AT & T Park AT & T Park is a ballpark used for Major League Baseball . It is located in the South of Market ( SoMa ) neighborhood of San Francisco , California , at 24 Willie Mays Plaza , at the corner of Third and King Streets . It has served as the home of the San Francisco Giants of Major League Baseball since 2000 . Originally named Pacific Bell Park , then renamed SBC Park in 2003 after SBC Communications acquired Pacific Bell , the stadium was ultimately christened AT & T Park in 2006 following SBC ' s merger with AT & T . The park also hosts the annual Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl , a college football bowl game , and other occasional sporting and musical events . For the 2011 season , the park served as the home of the California Golden Bears football team . History . Design and construction . Originally designed to be a 42 , 000 seat stadium , there were slight modifications before the final design was complete . When the ballpark was brought to the ballot box in the Fall of 1996 for voter approval , the stadium was 15 degrees clockwise from its current position . Also the center - field scoreboard was atop the right - field wall and the Giants Pavilion Building were two separate buildings . Groundbreaking on the ballpark began on December 11 , 1997 , in the industrial waterfront area of San Francisco known as China Basin in the up and coming neighborhoods of South Beach and Mission Bay . The stadium cost $ 357 million to build and supplanted the Giants ' former home , Candlestick Park , a multi - use stadium in southeastern San Francisco . A team of engineers from UC Davis was consulted in the design process of the park resulting in wind levels that are approximately half those at Candlestick . Fans had shivered through 40 seasons at " The ' Stick " and looked forward to warmer temperatures at the new ballpark . But because AT & T Park , like its predecessor , is built right on San Francisco Bay , cold summer fog and winter jackets in July are still not unusual at Giants games , despite the higher average temperature . When it opened on March 31 , 2000 , the ballpark was the first Major League ballpark built without public funds since the completion of Dodger Stadium in 1962 . However , the Giants did receive a $ 10 million tax abatement from the city and $ 80 million for upgrades to the local infrastructure ( including a connection to the Muni Metro ) . The Giants have a 66 - year lease on the ballpark site , paying $ 1 . 2 million in rent annually to the San Francisco Port Commission . The park opened with a seating capacity of 40 , 800 , but this has increased over time as seats have been added . Notable events . The opening series took place from April 11 – 13 , 2000 against the Los Angeles Dodgers ( the team the Giants faced in their final series at Candlestick Park ) , and the Giants were swept in three games . In the first game of that series , the Giants lost 6 – 5 , highlighted by three home run s from the Dodgers ' Kevin Elster . On May 1 , 2000 , Barry Bonds became the first player to hit a " splash hit " home run into McCovey Cove . In just its first few years of existence , the ballpark has seen its share of historic events primarily due to veteran Giants outfielder Barry Bonds . On April 17 , 2001 , Bonds hit his 500th career home run at then - Pacific Bell Park . Later that year , he set the single season home run record when he hit home runs number 71 , 72 , and 73 over the weekend of October 5 to close the season . On August 9 , 2002 , Bonds hit his 600th career home run at the park . On April 12 , 2004 , Bonds hit career home run 660 at SBC Park to tie Willie Mays for third on the all - time list and on the next night , he hit number 661 to move into sole possession of third place . On September 17 , 2004 , Bonds hit his 700th career home run at the park to become just the third member of baseball ' s 700 club . On May 28 , 2006 , Bonds hit his 715th home run at the park to pass Babe Ruth for second place on the all - time list . On August 7 , 2007 , Bonds hit his 756th home run , breaking Hank Aaron ' s record . The park hosted games three through five of the 2002 World Series against the Anaheim Angels , which the Giants lost four games to three . It also hosted the 2007 MLB All - Star Game , which the American League won 5 – 4 over the National League . On July 10 , 2009 , the Giants ' Jonathan Sánchez pitched the first no - hitter at AT & T Park . On October 27 & 28 , 2010 , the Giants hosted the first two games of the World Series , beating the Texas Rangers in both games . They ultimately went on to win the World Series and become 2010 World Series Champions , though the clinching game was in Texas rather than at AT & T Park . On June 13 , 2012 , Matt Cain threw the 22nd perfect game in MLB history against the Houston