LandShark Stadium

[jnakamura]

The Florida Marlins have announced that Joe Robbie/Pro Player/Dolphins/Dolphin Stadium is now named LandShark Stadium. The team also announced that Chevy Chase will throw out the first pitch in the newly renamed ballpark...

http://weblogs.newsday.com/features/food/blog/76flandshark3.jpeg

...and that fans will be allowed into the game free of charge if they can dupe the ticket taker into accepting a candy-gram, flower delivery or Western Union telegram.

[BigMac1212]

To borrow a TV term, the stadium in Miami Gardens have offically jumped the shark.

(audience groans.)

[marlins739]

http://www.javno.com/slike/slike_3/r1/g2009/m05/y202602084793542.jpg

You can see the new LandShark Stadium logo on the scoreboard. Interesting how they put up the Dolphins banners on the right field wall for the introduction ceremony.

The many names of the Dolphins/Marlins/Canes stadium, in order of appearance. This has got to be some kind of record

Dolphin Stadium
Joe Robbie Stadium
Pro Player Park
Pro Player Stadium
Dolphins Stadium
Dolphin Stadium again
LandShark Stadium, for eight months until Super Bowl XLIV in 2010
Dolphin Stadium round 3, or other corporate sponsor

[koufax]

they should kick the marlins out and rename it Marino Stadium and be doen with it!

[NYFan1stYankFan2nd]

Somethin' fishy here - can't put me finger on it. . . . ;)

[SteveJRogers]

Interestingly enough, Landshark is brewed by Budweiser! So that is two stadiums now that Bud products have their name on, but not "Budweiser" outright like Coors or Miller.

[SteveJRogers]

Trivia question time, the song where "Landshark" originates from, what city is mentioned?

[behm]

Cinncinati

Fins to the Left/Fins to the right.

[The House That Ruth Built]

Cinncinati

Fins to the Left/Fins to the right.

Does that mean they're going to play "Fins" after every game at the Stadium? :rolleyes:

[marlins739]

Samson sounds less than thrilled about the name change:

"We got a memo to say that the Marlins now play in LandShark Stadium," Marlins president David Samson said. "So you are looking live at LandShark Stadium. So, we have to change all of our ads. We have to change all of our signage. We have to change all of our stationery."

[atdy17]

Samson sounds less than thrilled about the name change:

"We got a memo to say that the Marlins now play in LandShark Stadium," Marlins president David Samson said. "So you are looking live at LandShark Stadium. So, we have to change all of our ads. We have to change all of our signage. We have to change all of our stationery."

The marlins have always hated Landshark Stadium. The fact that it is having a name change during the middle of the season. Isn't going to help them change their mind.

[Twenty Seven]

Who cares? They won't be there much longer.

[NJTankMets]

Does that mean they're going to play "Fins" after every game at the Stadium? :rolleyes:

You asked for it

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cwqzES_sHIA

[Jbutta29]

Samson sounds less than thrilled about the name change:

"We got a memo to say that the Marlins now play in LandShark Stadium," Marlins president David Samson said. "So you are looking live at LandShark Stadium. So, we have to change all of our ads. We have to change all of our signage. We have to change all of our stationery."

Of course they are mad, they will actually have to spend some money to correct those things, Maybe Loria can get some other teams to pay for the new stationary since the other teams already pay his payroll...


Lets also not forget DHL stadium which never became official but we got that great big red and yellow DHL painted on the stadium for a while...

[The House That Ruth Built]

You asked for it

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cwqzES_sHIA

haha...I should have seen that one coming! :rofl:

[primetime62]

Wow I thought this was a big joke or something. What a terrible name, anyways link (http://florida.marlins.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20090510&content_id=4656994&vkey=news_fla&fext=.jsp&c_id=fla) for those who are like me.

