Sky Sox Minor League Baseball Team in Colorado Springs
Great, affordable baseball fun for big families
Recently the family along with my sister and her two kids went to a Sky Sox game in Colorado Springs. The Sky Sox are the AAA top affiliate of the Colorado Rockies. The franchise has been around since 1903 and has moved around from Sacramento to Hawaii to Colorado Springs.
Players from the Sky Sox are occasionally called up to the Rockies to cover for hurt players. Last June Sky Sox infielder Chris Nelson was called up to cover for Troy Tulowitzki who suffered a left wrist fracture. Rockie players will also play for the Sky Sox after an injury to get back into the groove before heading back to the Rockies.
My husband purchased tickets online for a reasonable $10 a piece. We arrived midway into the second inning and had to park in what had to be the furthest parking lot. The Sky Sox were playing the Salt Lake Bees with a fireworks display after the game.
After going through the gate and a quick walk past security, we started to search for our section and seats. After a little bit of confusion we asked a helpful stadium worker for help. We were greatly pleased the find out that our nine seats (split 5 & 4 into two rows) were only 7 and 8 rows behind the dugout! Ten dollars and 7 rows up! You’ll never get such a deal at a Rockies game.
Security Service Field was built in 1988 with capacity for 8500 fans. It is also the highest professional ballpark in the United States at 6,531 feet above sea level. So remember a jacket for when the sun goes down. Even though it might be summer in Colorado when the sun goes down, it gets chilly!
After every inning a contest was held. From bowling inside a big inflatable bowling ball, a making giant foam hamburger race or putting on a soaked wet t-shirt race, there was constant entertainment.
We felt comfortable enough at this venue to let our kiddos (ranging from 15-8) walk around the ball park and get their own concessions. Concessions were reasonable, $5 for each child allowed them to get a snack with some change back. Stay away from the hot chocolate; it was the most pitiful, watered down hot chocolate I’ve ever had.
Unlike bigger venues that require you to have your ticket on you at all times to be checked before you get back to your seat after a bathroom break or concession run, stadium workers were laid back and never checked tickets. Which is a big benefit when you allow your child to make such trips by themselves. No worrying that they’ve lost their ticket. (Although I usually make the kiddos wear lanyards with plastic pockets for ticket holding.)
The Sox were winning until the 5th inning, after that the game was pretty much over. But there was fireworks! We had to stay for the fireworks!
In the 7th inning a foul ball was hit into our section. I was positive it was headed straight for my noggin. I stood up and watched it come towards us. It seemed like it sat in mid-air for an eternity before it came down into the row behind me. A young man in his 20s tried to catch it but dropped it and an older woman in her 70s then picked it up from the empty seat between them. I think the poor guy broke his finger. His hand was shaking afterwards. We told him to get some ice but being in his 20s was too macho or embarrassed to do so.
The game finished by 10:30. At Rockies games for fireworks they have to empty several sections of fans who move onto the field. This process usually takes about half an hour. At the Sky Sox game we barely had time for a restroom break before they turned out the lights. We were glad we made it back to our seats because it was DARK.
The fireworks show did not disappoint. In fact it surpassed our expectations. What a spectacular show! What a great evening. We’ll be going back!
