Wrigley field has served as the beloved Chicago Cubs’ home baseball park since 1916. As one of the oldest ballparks in the league, Wrigley has kept its classic feel while adding in modern touches.

There have been some major changes made in the past two years during the off-seasons. In 2015, the large video board was added in left field making the game more interactive for fans. This past winter, the Cubs introduced a few more noticeable renovations.

The organization added in another interactive place for Wrigleyville. Sitting right next to left field,  the “Park at Wrigley” offers an open grass field and a new building that has a huge video board, offices, stores and restaurants. The park is open to fans if they have tickets on game days. On other days, the space is open to the public for farmers markets, community events, festivals, dining and much more.

They also decided to relocate their historic outdoor bullpens. In the past, they have sat just beyond the foul ball line where relief pitchers were able to watch the game and interact with the crowd. Now the bullpens are located underneath the bleachers.

The pitchers will be able to see out through a tinted green window and fans will still be able to see the pitchers warming up through a sound-proof glass window. In the place of the bullpens, rows of premium seats were added.

The most important and notable change is the addition of two very significant banners. Sitting across from the 1907 and 1908 banners in the bleachers, two flags that boast NLCS Champions  and World Series champions fly high.

I went to the Cubs game on April 15 and although they lost to the Pirates, they still offered a good game for the fans. I had heard about the renovations after watching the opening day at Wrigley on TV. 

First off I sat in the bleachers so I had a perfect view of the new flags.

At about the 6th inning when I started to see both pitchers start to tire, I decided to go see if I could find the bullpen. I was upset to find out they hadn’t opened the glass windows yet and a bar was down that blocked the bullpen from the fans.

However, there were some interesting things around the bullpens. The glass windows are soundproof which helps eliminate distractions, but fans are encouraged not to tap on the glass because that could disturb them.

After the game, I walked over to the Park at Wrigley and used my ticket to get in. It’s a nice area with the Cubs merchandise store and many food trucks. There’s also a large screen where the after-game press conference was displayed.

There’s also been other changes, including new food, no printed tickets, a new entrance and so much more that fans are able to check out at each game.

I struggle to embrace the changes of Wrigley when I know that there are so many classic characteristics that are essential to the ballpark. I know changes are in store for the future, but I hope the organization will find a way to balance the old school feel with the modern, entertaining touch.