BayCare Ballparkis abaseballstadium located inClearwater, Florida.The stadium was built in 2004 and has a maximum seating capacity of 8,500 people (7,000 fixed seats with additional grass berm seating for 1,500).
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  BayCare Ballpark Location within Florida  BayCare Ballpark BayCare Ballpark (the United States) | |
| Former names | Bright House Networks Field (2004–2013) Bright House Field (2013–2017) Spectrum Field (2017–2020) |
|---|---|
| Location | 601 Old Coachman Road Clearwater,FL33765 |
| Coordinates | 27°58′18″N82°43′54″W/ 27.97167°N 82.73167°W |
| Public transit |  PSTAbus: 76 |
| Owner | City of Clearwater[1] |
| Operator | Philadelphia Phillies[2] |
| Capacity | 8,500 |
| Field size | Left – 329 ft. Left Center – 389 ft. Center – 408 ft. Right – 330 ft. |
| Surface | Grass |
| Construction | |
| Broke ground | October 16, 2002 |
| Opened | February 27, 2004 |
| Construction cost | $28 million[1] ($45.2 million in 2023 dollars[3]) |
| Architect | Populous Ewing Cole Cherry Brott |
| Project manager | Stranix Associates[4] |
| Services engineer | Bredson & Associates, Inc.[2] |
| General contractor | Hunt Construction Group[2] |
| Tenants | |
| Clearwater Threshers(Florida State League) (2004–present) Philadelphia Phillies(MLB) (spring training) (2004–present) Big East tournament(2006, 2008–2013) AAC tournament(2014–present) | |
The ballpark is thespring traininghome of thePhiladelphia Phillies,and also the home of their Class A affiliate, theClearwater Threshersof theFlorida State League.A sculpture titledThe Ace—by artist Kevin Brady—stands at the ballpark's west entrance plaza.[5]
Name
edit
The stadium was originally namedBright House Networks Fieldafter the regional / national cable company,Bright House Networks,whose localhead endcenter is located just to the south of the stadium.
It was announced on January 20, 2004, thatBright House Networkshad secured thenaming rightsfor the new ballpark. Under the terms of the agreement, Bright House Networks would pay the Phillies $1.7 million over 10 years with an option for two 5-year renewals. The City of Clearwater received one-third of the payment.[6]The name was shortened toBright House Fieldin 2013.[7]
In 2017, the complex was renamedSpectrum Fieldafter Bright House was purchased byCharter Communications.While named for Charter's residential service, the name invoked memories of theSpectrumarena that operated from 1967 to 2009 at theSouth Philadelphia Sports Complex,which the Phillies have called home since 1971.[8]
The name was changed toBayCare Ballparkin February 2021, whenBayCare Health Systemreached a six-year naming-rights agreement with a five-year renewal option. BayCare Health System also became the exclusive healthcare system partner for the Phillies in the Florida market.[9]
History
edit
BayCare Ballpark is the Phillies' third Clearwater spring training home. The team moved to Clearwater in1947.They trained and played home games atClearwater Athletic Fieldfrom1947to1954.The City of Clearwater opened a new ballpark for spring training in1955and named itJack Russell Stadium.(The ballpark was renamed Jack Russell Memorial Stadium in 1990.) With the stadium aging, the Phillies and the city erected their new spring home adjacent to the Phillies' year-round training facility, theCarpenter Complex,4 miles (6.4 km) east of Jack Russell Memorial Stadium.
Ground-breaking of the new stadium took place on October 16, 2002.[10]The official ribbon-cutting ceremony for the ballpark took place on February 27, 2004 prior to the annual spring-training Phan Fest.[5]
On June 24, 2012, thanks to the rain bands offTropical Storm Debby,the field was flooded, becomingswimming pool-like.[11]
Significant games
editThe Phillies played their first spring-training game at the park on March 4,2004.8,205 fans watched the Phils beat theNew York Yankees5–1.Vicente Padillastarted for the Phillies,Marlon Byrdhad the park's first hit, andJimmy Rollinshit the first home run.[12]
BayCare Ballpark hosted the 44th Florida State League All-Star Game on June 18, 2005. A crowd of 5,547 saw the West defeat the East 6–4. TheSarasota Reds'Chris Dickersonhit a two-run home run, scored two runs, and earned the game's Star of Stars Award. Future major league players who appeared in the game included Dickeron,Reggie Abercrombie,Carlos Villanueva,andSean Marshall.[13]
Threshers pitcher Julio De La Cruz pitched the first no-hitter at the ballpark on August 18, 2006. De La Cruz beat theSarasota Reds5–0 in front of 5,906 fans on "Pitch for Pink Night" in Clearwater. The Threshers wore special pink uniforms to raise money for breast cancer research and awareness. It was the first no-hitter for Clearwater since 1992.[14]
College baseball
editTheBig East Conferenceheld itschampionship tournamentat BayCare Ballpark in 2006 and from 2008 to 2013.Notre DamedefeatedLouisville7–0 on May 27, 2006, to win the 2006 championship.[15]Louisville defeatedCincinnati6–3 to win the 2008 championship on May 24, 2008.[16]In 2009, Louisville again won the tournament.[17]In 2010,St. John'swon the title, defeatingUConn3–0 in the championship game. In2011,5th-seededSeton Hallbecame the lowest seeded team ever to win the Big East Tournament, defeating St. John's 4–2.[18][19]In2012,St. John's defeatedSouth Florida7–3 in the title game to win the tournament.[20]Beginning in 2014, theAmerican Athletic Conferencehas held its conferencebaseball tournamentat BayCare Ballpark.