[Chevy114]

I hope this is the right place! It was cool for a tampa boy like me to see an outdoor game again! It was kind of hot and the views sucked, but still fun. These are pictures from Saturday's Game, I forgot my camera so these are just quick shots from my blackberry:

http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d94/Chevy114/IMG00148-20090731-1954.jpg
The newest edition, that doesn't blend in very well and is open to keep that miami air!

http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d94/Chevy114/IMG00151-20090731-2020.jpg
One of the new Jumbo Tron, looks amazing in person!

http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d94/Chevy114/IMG00154-20090731-2021.jpg
Even a decent crowd looks tiny in this stadium!

http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d94/Chevy114/IMG00156-20090731-2021.jpg
Still not a bad crowd in the lower level, granted the cubs bring a crowd eveywhere they play!

http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d94/Chevy114/IMG00157-20090731-2022.jpg
Not sure if I would like sitting in those seats.

http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d94/Chevy114/IMG00158-20090731-2022.jpg
I would hate to have to sit all the way up there!

http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d94/Chevy114/IMG00158-20090731-2022.jpg
Living proof why football stadiums don't make good baseball stadiums, I couldn't see the other scoreboard from my seat in the outfield!

http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d94/Chevy114/IMG00161-20090731-2024.jpg
Closer view of the out of town scoreboard

http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d94/Chevy114/IMG00162-20090731-2117.jpg
Don't worry they have dan marino's stats up at a baseball stadium lol

http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d94/Chevy114/IMG00162-20090731-2117.jpg
I finally got a shot of the other scoreboard! Same thing just as huge, just couldn't see it from my seats!

[Chevy114]

http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d94/Chevy114/IMG00164-20090731-2147.jpg
Had to put this one up! My g/f and the green man from always sunny in philadelphia, apprently hes a cubs fans!

http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d94/Chevy114/IMG00165-20090731-2149.jpg
Warning signs for all the construction lol

http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d94/Chevy114/IMG00166-20090731-2149.jpg
Cool cellphone and landshark mash up!

http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d94/Chevy114/IMG00167-20090731-2154.jpg
Marlins Gnome in the new team store! Cute huh?

[ChineseDemocracy]

Thanks for posting your pictures from Landshark!

Did you get anything from inside that glass behemoth? What exactly is that supposed to be?

[marlins739]

It's an expansion of the club level eating areas, mostly. The open part connects to the lower deck and it's basically just an big open dead area with some picnic tables. It's a whole lot of space, covered by some extremely huge ceiling fans to move the air around. They have it on both sideline sides, and there's something under construction on the right field end zone side. The bottom part of the new additions is a giant team store. It still feels like it's under construction in some places, and the new ticket windows under the ramps aren't as nice as the old ones. I went to the Sunday game (with the back to back home runs off Kevin Gregg in the 9th to win it) and I'll post the pictures later on

[PeteU]

Nice pictures, Chevy.

Saw that you sat in the Fish Tank. A great bargain, and every so often a homerun ball will come your way.

I wouldn't worry so much about not being able to see the right field scoreboard. Ever since they added the HD screens, the scoreboard down the third base line is pretty much the same as the one in right field, just a little bit smaller.

[KCGHOST]

When I heard they renamed the stadium to LandShark Stadium I thought they did it to honor Jeff Loria.:D

[marlins739]

Pictures from the game last night, which featured back to back home runs in the bottom of the 9th off Kevin Gregg to win it for the Fish

http://www.flickr.com/photos/40621202@N07/sets/72157621810352847/

[Chevy114]

Like marlins said the expansion is just to expand the stadium out like 20 or 30 feet. It wasn't anything nice on the lower level and it had slits so it wasn't like it was an enclosed feeling, just a semi enclosed feeling. So I didn't take any pics from the inside sorry :( At this rate I go to a marlins game every 4 years so next time will be in the new park lol

I did notice the gaint 3 blade fans litterally named "Big Ass Fans" I hope the club level looked nicer, because the lower level just looked like a bigger concourse for games and more eating.

Pete, we got cheap tickets from a scalper, 15 each for fish tank and I am one of those rare people who likes to sit in the outfield. I guess it's in hopes to catch a homerun. Espically now with the HD board on the 3rd base side it was easier to enjoy the game compared to when I sit in the same spot for the rays games.

[marlins739]

It was also interesting how much more stuff there was that said LandShark Stadium at this game, compared to one I went to earlier in the summer pretty soon after the name change. They painted up the entrance to the parking lot in bright yellow, added banners around the entrances, and put more signs inside the park. However, all employee uniforms still say Dolphin Stadium, and most signs in the concourses say Dolphin Stadium too. It's still a pretty half-assed renaming job. I wonder if someone else will pick up the naming rights for next year, or if it will go back to being the Dolph again

[Gary Dunaier]

I read somewhere here at the Baseball Fever that the Loanshark-- er, I mean Landshark Stadium name is temporary, and when the Marlins move to their new building the present facility will go back to the Dolphin Stadium name.

