When you drive down Rio Salado Pkwy, it is hard to miss the signs that say “Cubs Stadium” with arrows directing you to Sloan Park. In fact, it was one of the first things I noticed when I moved here last May. Sloan Park celebrated their 10 year anniversary last spring training, but Mesa natives might want to point out that the Cubs have been in Mesa since 1952. There are decades worth of history to be explored with the Cubs and Mesa. It is a history still in the making if the success of Sloan Park is anything to go by.
“The fans are the best,” says Justin Piper, general manager of Sloan Park. The fans are the key part to the success of Sloan Park. In fact, the fan experience (and the fans) is the number one focus for the Cubs Organization. The experience at Sloan Park has been designed to replicate the experience at Wrigley Field. You can see similarities between the spring training field and the home field of the Cubs before you enter the stadium, starting with the giant red marquee sign. Did you know you can have a custom message put on the marquee? This free feature is just one of the many ways the organization puts fans and their experience first at Sloan Park.
Over recent years, the event spaces have been renovated and updated. There are suites at Sloan Park, but they are limited in number which was done intentionally. The suites offered are the traditional suite experience that you might be familiar with within sporting events. However, if you are looking for group outings at Sloan Park, skip the suite and opt for the party decks or the Budweiser Rooftop. The party decks are outdoors and allow for everybody to enjoy baseball games the way they were meant to be enjoyed—outside. The party decks are at first and third base and— along with the Budweiser Rooftop (over at left field)— offer intimate environments, great views, and a great way to bring everybody together for a baseball game. The rooftop at Sloan Park is reminiscent of the rooftops at Wrigley Field, too.
While spring training at Sloan park is designed to honor the Cubs organization and brand, catching a baseball game there during spring training is something that anybody can enjoy. There are fifteen teams that call Arizona home during spring training, including the Athletics, the Guardians, the Diamondbacks, and the Giants to name a few. These fifteen teams make up the Cactus League, which is what they call the spring training league. These games feature minor and pro players, all getting ready for the upcoming season.
It isn’t just baseball games you can catch at Sloan Park. The entire Cubs system is there getting ready for the upcoming season, from the players, to writers, to networks,—spring training is something to experience. Not only can you catch baseball games but you can catch some practice sessions too! Even the pros need practice and to prove it, the Cubs post the workout schedules of the players on the Sloan Park website so fans can come and see these players get ready for not only the spring training games but the upcoming baseball season.
When talking with Piper about Sloan Park, it was easy to see his love for his job, this park, and the Mesa community shine through everything he said. Piper has been in Arizona with the Cubs since 2013. He has quickly become a fan of Mesa, citing downtown Mesa as a favorite spot. He loves our diverse community and all the food options. Some of his favorite things to do at work are: taking a walk around the ballpark , observing guest experience, seeing people enjoy the game, kids on the berm, and the dedicated fans keeping score old-school style. Piper believes that you don’t have to be a die-hard baseball fan to enjoy the experience of Cactus League.