Blue Wahoos, City Of Pensacola Extend Safety Netting At Blue Wahoos Stadium

During a game last season at Blue Wahoos Stadium, a foul ball whistled so fast into the home team dugout, only a player’s instant reaction avoided potential injury.

“The player was sitting on top of the dugout bench and the ball slammed against the back wall, maybe three inches or less from his head,” said Donna Kirby, the Blue Wahoos vice president of operations.

That incident – one of several with foul balls – prompted Blue Wahoos players to urge the extension of protective netting, not only for spectators, but to include placement in front of both teams’ dugouts at Blue Wahoos Stadium. The netting had been previously anchored behind the dugout roofs, a traditional arrangement in ballparks.

That installation was finished Tuesday by Florida-based C&H Baseball, making Blue Wahoos one of the safest in the country both for fans and players and establishing the ballpark as one of the nation's first to move the netting in front of the dugout.

The protective netting, measuring 30 feet by 84 feet, was extended approximately 250 feet from the end of the dugouts to the foul poles.

“This netting is going to be such a huge relief to a lot of people,” Kirby said. “The safety of the fans has always been first with us in every aspect. The setting of our stadium brings people so close to the action. Having the netting all the way down to be another layer of protection for the fans is something I am so glad to see.”

To ensure the fan experience at Blue Wahoos Stadium, consistently ranked among the best in the nation as one of the best regardless of sport or level, isn't effected, the Blue Wahoos and the City of Pensacola worked with C&H Baseball to install one of the thinnest nets the company produces.

In fact, when the team posted pictures of the new netting on social media early this week, numerous fans guessed that the team had removed the netting completely, as they could not see the new ultra-thin screening.

“We’re the first team in professional baseball to have the netting up in front of the dugout, as well as all the way down the field,” said Blue Wahoos president Jonathan Griffith. "The best fan experience is a safe one. We're excited to ensure that our fans, players, and staff are safe at every ballgame at Blue Wahoos Stadium while maintaining our award-winning game experience."

Whenever the 2020 season begins, the extended netting assures greater safety for Blue Wahoos fans sitting in seats throughout the stadium, along with people walking or socializing along the concourse areas.

Blue Wahoos owner Quint Studer has been an advocate of extended netting since the ballpark opened in 2012. After the 2013 season, additional netting was added to extend to the end of each team’s dugout.

Extended netting has now become a mandate for all 30 Major League Baseball teams. Several MLB teams have followed the Blue Wahoos approach with plans to extend netting from home plate to foul pole.

“We wanted to do it,” said Blue Wahoos owner Quint Studer. “People always ask me how I enjoy coming to the games. I say, ‘I enjoy the game until a foul ball goes into the stands. Because people have been hurt.' We recognize that foul balls are coming off the bats quicker than ever. Guys are throwing much faster, therefore the ball is coming off the bats that much quicker. The players are as concerned about the fans as we are.”

Employees from C&H Baseball, located in Lakewood Ranch near Sarasota, began installation of the netting during past weekend. They installed a portion of netting to be retractable so that fans can still get autographs from players along the baselines before games.

“I have seen everyone from our own staff members being hit by a foul ball to small children,” said Kirby, who has been with the Blue Wahoos front office since the inaugural 2012 season. “I was almost hit by a ball twice. The foul balls that go screaming into the stands, even if the fans are paying attention, the ball is going so fast they don’t have time to react in some cases.”

Kirby remembers one night years ago when a small boy was sitting with his family far down from home plate on the left field site. The boy opted to move into the last seat of the highest row in the farthest section from home plate. Sitting there, he was struck by a foul ball.

“Thankfully, he is fine now, but it shows it can happen anywhere in the ballpark,” she said. “We've seen fans and staff be hit. We've seen more close calls than we care to admit. One fan getting hurt in our ballpark is too many, and I'm excited that the extended netting will make our stadium safer every night for our fans."