As Major League Baseball gears up for the 2020 season, Palm Beach County will once again be Florida’s capital for Spring Training with four teams playing at two separate venues. The County is home to four of the 15 teams that compete in Florida’s Grapefruit League.
During the MLB Spring Training baseball season, the World Series Champion Washington Nationals and the Houston Astros will occupy FITTEAM Ballpark of the Palm Beaches in West Palm Beach, while the Miami Marlins and the St. Louis Cardinals will play their home games at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium in Jupiter.
For the second time in the venue’s young history, FITTEAM Ballpark of the Palm Beaches will host the World Series Champions. The Nationals return to The Palm Beaches as champions after defeating the Astros four games to three. The Astros won the 2017 title; Houston and Washington have called West Palm Beach home since the venue’s opening in February 2017.
Just a few miles away, the Cardinals and Marlins return to Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium as they prepare for the upcoming season. St. Louis, the 2011 World Series Champions, have played spring ball in Jupiter since the stadium’s opening in 1998. The Marlins, 2003 World Series Champions, make their return to Palm Beach County as they have done since moving into the facility in 2002.
Each year, MLB Spring Training is a substantial contributor to the local economy. The Ballpark of The Palm Beaches and Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium attracted over 270,000 total spectators. 54 percent of spectators came from outside Palm Beach County and 39 percent traveled from out-of-state markets. With nearly 60 percent of the attendees staying in a hotel in Palm Beach County during their stay, a massive economic impact of over $70 million was generated by Spring Training in 2019.
The first games of spring are right around the corner with both ballparks returning to action on Feb. 22. The Astros are set to take on the Nationals at FITTEAM Ballpark of the Palm Beaches in the opening game that is being dubbed “Game Eight of the World Series.” Over at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium, the Cardinals are set to take on the New York Mets and, the following day, Sunday, Feb. 23, the Marlins make their spring debut against the Nationals.
The two stadiums are top-notch destinations for all sports fans and are two of the area’s most versatile venues.
One of the region’s preeminent baseball stadiums for more than 20 years, Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium is the only complex in the country that is home to four Minor League Baseball teams. The stadium seats nearly 7,000 fans and includes box suites, a press box, professional scoreboard, and a state-of-the-art JumboTron. In addition to the main, lighted stadium field, the complex features 12 full-size baseball fields with professional dimensions—six of which are lit for night play—on nearly 120 acres in the cozy Abacoa neighborhood of Jupiter, Florida.
Opening in 2017, the FITTEAM Ballpark of The Palm Beaches has an elegant wrap-around concourse and inviting sightlines. The 160-acre complex features a fan-friendly 7,700-capacity stadium as its centerpiece, along with six practice fields per team. Beyond Spring Training, FITTEAM Ballpark of the Palm Beaches hosts elite destination tournaments, community walks, corporate functions, concerts and festivals, among other events. It features a total of eight professionally manicured baseball fields ideal for tournament setup. Five 120-by-80-yard multipurpose athletic fields are covered in beautiful Bermuda grass and cater to soccer, lacrosse, football and rugby.
Enjoy Spring Training baseball in The Palm Beaches. Secure your tickets now by visiting rogerdeanchevroletstadium.com and ballparkpalmbeaches.com.
