Football is over following a most underwhelming Super Bowl XLVIII, and it’s time to turn our attention to America’s greatest pastime.
Here in Florida, and particularly in the Tampa Bay area, there is an unparalleled baseball hotspot as Major League Baseball’s spring training is about to get under way. Home to the Grapefruit League, the Sunshine State will become the temporary headquarters for 15 MLB teams as they loosen up for the fast approaching regular season.
To help prime the Florida baseball fan as their favorite teams begin to arrive, I have compiled a list of the absolute must-see spring training sites. If time and the budget allows it, try and head out to a couple of these sites in the coming two months. You won’t regret it and that’s a guarantee.
Champion Stadium – Atlanta Braves
Lake Buena Vista, Fla.
Nestled right in the heart of the Walt Disney Wide World of Sports complex, Champion Stadium provides a baseball haven for Braves fans and tourists alike. This ballpark seats 9,500 and offers most of the amenities fans could find at Turner Field in Atlanta. Whether you are on a family vacation and need to escape the lines of Magic Kingdom or are simply a Braves fan who resides in Florida, Champion Stadium is a can’t miss.
George M. Steinbrenner Field – New York Yankees
Tampa, Fla.
Formerly known as Legends Field, this ballpark can make any transplanted Yankees fan feel like they are right at home catching a game, minus the cold weather of course. Complete with a grandstand facade that mimics that of old Yankee Stadium in the Bronx, Steinbrenner Field has an authentic New York ambience to it. Many NY style concessions are available to satisfy fans in between catching their beloved pinstripes in action. Located just 10 minutes from downtown Tampa, George M. Steinbrenner Field is one of the most popular destinations in all of the MLB for spring training.
Bright House Field – Philadelphia Phillies
Clearwater, Fla.
Located less than 10 miles from the beautiful white sands of Clearwater Beach, Bright House Field seems more like an oasis than the training grounds of the Philadelphia Phillies. Adorned with palm trees all around and a Tiki Bar in left field, there isn’t a bad seat in the house. And yes Philadelphians, there are in fact Philly Cheese Steaks available for purchase.
McKechnie Field – Pittsburgh Pirates
Bradenton, Fla.
Built in 1922, McKechnie field in downtown Bradenton has an undeniable charm to it. Influenced by traditional Florida-Spanish architecture, McKechnie Field offers a nostalgic vibe to anyone who visits. Another perk of this park, the oldest spring training venue in use, is its affordable ticket prices. Grandstand tickets to any game can be purchased for only $14 and offer a great view to catch reigning MVP Andrew McCutchen and the Pirates in action.
Joker Marchant Stadium – Detroit Tigers
Lakeland, Fla.
Joker Marchant was built in 1966 and has been the spring home to the Detroit Tigers, who themselves have played in Lakeland for the past 78 years this spring, ever since. Lakeland is only a half hour drive from Tampa and on game days has an authentic Motor City vibe to it thanks to many Tigers fans who now reside in Florida. The state-of-the-art facility is known as Tiger Town and contains multiple practice fields as well as housing for when the Tigers are in town every spring.
Josiah Kachelmeyer can be reached at josiah.kachelmeyer@spartans.ut.edu.