Though we don’t yet have an official start of the independent Atlantic League season, the Somerset Patriots are prepared after finishing the installation of extended protective netting at TD Bank Ballpark.
“We couldn’t be happier with the way the protective netting at the ballpark looks,” said Somerset Patriots Chairman Emeritus Steve Kalafer. “Fans will barely notice the difference while sitting behind the new and improved netting throughout the seating sections. The goal was to enhance safety without taking away any view or enjoyment of the game. We feel we have succeeded on both fronts.”
The team added new netting throughout the ballpark that now covers the entire seating bowl comprised of the Premium Field, Field, and Upper Box tickets.
“We have listened to our fans and followed the lead at Major League ballparks throughout the country,” said Somerset Patriots Co-Chairman Josh Kalafer. “The new netting looks very sharp and will only enhance the experience for our fans coming to games. Everything we do is with our fans in mind, and they will be very happy with the way this turned out.”
The netting is the same used at Yankees Stadium and is made of a material called Dyneema Ultra Cross Knotless Netting. The product has a special green coating that has 95% see through visibility from the seating bowl. The Dyneema netting is 15% stronger than steel and 40% stronger than aramid fibers.
“Whether people liked to sit behind the netting or not in the past, we think most people will become fans of the extended netting,” said Somerset Patriots Co-Chairman Jonathan Kalafer. “We did extensive research into providing a product that allows fans to best see the game, while knowing that we are going above and beyond to give them the best experience possible in a safe and clean environment.”
This is the second netting extension that the Somerset Patriots have done since 2017. The first added netting to sections 107, 108 and parts of sections 109 and 110.
“The netting looks great and we are excited to see how fans react to the experience it provides,” said Somerset Patriots President/General Manager Patrick McVerry. “We felt it was the right time to do the same as MLB facilities are doing to enhance fan safety and enjoyment at games.”