[marlins739]

You're right about the name change, but wrong on the timing. The LandShark Stadium name won't even last one year. The naming rights deal expires right before the Pro Bowl (which, along with the Super Bowl, will be at Dolphin Stadium this year). The Dolphins were recently sold to Stephen Ross (and a bunch of celebrities) by our old nemesis, public enemy number 1 for the Marlins organization, Wayne Huizenga, this year, and the new boss will probably look for a more permanent naming rights deal. The Dolphins were not thinking about the Marlins at all when they changed the name. It was intended for football season use only, and the deal just happened to be made during baseball season.

[marlins739]

A few highlights from the game:

Here's the Teal Tower. Note the new game countdown sign in the left field corner. Former Marlins announcer Len Kasper, who now works with the Cubs, took the 189 sign down. You can see the new ribbon boards, both the 360' one and the LandShark Stadium one on the rim of the upper deck, in the middle of the Dolphins Ring of Honor

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2440/3786100602_8fdd68c40d_o.jpg

The concourses are now all under construction. They removed all the signs and windows from the concession stands, so now it's very hard to look at the menus when there's a line. My favorite concession stand is at the right

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3490/3785287489_178b7f7a09_o.jpg

From the concourse extension area. You can see one of the Big Ass Fans on the left. Doctored so you can actually see it

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2571/3785287827_06c649d174_o.jpg

The first base side from the parking lot

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2492/3786102986_91a1498a44_o.jpg

The third base end zone side. The whole exterior looked like this before the glass spaceships were added

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2568/3785309197_f93ea57322_b.jpg

From my seats in the right field corner. For some unknown reason, they don't sell the two corner sections, though they are some of the best seats in the house. The ones just to the left, on the straight side (the ones I actually paid for) are terrible. The upper deck is only open on Saturdays. It was really crowded in the shady sections on Sunday. These sections were where the party deck used to be, but they didn't put the deck up this season. The Budweiser ad below them blocks off the view from the bottom few rows

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2423/3785313943_2dbf1214cd_b.jpg

Behind the plate. The new ribbon boards allow the team to rotate though out of town scores. It's a lot easier to read than the Teal Tower scoreboard, which is hard to read in day games and has a lot of broken bulbs

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2552/3786127348_f48b4b9c40_b.jpg

Right field jumbotron. It gets washed out in the late afternoon sun, but it looks really nice at night. The career statistics of Dan Marino are listed prominently on the facing of the right field upper deck below the scoreboard, along with his two favorite receivers on either side. Not having been to a Dolphins game for a while, I wonder if they cover up the tops of the dugouts that say 1997 and 2003 world champs on them. I bet they do

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2626/3786116982_1b2ecbc684_b.jpg

The spiral ramps outside Gate H. Note the Dolphin Stadium sign

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2673/3785308775_baa828f8c7_b.jpg

One of the few indications of the park's name, above the turnstiles at Gate H, which is behind the plate. There are others on the ribbon boards, and below the main video boards, and in the outfield corners, but everything else still says Dolphin Stadium

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2619/3785322175_daf2fca478_b.jpg

Overall, my impression of the game was that it's annoying to have a crowd at Dolphin Stadium. It's hard to move through the concourses, and there is very little legroom for a modern stadium. I am used to being able to sit wherever I want and put my feet up over the seat in front of me (I'm tall) but for this game, they had ushers enforcing where people could sit. From the seats down the straight side of the right field line, if anyone for about 4 sections to your left stands up, you can't see the infield, and you have to turn in your seat to see the game. The awfulness of the Dolphin Stadium baseball setup only shows up when there's a big crowd and you have to sit in your assigned seat. Also, only about half of the concession stands are opened on the lower deck for Marlins games, so when there's a crowd, the lines are long. From far away, the place looks well-kept, but there are plenty of broken seats and faded Dolphins logos and chipped paint and broken or mismatched replacement seats around the place. It's 20 years old, and all of the renovation money has gone into the exterior and the scoreboards, and not the seating bowl

[Chevy114]

Great pics marlins, its cool to see what you took and what I took and feel like we may have gotten all the proper pics together lol!

Does anyone else feel like for a team with 2 world championships they don't have a big enough reminder of that? I mean there is a barely a 6 foot high by maybe 6 foot wide picture cramed in by the left field foul pole with 2 trophies and the years under them? I live in a town where we have 2 banners hanging for just winning the division and the AL Championship. I guess thats the respect you get in a football stadium huh?

