to the park. The demolition (beginning of November 2008) of the easternmost portion of the pedestrian ramp and removal of the top two levels of the easternmost foot bridge across 35th Street, reducing it to one level with continuing access to the park on the main concourse level. The second foot bridge at Gate 5, about 75 yards (69 m) west of the east bridge, continues to offer access to the park on three levels. The project also included installation of escalators in a new, weather-protected enclosure and installation of elevators which provide additional access for fans with disabilities. The project was completed by opening day on April 7, when the White Sox defeated the
Kansas City Royals 4–2.
Inside the park, a new scoreboard (23 ft x 68 ft) with 913,000 LED lights (similar to
Tropicana Field) replaced the older out-of-town scoreboard in right field. In addition to displaying both lineups (that of the Sox and their opponents) the board showed season stats for the current batter and pitcher. It also served as an upgrade to the old "around-the-league" scoreboard that it replaced. While the old scoreboard showed only the current innings, scores, and pitchers' jersey numbers, the new board was capable of showing balls, strikes, outs, locations of any baserunners, and the current batter and pitcher by last name instead of by number. A slight disadvantage is that the new board only showed four games at a time in this manner, whereas the old board showed every game in progress simultaneously.
A small plaque honoring
Jim Thome located on the center field fan deck for his 464-foot (141 m) home run shot that landed there, becoming the first player ever to do so on June 4, 2008. The White Sox defeated the
Royals in that game. Thome duplicated this feat again on September 30, 2008, in a one-game playoff against AL Central rival
Minnesota Twins. His home run proved to be the game winner in a 1–0 shutout to win the AL Central.
For White Sox players, a new hydrotherapy room with three combinational hot-and-cold whirlpool tubs. An underwater treadmill that can curb problems relating to the abdominals, back and knee and strengthens the muscles and hip, is installed in one of the tubs.
"The Catch" was written on the left-center field wall above
Billy Pierce's image (now above a blank wall), at the location where
DeWayne Wise made a catch to rob
Gabe Kapler of a 9th-inning home run and ensure
Mark Buehrle's perfect game on July 23, 2009.
2010–present
2010 season
A new outdoor Beer Garden named "TBD's" was installed by July 26 (when the White Sox hosted the
Seattle Mariners) at Gate 5. The area served beer, wine, soda, and water, and also had 12 flat-screen TVs. TBD's was taken down and replaced by "ChiSox Bar and Grill" in 2011.[19] The restaurant was open at 11 AM on gamedays. Although it is technically outside the park and accessible with or without a game ticket, fans must be 21 or older to enter. Home Plate Club opens behind home plate
Frank Thomas' number and picture were added to the outfield wall as his number was retired.[20]
2011 season
Gate 5 entrance, restaurant and bar
A new Metra station (
Jones/Bronzeville) on the
Rock Island line (designed by Infrastructure Engineering, Inc.) worth $7.9 million was planned to be opened in 2009, but due to a year-long delay of construction, the station opened in 2011 after groundbreaking on June 29, 2009. The new station is located East of the ballpark just beyond the I-90/I-94 Dan Ryan Expressway.
A multi-level restaurant and bar inside Gate 5 called "ChiSox Bar and Grill" (formerly known as
Bacardi at the Park). The establishment features both indoor and outdoor seating and a wide variety of food, drinks, and entertainment for Guaranteed Rate Field guests that started in April 2011. "ChiSox Bar and Grill" is open during the baseball season, but plans made the restaurant and bar a year-round establishment.[21][22]
A bronze statue of
Frank Thomas was unveiled on July 31, against the
Boston Red Sox. It is the eighth statue to be placed on the outfield concourse.
2012 season
Chicago Sports Depot, a new merchandise store, opened on November 19, 2011, right next to Gate 5 and ChiSox Bar and Grill.[23]
2014 season
A bronze statue of
Paul Konerko was unveiled on September 27, against the
Kansas City Royals. It is the ninth statue to be placed on the outfield concourse.
2016 season
2016 renovations with new HD scoreboards
Three new HD video boards were installed before the start of the 2016 season at a cost of $7.3 million.[3] The auxiliary boards in left and right field, and the main video board in center, were all replaced with new HD screens. The project was funded via the Sox' capital repairs budget.[24]
2018 season
The visitor's clubhouse was renovated to meet up to date technology.