Attendance figures
editThe single-game attendance record for the Threshers was set on July 3, 2019, when 10,055 saw Clearwater lose to theFort Myers Miracle,1-0.[21][22]Between 2007 and 2015, the top 6 of the Threshers top 10 single-game attendance numbers occurred on July 3.[23]
The all time spring training attendance record for BayCare Ballpark was set on March 17, 2019 when 11,340 saw the Yankees defeat the Phillies 7-3.
The spring-training attendance mark for BayCare Ballpark is 143,500, set in 2009.[24]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ab"Bright House Networks Secures Naming Rights".Tampa Bay Business Journal.January 20, 2004.RetrievedMarch 7,2009.
- ^abc"Clearwater Promises a Clear View".SportsBusiness Journal.March 29, 2004.RetrievedSeptember 20,2011.
- ^1634–1699:McCusker, J. J.(1997).How Much Is That in Real Money? A Historical Price Index for Use as a Deflator of Money Values in the Economy of the United States: Addenda et Corrigenda(PDF).American Antiquarian Society.1700–1799:McCusker, J. J.(1992).How Much Is That in Real Money? A Historical Price Index for Use as a Deflator of Money Values in the Economy of the United States(PDF).American Antiquarian Society.1800–present:Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis."Consumer Price Index (estimate) 1800–".RetrievedFebruary 29,2024.
- ^"Bright House Field".Stranix Associates.RetrievedAugust 25,2013.
- ^abTisch, Chris (February 27, 2004)."A Whole New Ball Game".St. Petersburg Times.RetrievedMarch 7,2009.
- ^Putnam, Bob (January 21, 2004)."Phillies to Play in Bright House".St. Petersburg Times.RetrievedMarch 1,2009.[dead link]
- ^Zolecki, Todd (February 18, 2021)."Phillies Spring Training FAQ, important dates".MLB.RetrievedFebruary 26,2021.
- ^Zolecki, Todd (January 9, 2017)."Phils' spring home renamed Spectrum Field".MLB.RetrievedMarch 4,2017.
- ^"New for 2021: BayCare Ballpark".Ballpark Digest.August Publications. February 25, 2021.RetrievedFebruary 26,2021.
- ^Mandel, Ken (October 16, 2002)."Lieberthal Surgery a Success".Major League Baseball Advanced Media.Archived fromthe originalon May 25, 2011.RetrievedApril 1,2009.
- ^"Florida Flooding Hits FSL Ballparks".Ballpark Digest.August Publications. June 24, 2012.RetrievedJune 25,2012.
- ^Schulte, Eileen; Putnam, Bob (March 5, 2004)."Phillies Phest".St. Petersburg Times.RetrievedMarch 1,2009.
- ^Simonetti, Thomas (June 19, 2005)."West is Best in FSL All-Star Game: Midseason Classic Has Distinctly Lakeland Feel".Minor League Baseball.RetrievedMarch 2,2009.
- ^Haunss, Chip (August 19, 2006)."De La Cruz Pitches No-Hitter: 5–0 Whitewash of Reds is Threshers' First Gem since 1992".Minor League Baseball.RetrievedMarch 2,2009.
- ^"Top-Seeded Notre Dame Wins Fifth Straight Big East Baseball Championship".Big East Conference.May 27, 2006. Archived fromthe originalon April 29, 2009.RetrievedMarch 24,2009.
- ^"Louisville Takes BIG EAST Baseball Title with a 6–3 Win Against Cincinnati".Big East Conference.May 24, 2008.RetrievedMarch 24,2009.
- ^"2008–09 Big East Championship Schedule".BigEast.org.Big East Conference.Archived fromthe originalon January 19, 2012.RetrievedFebruary 12,2012.
- ^"Huskies Fall to St. John's 3–0 in BIG EAST Final".UConnhuskies.University of Connecticut.May 30, 2010. Archived fromthe originalon January 11, 2016.RetrievedFebruary 12,2012.
- ^Auman, Greg (May 29, 2011)."Seton Hall Baseball: Pirates Complete Shocking Upset, Win Big East Tournament Title Over St. John's".The Star-Ledger.Newark. Archived fromthe originalon August 14, 2011.RetrievedFebruary 12,2012.
- ^Auman, Greg (May 28, 2012)."USF Baseball Loses to St. John's in Big East Tournament Title Game".Tampa Bay Times.Archivedfrom the original on May 30, 2012.RetrievedMay 28,2012.
- ^McConnell, Tyler (July 3, 2019)."Threshers Drop Pitchers' Duel in Series Finale with Miracle".MiLB.RetrievedApril 15,2021.
- ^"Clearwater Threshers Set Single-Game Attendance Record".OurSports Central(Press release). Clearwater Threshers. July 3, 2019.RetrievedApril 15,2021.
- ^"Clearwater Threshers set single-game attendance record".TampaBayBaseballMarket.July 4, 2015. Archived fromthe originalon September 26, 2015.RetrievedMarch 18,2016.
- ^Murphy, David (April 3, 2009)."Phillies Manager Manuel Almost Has All the Answers as Spring Training Wraps Up:" Phillers "".Philadelphia Daily News.Archived fromthe originalon April 4, 2009.RetrievedApril 3,2009.