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Indians Will Extend Protective Netting Almost Fully Down Both Foul Lines
By Vince Grzegorek on Wed, Jan 29, 2020 at 9:06 am
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The Cleveland Indians today announced that the team will extend the protective netting almost all the way down both foul lines before the 2020 season, leaving just four or so side sections (the ones with seats angled toward home plate) unprotected. The team will also remove the canopy netting behind home plate.
Via the email to season ticket holders:
In consultation with MLB and architects to assess the best design within our ballpark configuration, we have made the following netting changes to protect our fans while providing the best possible viewing experience:
Extended Netting- The netting will now be extended to cover the area from section 128 in the Right Field corner to section 174 in the Left Field corner.
Height Increased and Canopy Removed- We have also extended the height of the netting from 23 feet to 33 feet and have removed the existing canopy. This will enable foul balls to once again reach the fans in the lower bowl.
Additionally, players and fans will still be able to take part in pregame autographs through the netting.
After a year in which fan injuries came to the forefront of baseball's attention, all 30 MLB teams will feature extended protective netting at their ballparks before the start of this season, commissioner Rob Manfred told CNBC earlier this year.
NBC News reported last year that there have been at least 808 fan injuries due to foul balls since 2012, with many of those being quite serious, not least of which was the death of a woman in L.A. Concussions, vision loss, and broken bones are common.
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