David G. Allan October 3, 2006

 

When Queen Elizabeth visited the United States in 1991, she made a specific request to President Bush to witness something "classically American." So the president took her to an Orioles games at the then-brand new ballpark at Camden Yards. Needless to say, their seats were great -- they took in the game while dining on fine china in the comfort of the owner's box. The small talk must have been priceless.

See our slideshow of the best skyboxes in North America.

These days you don't need a 1,400 year-old bloodline to watch a game like a royal. Since the debut of the modern sports luxury box (arguably at the 1965 Houston Astrodome), private skyboxes have become a staple in professional sports for those fans privileged or connected enough to gain access to the holy grail of spectator seating. Nearly every major ball park in the country has incorporated luxury boxes into their seating options. Even older fields like the Boston Red Sox's Fenway Park have been renovated to add them. We put the task of picking the best spots in pro sports to a panel of experts that includes sports journalists, former coaches, and skybox designers.

Luxury boxes certainly have their detractors, including a few among our expert panel who advocate the experience of watching a game with the crowd. Fortunately retractable glass walls, practically standard in new luxury boxes, allow you to open your private room to the ballyhoo of fellow fanatics. And a new trend in luxury seating, according to Peterson, is "bunker suites," found in arenas like the Toronto Maple Leafs' Air Canada Centre and the Houston Rockets' Toyota Center. Fans stationed in the bunkers have great seats in the thick of the crowd but can retreat to private rooms under the bleachers in between the action.

Much like high-end spas, today's luxury boxes are trying to distinguish themselves with all manner of bells and whistles. Case in point: Chase Field's Pool Zone, where patrons take in the game from an actual swimming pool (Diamondback beach towels included). Patrons at the Rogers Centre luxury boxes are surrounded by Toronto Blue Jays memorabilia, while fans at Lofts in Cardinals Stadium have access to up-to-the-minute player statistics on LCD screens. The luxury boxes at FedExField, the home of the Washington Redskins, are steeped in Monday Night Football lore -- they used to be broadcast booths.

Lavish suites are a trend in professional sports, but special seating dates back to the earliest days of baseball. The Cubs' Lakefront Park in Chicago had boxes located in the grandstand behind home plate 130 years ago that were "geared toward the upper clientele and included curtains that separated them from the crowd and waitresses serving food," says Levanthal. Curtains may have been replaced with ceiling-to-wall panoramic glass and waitresses have been supplanted by overflowing buffets of gourmet catering, but the privilege and the privacy is the same.

See our slideshow of the best luxury suites in pro sports.

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