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Buy Me Some Peanuts and iPhone Apps: High-Tech Ballparks on the Rise

by Caleb Johnson on June 23, 2009 at 06:22 AM

Since its inception, the sport of baseball has remained largely unchanged on the field, a fact that's played a large part in endearing the game to generations of Americans. Yet, there's no doubt that things have changed in the stands. Scorecards disappeared long ago, giant video screens replaced binoculars, and cell phones now light up the stands instead of glowing cigars. It's a fact; technology is altering how we spend a day at the ballpark.

According to ABC News, the latest wave of smart phones might be having an unprecedented impact on America's pastime -- or at least how we watch it. Fans are using free Wi-Fi, which is offered at many stadiums like San Francisco's AT&T Park, to access new, unique content during the game. AT&T Park officials told ABC News that 1,310 fans logged on to the stadium's network, which features 139 access points, during the busiest game of the Giants' season. There's a pitch-tracker application for the iPhone that shows the spot at which every pitch crosses the plate, and on-demand video replays at the Giants' Digital Dugout Web site (which also features a food finder to help fans locate particular drinks and treats in the ballpark). Some fans even check Facebook and e-mails during the game, something die-hards frown upon.

For us, there's nothing like a summer afternoon at the ballpark. While we'd rather watch the action on the field than play around on our iPhones, moderate and practical use of such content is something worth noting. These apps bring some of the good parts of sports broadcasts to the ballpark. After all, everyone likes to review those controversial plays at home plate, and nobody wants to spend half an inning searching for their favorite beer. Consider us root, root, rooting for more high-tech ballparks. [From: ABC News]

Tags: baseball, gadget, laptop, smartphone, sports, top, wifi, wireless

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