Protective netting at SunTrust Park will be extended, as the Atlanta Braves announced plans on Monday to extend netting from foul pole to foul pole.
Conversation about extended netting at ballparks has become more prominent in recent months, particularly following a May incident in which a young girl was injured by a foul ball during a game at Minute Maid Park between the Houston Astros and visiting Chicago Cubs. That has been followed by announcements from several Major League Baseball teams with plans to extend protective netting at their facilities, and the Braves are now the latest club to join that group.
According to Monday’s announcement, netting at SunTrust Park will be extended from the far ends of the dugouts to the foul poles. In that announcement, the Braves stated that “barring any complications, the project should be completed by the end of September.” Last month, the organization indicated that it was evaluating the possibility of extending netting at SunTrust Park.
The extension will provide additional protection for our fans while preserving the overall game day experience as much as possible. pic.twitter.com/2FWb7uOfCz
— Atlanta Braves (@Braves) August 19, 2019
A few MLB teams have already completed extended netting projects at their facilities during the regular season, including the Chicago White Sox, Washington Nationals, and Houston Astros, while the Los Angeles Dodgers are expected to raise and extend Dodger Stadium netting by early September. Several other MLB teams have also publicly stated plans to extend protective netting at their current facilities in the near future, including the Pittsburgh Pirates, Baltimore Orioles, Kansas City Royals, and Toronto Blue Jays.
Rendering courtesy Atlanta Braves.
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