Fan Safety: 5 Things to Consider

Fan Safety: Things to Consider5

The injury to a young girl at a Houston Astros game at Minute Maid Park in 2019 proved to be a tipping point, prompting a surge of news and commentary about improving fan safety at major league ballparks.

“It is our strongly held belief that, at a minimum, attending a baseball or softball game should just be fun and safe, legalities and liabilities aside,” says Tim Freischmidt with Beacon Athletics. “But of course, it’s not that simple.”

At the professional and college level, the ball moves fast — really fast. Much has been written and studied about how quickly a batter must react to a 100 mph fastball. One study says a hitter only has 0.412 seconds to react. The speed of that same pitch leaving the bat is even faster – 110 mph or more. Thus, fans have even less time to react to a sharply hit line drive heading foul. Not to mention, since they’re not playing, they’re more likely to be distracted, making them illprepared for the unexpected.

This really is an important issue for ballfields at all levels of play. The professionals at Beacon Athletics have been installing backstop and protective netting solutions for customers for decades and Freischmidt says they are often asked for advice on fan safety and options for backstop netting. “Our immediate answer is typically the same, “It really depends on your ballpark’s situation, but there are some common features that should be considered.”

The top five of these common features that Beacon feels should be considered for fan safety include:

1. Protect the bleacher areas.

It’s important to do whatever you can to protect all seating areas. Minimally, provide coverage for all spectator seating down the foul lines. In smaller fields, this may only be two to three sections of bleachers extending about 50 feet down the line. In larger facilities for professional and college teams, seating may continue from behind the dugouts to the outfield, in which case protective netting would ideally extend all the way to the foul poles. A netting system that keeps the view unobstructed will give your fans the best of both worlds.

2. Remember adjacent activities.

In an urban setting, there may be street traffic or a playground adjacent to the ballfield, in which case higher and longer netting is required. In a rural setting, you may have an adjacent cornfield where very little netting will be needed. Multi-field complexes in a clover-leaf design have become common, so the height of your netting becomes important for protecting fans watching games on adjacent fields.

3. Plan for tough weather conditions.

Are you susceptible to hurricanes or unexpected spring snowstorms? You’ll need to consider protecting your investment. Investing in a winch system for easy raising and lowering can give you the speed and flexibility to quickly adapt to fast-approaching severe weather. Netting systems engineered to handle high winds or unexpected snow loads will save your netting assets, and save you repair costs. This will also help ensure your netting is always ready to protect fans, with no down time due to weather- damage. 4. Aesthetics matter.

A ballfield is a reflection on the community in which it resides. It can be a source of pride as well as a place where people come together. Providing unobstructed views of the field within a safe viewing distance is ideal and has a major impact on the overall perception of your facility. There is nothing worse than being stuck in a bleacher seat behind a 12-inch steel pole.

5. Consider all related costs.

In some situations, the installation cost for a netting system can sometimes be more than the cost of materials (nets, cables, poles, etc.). It’s important to fully understand all costs that will be involved. For instance, a tie-back netting system may be more expensive when comparing the material cost, but it can also be considerably less expensive to install. Often, the tie-back system affords flexibility with how it can be integrated with the existing structures of a ballpark, making installation smoother and less costly than other systems. This is just one example of the importance of being well informed and aware of all costs before deciding on the best fit for your facility.

“Outfitting ballparks with innovative and appealing netting solutions is a big part of what we do, and it has become very important for protecting fans,” says Freischmidt. “We are proud to be part of America’s pastime, and as our parents and coaches used to tell us, ‘Let’s have fun out there – and be safe!’”

Beacon Athletics has been providing the finest athletic field maintenance equipment and education for groundskeepers, coaches and crew since 1948. Learn more at www.beaconathletics.com or call 800-747-5985.