As uncertainty looms over the scheduled opening of Dunkin’ Donuts Park, the Hartford Yard Goats (Class AA; Eastern League) will now play three home series at Norwich’s Dodd Stadium. The Eastern League announced the team’s temporary placement in the home of the Connecticut Tigers (Short Season A; NY-Penn League), and said it is monitoring the situation in Hartford.
This comes on the heels of the most recent news out of Hartford, where local officials have openly doubted that Dunkin’ Donuts Park can be occupied by May 17. Several crucial projects remained incomplete at the beginning of this week, including a team store and box office, and work on two access elevators in centerfield had yet to start. The Yard Goats were to begin operating out of the ballpark on May 17, giving them time to prepare for the May 31 home opener, which is also in doubt.
The schedule changes announced by the Eastern League will affect nine dates in which the Yard Goats is the home team. Hartford will play its first home series at Dodd Stadium starting on May 12, with the full schedule in Norwich planned as follows:
May 12th-May 15th (Hartford Yard Goats vs. New Hampshire Fisher Cats)
This series will now be played at Dodd Stadium in Norwich, Connecticut.
May 16th-May 18th (Hartford Yard Goats vs. Akron RubberDucks)
This series will now be played at Dodd Stadium in Norwich, Connecticut.
May 23rd-May 26th (Hartford Yard Goats vs. Bowie Baysox)
This series will now be played at Dodd Stadium in Norwich, Connecticut from May 23rd-May 24th. The clubs will play a doubleheader on May 24th. Both May 25th and May 26th will become off days for both clubs. The remaining game of the series will be made up at a later date
Dodd Stadium was once home to an Eastern League franchise, having hosted the Connecticut Defenders until the team’s relocation to Richmond following the 2009 season. It has been occupied ever since by the Tigers, who in a separate release, presented the times and ticket information for the Yard Goats’ games.
The Eastern League remains noncommittal on the status of Dunkin’ Donuts Park, saying in today’s announcement that it “will continue to monitor the situation and will make further decisions regarding the Hartford schedule as additional information becomes available regarding the availability of Dunkin’ Donuts Park.”