Commerce Bank Ballpark
Encyclopedia
TD Bank Ballpark is a 6,100-seat baseball park
in Bridgewater Township, New Jersey
that hosted its first regular season baseball game on June 7, 1999, as the tenants of the facility, the Somerset Patriots
, defeated the Newark Bears
. It was designed by Clark Caton Hintz and SSP Architecture and built by Epic Construction.
TD Bank Ballpark is named for TD Bank, N.A., which purchased Commerce Bancorp
in 2007. Formerly called Commerce Bank Ballpark, the original naming rights were sold to the institution in July 2000. The stadium was originally known as Somerset Ballpark.
, Christine Todd Whitman
, and other New Jersey officials on June 7, 1999, with the Patriots defeating the Newark Bears
. Since its inception, the ballpark has seen one of the highest attendance averages in the Atlantic League, second only to Citibank Park
in Central Islip, New York
.
TD Bank Ballpark is also the home of the Somerset County Baseball Tournament and was the home of the Big East
Baseball Championship. In the off-season, the ballpark was the site of the Big Apple Circus
, and the former home of the New Jersey State Fair. In 2004, the New Jersey Fire
of Pro Cricket
played their only season of existence at TD Bank Park.
In 2000, TD Bank Ballpark hosted the Atlantic League All-Star game, with a crowd of 7,035. The venue also hosted the 2008 All-Star game on July 16th, breaking both the All-Star Game and ballpark attendance records with 8,290 fans. Famous billionaire Donald Trump
threw the first pitch of the game.
Concessions at TD Bank Ballpark include traditional ballpark fare, health food
. The Patriots Gift Shop, in the vicinity of the concessions, is the Somerset Patriots' official merchandise and souvenir store.
musician Tony Bennett
, country music
artist Willie Nelson
, pop music
star Jessica Simpson
, and a 50's festival including The Teenagers, The Duprees, Jerry Lee Lewis, and Chuck Berry.
Baseball park
A baseball park, also known as a baseball stadium, ball park, or ballpark is a venue where baseball is played. It consists of the playing field and the surrounding spectator seating...
in Bridgewater Township, New Jersey
Bridgewater Township, New Jersey
Bridgewater Township is a township in Somerset County, New Jersey, United States. , the township population was 44,464.Bridgewater Township was originally created by Royal Charter on April 4, 1749, from portions of the Northern precinct, and was incorporated as one of New Jersey's initial group of...
that hosted its first regular season baseball game on June 7, 1999, as the tenants of the facility, the Somerset Patriots
Somerset Patriots
The Somerset Patriots are an American professional baseball team based in Bridgewater Township, New Jersey. They are a member of the Freedom Division of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball, which is not affiliated with Major League Baseball...
, defeated the Newark Bears
Newark Bears
The Newark Bears are an American professional baseball team based in Newark, New Jersey. They are a member of the Canadian American Association of Professional Baseball, which is not affiliated with Major League Baseball. Since the 1999 season, the Bears have played their home games at Bears &...
. It was designed by Clark Caton Hintz and SSP Architecture and built by Epic Construction.
TD Bank Ballpark is named for TD Bank, N.A., which purchased Commerce Bancorp
Commerce Bancorp
TD Bank, N.A., is a national banking institution in the United States which offers banking, insurance, brokerage, and investment banking services in Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, South Carolina,...
in 2007. Formerly called Commerce Bank Ballpark, the original naming rights were sold to the institution in July 2000. The stadium was originally known as Somerset Ballpark.
History
TD Bank Ballpark was opened by former New Jersey governorGovernor of New Jersey
The Office of the Governor of New Jersey is the executive branch for the U.S. state of New Jersey. The office of Governor is an elected position, for which elected officials serve four year terms. While individual politicians may serve as many terms as they can be elected to, Governors cannot be...
, Christine Todd Whitman
Christine Todd Whitman
Christine Todd "Christie" Whitman is an American Republican politician and author who served as the 50th Governor of New Jersey from 1994 to 2001, and was the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency in the administration of President George W. Bush from 2001 to 2003. She was New...
, and other New Jersey officials on June 7, 1999, with the Patriots defeating the Newark Bears
Newark Bears
The Newark Bears are an American professional baseball team based in Newark, New Jersey. They are a member of the Canadian American Association of Professional Baseball, which is not affiliated with Major League Baseball. Since the 1999 season, the Bears have played their home games at Bears &...
