Davenport’s Modern Woodmen Park has been chosen for a second time as the nation’s Best Minor League Ballpark by readers of USA Today.
Voters in the national newspaper’s 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards online balloting picked the riverfront home of the Quad Cities River Bandit from among 20 minor league ballparks across the country that had been selected by a panel of the publication’s editors and industry experts. Modern Woodmen was one of just four ballparks nominated from the Single-A or High-A levels.
The last time the park got top honors was 11 years ago when USA Today first included ballparks in the poll. This spring, a news release from the Quad Cities River Bandits said, USA Today decided to re-ask that question in its 10Best Poll.
“All of us with the River Bandits are appreciative and humbled to go two for two in being named the best Minor League ballpark in America by USA Today 10Best,” said River Bandits owner Dave Heller.
“There are so many great ballparks across the country and for Quad Cities, one of the smaller markets in Minor League Baseball, to beat out ballparks in heavily populated cities such as Las Vegas, Nashville, Charlotte and Buffalo is really a testament both to our awesome fans and to Kansas City Royals fans throughout the country as well as our wonderful partnership with the City of Davenport. Our season starts April 5 against the South Bend Cubs and I can’t wait to personally welcome everyone back to the best ballpark in America,” he added.
Great community asset
Modern Woodmen of America President and CEO Jerry Lyphout said, “Modern Woodmen Park is a great asset in our community. We’re proud to sponsor this family-friendly venue. It fits our organization’s mission to improve quality of life for our members and their communities very well.”
The USA Today 10Best Readers’ Choice Award is just the latest for the historic venue since the Quad Cities franchise was purchased by Main Street Baseball in 2007. It has been named one of the nation’s best by “Bleacher Report,” “Ballpark Digest,” and “Parade Magazine”
It boasts the only double-decker carousel in baseball, its own cornfield, a 690-square-foot 4K video board, 20 luxury suites, and five group areas.
This season marks the River Bandits’ fourth as the High-A affiliate of the Kansas City Royals. It’s the team’s 63rd as members of the Midwest League. In 2021, the River Bandits became the first team in Midwest League history to win four championships in 10 seasons (2011, 2013, 2015 and 2021). The team also was named Ballpark Digest’s Minor League Baseball Team of the Year.
The Bandits are part of a Quad Cities sports market “The Sports Business Journal” named the top minor league sports market in the country in 2015 and second-best minor league market in its 2017 follow-up ranking.
In 2015, 2017, and again in 2019, the Bandits earned Ballpark Digest’s award for “Best Charitable Works” in Minor League Baseball. It is the only club to win that coveted award three times.
For more information, visit www.riverbandits.com or contact River Bandits General Manager Paul Kleinhans-Schulz at (563) 324-3000.