I did like the large almost the entire length of left field picture on the wall that had a pic from 1993 one from 97 one from 03 and one of the new stadium that said 2012!

[marlins739]

Given the fact that it's not our own stadium, I feel like we have plenty of reminders of our two World Series championships. There's the sign in the left field corner in Gonzo's Gap, for one, which is a lot more obvious in person. Then, along the bottom of the left field wall, new for this year, is the 1993-1997-2003-2012 banner, with pictures of Charlie Hough throwing out the first pitch in team history, Craig Counsell scoring the winning run in the bottom of the 11th in game 7 in 1997, then Josh Beckett being carried off at Yankee Stadium in 2003, then a rendering of the new park for 2012 (showing teal seats, I might add). It's not a direct championship banner, but they get the point across. Then, along the tops of the dugouts, it says "1997 - World Champions - 2003". Finally, next to the American flag in the center field upper deck, there are two championship flags.

The only place where the Marlins don't have an adequate championship banner is at their spring training site in Jupiter. There's one outside the ticket window that says "Home of the 2003 World Champion Florida Marlins and the 2006 World Champion St. Louis Cardinals", and a giant mural on the side of the Marlins batting cage that you can see from the practice fields, but there's nothing inside the actual stadium. The Cardinals have a banner on their building in right field, but there isn't a corresponding Marlins banner on the left field building. It's right below the balcony in the building at Roger Dean

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3001/2312346703_cd73fa98a6.jpg?v=0

What do the Rays have at the Trop now, chevy? I haven't seen a picture of the banners they put up for last year, besides the one they have behind the plate.

[The Korean]

^Rays have the two banners AL EASt, AL Champ, somewhere. Ican see them when yankees go to Tampa on TV. What a garbage stadum, and I swear that team cannot draw any fans. bring back Expos! Or just give another team to Montreal.

[PeteU]

^Rays have the two banners AL EASt, AL Champ, somewhere. Ican see them when yankees go to Tampa on TV. What a garbage stadum, and I swear that team cannot draw any fans. bring back Expos! Or just give another team to Montreal.

That sprawling screed might make sense...if the Rays were the former Expos...which they aren't. Instead, you just come off like a blabbering idiot. Congratulations.

[PeteU]

Given the fact that it's not our own stadium, I feel like we have plenty of reminders of our two World Series championships. There's the sign in the left field corner in Gonzo's Gap, for one, which is a lot more obvious in person.

I like the championship sign where it is in Gonzo's Gap, just because it reminds me of where Gonzo's shot landed. It helps relive the thrill of that moment in a way.


Although in 2004 they moved the championship banner from Gonzo's Gap to a space in the right field fence, and they put a Burger King ad where the sign was in Gonzo's Gap. Thankfully, I think the next year they moved it back to its rightful place.

[marlins739]

I never liked the sign they had in right field in 2004. It seemed blasphemous to replace the old 1997 banner with a Burger King sign, but someone in the organization wised up the next year, or else they wanted the ad revenue back from the wall sign

Here's a picture from before they built the glass spaceship along the sidelines

http://www.insidesocal.com/tomhoffarth/archives/dolphin_stadium.jpg

And another interesting one during what looks like replacing the grass in the offseason without the Teal Tower in

http://briggsgolfconstruction.com/images/dolphin_baseball_09_238zzzzzzz.jpg

[mets16]

^Rays have the two banners AL EASt, AL Champ, somewhere. Ican see them when yankees go to Tampa on TV. What a garbage stadum, and I swear that team cannot draw any fans. bring back Expos! Or just give another team to Montreal.


Mr. Madison, what you've just said is one of the most insanely idiotic things I have ever heard. At no point in your rambling, incoherent response were you even close to anything that could be considered a rational thought. Everyone in this room is now dumber for having listened to it. I award you no points, and may God have mercy on your soul.

I used to question Floridas' attendance, but I came to realize that it is Florida, in the summertime, and for their demographics they draw well for the percentage of potential baseball fans.

[Captain Cold Nose]

Please watch the insults, folks. That goes all around. No one has the right to just insult a team's fanbase or geographic area. That's the kind of garbage that doesn't belong here.

[Paul W]

It seemed blasphemous to replace the old 1997 banner with a Burger King sign, but someone in the organization wised up the next year, or else they wanted the ad revenue back from the wall sign


follow the $$$$$'s...
hang on to your wallet metro-dade taxpayers! cost overruns are coming!