Astros . The perfect game was the 1st in Giants history as well . This was the 2nd no - hitter at AT & T Park and the 2nd perfect game of the 2012 season . AT & T Park hosted Games 1 and 2 of the 2012 World Series on October 24 – 25 . The Giants beat the Detroit Tigers twice , 8 - 3 and 2 - 0 respectively . The Giants would go on to win the 2012 World Series in a four game sweep at Comerica Park . On July 25 , 2012 the ballpark was selected as the host of the semifinal and finals of the 2013 World Baseball Classic . Naming rights . The Pacific Telephone & Telegraph Company , a local telephone company in the San Francisco Bay Area , purchased the naming rights for the park for $ 50 million over 24 years in the Winter of 1996 . Pacific Bell had been recently purchased by SBC Communications when the naming rights deal was agreed upon . SBC eventually dropped the Pacific Bell name and reached an agreement with the Giants to change the stadium ' s name to " SBC Park " on January 1 , 2004 . After SBC bought AT & T Corporation on November 18 , 2005 , the name of the merged company became AT & T Inc . As a result , the stadium was given its third name in six years : " AT & T Park " . Fans still refer to the stadium as " Pac Bell Park " , as it was the first name given to the stadium . Others have named the stadium " The Phone Booth " or " Telephone Park " , for the constant name changes , as well as " Mays Field " in honor of Giants great Willie Mays or simply " The Bell " . Many also refer to the stadium as " China Basin " or " McCovey Cove " after its location , which would be immune to changes in sponsorship naming . Other uses . Giants Enterprises , a wholly owned subsidiary of the San Francisco Giants created and headed by longtime team executive and marketing legend Pat Gallagher , brings non - baseball events to AT & T Park on days when the Giants do not play . Prominent among these has been the usage of the stadium for football . For example , the park was home to the XFL ' s San Francisco Demons in 2001 , was the home of the East - West Shrine Game ( until 2006 ) , and was recently the former home stadium of the California Redwoods of the UFL in 2009 . Since 2002 , it has also been home to college football ' s Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl , previously the San Francisco Bowl and most recently the Emerald Bowl . In 2011 , AT & T Park became the temporary home football stadium for the California Golden Bears while Cal ' s on - campus stadium , California Memorial Stadium , underwent renovation . AT & T Park also hosted its first high school football game in 2011 , the Central Coast Section Division III football championship game between long - time San Francisco rivals St . Ignatius College Preparatory and Sacred Heart Cathedral Preparatory . AT & T Park has also hosted a range of other sporting and musical events . On February 10 , 2006 , the U . S . men ' s soccer team defeated Japan 3 – 2 at AT & T in a friendly . A match of the 2011 World Football Challenge between Manchester City and Club America was held at AT & T , drawing a sparse crowd of 11 , 250 . The Maverick ' s big - wave surfing contest is broadcast live on the giant video display at AT & T Park when the event is held . In 2006 , the park hosted ICER AIR the first ever stadium big - air ski and snowboard competition to be held in the United States . A virtual recreation of the park was created as a gig venue for " Guitar Hero World Tour " . In summer 2010 , the park hosted an audition stop for the 2011 ( 10th ) season of " American Idol " . San Francisco Opera partnered with Giants Enterprises to do three broadcasts , most recently " Tosca " , in June and September 2009 . Features . The stadium contains 68 luxury suites , 5 , 200 club seats on the club level and an additional 1 , 500 club seats at the field level behind home plate . On the facing of the upper deck along the left field line are the retired numbers of Bill Terry , Mel Ott , Carl Hubbell , Monte Irvin , Willie Mays , Juan Marichal , Orlando Cepeda , Jackie Robinson , Willie McCovey , and Gaylord Perry as well as the retired uniforms , denoted " NY " , of Christy Mathewson and John McGraw who played or managed in the pre - number era . These two pre - number era retired uniforms are among only six such retired uniforms in all of the Major Leagues . AT & T Park has a reputation of being a pitcher ' s park and the most pitcher friendly ballpark in the National League , according to ESPN . Right field and McCovey Cove . The most prominent feature of the ballpark is the right field wall , which is high in honor of former Giant Willie Mays , who wore number 24 . Because of the proximity to the San Francisco Bay , the right field foul pole is only from home plate . The wall is made of brick , with fenced off archways opening to the