Eric S.
Yelp
KNIGHT & DAY
Be it a Sunday matinee game or a Friday under the lights, it's always fun to support Charlotte's AAA baseball team.
The minor league affiliate of the Chicago White Sox, the Charlotte Knights have called Truist Field (née BB&T Ballpark) their home since 2014. The stadium has a capacity of 10,200 which is about the median for MiLB. It's a very hitter-friendly park, more prone to home runs than any other minor league stadium.
I attended the game on 9/12/23 against the Nashville Sounds; Charlotte lost 5-3 because the Knights issued *checks notes* THIRTEEN WALKS in addition to surrendering ten hits. A loss is all but certain when your pitching staff allows a whopping 23 baserunners. Sheesh!
I tried "Homer's Citrus Dog" ($9.50), a hot dog topped w/horseradish cream, scallions, chopped brisket, and what they called 'orange soda coleslaw'. It didn't taste good (orange soda, my ass!) and the bun fell apart as soon as I picked it up, so I wound up with a hot dog salad. Everything about this was f-a-i-l, and I don't recommend it. Get a polish sausage with onions instead.
The Knights have one of the nicest outfield backdrops in the entire minor league system. The huge commercial buildings of downtown CLT rise like monoliths at night, glowing hues of white, blue, and purple. It's gorgeous during the day and even moreso once the sun sets. A dragon in centerfield blows smoke when a Knights player hits a homer!
My ticket was $12, not too bad. A 16oz aluminum bottle of Michelob Ultra was $10, which is about what I figured. I stopped into the team store to check out the merch and saw T-shirts starting at $35. Guest services folks were nice and there were no lines for concessions (then again, it was a weeknight at the end of the season).
* TL;DR *
For many players, Truist Field -- not to be confused with Truist Park, home of the big league Atlanta Braves -- is the last stop before hitting the majors.
I'd say the park's defining feature is the terrific view of the city skyline in center. I can't comment too strongly on the food as I only got one item, but it seemed as though there was decent variety (pizza, cheesesteaks, chicken tenders) and other than team-branded merchandise, prices were fair.
This is a nice place to catch a baseball game, and for the most part it's pretty affordable. Come check out the Knights when you're in Charlotte!