📍 Durham, North Carolina
⚾ Home of the Durham Bulls

Made famous by the hit 1988 film Bull Durham, the International League’s Durham Bulls might just be the most recognized team in the minor leagues. Due to the movie’s popularity, the Bulls outgrew their former home of 68 years – historic Durham Athletic Park – and moved into their new spacious home at the American Tobacco Campus in 1995.

Historic Durham Athletic Park

Just north of downtown stands the old home of the Bulls, Durham Athletic Park. A longtime member of the Single-A Carolina League, the Bulls played at these historic grounds from 1926 until 1994. The original stadium’s inaugural event was christened by commissioner Kenesaw Mountain Landis, who rode onto the field on a live bull. The structure sadly burned down in 1939 but was quickly and entirely rebuilt.

Bull Durham was filmed at the park in the fall of 1987. After the movie’s release the following summer, the popularity of both the Bulls and minor league baseball in general exploded. Less than 6 years later, the swelling crowds forced the team to depart for a bigger ballpark at Durham’s American Tobacco Campus. In the post-Bulls era, the park would host everything from a women’s softball team to a Coastal Plain League team, but acted primarily as the home of the NC Central Eagles college squad from its inception in 2006 to discontinuation in 2021. The Bulls would even return for two regular season games in 2010 and 2011. Although the venue no longer has a tenant, it’s still maintained and used for occasional youth and amateur tournaments.

Baseball at the American Tobacco Campus

When Durham Bulls Athletic Park first opened in 1995, the Bulls were competing at the High-A level, but quickly moved up to Triple-A after just three seasons at the new park. DBAP was expanded to accommodate the burgeoning club and the increased attendance that came along with the surge in popularity. Today, the ballpark is a gem amongst its Triple-A peers, featuring a unique layout and design that you won’t find anywhere else.

In left field, a one-of-a-kind elevated outfield concourse sits atop the “Blue Monster”, a huge manually operated scoreboard, and is home to the Tobacco Road restaurant, which is open prior to and during games. Another highlight in left field is the snorting bull sign, carried over from the old ballpark, which blows smoke after every Bulls home run and offers batters the chance to win free steaks…or salads.

DBAP is rich in food and drink options as well, offering a particularly wide variety of craft beers. Areas of note include the Jackie’s Landing bar in the right field corner and El Jefecito, serving up all kinds of different tacos, in the left field corner.

The Bulls legacy stretches back to the beginning of the 20th century, making them one of the oldest and most successful clubs in the minors. The team’s crowning accomplishments include four Triple-A championships – all earned since 2009 – 17 league titles and 23 division titles.

With more Minor League teams than any other state except Florida, North Carolina has a multitude of baseball experiences to choose from. Durham, thanks in equal part to Hollywood fame and their stellar stadium, stands out as the premier must-see ballpark in the state.