[marlins739]

Actually, the Marlins are covering all cost overruns under the agreement, not the Dade taxpayers

[Paul W]

Actually, the Marlins are covering all cost overruns under the agreement, not the Dade taxpayers

...and you believe this? have i got a bridge for you!
"contracts aren't worth the paper they are written on" - charles o. finley

[Paul W]

Denver City Council usurps private property rights near Coors Field

because the politicians are in so deep with the franchises because of the "ballpark blackmail" the rights of private property owners are being taken away to benefit club owners who are getting corporate welfare...

READ THIS!

http://www.examiner.com/x-16299-Denv...ar-Coors-Field

better hope that YOUR home/property are not on the radar of team owners - YOU WILL LOSE!

just wait, they'll get what they want...

[marlins739]

That's got nothing to do with LandShark Stadium, or the new ballpark, or even the Florida Marlins at all. Both the Dolph and the new park are surrounded by acres of open land that hasn't been anyone's house for decades. I do believe it about the cost overruns, because that's what they agreed on. Maybe they'll change things later, but for now, you're wrong. And there's no need to post the same unrelated rant in more than one thread.

Paul W, take it to a political forum. This site is for people who actually like baseball

[Paul W]

when politicians and club owners get into bed together and steal private property, use public funds and power to enrich owners who give back little for what they get - i'll keep bringing it up.
it's not just in miami, it's everywhere. i know the quagmire if dade co. politics, i used to work @ wplg-tv.
just wait - they'll find ways to make you pay and you'll be powerless to stop them then...

[Captain Cold Nose]

when politicians and club owners get into bed together and steal private property, use public funds and power to enrich owners who give back little for what they get - i'll keep bringing it up.
it's not just in miami, it's everywhere. i know the quagmire if dade co. politics, i used to work @ wplg-tv.
just wait - they'll find ways to make you pay and you'll be powerless to stop them then...

Unless you actually have something that shows something like that is going to happen with the subject matter at hand, please leave the conspiracy theories and anti-establishment rants at home and for other sites. Not here, please.

[Chevy114]

I didn't see the flags under the american flag because of my seats at the time. I felt like the 93, 97, 03, 12 banner was more for stadium, but I guess you're right marlins that is a good reminder of the world series titles.

[marlins739]

Here's a picture from the Internet of what was then Joe Robbie Stadium with the gray tarps and the NL logos in the outfield upper deck. This is probably from 1993. No orange paint along the top of the upper deck, no shapes, everything in the interior is gray concrete that's all been painted over by now. Just this offseason they finally repainted all the shapes and the blue sections so the whole place is orange on the inside except the club level seats. No Dolphins ring of honor yet either

http://www.baseball-online-betting-odds.com/images/propla60.jpg

Another one, showing the original Teal Tower with the hand-operated scoreboard. Does anyone have a close-up of the original board? It looks like there was a manual line score below the clock too, with the lineups on either side. The profile of the top of the wall was changed when they replaced the manual scoreboard with the current electric one that people could actually read. The old manual out of town scoreboard only lasted that one year, right? I wonder if the outfield wall padding just faded over time, or if they replaced it with the light color that's there now. Notice all the fans wearing teal hats. I used to have one of those.

http://mysite.verizon.net/charliesballparks/stadiums/ph/robbie2.jpg

This is from Digital Ballparks, and shows how the place looked in the late 90s. Notice the original 1997 championship banner in the corner, the old line scoreboard on the front of the club level (which was moved down to the orange seats in the 2003 playoffs to open more blue seats). The upper deck rim alternated between blue and orange, and it's all orange now. The scoreboard next to the TD Waterhouse sign showed the pitch speed, and then stock prices between innings. No ad on the left field wall (before the 93-97-03-12 sign, it was a giant ad for the Miccosukee casino). The stupid-looking shapes were painted on the front of the club level. These were the Dark Ages for the Marlins franchise

http://www.digitalballparks.com/National/Marlins_-_Left_Field_from_1st_base_dugoutV2T.jpg

[PeteU]

Here's a picture from the Internet of what was then Joe Robbie Stadium with the gray tarps and the NL logos in the outfield upper deck. This is probably from 1993. No orange paint along the top of the upper deck, no shapes, everything in the interior is gray concrete that's all been painted over by now. Just this offseason they finally repainted all the shapes and the blue sections so the whole place is orange on the inside except the club level seats. No Dolphins ring of honor yet either

http://www.baseball-online-betting-odds.com/images/propla60.jpg




Interesting to see the evolution of the picnic area at Joe Robbie. In the first few years, it started in deep right center where the Fish Tank seats are now, and then was moved to foul territory right near the right field corner. It stayed like that until this year, where it appears to have been significantly minimalized (i.e. no large structure, just a smaller area on the ground level).

