World Baseball Classic kickoff again after six years since 2017. Since I am studying in the United States, I seized this opportunity to fly to Miami's loanDepot Park to participate in the "Festival of Baseball ." I experienced how Latino fans cheered for their teams with full of music and rhythm, and it was also the first time for me to watch a ballgame in an indoor ballpark in Major League Baseball (the roof of the stadium was closed for this series).
Arrive at the urban transfer station at 10:00 a.m. and take a shuttle bus to the stadium which is a six-minute drive away. Since the game was played at noon on Tuesday, there were not as many people as there were in the evening game. I chartered a bus to loanDepot Park by myself.
Interestingly, the CBD in downtown Miami is very small. Even if it takes only six minutes to drive away from the business district, the stadium is surrounded by one- to two-story bungalows, so they will first walk through the community, then enter the park, and finally arrive at the stadium.
LoanDepot Park was originally located at the Orange Bowl Stadium (University of Miami Hurricanes, home of the NFL Miami Dolphins). Before 2008, the Florida Marlins had shared Joe Robbie Stadium (now Hard Rock Stadium) with the Miami Dolphins, but the American football field was shared with the baseball field. There are issues of distance and vision to the field. What's more, the heat and humidity brought by Miami's tropical climate and the heavy rainfall led to the suspension of the game, which made the number of spectators unable to increase. Therefore, after winning the world series champion in 2003, the Marlins expected to obtain a baseball-only stadium.
After many negotiations with the Major League and the Miami city government, the design was finally finalized in 2009, and the team was renamed "Miami Marlins". Populous Architects (formerly HOK SPORTS) led the design of Marlins Park, and appointed two structural engineering firms to be responsible for the stadium body and roof structure, and five other contractors were responsible for the construction project. It took only 4 years to complete the project.
The architectural feature of this stadium is the first major league neo-modernist building. The abstract appearance and streamlines are very different from the previous major league baseball stadiums. In addition, the concept of Cuba, canopy and organic design is combined to design this pure white, transparent elements and uses artworks to decorate the building like an art museum.
Ballpark Facilities:
Fans entering the stadium will be taken to Level 100. This is the concourse where everyone can buy food or team merchandise, which is much better than the White Sox Guaranteed Rate Field.
I entered the park from the third base side entrance, and I met the team merchandise shop first, but because the WBC is currently being held, the merchandise is almost dominated by the conference and the national team, and the Marlins merchandise is not sold in the shop.
Spectators sitting at Level 200 and Level 300 can take the escalator to the designated floor. In addition, there are shops selling food on each floor for fans to choose from. The Marlins also provide kiosk ordering machines at home or use the app to order online and pick up the food by themselves.
If you enter from the back of the home plate, you will pass the clubhouse and see someone working inside, and you will arrive at the concourse after passing the posters full of Little Havana style.
The hall behind the home plate is clearly marked to guide spectators, and to the right is the Biscayne Bay Brew Hall, which sells Marlins Lager, and a baseball wall.
The sales shop, toilets, and wine vendors are all surround in the concourse at the park, but it should be noted that almost all clubs implement a non-cash payment policy. I just met a Nicaraguan fan who did not have a credit card. In the end, he gave me cash and I helped him did the transaction that allowed him to successfully buy the ball and sign it.
There are many artworks in the stadium and the history of the Orange Bowl Stadium, so that those who like history can carefully understand the context of the stadium.
In the United States, baseball teams emphasize the importance of belonging to a place, so there are a lot of slogans about "this is our home", which is closely linked to the city, so that the fans will have a sense of affiliation and come into the stadium to cheer for the team.
There is a children's play area in the center-left field, where parents can bring their children to play, and at the same time, they can also watch the game on the field, there is nearly no dead angle to the field of vision in this stadium, which is a very successful design.
Next to the play area is a small bobblehead museum, which contains bobblehead of famous players from different teams. What's even more impressive is that it has a vibrating device so that the bobbleheads can bobble their heads which is very interesting.
There is a triple glass gate in left field, and if the roof is open this side slides open to allow the skyline to blend in with the ballpark.
This is also the standing area of the Budweiser bar, so those who didn't buy a seat can stand here and watch the game.
Seat View:
From center field, you can see the field of view of the pitcher and the catcher. It is possible that because it is a WBC, the only information on the screen is the number of runs scored and the number of innings played, and basically, you can't see the big screen in right field, so you can't see a lot of information, including the type and the speed of the ball. But maybe the during the season will be different.
