Twins announce extension to fan safety netting at Target Field
MINNEAPOLIS-ST. PAUL, MN -- The Minnesota Twins today announced they have again extended fan safety netting at Target Field, while also raising its height atop the dugouts and down both foul lines.
The new netting extends an additional 85 feet from its previous end point down the left field line and 65 feet further down the right field line, covering the ballpark’s Diamond Box seating areas (Sections 124-125 in left field and Sections 103-104 in right). With this latest extension building upon additional measures taken by the club prior to the 2016 and 2018 seasons, Target Field fan safety netting now covers from behind home plate to approximately 275 feet down the left field line, and from the plate to about 255 feet out in right field. The netting is 16 feet high at the dugouts, an increase of three feet from 2019 dimensions (12 feet of netting atop the dugout roof, which is four feet above field level), before climbing to an apex of approximately 22 feet high down the left field line (eight feet higher than 2019) and 21 feet high in right field (an increase of seven feet).
“When considering ways to improve the Target Field experience, enhancing fan safety is always a high priority,” Twins President & CEO Dave St. Peter said. “Understanding every ballpark is unique in its geometry, we believe the new netting configuration is the right approach for Target Field.”
This marks the third time the Twins have taken the proactive step of extending Target Field fan safety netting beyond Major League Baseball guidelines. Before the 2016 season, the club pushed its netting from the area immediately behind home plate to the outer edges of each dugout. Leading into 2018, the Twins ensured coverage of the entire Diamond Box seating area (Sections 1-17) by extending its netting 100 feet beyond the end of the dugouts, and raising the netting’s height.
On Opening Day 2020, the following Target Field seating areas will be covered by fan safety netting: Dugout Box (Sections 1, 16 and 17); Dugout Box Infield (Sections 2-6 and 11-15); Thomson Reuters Champions Club (Sections 7-10); Diamond Box (Sections 103-104 and 124-125); Infield Box (Sections 105-108 and 120-123); and, Home Plate Box (109-119).
All Target Field fan safety netting uses state-of-the art technology, with thin strands and a knotless intersection to deliver a minimally obtrusive viewing experience. The netting is also composed of a combination of green hues, allowing it to blend with the playing field and provide greater visibility. Ensuring the unique baseball tradition of pre-game player interaction remains part of the Target Field fan experience, the new netting is designed to be detached at the base and rolled up, providing a specific fan access point down each foul line during batting practice.
Additionally, the Twins will continue to warn fans about the dangers posed by batted or thrown balls and bats entering the stands and the need to pay attention to the action on the field during each at-bat. These communications will include warning messages via in-ballpark signage, messaging on tickets and the MLB Ballpark app, and on other team-controlled platforms.