FORT WAYNE – Parkview Field, the home of the Fort Wayne TinCaps, has been ranked as the No. 1 ballpark experience in Minor League Baseball by Stadium Journey for a fourth consecutive year. With the recognition, Parkview Field is featured on the cover of Stadium Journey’s January 2018 issue.

“This is really amazing,” said TinCaps President Mike Nutter. “This is an honor that Parkview Field celebrates with, and because of, all our supporters and partners throughout the region. Given the great lengths Stadium Journey goes to in covering the industry, this ranking means a lot to us.”

Stadium Journey’s staff of 100 writers voted on the rankings. The publication has reviewed more than 2,600 venues in 61 countries since it was founded in 2009.

The magazine’s review cites Parkview Field’s concessions, varied seating options, and in-game promotions as reasons the ballpark has retained its top spot despite more than a dozen newer minor league parks opening since Parkview Field did nine years ago.

Under the ownership of Hardball Capital, Parkview Field has implemented several upgrades to the ballpark since its opening. Most notably, the team added the Tuthill 400 Club in 2013 and The Summit presented by Tuthill in 2016. Other upgrades include a new concourse surface and lighting.

“But more impressive than all these features that can be found inside Parkview Field is the effect that this ballpark has had beyond the walls, on the city of Fort Wayne,” Stadium Journey said. The review details recent and upcoming projects around downtown Fort Wayne. Business Insider has said Fort Wayne is currently the best place to live in Indiana.

Parkview Field is the only Midwest League venue in Stadium Journey’s top 10 for Minor League Baseball. Stadium Journey ranked Parkview Field No. 29 overall in its top 100 stadium experiences in all of North America for 2017. Other Indiana venues on the list are Lucas Oil Stadium (No. 5), Notre Dame Stadium (No. 22), Hinkle Fieldhouse (No. 27), Victory Field (No. 59), and Bankers Life Fieldhouse. Wrigley Field is ranked No. 1 overall.

Click here to see Stadium Journey’s complete rankings.

Since Stadium Journey began evaluating Minor League Baseball facilities in 2011, Parkview Field has finished No. 1 in six of seven years. (Fort Wayne was second to Pensacola in 2013.)

This recognition comes on the heels of the TinCaps winning “Field of the Year” (Sports Turf Managers Association) for all of professional baseball in 2017. The TinCaps won Minor League Baseball’s most prestigious honor, the John H. Johnson President’s Award, for overall organizational excellence in 2016. The year before, the TinCaps earned Minor League Baseball’s John H. Moss Community Service Award.

“It takes a total team effort from hundreds of employees to make Parkview Field what it is,” Nutter said. “It’s our goal for Parkview Field to remain a premier place for a long time and we’ll continue to work as hard as we can to maintain that.”

In addition to hosting 70-plus TinCaps games every year, Parkview Field also annually hosts 600-plus non-TinCaps events. Over the past nine years, the ballpark has welcomed more than 1 million guests for special events other than TinCaps games. These special events include concerts, runs, walks, weddings, dances, business functions, batting cage rentals, and more. Parkview Field is also truly a park with its gates open to the public daily from dawn to dusk.

The TinCaps will open up their 10^th season at Parkview Field on Saturday, April 7 (6:05 p.m.) against the Lake County Captains (Cleveland Indians affiliate). A fireworks show will follow the game. Click here for the team’s complete schedule.

Season tickets and tickets for group outings in 2018 are currently on sale. Fans can learn more at TinCaps.com or by calling 260-482-6400. Tickets for all games are set to go on sale on Wednesday, Feb. 21.

Coming off a Midwest League Eastern Division title last season, the TinCaps should once again be loaded with top San Diego Padres prospects, like left-handed starting pitcher MacKenzie Gore (the No. 3 overall pick in last year’s MLB Draft), in 2018.

Notable TinCaps and Parkview Field Accolades

* Stadium Journey No. 1 Ballpark Experience in Minor League Baseball (2011, ’12, ’14, ’15, ’16, ’17)

* Sports Turf Managers Association Field of the Year (2017)

* Minor League Baseball’s John H. Johnson Award for organizational excellence (2016)

* Minor League Baseball’s John H. Moss Community Service Award (2015)

* Ballpark Digest Team of the Year (2014)

* Baseball America Class A Organization of the Year (2011)

* Minor League Baseball Team of the Year (2009)

* Baseball America Class A Organization of the Year (2009)

* Ballpark Digest Organization of the Year (2009)