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Florida Spring Training: Your Guide To Touring The Grapefruit League |
“You’ve got to see Legends Field.” That’s what so many people say. Over and over again, whenever you talk to someone from the Tampa area, they brag about how great Legends Field is. Don’t believe the hype. Yes, Legends Field is a beautiful park. Its sculptured gardens, white façade, and the giant Yankees sign along the wall all make Legends Field a sight to behold. You can see it easily as you drive down Dale Mabry Highway to the stadium. But all of that cannot take away the fact that this stadium is more like a Major League ballpark than any other stadium in the Grapefruit League. Quite simply, Legends Field is not a Spring Training stadium in any sense of the term. Start with the size of the ballpark. At over 10,000 seats, it is considerably larger than any other stadium in the Grapefruit League and almost a third the size of many Major League ballparks. (The field of play is exactly the same dimensions as Yankee Stadium in the Bronx.) The size creates an atmosphere that is anything but intimate. It creates a separation between fans and players that is made even worse by the stadium’s policies and practices. For instance, Legends Field is the only stadium where they will not let anyone but ticket holders with lower-level seats into the lower level section. When I was there, I lucked into some very good seats. They were behind home plate and I was looking straight down the first base line. I wanted to go to the field near the first base dugout, about 10 to 15 sections away from my seats, which were near the third base dugout. Thanks to stadium policy, I couldn’t just walk down the aisle from the concourse. I had to walk back to my section, go down the aisle to the front, and then walk through the rows of seats back to the first base dugout. It doesn’t help that policemen stand guard at each end of the Yankees dugout throughout the game (to prevent any harassment of the players). It’s a sight you don’t associate with Spring Training, and it sure doesn’t enhance the experience. Didn't find what you were looking for? Try a Google search.
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