Marlins Park is unlikely to serve as Inter Miami CF‘s temporary home in 2020, as overlapping MLS and MLB schedules present concerns.
Inter Miami CF–the MLS expansion club backed by a group that includes David Beckham–is currently negotiating to build a soccer-specific stadium as part of a larger development near Miami International Airport. Even in the best-case scenario, that stadium will not open until 2021, meaning that the club will spend its inaugural 2020 season at another venue in the Miami region.
One option floated in recent months to serve as that temporary landing spot was Marlins Park–the retractable-roof home of MLB’s Marlins–but it now appears that it will not fill that role. While the conversations between Inter Miami CF and the Marlins were reportedly positive, there were concerns about the complications the arrangement would create because of the overlapping nature of MLB and MLS schedules. Inter Miami CF officials, however, appear to be zeroing in on another option and could make an announcement soon. More from the Miami Herald:
“We’ve had some conversations with MLS Miami and Jorge Mas and his team,” said Marlins Director of Operations Chip Bowers. “Very positive. Been very diligent. Both sides, to each party’s credit, has been really focused on making sure this is the right operational fit. I think the reality is, we’ve both realized, it probably isn’t.”
Inter Miami co-owner Jorge Mas said: “Frankly, we have a preferred site. We’re going to be making an announcement on that late February, early March, which I think will be great for our fans, for our team and our sponsors. We don’t feel at this time that Marlins Park is the ideal fit for us.”…
Bowers said the concurrent MLS and MLB seasons was a major concern.
“I think there’s some challenges having a 17-, 18-game soccer schedule simultaneous to a baseball schedule that falls on the exact same calendar,” he said. “The field would really take a beating. There’s a lot of operational issues that go along with it that would make it really difficult for us to realize.”
Where Inter Miami CF lands in 2020 remains to be seen, though the Herald also reported that Miami Gardens’ Hard Rock Stadium–home of the NFL’s Dolphins–is not expected to be an option as a full-time home. Renovations led by Dolphins owner Stephen Ross have resulted in that venue hosting a more active event calendar in recent years, including the Miami Open tennis tournament beginning this spring, concerts, and Dolphins and Miami Hurricanes football games.
Image from 2017 courtesy Marlins Park.
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