. Since its inception, the ballpark has seen one of the highest attendance averages in the Atlantic League, second only to Citibank Park
Citibank Park
Bethpage Ballpark is a 6,002-seat baseball park in Central Islip, New York that serves as the home of the Long Island Ducks, an independent minor league baseball team that is a member of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball. Its first regular season game took place on May 14, 2000, when...
in Central Islip, New York
Central Islip, New York
Central Islip is a hamlet and census-designated place in Suffolk County, New York, U.S.. The population was 31,950 at the 2000 census.-History and overview:...
.
TD Bank Ballpark is also the home of the Somerset County Baseball Tournament and was the home of the Big East
Big East Conference
The Big East Conference is a collegiate athletics conference consisting of sixteen universities in the eastern half of the United States. The conference's 17 members participate in 24 NCAA sports...
Baseball Championship. In the off-season, the ballpark was the site of the Big Apple Circus
Big Apple Circus
The Big Apple Circus is a circus that is based in New York City. Opened in 1977, it has become a tourist attraction as well. It has been highly influential towards the creation of Cirque du Soleil, tent-based circuses and smaller non-profit shows, such as Circus Flora.-The 1970s:The idea of...
, and the former home of the New Jersey State Fair. In 2004, the New Jersey Fire
New Jersey Fire
The New Jersey Fire were a cricket team that played for the United States Pro Cricket league. It was one of eight founding teams in the league in 2004. This was the only year that the team played as the league was disbanded following the season...
of Pro Cricket
Pro Cricket
Pro Cricket was a professional cricket league in the United States. It was operated by American Pro Cricket LLC , a private company independent of the ICC and the USACA. Kalpesh Patel served as Pro Cricket's chairman and commissioner....
played their only season of existence at TD Bank Park.
In 2000, TD Bank Ballpark hosted the Atlantic League All-Star game, with a crowd of 7,035. The venue also hosted the 2008 All-Star game on July 16th, breaking both the All-Star Game and ballpark attendance records with 8,290 fans. Famous billionaire Donald Trump
Donald Trump
Donald John Trump, Sr. is an American business magnate, television personality and author. He is the chairman and president of The Trump Organization and the founder of Trump Entertainment Resorts. Trump's extravagant lifestyle, outspoken manner and role on the NBC reality show The Apprentice have...
threw the first pitch of the game.
Ballpark attractions
TD Bank Ballpark includes 6,100 fixed seats and additional lawn seating at the Turf Club, by the Patriots' bullpen. Additional options include a series of luxury suites, the Executive Party Deck for birthday parties or other special occasions, and a picnic area that can accommodate a group of 30 to 350 fans. Parking is $2.00 and has remained that way since the existence of the ballpark in June, 1999.Concessions at TD Bank Ballpark include traditional ballpark fare, health food
Health food
The term health food is generally used to describe foods that are considered to be beneficial to health, beyond a normal healthy diet required for human nutrition. However, the term is not precisely defined by national regulatory agencies such as the U.S...
. The Patriots Gift Shop, in the vicinity of the concessions, is the Somerset Patriots' official merchandise and souvenir store.
Concerts
TD Bank Ballpark has hosted four major concerts, including traditional pop and jazzJazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
musician Tony Bennett
Tony Bennett
Tony Bennett is an American singer of popular music, standards, show tunes, and jazz....
, country music
Country music
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
artist Willie Nelson
Willie Nelson
Willie Hugh Nelson is an American country music singer-songwriter, as well as an author, poet, actor, and activist. The critical success of the album Shotgun Willie , combined with the critical and commercial success of Red Headed Stranger and Stardust , made Nelson one of the most recognized...
, pop music
Pop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
star Jessica Simpson
Jessica Simpson
Jessica Ann Simpson is an American recording artist, actress, television personality, and fashion designer whose rise to fame began in 1999. Since that time, Simpson has achieved many recording milestones, starred in several television shows, movies, and commercials, launched a line of hair and...
, and a 50's festival including The Teenagers, The Duprees, Jerry Lee Lewis, and Chuck Berry.
See also
- Bridgewater (NJT station)Bridgewater (NJT station)Bridgewater is a New Jersey Transit railroad station on the Raritan Valley Line, in Bridgewater, New Jersey. The station sits on the site of the former "Calco" station that served American Cyanamid prior to its closure. It was reconstructed in 1999 in conjunction with the construction of TD Bank...
, which is located adjacent to TD Bank Ballpark and uses the stadium's White Lot for commuter parking - TD Garden (Boston, Massachusetts)
- TD Bank Sports Center (Hamden, Connecticut)
- TD Ameritrade Park Omaha (Nebraska)