Champion Stadium
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Champion Stadium | |
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| Location | Lake Buena Vista, Florida (Walt Disney World) |
| Opened | 1997 |
| Owner | Walt Disney Parks and Resorts |
| Operator | Disney's Wide World of Sports |
| Surface | grass |
| Former names | Cracker Jack Stadium The Ballpark at Disney's Wide World of Sports |
| Tenants | Atlanta Braves (spring training) Gulf Coast Braves (GCL) Tampa Bay Rays (one three game series in 2007 and 2008) Orlando Rays (SL) (2000-2003) |
| Capacity | 9,500 |
| Field dimensions | Left field - 335 ft / 102 m Left Center - 385 ft / 117 m Center Field - 400 ft / 122 m Right Center - 385 ft / 117 m Right field - 335 ft / 102 m |
Champion Stadium is a 9,500 seat baseball stadium located at Disney's Wide World of Sports in the Walt Disney World Resort (which occupies Lake Buena Vista, Florida). The stadium was built in 1997. It is the spring training home of the Atlanta Braves and the recurring home for the Rookie-league GCL Braves. From 2000 to 2003, the Ballpark was home to the Orlando Rays, the AA Southern League affiliate of the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. For 2004 they moved (but remained in the Southern League) and became the Montgomery Biscuits.
Champion Stadium was originally known as Cracker Jack Stadium. When it was first built, Frito-Lay purchased the naming rights to the venue for ten years and put its Cracker Jack brand on the stadium. During most of 2007, it was referred to as The Ballpark at Disney's Wide World of Sports until November 1, 2007, when HanesBrands Inc. purchased the naming rights for ten years and put its Champion brand on the stadium.[1]
The stadium has a capacity of 9,500 including seating in the berm area. It features four luxury boxes and two open-air party suites.
Champion Stadium hosted first-round games for the 2006 World Baseball Classic. It hosted Pool D, and featured teams with professional players from Venezuela, Australia, Dominican Republic and Italy.
It hosted its first regular season MLB games on May 15-17 of the 2007 season when the Texas Rangers played the Tampa Bay Devil Rays in a three-game series. The three-game series drew 26,917 fans as attendance went up each game. MLB has not resisted the idea of future series at Champion Stadium, and a series in April 2008 against the Toronto Blue Jays has been moved to Orlando.[2]
[edit] References
[edit] External links
- Champion Stadium Official Website
- Atlanta Braves Spring training info
- Photos and review on ballparkwatch.com
- Champion Stadium Views – Ball Parks of the Minor Leagues
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