If there is one thing that turns me off about entering a ballpark, it is having to climb a massive flight of stairs to get up to the concourse. Some parks, like Jacobs Field, Canal Park in Akron, and First Energy Park in Lakewood NJ are designed so that you enter directly onto the main concourse.
Most new minor league parks, however, are built on top of their site, and require a climb up to the concourse. Stairs are the easy route, and require a minimum of space, and can even be made to look quite nice, but I don't like them.
One of the lasting memories of going to ballgames in my early childhood is of climbing ramps to get to our seats. Somehow, that has stuck with me. A gentle climb up a slope, allowing the anticipation to build from outside to inside. The ramps at old Yankee Stadium were always an experience. The bleachers at Wrigley Field still have ramps as the main route of ingress.
Harbor Park in Norfolk has ramps. I'm sure there are a couple of other minor league parks that have them, but I haven't seen any. The first base ticket windows are neatly tucked under the ramp. After getting your ticket, you begin a gentle, but not too long climb up to the concourse at the top of the lower deck, where you are treated to your first view of the field. No need to stop halfway up to catch your breath or wait for the slower folks, and easy on the knees. A nice way to enter the park, and a functional nod to tradition.
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