The 2012 season is special for the Los Angeles Dodgers and their fans because this is the 50th year of baseball in Dodger Stadium. Located about a mile north of downtown Los Angeles, Dodger Stadium hosted its first Major League Game on April 11, 1962. With a seating capacity of 56,000, Dodger Stadium is the largest Major League Baseball venue. See the Dodger Stadium seating chart for current information on the seats open for Dodgers games.
Since then, it has been the site of eight World Series, and more than 125 million fans have passed through its gates. The bermuda grass and dirt playing field has an automated irrigation and drainage system that continuously maintains optimum levels of moisture.
Dodger Stadium is the third oldest ballpark in the Major Leagues so it was in need of some upgrades. Fans attending a game in the 2012 season will notice that the color scheme of the seats is sky blue, turquoise, yellow and light orange. This color scheme was set up at the end of the 2005 season when the Dodgers replaced almost all of the seats in the stadium. Also at the end of the 2005 season, the Dodgers installed box seating along the first and third base lines. Fans who sit in these seats have a private box that can accommodate four people with ample leg room and a table to facilitate eating and drinking. The 2008 season saw improvements to the concourse on the Field Level. These improvements included increasing the number of restrooms and concession stands, widening walkways, installing better signs and providing the concession stands with modern grills and refrigerators.
The newly renovated Field Level concourse featured the addition of new food vendors that included Canter’s Deli and Ruby’s Diner. Returning vendors Panda Express, which features Chinese food, and California Pizza Kitchen were delighted with the improvements to the concourse. Beginning in 2008, the famous Dodger dog, a 10-inch hot dog that is a perennial favorite with fans, became available at a significantly greater number of concession stands.
Dodger Stadium has a network of visual display boards that keep the fans informed and entertained during the game. There is a very large video screen in left field, and a large LED-light scoreboard in right field. In addition to these main screens, there are linear message boards behind first and third base at ground level and elevated ribbon boards on the facing of the Loge level. Finally, there is a full-color outfield wall message board at ground level in left and right field. At a cost of $50.00, fans can post a personalized message on the linear boards behind first and third base. The message appears in the second and fifth inning, and the Dodgers donate all fees to the Dodger Dream Foundation, a charitable organization.
On specified days during the season, the Dodgers stage Autograph Alley. This gives fans a chance to go to centerfield and get autographs from former Dodger players. On July 17, 2012, for example, fans got to chat with Bob Welch, a star pitcher from 1978 to 1987.