A virtual reality home run derby batting cage was installed in the Chicago Sports Depot.
A 30-foot (9.1 m) high safety netting has been extended to the outfield end of both dugouts, or from section 122 to 142.
A new LED ribbon board was extended to run the entire length of the grandstand, meaning the retired numbers that resided behind home plate had to be moved to the first and third-base lines.[25]
2019 season
A 326-seat section dubbed "The
Goose Island" (now known as the "
Miller Lite Landing") replaced sections 106 and 107 in right field. The section includes running water fixtures on all four sides to create the "island" of beer and baseball. The section also features individual seating, spaces for group parties and a standing room area where fans can interact near the outfield concourse. The first few rows of the section also provide a "modernized" game day experience with cushioned seats, device charging ports, television screens and more. The revamped section expanded the presence of Goose Island, which is owned by beverage conglomerate
Anheuser-Busch InBev, inside the stadium. The previously known Craft Cave became the Goose Island Craft Cave. Formerly a 10 foot (3.0 m) Goose Island tap statue overlooked the stadium from the special section. The section opened by opening day on April 4.[26]
An extension of the safety netting from the dugouts to foul poles was completed during the 2019 season.[27]
2021 season
The White Sox added the flickering LED lights for whenever the team either comes out of their dugout before the first pitch, hits a home run, wins a game, or whenever their closer comes out of the bullpen.[28]
2023 season
The White Sox added two new viewing bars in the 500 level prior to the start of the 2023 season. To accomplish this, eight rows of seats in the two 500-level sections had to be removed. According to the website that released the permit, the project cost was approximately $284,500. Located near Sections 516 and 548, the bars feature walk-up beverage service with seating offering excellent views of the field, creating new amenities for all fans on the 500-level concourse. [29][30]
Retired numbers
There are 12 retired numbers on the facade of the 1st and 3rd base sides of the 300 level.
Baines' number was retired after he was traded to the
Texas Rangers midway through 1989. The number was unretired for him in 1996 and 2000 when he returned as a player, and in 2004 as an assistant hitting coach. Hall of Fame (2019)
Guaranteed Rate Field can be reached by using the
CTA's "L" Rapid Transit system. The stadium's station stops are
Sox–35th for the Red Line and
35-Bronzeville-IIT for the Green Line. The Red Line is also used by Cubs fans to reach
Wrigley Field (
Addison Station) on the North side of Chicago. (When the White Sox take on the Cubs every year, usually in June, many fans will use the Red-Line to get to the games. The series is dubbed the Cross-Town Classic or the Windy City Showdown.)
A new Metra station (
35th Street), which helps fans with more accessibility, opened on the
Rock Island line in 2011. It is also accessible by CTA bus route #35 (31st/35th Street) and the suburban
Pace Guaranteed Rate Field Express shuttle service.
Guaranteed Rate is just west of the I-90/94 Dan Ryan Expressway. The "Dan Ryan" was under construction in 2006–2007 in hopes of relieving traffic congestion.
The ballpark has eight main parking lots.
The ballpark has seven main entrances:
Gate 1 is located on the South side of the park in right field
Gate 2 is located on the Southwest side of the park down the right field
Gate 3 is located on the West side of the park on the 1st
Gate 4 is on the Northwest side of the park behind home
Gate 5 is located on the North side of the park on the 3rd base
Gate 6 is located on the Northeast side of the park down the left field
Gate 7 is located on the East side of the park in left field.
The main level is accessible only to fans who have a ticket to a seat in the lower level.[32]
April 18, 1991: The inaugural game of the ballpark. The White Sox were defeated by the
Detroit Tigers 16–0. Attendance: 42,191
April 22, 1991:
Frank Thomas hits the first White Sox home run in new Comiskey Park as the Sox defeat the
Baltimore Orioles, 8–7, in the first night contest in the new ballpark. Attendance: (30,480)
September 27, 1993: White Sox clinch the American League West Division with a 4–2 victory against the
Seattle Mariners giving them their first postseason berth since 1983. Attendance: (42,116)
October 5, 1993: New Comiskey hosted its first ever playoff game, game 1 of the
1993 ALCS. The Sox lost to the
Toronto Blue Jays, 7–3. The park also played host to games 2 and 6 of the series, which the Sox lost, four games to two. Attendance: (46,246)
September 14, 1997:
Carlton Fisk's number 72 was retired by the White Sox as the Sox played the
Cleveland Indians. The Sox would lose 8–3. Attendance: (32,485)
2000s
September 13, 2002: The
Rolling Stones, on their
Licks Tour, play the first-ever concert held in the stadium.