Of the tarps, I like the gray tarps better than the blue ones they had in the late 1990s.

[PeteU]

Just a few home videos I found on Youtube from the 2003 postseason. As both myself and Marlins739 have said often, Joe Robbie/the Dolph/Landshark was a totally different atmosphere when it was packed to the gills.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tTuKeHwxzh8

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xgr7aeFjNFk&feature=related

[J.R.]

I thought they used to install covers over the Dolphins stuff (ring, etc.) in the Marlins' earliest days there.

[majorleads]

For some reason I actually like seeing baseball games at this stadium. In fact I like it much better than football. Football games I feel like I'm very far from the field. One of the ways I judge whether or not I like a stadium/arena in any sport is if I feel like I'm on top of the action. In this stadium, baseball yes, football no. And coming from the Orange Bowl, Joe Robbie was such a big letdown.

[marlins739]

The Dolph isn't much of a football stadium, no. Joe Robbie built it that way purposely, with a much wider field than he needed for football, to host a potential MLB team he thought would come in a few years (he was right). So the football seats are a long way away from the actual sidelines, while there's hardly any foul territory for baseball. It's not too bad, but there's a lot of dead space along the sidelines that other football stadiums don't have.

http://www.miamidolphinsnews.org/images/dolphinstadium.jpg

[Jays753]

2 WS titles and fans still won't come out. It's a shame.

[marlins739]

For the first time in a couple years, the Marlins weren't dead last in attendance. The average was up by 2,000 this year with a crappy, and we were well ahead of the A's.

[PeteU]

For the first time in a couple years, the Marlins weren't dead last in attendance. The average was up by 2,000 this year with a crappy, and we were well ahead of the A's.

I'm not going lie and say that's great news by any stretch of the imagination, but considering most teams declined in attendance in part to the economy, it's not too bad. Hopefully its not just an anomoly but rather an indication that the fanbase is slowly warming up to the team again now that the franchise's situation in South Florida is no longer in jeopardy.

[JohnCropp]

2 WS titles and fans still won't come out. It's a shame.

By that logic, it's a shame that no one bought "Chinese Democracy" since "Appetite for Destruction" and the "Use Your Illusions" albums were real good.

The fact is, people can be loyal to their team without driving out to the stadium and spending a fortune to see them in person. Especially when the games are readily availble on the cable that they've already paid for.

[NYFan1stYankFan2nd]

The Dolph isn't much of a football stadium, no. Joe Robbie built it that way purposely, with a much wider field than he needed for football, to host a potential MLB team he thought would come in a few years (he was right). So the football seats are a long way away from the actual sidelines, while there's hardly any foul territory for baseball. It's not too bad, but there's a lot of dead space along the sidelines that other football stadiums don't have.

http://www.miamidolphinsnews.org/images/dolphinstadium.jpg

Or - dare I mention it within these borders - soccer? :hyper:

[marlins739]

Soccer was another consideration. The field is big enough for just about any sport, and plenty big enough for soccer with lots of room to spare. Here's Giants Stadium, which has hosted plenty of soccer with very little "foul territory" for football

http://homefrontletters.files.wordpress.com/2009/09/giants_stadium.jpg

Wikipedia says:

"The stadium was designed at Joe Robbie's request to have a wider than normal playing field in order to accommodate soccer and to serve as the home of a potential Major League Baseball franchise in South Florida. Because of this design decision, the first row of seats is 90 feet (27 m) from the sideline in a football configuration, considerably more distant than the first row of seats in most football stadiums (the closest seats at the new Soldier Field, for instance, are 55 feet (17 m) from the sideline at the 50–yard line). While the decision to employ a wider playing field resulted in a Major League Baseball (MLB) expansion franchise for Miami (see below), it resulted in a less intimate venue for football when compared to other contemporary football facilities."

The new Meadowlands stadium front row will be 46 feet from the sideline

[mets16]

Cool picture of Joe Robbie Stadium under construction in 1987.

http://img687.imageshack.us/img687/6290/dolphina.jpg

[jrh31584]

Or - dare I mention it within these borders - soccer? :hyper:

It's a bit wide even for soccer.