Sports Stadiums as Wise Investments

By opening Union Grounds in Brooklyn on May 15, 1832, William Cammeyer established himself as the inventor of the enclosed ball park -- the country’s first baseball “stadium.” The stadium was a natural progression in the development of a sport that was becoming increasingly professional. Stadiums allowed for the exclusion of non-paying spectators and helped impress exceptional players, for whom teams were beginning to compete. Stadiums also attracted the attention of baseball promoters. When the National Association was established in 1871, owners of enclosed parks, including Cammeyer, had a distinct advantage in the competition for franchises.