July 25, 2003: White Sox hall of famer
Frank Thomas hits his 400th career MLB homerun against the
Tampa Bay Devil Rays off of pitcher
Jorge Sosa becoming the 36th player in MLB history to do it. Attendance: (22,617)
September 13–14, 2004: U.S. Cellular Field hosts two games between the
Florida Marlins and the
Montreal Expos, due to
Hurricane Ivan in
Florida. The Marlins sweep by scores of 6–3 and 8–6. The series would return to Florida to finish the last three games, with the Expos taking two. Game 1 attendance: (4,003). Game 2 attendance: (5,457)
August 7, 2005: A life-sized bronze statue of catcher
Carlton Fisk is unveiled on the center-field concourse behind section 164. The White Sox defeat the
Seattle Mariners 3–1. Attendance: (35,706)
October 23, 2005: The stadium hosted game 2 of the 2005 World Series the following day between the White Sox and Astros. The White Sox were trailing the Astros 4–2 in the bottom of the 7th. The White Sox had the bases loaded for
Paul Konerko after the Astros brought in
Chad Qualls to help them get out of the jam. Konerko would hit a Grand Slam on the first pitch from Qualls to put the White Sox up 6–4. They would hold the lead until the 9th inning when closer
Bobby Jenks had a blown save and allowed Astros pinch-hitter
José Vizcaíno to tie the game on the first pitch with a 2 RBI single. In the bottom of the 9th, the Astros were attempting to force extra innings when
Scott Podsednik, who hit zero Home Runs during the regular season, hit a walk-off Home Run off
Brad Lidge to win the game for the White Sox 7–6 and take a 2–0 Series lead. The White Sox would win the next two games in Houston to win the World Series, their first since
1917. Attendance: (41,432)
October 28, 2005: After winning the 2005 World Series, the team's victory parade begins at U.S. Cellular Field, players boarding double-decker buses that travel north to downtown Chicago. A throng estimated at more than 200,000 celebrates the first
White Sox championship since 1917.
April 2, 2006: The Sox open the 2006 season with the unveiling of their
2005 World Series Championship banner on the left-center light tower. Three other banners are placed on the other light towers: One for the
1906 and
1917 World Series championships by the Sox on the far left tower. The one on the right-center tower is for all the team's American League Championships. The one on the far right is for all the division championships. The Sox defeat the
Cleveland Indians 10–4. Attendance: (38,802)
April 18, 2007:
Mark Buehrle tossed a
no-hitter against the
Texas Rangers with it being the first no-hitter in the stadium, the 16th in franchise history, and the first no-hitter in franchise history since
Wilson Álvarez in 1991. Attendance: (25,390)
September 16, 2007: Hall of famer
Jim Thome hits his 500th career homerun in walk-off fashion to win it 9–7 against the
Los Angeles Angels off of pitcher
Dustin Moseley. Thome became the first player in MLB history to hit his 500th career homerun in walk-off fashion and being the 23rd player in MLB history to join the
500 home run club as well as the first and only to do it in a White Sox uniform. Attendance: (29,010)
April 8, 2008: The Illinois Sports Facilities Authority unveil the first environmentally friendly permeable paving parking lot to be used by a Major League sports facility in parking lot L.
April 11, 2008: The White Sox dedicate their new brick plaza to the 2005 World Series Champions and their fans. The Sox are defeated by the
Detroit Tigers 5–2. Attendance: (26,094)
July 20, 2008: A life-sized bronze statue of
Harold Baines is unveiled on the center-field concourse behind section 105. The Sox are defeated by the
Kansas City Royals 8–7 and
Jim Thome of the Sox collects his 2,000th career hit. Attendance: (32,269)
August 14, 2008: White Sox hit four consecutive home runs against the Kansas City Royals with the batters being
Jim Thome,
Paul Konerko,
Alexei Ramírez, and
Juan Uribe off of
Joel Peralta and
Rob Tejeda. It was the 6th time in MLB history that an MLB hit four consecutive home runs and the first time its ever happened in franchise history. Attendance: (32,788).
