Above: Citizens Bank Park directors hired a Philadelphia Police Photoshop specialist to show what Ashburn Alley could look like over the weekend when the Giants come to town for games 1 and 2 of the NLCS. The kayakers could cause problems in the Alley.Blaylock is executive director of Ashburn Alley, the mega-popular promenade just beyond the outfield seating sections in Citizens Bank Park named for the talented and one of the most well-liked Phillies' players and announcers of all time, Richie Ashburn. The brick-paved walk reaches capacity throughout the game as it is lined with food concessions that makes it a Philadelphia cuisine lover's paradise.
"Why did I sigh on Monday night?" repeated a wide-eyed Blaylock at an NLCS news conference in Center City, yesterday. "Because they're coming. You know it. I know it. Everyone knows it."
Blaylock, somewhat surprisingly, is referring to the many Giants fans that will make the trip eastward from California to Philadelphia to follow their local nine on the road during this playoff run. These orange-clad fans from a great baseball town on the tip of a peninsula are not particularly known for being rowdy or obnoxious, so why all the concern?
"Kayaks!" interrupted Shane Deloitte, Blaylock's assistant. "They love their kayaks out there in San Fran. Always paddling around McCovey Cove and what not. Yeah, in those lousy kayaks. They're going to bring those bulky, plastic floating masses with them right onto Ashburn Alley and there ain't nothin' we can do about it."
It is true, Citizens Bank Park has no policy specifically prohibiting kayaks from entering the stadium. In fact, only two Major League clubs have banned the personal recreation watercraft: the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Oakland Athletics. These two franchises, one a division rival and the other just across the Bay, grew tired of having to accommodate visiting Giants' fans and the accompanying kayaks. Before banning them all together, the A's set a maximum of 5.5 ft per "anything that floats." This, after fans were caught riding down the stairs of the upper deck.
"My advice to Blaylock and his staff: cater to the kayakers as best you can," said San Diego's PetCo Park fan relations director Tony Rosenburg, who has plenty of experience with the backers from the City by the Bay. "If you start banning them from this part of the stadium and that part of the stadium or the parking lots, then you're going to really agitate and provoke them. You don't want to see a drunk, life jacket-wearing Giants' fan in a sea of red swinging a kayak and shouting:'Nobody criticizes our cable cars.'"
The Phillies said they will not close off any areas of the stadium, despite Blaylock's concerns over limited space on all the concourse areas. The team is also permitting kayaks to gather on the sidewalks and streets surrounding the ballpark, with the highest numbers expected on 10th St beyond the outfield seats and Ashburn Alley.
Above: San Francisco hosted the MLB All-Star Game in 2007. The weekend's events brought kayakers from all over the Bay Area to McCovey Cove in an effort to catch or recover a home run ball that cleared the right field stands. These kayakers are expected in Philadelphia this weekend in large numbers--inside the stadium.
"My advice to Blaylock and his staff: cater to the kayakers as best you can," said San Diego's PetCo Park fan relations director Tony Rosenburg, who has plenty of experience with the backers from the City by the Bay. "If you start banning them from this part of the stadium and that part of the stadium or the parking lots, then you're going to really agitate and provoke them. You don't want to see a drunk, life jacket-wearing Giants' fan in a sea of red swinging a kayak and shouting:'Nobody criticizes our cable cars.'"
The Phillies said they will not close off any areas of the stadium, despite Blaylock's concerns over limited space on all the concourse areas. The team is also permitting kayaks to gather on the sidewalks and streets surrounding the ballpark, with the highest numbers expected on 10th St beyond the outfield seats and Ashburn Alley.
Above: San Francisco hosted the MLB All-Star Game in 2007. The weekend's events brought kayakers from all over the Bay Area to McCovey Cove in an effort to catch or recover a home run ball that cleared the right field stands. These kayakers are expected in Philadelphia this weekend in large numbers--inside the stadium.
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