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 Interactive map of The Stadium at the ESPN Wide World of Sports | |
| Former names |
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|---|---|
| Location | Walt Disney World Resort 700 S. Victory Way Kissimmee,Florida 34747 |
| Owner | Walt Disney Parks and Resorts |
| Operator | ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex |
| Capacity | 7,500 |
| Field size | Left field – 335 ft (102 m) Left Center – 385 ft (117 m) Center Field – 400 ft (120 m) Right Center – 385 ft (117 m) Right field – 335 ft (102 m) |
| Surface | Grass |
| Construction | |
| Broke ground | July 1995 |
| Opened | March 28, 1997 |
| Architect | David M. Schwarz |
| Tenants | |
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The Stadium at the ESPN Wide World of Sports is abaseball stadium located at theESPN Wide World of Sports Complex in theWalt Disney World Resort.[1] The stadium was built in 1997. It was most recently the home of the Rookie-leagueGCLBraves, until they moved toCoolToday Park inNorth Port.
The 7,500-seat stadium was designed byDavid M. Schwarz in a style the designer dubbedFlorida Picturesque incorporating Venetian Gothic Revival, Mediterranean and Spanish influences with yellow-painted stucco, green-tile roofs, towers and arches.[2]
The Stadium at the ESPN Wide World of Sports was originally known asThe Ballpark thenCracker Jack Stadium.[3] When it was first built,Frito-Lay purchased the naming rights to the venue for ten years and put itsCracker Jack brand on the stadium. Frito-Lay chose not to renew its naming rights deal. During most of 2007, it was referred to asThe Ballpark at Disney's Wide World of Sports. On November 1 of that year,[citation needed]HanesBrands Inc. purchased the naming rights for ten years and renamed itChampion Stadium.[4]
Originally, Disney planned for no MLB permanent spring training tenant for the stadium, instead using as aGrapefruit League neutral site with rotating teams. However, the Braves organization became interested and moved in.[5]
The Ballpark opened with the rest ofDisney's Wide World of Sports Complex on March 28, 1997, with an exhibition baseball game between theAtlanta Braves and theCincinnati Reds. TheGulf Coast League Braves began play at the stadium in 1997,[6] while the Atlanta Braves started its 20-year spring training lease in 1998.[2]
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In 2000, after years of poor attendance atTinker Field, theOrlando Rays moved to the Ballpark. However, the Rays continued to draw barely 1,000 fans a game in their new stadium. Things improved somewhat over the next three seasons; the Rays drew 150,051 fans in 2003, more than twice what they had seen just a few years earlier at Tinker Field, but still last in the league. Following the 2003 season, the Rays moved (breaking a 10-year lease at Disney after just four years)[7] and became theMontgomery Biscuits.
The venue hosted the 2001Atlantic 10 Conference baseball tournament, won byTemple.[8]
The old style manual score board was replaced in 2003 with a larger electronic scoreboard and message center. Champion Stadium was used during first-round games for the2006 World Baseball Classic. It hosted Pool D, and featured teams with professional players fromVenezuela,Australia,Dominican Republic andItaly.[5]
The stadium hosted its first regular seasonMLB games in May2007 when theTampa Bay Devil Rays swept theTexas Rangers in a three-game series. The series drew a total of 26,917 fans, and attendance went up each game. In April2008, the Rays played another three-game series at the stadium, where they swept theToronto Blue Jays.[9]
In January 2017, the Braves announced a formal agreement to move their spring training home toCoolToday Park inNorth Port, Florida,[10] which opened in 2019.
The stadium will host two games by theSavannah Bananas in late May 2026.[11]
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)| Preceded by | Invictus Games Opening Ceremonies Venue 2016 Invictus Games | Succeeded by |
28°20′13.5″N81°33′21.6″W / 28.337083°N 81.556000°W /28.337083; -81.556000
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