September 29, 2008: White Sox came into a big game. If the White Sox won, they force an AL Central tiebreaker game against the
Minnesota Twins the next day. The White Sox won the game 8–2 against the Detroit Tigers with rookie Alexei Ramírez hitting a go-ahead grand slam in the 6th. Attendance: (35,923)
September 30, 2008: U.S. Cellular Field hosted the
2008 American League Central tie-breaker game between the Minnesota Twins and the Chicago White Sox. The game decided who would win the American League Central and would face the
Tampa Bay Rays in the
American League Division Series. White Sox fans were encouraged to wear all black at the game to show their support which they would do. The game was a pitching duel between
John Danks of the White Sox and
Nick Blackburn of the Twins until the 7th when Jim Thome hit a go-ahead home run off of Blackburn to give the White Sox a 1–0 lead. The game would end on a diving catch by White Sox outfielder
Brian Anderson and the White Sox won 1–0 and clinched the AL Central Division. The White Sox would lose to the eventual American League champion Tampa Bay Rays in four games in the ALDS. Attendance: (40,354)
July 23, 2009: The
first perfect game and second no-hitter at U.S. Cellular Field.
Mark Buehrle strikes out six batters and records 11 ground ball outs to get a perfect game against the
Tampa Bay Rays. The perfect game included an amazing play by White Sox outfielder
DeWayne Wise, who came in as a defensive replacement, where he robbed a home run from
Gabe Kapler in the top of the 9th. It is the second no-hitter of Buehrle's career, the last occurring on April 18, 2007, against the
Texas Rangers. He is the first player since
Hideo Nomo to throw multiple no-hitters, and the first to throw a perfect game since
Randy Johnson did it May 18, 2004 against the
Atlanta Braves at
Turner Field. In a remarkable coincidence, Buehrle's first no-hitter was 2 hours and 3 minutes and Buehrle's second was just as long. Another coincidence was home plate umpire (#56, same as Buehrle's)
Eric Cooper who called both Buehrle's no-hitters. Yet another coincidence is that
Ramón Castro, who caught for Buehrle, wears the No. 27 on his jersey, the number of consecutive outs needed for a perfect game. It was also Cooper's third no-hitter called with his first one with
Hideo Nomo on April 4, 2001. Attendance: (28,036)
2010s
August 29, 2010: The
White Sox host
Frank Thomas Day at the ballpark against the
New York Yankees. Thomas's jersey is retired, along with his image posted on the legends' wall in left-center field next to
Billy Pierce on his left and
Carlton Fisk on his right, and also right under "The Catch" logo. Yankees defeat the Sox 2–1. Attendance: (39,433)
May 3, 2011:
Minnesota Twins pitcher
Francisco Liriano throws a no-hitter against the White Sox. It was the Twins' 7th no-hitter in franchise history and the first no-hitter in franchise history since
Eric Milton in 1999. Attendance: (20,901)
July 31, 2011: The White Sox unveil a replica statue of
Frank Thomas on the outfield concourse behind section 160. The White Sox lose to the
Boston Red Sox 5–3. Attendance: (28,278)
September 27, 2014:
Paul Konerko is honored before the game for his retirement from baseball. A statue of him is unveiled on the left-field concourse next to
Frank Thomas' Statue. Konerko was the last member of the 2005 Champion White Sox left on the team at the time of his retirement. The Sox defeat the
Kansas City Royals 5–4. Attendance: (38,160)
May 23, 2015:
Paul Konerko's number 14 is retired by the White Sox with a pregame ceremony. He became the 10th player to have his number retired by the White Sox. The White Sox were defeated by the
Minnesota Twins 4–3. Attendance: (38,714)
June 24, 2017:
Mark Buehrle's number 56 is retired by the White Sox with a pregame ceremony. Buehrle becomes the 11th player in White Sox history to have a retired number. The White Sox were defeated by the
Oakland Athletics 10–2. Attendance: (38,618)
September 2, 2018: White Sox host Hawk Harrelson day to honor their announcer
Ken Harrelson in his final year of commentating. The White Sox would beat the
Boston Red Sox 8–0. Attendance: (30,745)
September 23, 2018: White Sox announcer Ken Harrelson would call his final game as a broadcaster. White Sox would lose to the
Chicago Cubs 6–1. After the game, teams and fans from both sides gave Hawk one final standing ovation and a tip of the cap as a thank you. Attendance: (39,449)
2020s
August 16, 2020: White Sox hit four consecutive home runs against the
St. Louis Cardinals with the batters being
Yoán Moncada,
Yasmani Grandal,
José Abreu, and
Eloy Jiménez off of pitcher
Roel Ramírez, who was making his MLB debut that day. It was 10th time in MLB history a team hit four consecutive home runs and the second time in franchise history. Attendance: No in–person attendance due to
COVID-19 pandemic.
