Baseball can be a beautiful game. The field is arguably the most aesthetically pleasing of all major sports. Stadiums often lend themselves to stunning pictures thanks to incredible feats on the field or majestic sunsets in the skyline.
However, one thing that major league stadiums do not have going for them is the setting in which they play. They are almost exclusively nestled in bustling cities like New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Miami and others. The vast majority of baseball teams play in the biggest city in their state.
Skylines can look good, but it’s harder to do so. Natural beauty is just more aesthetically pleasing for the most part.
That’s what the Appalachian State University stadium has going for it. The Mountaineers home is surrounded by trees and a beautiful forest. During the fall, the natural colors make for one of the most incredible photos of all time.
This is a stunning picture, but it’s even cooler when one notices the beautiful green baseball field (with stellar black dirt) tucked into the middle of all the red and orange fall beauty. MLB fans seem to agree that this is a stunning landscape picture.
Appalachian State’s stunning stadium has a case for the most beautiful in all of sports.
Why don’t pro baseball teams play in areas like Appalachian State?
Aside from the raw natural beauty, there are a few good reasons to play in areas like Appalachian State does. For one thing, the game is an outdoor game, so keeping it as outdoors as possible is always a good idea.
However, there are equally good if not better reasons for playing in big cities. The first and most important reason is accessibility.
Stadiums in the middle of nowhere are far less accessible to the general public. A team that wants to make money (all of them) needs to be accessible.
