We’ve already seen similar announcements from the New York Yankees and the Pittsburgh Pirates, and now the Minnesota Twins have unveiled Hammond Stadium extended netting for this coming spring training.
The Twins already announced extended netting for 2018 at Target Field that exceeds MLB recommendations, and the Pittsburgh Pirates have announced a similar plan for Bradenton’s LECOM Park. The New York Yankees will be extending netting at both Yankee Stadium and George M. Steinbrenner Field, their spring training home in Tampa. Among the other teams that have announced plans to provide additional netting at their regular-season homes include the Detroit Tigers, Chicago Cubs, Cincinnati Reds, San Diego Padres, Baltimore Orioles, Colorado Rockies, Seattle Mariners, Cleveland Indians and Milwaukee Brewers.
“Over the years, Hammond Stadium has earned a reputation as one of the most intimate spring training venues in all of baseball,” Twins President & CEO Dave St Peter said in a press statement. “With that reality in mind, we feel extending the ballpark’s netting is in the best interest of our fans. In addition to ensuring fan safety, we are equally committed to installing the best available netting product aimed at minimizing obstructed views for our fans.”
Prior to the start of spring training season, the Twins and Lee County will replace and improve the existing protective netting behind home plate while also extending the netting down each foul line beyond the first- and third-base dugouts. The new netting will cover sections 102 thru 114 and reach a height of 30 feet tall from end to end, covering sections 201 thru 217 behind home plate.
The fan safety netting at Hammond Stadium will be crafted using state-of-the-art technology, with thin strands and a knotless intersection to deliver a minimally obtrusive viewing experience. Additionally, the new netting will be composed of a combination of green hues to allow the netting to blend with the playing field and provide greater visibility.
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