Explore Hub City's Fifth Third Park
Welcome to Fifth Third Park, where Spartanburg's railroad history meets the lively, modern cultural center of South Carolina's Upstate region. Grab a burger and watch Texas Rangers prospects show out in the South Atlantic League.
Hub City Spartanburgers (High-A affiliate of the Texas Rangers since 2025)
Established: 2025
Ballpark: Fifth Third Park (opened in 2025)
League: South Atlantic League
The Hub City Spartanburgers debuted in 2025, following a relocation from Kinston, N.C. (where they were known as the Down East Wood Ducks). In conjunction with this move, the team switched classifications with the Hickory Crawdads. The Spartanburgers serve as the Rangers' High-A affiliate in the South Atlantic League, with the Crawdads moving to the Single-A Carolina League.
The Spartanburgers' arrival marks the return of Minor League Baseball to the city after a three-decade absence, as the last team to play there was the Single-A Spartanburg Phillies in 1994. Professional baseball in the Hub City dates back to the early 20th century, featuring teams such as the Spartans, Pioneers, Peaches and Suns.
The Hub City Spartanburgers moniker is unique in that it uses a city nickname as a place name while incorporating the city itself into the team name. Hub City, prevalent in signage throughout Spartanburg, refers to the fact that Spartanburg's city limits used to be in the shape of a circle. Various railroad lines entered the city via tracks that, taken together, resembled the hub of a wheel.
Spartanburgers obviously lends itself to burger-based branding. The burger depicted in the primary logo wears a train conductor cap while sitting atop a wordmark that resembles vintage diner signage.
Fifth Third Park
Google Maps
Spartanburgers Roster
Spartanburgers Schedule
300 W. Henry Street
Spartanburg, SC 29306
864-658-4210
Capacity: 5,250
Dimensions: left field, 328 feet; center field, 410 feet; right field, 327 feet
Fifth Third Ballpark is located on the far west side of Spartanburg's downtown, the centerpiece of a huge development project that also includes a hotel, apartments and office buildings. The ballpark is located on a triangular patch of land, with the home plate entrance situated at its apex. Most fans enter through the left-field entrance, located near a multi-level parking garage that includes a ground-level team store.
The ballpark features a spacious 360-degree concourse, which is at its largest in the area behind home plate. A large club area is located on the second-level of the facility, overlooking a compact and relatively steep seating bowl. The Spartanburgers excel at creating a riotous gameday environment, thanks to a recurring cast of gameday characters and a full-to-bursting promotional slate. Colorful murals adorn the concourse walls, and the creative kid's zone features agricultural-themed playground equipment. In short: You won't be bored.
Concessions
Oh, there will be burgers. Shortly after the team name was announced in May 2024, general manager Tyson Jeffers remarked that "We better have the best dang burgers in baseball." By the time the 2025 season rolled around, the Spartanburgers had a self-serve Burger Bar set up with enough options to create nine nonillion (!) combinations. Buy a plain burger and then head to the bar, where 102 (frequently rotated) toppings are available at any given time. These accoutrements range from the standard to the absurd, encompassing condiments, vegetables, meats, desserts and more.
For a unique non-burger item, consider the calzone-adjacent Deep-Fried Pizza. It's sprinkled with what the team calls Sparkle Dust, because Spartanburg is the Sparkle City. (Outside of Fifth Third Park, Sparkle Dust is better known as parmesan cheese.)
Mascot
Mascot Chuck is, you guessed it, an anthropomorphic hamburger. Chuck is available for "meat" and greets at every game, just keep your nose to the ground. He is joined at Fifth Third Park by Sparkle, an effervescent Carolina Parakeet (a species that is unfortunately extinct outside of the ballpark).
Local Attractions
According to the city's tourism website, downtown puts the "art" in "Spartanburg." Take a stroll and visit art galleries, breweries, museums and more.
Learn more about the forces that shaped this northern South Carolina burgh at the Spartanburg Regional History Museum, the Hub City Railroad Museum and the Walnut Grove Plantation (which documents how "free and enslaved people settled the South Carolina Backcountry, fought for independence and built a new nation.")
For those traveling with kids, check out the Spartanburg Science Center. They have, among other things, a live animal room.
Food and Drink
If seeing the Spartanburgers puts you in the mood to seek out more Spartanburg burgers, then travel along the Spartanburger Trail. The sprawling menu at Cribb's Kitchen features a dozen specialty burgers, including off-kilter offerings such as the crab rangoon smash. Ike's Korner Grill, a dive bar, offers a gargantuan "Challenge Burger." The Nu Way Lounge, the city's oldest bar, is renowned for its Redneck Burger (the key ingredients being chili and pimento cheese). The iconic Sugar-n-Spice opened in 1961 as a drive-in and still retains a classic retro charm. Another drive-in classic is The Beacon, famous for its Chili-Cheese-A-Plenty.
And, rest assured, if burgers aren't your thing there are still plenty of other options.
Moving on
The Carolinas are a hotbed of Minor League Baseball. The Spartanburgers could be the northernmost stop in a South Carolina itinerary that, moving clockwise, also includes the Myrtle Beach Pelicans, Charleston RiverDogs, August GreenJackets (located in North Augusta, S.C.), Columbia Fireflies and Greenville Drive.
There are plenty of North Carolina teams to consider as well, of course. Cross state lines to see the Charlotte Knights, Kannapolis Intimidators and, staying within the Rangers system, the Hickory Crawdads.
The Road to Arlington
Rangers prospects begin their journey through the full-season affiliates approximately 65 miles to the northeast of Spartanburg, in Hickory, North Carolina. The jump to Double-A brings them to the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex, and for Triple-A they play in Round Rock, outside of Austin.
Single-A: Hickory Crawdads
High-A: Hub City Spartanburgers
Double-A: Frisco RoughRiders
Triple-A: Round Rock Express