But what's interesting is that you can see the visiting bullpen pitchers, while the home team's bullpen will be blocked from view by the bar. It's also fascinating to see what's stacked up behind the center field wall and how the staff moves around all the time, which is another thing to look at outside of the game.
Sitting in the 200Level is the VIP area of the box, you can enjoy your own space and food as well as personalized delivery service, watching the game here has a laid-back feeling, there will be no large crowds, you can order a drink at the bar and buy fried chicken in to the seats to enjoy.
The seats at 200 Legends Level are made of leather, with a clear view of the field of vision. Occasionally, a baseball will be hit to this side of the room, and because of the small number of people, there is a greater chance of catching the ball, and sometimes it will even be hit directly to the box.
300 Vista Level is the highest section, I sit in the first row and my view is slightly blocked by the railings, so I have to angle myself to see the ball.
But the beauty of this side of the field is that you can see the city skyline beyond the ballpark, and it best exemplifies what makes a baseball stadium so special - rus in urbe a rural landscape within the city.
At the very end of the 100 Level is another section with exclusive access from the other entrances of the stadium, so if you have the opportunity and a higher budget you can certainly choose to sit on this section.
Atmosphere:
Attached are a few photos from the game. This time I watched the Nicaragua vs. Venezuela, Israel vs. Dominica, and Israel vs. Venezuela.
The Central and South American fans at the scene were very enthusiastic. Music, drums and chanting sounds came one after another. After scoring, everyone sang together. The music in the stadium was also very Latin style. Even the live anchor was in English and Spanish. This is An experience I haven't had at any other golf course.
After the game, the field staff began to clean up the field, including the artificial turf of the stadium. Due to insufficient sunlight in the indoor stadium, Longdiba Park Stadium has now been replaced with artificial turf. The model is Shaw Sports B1K, which is the same as the Chase Field of the Arizona Diamondbacks. .
Everyone will leave the main part of the stadium along the slope, but the surrounding square is just beginning the post-game performance, like a carnival.
The stadium is very comfortable, just like a real park. The landscape design makes people feel like they are on a tropical island. With the works created by different artists, the ball park is like a white canvas decorated with these colorful works.
Everyone danced to the music and celebrated the victory, continuing the happy atmosphere and making the entire stadium packed. The adults continued to drink beer, while the children catching Ball with their dads on the turf.
You can line up to take pictures of the installation art in the square. I think the team has designed many photo check-in points, which is great. It makes the baseball stadium not only baseball but also has other elements.
There is also a piece of art installation for the 2023 World Baseball Classic in the Little Havana neighborhood.
A small activity on the field, adults over 21 years old can participate, and the winner will receive a free beer.
There is such a commemorative plaque on the pillar of the retractable roof, which is a pity that many major league fans know. In 2016, Marlins pitcher José Fernández died in a boat crash on Miami Beach due to a drunk driving. He was smuggled to the United States from Cuba and pitched very well with the Marlins. Unfortunately, he eventually passed away due to an accident, which also plunged the major leagues into a low pressure at the time. This plaque is put here and I hope his spirit will always be with the Marlins.
The Marlins installation that was originally in the stadium was finally placed in the square behind the outfield because former majority owner Derek Jeter didn't like it. In fact, when I look at it up close, this piece does seem more childish to me, and maybe it doesn't match the interior of the stadium. Therefore, it is a good choice to place it outside the venue as a piece of public art.
To sum up, this is indeed the most advanced stadium in the major leagues. The design of the building itself, the landscape design and the placement of artworks make it different from other stadiums. The software facilities and fan experience are also efficient. The queuing time is reduced so that fans can concentrate on watching the game and enjoy delicious food. I remember that I used to go to Xinzhuang Stadium with my classmates and wait for the food to be bought after four games were played, so these small improvements may become other A reference to the stadium. If you have the opportunity next time, you may wish to live in downtown Miami or on the beach, take public transportation to watch the game at Longdiba Park Stadium, and experience baseball that combines American and Latin flavors!
Ballpark Information:
Public Transportation: Yes (Miami Government Center)
Gate Open: 2 hours before the game
Bag Policy: Yes (16*16*8 inch fully transparent bag)
Payment policy: Cashless payment, you can bring cash to the stadium and exchange it for a stored value card
Seat view: good in the whole area, please pay attention to the railings in the first row
Home Team Dugout: Marlins on the third base side
Website:
Marlins official website: https://www.mlb.com/marlins
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