Reading Phillies Baseball Stadium | Reading

FirstEnergy Stadium — Home of the Reading Fightin Phils

Identity and Location

Official name: FirstEnergy Stadium (formerly Reading Municipal Memorial Stadium, 1951 – 1994)

Tenant: Reading Fightin Phils, Double-A affiliate of the Philadelphia Phillies (Eastern League)

Address: 1900 Centre Avenue, Reading, Pennsylvania, two miles north of downtown along Highway 61

Seating capacity: 9,000 (6,000 fixed seats plus picnic areas and berms)

Historical Timeline

1951 – Stadium opens as a city war-memorial ballpark; hosts local semipro baseball and high-school championships

1967 – Philadelphia Phillies relocate their Double-A club to Reading, establishing one of the longest continuous affiliations in Minor League Baseball

1989 – Major renovation adds a bleacher section, new clubhouses, and a press level

1994 – Naming-rights agreement with FirstEnergy Corp.; installation of stadium-wide chair-back seats replaces original wooden benches

2003 – Left-field “Boardwalk” created with boardwalk-plank flooring, concessions, and game kiosks evoking the New Jersey shore

2011 – $10-million upgrade: videoboard, 360-degree concourse, raised right-field deck, improved field lighting (Musco SportsCluster system)

2023 – Player-development overhaul meets new MLB facility standards: larger locker rooms, women’s coaching spaces, indoor batting cages, expanded training and hydrotherapy suites

Architectural and Fan Features

Grandstand: Asymmetric, red-brick façade with arched entryways and a two-tier roof held by steel I-beams; upper canopy shades roughly 60 percent of seats

Playing surface: Kentucky bluegrass outfield, sand-based infield with SubAir drainage; field dimensions 330-L, 400-C, 330-R

Left-field Boardwalk: Ring-toss, fast-pitch booth, and the famous “Buchner’s Potato Ribbons” stand; nightly free popcorn refills after the sixth inning

Right-field Deck: Two-tier drink-rail lounge overlooking the bullpen, popular for sunset views and out-of-town scoreboard sightlines

Pool Pavilion: Beyond center field, a 1,200-square-foot heated pool with 90-person party area, rentable for groups

Veggie Race: Mid-fifth-inning on-field relay featuring racing costumed vegetables (Broccoli Rob, Hot Dog, Beet) loved by families

Game-Day Experience

Concessions:

“Crazy Hot Dog Vendor” cart slings signature hot dogs topped with bacon, cheese, and spicy relish

“Churger” stand sells a cheeseburger sandwiched inside two glazed doughnuts

Local drafts from Oakbrook Brewing and Saucony Creek available at eleven taps around the concourse

Promotions:

33 annual fireworks nights, including an Independence Eve display hailed as Berks County’s largest

Dollar-Dog Mondays, half-price craft-beer Thursdays, and postgame catch-on-the-field Sundays

Frequent rehab appearances by Phillies stars give fans close-up access to major-league talent

Amenities: Free parking in four surface lots; hand-held radio rentals for live play-by-play; KidsZone with inflatable slide and wiffle-ball field

Player Development Complex

Indoor hydrotherapy room equipped with treadmill pool and cryo-chamber

Two full-length batting tunnels with Rapsodo and HitTrax tracking

Video room linked to eight high-speed cameras positioned around the field for swing and pitching analysis

Community Role

Hosts District 3 high-school championships, Reading United youth clinics, and the annual Winter Light-Up Night charity toy drive

Generates an estimated $23 million in direct visitor spending each season and supports more than 300 seasonal jobs

Attendance and Recognition

Consistently ranks among Eastern League leaders, averaging 6,000 fans per game in 2024

Named “Best Ballpark Experience in Double-A” by Ballpark Digest (2015, 2019)

Holds the record for longest active affiliation in Minor League Baseball between one city, franchise, and Major League parent club (Reading–Phillies since 1967)

FirstEnergy Stadium blends vintage ballpark charm with modern amenities, offering an intimate, fan-friendly setting where future Phillies hone their craft and Berks County gathers for affordable summer entertainment.