SAN JOSE GIANTS
Excite Ballpark
Architecture & History
Operating since 1942, Excite Ballpark is one of the oldest continuously operating professional baseball venues in California. Originally built as a Works Progress Administration project during the New Deal era.
The park has hosted professional baseball through numerous ownership and affiliation changes over 80+ years. It stands as one of the last WPA-era ballparks in affiliated baseball.
Build specs
- OPENED
- 1942
- CAPACITY
- 5,200
- DIMENSIONS
- LF 320 · CF 399 · RF 320
- SURFACE
- Natural Grass
Statues & Exterior
EXTERIOR FEATURES
Historic 1942 Venue
General
Operating since 1942, Excite Ballpark is one of the oldest active professional baseball venues in California — older than most Silicon Valley companies.
Silicon Valley Setting
Surrounding area
Surrounded by the tech campuses that define modern Silicon Valley, the park offers a counterpoint to the digital world — wooden bats and a stadium older than most of the region's companies.
Names & History
2021–present
Excite Ballpark
Naming rights acquired by Excite Credit Union in 2021. The park has served San Jose baseball since 1942 under multiple names.
2000–2021
Municipal Stadium
The park's long-running generic name before corporate sponsorship arrived.
1942–1999
San Jose Municipal Stadium
Original name for the stadium that opened as a Works Progress Administration project.
The Food
Churros Churros Churros
Churros stands — multiple locations
San Jose Giants fans know: the churros are legendary. Hot, crispy, cinnamon-dusted, and available in multiple flavors throughout the season. The Churros Loteria, Lucha Mask, and Straw Hat promotions are built around this signature food.
Garlic Fries
Garlic Fries Stand
Silicon Valley is close enough to Gilroy — the Garlic Capital of the World — that garlic fries are a Bay Area ballpark institution. Excite Ballpark's version is aggressively garlicky.
Bay Area Burrito
Mission-style stands
A Mission-style foil burrito: rice, beans, meat, salsa, crema, and cheese in a large flour tortilla — the dominant burrito tradition of the Bay Area and a natural fit for San Jose's demographics.
Classic Dog
Throughout ballpark
Standard ballpark hot dog dressed Bay Area style — mustard, relish, and optionally Gulden's brown mustard reflecting the East Bay influence.
The Beer
Strike Brewing Co. Social Distortion IPA
Strike Brewing · San Jose, CA
Strike Brewing is San Jose's home craft brewery, operating steps from Excite Ballpark in the SoFA District. The collab IPA with legendary punk band Social Distortion is the definitive local pour.
Anchor Steam Beer
Anchor Brewing · San Francisco, CA
The original San Francisco beer since 1896. Anchor Steam is a California Common ale — a style invented in the Bay Area — and the historical starting point for West Coast craft beer.
Sierra Nevada Hazy Little Thing IPA
Sierra Nevada Brewing · Chico, CA
The most popular hazy IPA from the Central Valley's most iconic craft brand.
Bud Light
Anheuser-Busch
Standard ballpark volume pour.
Sun & Weather Guide
Marine layer moderates temperatures
San Jose benefits from the Pacific marine layer — even summer games rarely exceed 85°F. A light layer is smart for April and September evening games.
Occasional September heat waves
When interior California heat spills into the Bay Area in late summer, San Jose can spike to 95°F+. These are rare but intense.
Ideal ballpark conditions most of the year
San Jose's Mediterranean climate makes almost any evening game comfortable. One of the more pleasant climates for a California League park.
Insider Tips
The One Thing
Order the churros. The San Jose Giants are known for it — the Churros Loteria Card giveaway, the Lucha Mask night, the whole identity rotates around this. Get them early while they're fresh.
Best Seat in the House
Third base side reserved seats give you the best shade in afternoon games. The Silicon Valley sun comes from the southwest and the overhang covers rows 10 and above.
Getting There
Excite Ballpark is a short walk from the SAP Center and accessible via VTA light rail. The Diridon Station stop is a 10-minute walk — one of the most transit-accessible Single-A parks in the country.
Friday Giveaways
All major San Jose Giants giveaways are on Friday nights. The 2025 Championship Ring, Gigante Navy Bobblehead, Soccer Jersey, and Barracuda Shirsey are all Friday gates. Arrive 30 minutes early.
Plan your pilgrimage
Every Park a Pilgrimage.
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