Cove beyond , above which are several rows of arcade seating . The fence angles quickly away from home plate ; right - center field extends out to from home plate . Atop the fence are four pillars with fountains atop . These four pillars will burst jets of water when the Giants hit a home run , win a game , and at the end of the National Anthem . In the past , rubber chickens put up by fans whenever a Giants player ( especially Barry Bonds ) was intentionally walked , would line the foul portion of the wall . The fans would do this to show that the opposing team is " chicken " for not pitching right to the Giants players . In recent seasons , as the team ' s strength has shifted from hitting to pitching , fans will line up " K " signs with each strikeout by a Giants pitcher . To some seniors , the right field area vaguely suggests the layout at the Polo Grounds . This deep corner of the ballpark has been dubbed " Death Valley " and " Triples ' Alley . " Like its Polo Grounds counterpart , it is very difficult to hit a home run to this area , and a batted ball that finds its way into this corner often results in a triple . Triples ' Alley is also infamous for bad bounces , most notably when Ichiro Suzuki hit the first - ever inside the park home run in an All - Star Game by lining the ball off one of the archways and sideways past the outfielders . Nate Schierholtz performed the same feat in the 2009 season as a pinch hitter . Aubrey Huff did it again in the 2010 season . Beyond right field is China Basin , a section of San Francisco Bay , which is dubbed McCovey Cove after famed Giants first baseman and left - handed slugger Willie McCovey , and into which a number of home runs have been hit on the fly . As of September 4 , 2012 , 62 " splash hits " have been knocked into the Cove by Giants players since the park opened ; 35 of those were by Barry Bonds . These hits are tallied on an electronic counter on the right field wall . Opponents have hit the water on the fly 25 times ; Todd Hundley of the Los Angeles Dodgers was the first visitor to do so on June 30 , 2000 . Luis Gonzalez of the Arizona Diamondbacks and Cliff Floyd of the Chicago Cubs are the only visiting players to do so twice , while Carlos Delgado of the New York Mets has performed the feat three times . Adam LaRoche has also hit three splash hits , twice with the Arizona Diamondbacks and once with the Pittsburgh Pirates . Rick Ankiel of the Atlanta Braves most recently hit one into the water – a come - from - behind solo home run in the 11th inning of game 2 of the 2010 NLDS . On June 27 , 2010 , David Ortiz of the Boston Red Sox became the first American League player to hit a splash hit . The only other AL player who has done it is Mitch Moreland of the Texas Rangers . Barry Bonds is the Giant who has hit the most home runs into " The Cove " as Giants fans call it . Behind the scoreboard in center field there is a pier where ferries can tie up and let off fans right at the park . On game days , fans take to the water of McCovey Cove in boats and even in kayak s , often with fishing nets in the hope of collecting a home run ball . ( This echoes what used to happen during McCovey ' s playing days . Before Candlestick Park ' s upper deck was extended , the area behind right field was occupied by three small bleacher sections and a lot of open space . Kids in those bleachers would gather behind the right field fence when " Stretch " would come to the plate ) . Just beyond the wall is a public waterfront promenade , where fans can watch three innings of a game through the wall ' s archways , free of charge , albeit with a somewhat obstructed view . Across the cove from the ballpark is McCovey Point and China Basin Park , featuring monuments to past Giants legends . Rusty , the Coke bottle , and the glove . When the park opened in 2000 , taking residence on the right field wall was " Rusty " , the Mechanical Man based on a theme of Old Navy since the wall was sponsored by the company . Rusty was a two - dimensional robotic ballplayer that stood tall and weighed five and a half tons . The Valencia , California firm , Technifex , engineered , fabricated and programmed Rusty to appear after major plays , during games , as a fully animated giant 1920 ' s era tin " toy " . After technical problems arose with Rusty , it was removed from the " Old Navy Splash Landing " , though the enclosure that housed him remained for years . In 2006 the Old Navy sponsorship of the wall was terminated and renamed " Levi ' s Landing " . In 2008 , the enclosure was removed as that area near the right field foul pole was renovated for a new luxury party suite called the " McCovey Cove Loft " . Behind the left field bleachers is " The Coca - Cola Fan Lot " . The ballpark features an long Coca - Cola bottle with playground slides that will blow