August 25, 2020: White Sox pitcher
Lucas Giolito throws a no-hitter against the
Pittsburgh Pirates. The no-hitter was the 19th in White Sox history. Attendance: No in–person attendance due to COVID-19 pandemic.
September 17, 2020: White Sox clinch a playoff berth for the first time since 2008 with a 4–3 win against the Minnesota Twins. Attendance: No in–person attendance due to COVID-19 pandemic.
April 14, 2021: White Sox pitcher
Carlos Rodón pitched a no-hitter against the
Cleveland Indians. Rodón had a perfect game going into the 9th and got the first out with an amazing stretch play by José Abreu before he hit
Roberto Pérez in the foot ending his chances of a perfect game. Rodón retired the next two batters he faced completing the 20th no-hitter in franchise history. Attendance: (7,148) Limited in–person attendance due to COVID-19 pandemic.
May 25, 2021: Long time Major League Baseball umpire
Joe West umpired his 5,376th game passing
Bill Klem for most games ever umpired. Attendance: (16,380) Limited in–person attendance due to COVID-19 pandemic.
July 31, 2021: White Sox catcher
Seby Zavala became the first player in MLB history to hit his first three career home runs in the same game. The White Sox lost to the Cleveland Indians 12–11. Attendance: 35,866
October 10, 2021: Guaranteed Rate Field hosted its first playoff game since 2008 with game 3 of the
2021 American League Division Series between the
Houston Astros facing the White Sox with the Astros taking a 2–0 series lead and looking for a sweep. The game went back and forth in the first four innings with the White Sox scoring first in the first inning before the Astros answered with 5 of their own in the next two innings and took a 5–1 lead in the third. The White Sox answered with a 5 spot in the bottom of the third with home runs by Yasmani Grandal and
Leury García to take a 6–5 lead. The Astros tied it in the fourth before the White Sox answered with a 3 spot in the bottom of the fourth and eventually won the game 12–6 to force game 4 which they would lose. Attendance: (40,288)
May 9, 2022:
Cleveland Guardians'Josh Naylor became the first player in MLB history to hit two three-run home runs or grand slams in the ninth inning or later and the first player to have at least eight RBI in the eighth inning or later the same game. Naylor led a ninth inning comeback where the Guardians were down 8–2 to the White Sox where they rallied off 2 runs before Naylor came up to bat and crushed a game-tying grand slam. Naylor appeared in the top of 11th where the game was tied 9–9 and Naylor hit a go-ahead three run home run to give the Guardians a 12–9 win. Attendance: (17,168).
April 30, 2023: The White Sox were trailing 9–5 to the
Tampa Bay Rays in the bottom of the 9th and came back and won 12–9 with a 7 run inning that was capped off by a walk–off three–run home run by
Andrew Vaughan. The win snapped a 10–game losing streak. Attendance: (17,049)
August 23, 2023: Three spectators were injured by a stray bullet. The suspect "reportedly snuck the gun in past metal detectors hiding it in the folds of her belly fat."[33] A post-game concert was supposed to be held after the game for the I Love the 90s Tour with singers
Vanilla Ice,
Rob Base, and
Tone Loc to perform but that was cancelled for the reasoning being "technical issues."[34]
^"Attendance Records"(PDF). 2016 Chicago White Sox Media Guide. Major League Baseball Advanced Media, L.P. February 26, 2016. Retrieved November 1, 2016. U.S. Cellular Field capacity was 44,321 from 1991-2000, 47,522 in 2001, 47,098 in 2002-03 and 40,615 since 2004.
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