The Postmodern Ballpark as a Leisure Setting: Enchantment and Simulated De-McDonaldization

Abstract As ballparks have grown in size to accommodate ever larger crowds, they have become increasingly rationalized or McDonaldized. However, rationalization brings with it disenchantment, that is, when they are rationalized, stadiums and other sites of consumption can lose the magical qualities that attract consumers. Recently, in an effort to attract larger crowds, ballparks have undergone a process of reenchantment whereby the magical allure of the ballpark is simulated to increase the consumer appeal of a rationalized setting. This article explores the applicability to contemporary ballparks of the various mechanisms involved in reenchantment, including such postmodern techniques as extravaganzas, simulations, implosions, and manipulations of time and space. We show that the evolution of the ballpark not only supports the reenchantment thesis, but also underscores the increasing commercialization of leisure. We also argue that the apparent de-McDonaldization that accompanies reenchantment is largely superficial and artificial; it is simulated de-McDonaldization, which remains rational at the core. Keywords: Consumption Enchantment Mcdonaldization Baseball Stadiums Postmodernism Simulation