bubbles and light up with every Giants home run , and a miniature version of the stadium . " The Coca - Cola Superslide " is popular with children as is with adults , and the terraced levels of the slides is a fun way to catch the game . If one were viewing the outfield promenade from home plate , directly to the bottle ' s right is another oversized representation of a ballpark stalwart , the " Giant 1927 Old - Time Four - Fingered Baseball Glove " — this particular one is made of steel and fiberglass . Behind and further to the left is " The Little Giants Park " – a miniature baseball diamond — sort of a minor league tryout for Pee - Wee Ball . To the right of the glove sculpture is the elevator and large plaza area for functions and parties to be held during games . It ' s also the site of " Orlando ' s " , the concessions stand of Giants great Orlando Cepeda . The signature fare at the stand is the " Caribbean Cha Cha Bowl " . Right - center field features a real San Francisco cable car ( retired cable car # 4 , formerly # 504 ) , with a label that states " No Dodgers Fans Allowed " . The fog horn — a feature introduced at Candlestick Park by the current Giants ownership group – was transferred to AT & T and hung underneath the scoreboard . It blows when a Giants player hits a home run or at the conclusion of a Giants win . Continuing right takes one to the promenade above the Cove , so that one can make a completely uninterrupted circuit of the park at that concourse level . Both levels of the concourse , inside the stadium , feature not only concession stands of all sorts , but other attractions as well . " Lou Seal " store . The ballpark features a make - your - own - mascot store for the Giants ' mascot , Lou Seal . Scoreboards . In addition to the automated scoreboards , which now include a new high - definition video board by Mitsubishi , the park has enormous , manually operated boards on the right field wall , which display the scores of Major League games played elsewhere . These manual scoreboards are operated by three employees , whose work on game days starts at least two hours before the first pitch . Wireless internet . Starting in 2004 , the Giants installed one hundred twenty - two 802 . 11b wireless internet access points , covering all concourses and seating areas , creating one of the largest public hotspots in the world at the time . San Francisco Giants Wall of Fame . On September 23 , 2008 , the Giants Wall of Fame was unveiled on the King Street side of the ballpark , as part of the 50th - anniversary celebration of the Giants ' move to San Francisco . Forty - three retired players were inducted , based on longevity and achievement . Eligibility requirements for players to be on the Wall are either 5 years as a San Francisco Giant with an All - Star Game appearance or 9 years as a Giant . Rich Aurilia and Shawn Estes were added in 2010 . In 2011 , the Giants announced that pitcher Jason Schmidt and outfielder Marvin Benard would be added in an August 27 , 2011 ceremony . Statues . Outside the ballpark are five statues , four of which are dedicated to San Francisco Giants all - time greats . The Willie Mays Statue is located in front of the ballpark entrance at 24 Willie Mays Plaza and is surrounded with 24 palm trees , in honor of his number 24 uniform , retired by the Giants . It was dedicated at noon on March 31 , 2000 , prior to the opening of the ballpark and was commissioned by Giants Managing Partner Peter Magowan and his wife Debby . Another statue is located at McCovey Point across McCovey Cove , and is dedicated to Willie McCovey . Around the Willie McCovey Statue are a number of plaques that celebrate the winners of the Willie Mac Award . The statue is located at China Basin Park next to The Barry Bonds Junior Giants Field , a T - ball park . Also located on the sea wall promenade are plaques showing the Opening Day roster of every Giants team from 1958 through 1999 . Giants fans who contributed funds to China Basin Park , had their own tiles with their own inscriptions set into the wall . A third statue , dedicated in 2005 , honors former Giants pitcher Juan Marichal , and is located outside the ballpark at the Lefty O ' Doul Gate entrance . The fourth statue is located at the park ' s ferry plaza behind center field , also known as Seals Plaza ; a statue of a seal bobbing a baseball on its nose honors the memory of the San Francisco Seals , the minor league baseball club that played before the arrival of the Giants in 1958 . On September 6 , 2008 , during a series against the Pittsburgh Pirates , a fifth statue depicting former Giants great Orlando Cepeda was dedicated at the corner of 2nd and King Streets next to the ballpark . All four statues of the Giants Hall of Fame players were created by sculptor William Behrends of North Carolina .