In this aerial view, the domed roof of Tropicana Field, home of the Tampa Bay Rays, was torn to shreds by the strong winds of Hurricane Milton in St. Petersburg. The storm moved across the region on October 10, 2024, making landfall on Siesta Key, Florida as a Category 3 hurricane.
Paul Hennessy | Light Rocket | Getty Images
Hurricane Milton Damage to Tropicana Stadium The disaster in Tampa, Florida, was so devastating that it could mean the Tampa Bay Rays will be looking for another location to play on Opening Day next spring.
Like many ballparks across the country, Tropicana Field’s location makes it vulnerable to hurricanes or tornadoes, hail, storm surge and flooding.
For the Baltimore Orioles, Los Angeles Dodgers, New York Mets, Miami Marlins, Pittsburgh Pirates, San Diego Padres and other teams that play on or near water, insurance premiums may increase as weather-related losses occur will go up, and repair costs will skyrocket.
But it’s not just baseball stadiums that are at risk. NFL stadiums could suffer $11 billion in climate-related losses by 2050, according to projections a new report Published by Climate Risk Analytics, ClimateX.
As football stadiums are increasingly used as concert venues, shelters and community events, this could have serious economic implications.
Climate X says this is a wake-up call for state and local governments.
Kamil Kluza, co-founder of Climate Will change and move.
Changing weather patterns pose risks that extend far beyond hurricanes and floods.
Dangerous heat is a problem this arizona diamondbacks Play in Phoenix. The team has a lease at Chase Field through 2027 and is responsible for maintenance and repairs. But the facility is working hard to keep fans, not to mention players, cool in a city where This summer’s temperature Even breaking Phoenix’s own searing record.
In the north, a 2010 snowstorm destroyed roofs Minnesota Vikings Metrodome.
A man pushes his bicycle through floodwaters near the Superdome in New Orleans on Wednesday, Aug. 31, 2005. Officials called for a mandatory evacuation of the city, but many residents remained and had to be rescued from flooded homes and hotels. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)
Eric Gay
Some of the most harrowing images of stadium damage still come from 2005, when SuperDome surrounded by floods In New Orleans, sheltering Hurricane Katrina victims trying to escape the storm.
The Climate X report ranks 30 NFL stadiums for their vulnerability to climate hazards such as flooding, wildfires and storm surges. It is calculated by comparing the expected cost of damage to the current replacement value of the stadium.
MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, home to the New York Giants and New York Jets, is expected to suffer the greatest losses. Climate
Storm surge severity around MetLife Stadium in 2050, flood control failure under RCP8.5 scenario (the 8.5 scenario represents the conservative academic consensus that end-century temperatures are 4.3°C warmer relative to pre-industrial temperatures) – by Climate X-spectrum.
Source: Climate X
The new $5 billion state-of-the-art SoFi Stadium, home to the Los Angeles Chargers and Los Angeles Rams, and State Farm Stadium in Arizona, home to the Arizona Cardinals, are the second most vulnerable to climate risks Impact stadium.
Lumen Field in Seattle, home to the Seahawks, and Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wisconsin, home to the Green Bay Packers, are expected to have much lower relative losses, Climate X said. They may benefit from their non-coastal location and limited extreme heat events.
Several groups are working to address climate change. For example, Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas Totally beat the Super Bowl renewable energy.
Atlanta Mercedes Benz StadiumThe home of the Atlanta Falcons says its energy-saving design can reduce electricity usage by 29%.
“The bottom line is, whether we like it or not, climate change is happening, and I think we need to start taking action, adapting, and not just relying on sustainability and CO2 reduction to deal with it,” Cruza said.
As for Tropicana Field, some question whether it should be restored since it will be demolished anyway to make way for a $1.3 billion new stadium Allowing the Rays to complete the 2028 season in time.
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