Besides the warm temperatures and beautiful beaches, New Englanders and Midwesterners have another reason to love Southwest Florida: spring training. Boston and Minnesota natives in the Southwest Florida area can watch their favorite teams every spring. The Boston Red Sox and the Minnesota Twins both train in Fort Myers, making Southwest Florida their home away from home.
Every spring, SWFL residents, who transplanted from the north and mid-west, can have the opportunity to see their home team play without having to travel thousands of miles. The season began February 29 and runs until April 2. Here’s some info about the Red Sox and Minnesota spring training so you can catch them before they leave for the season:
Red Sox Spring Training
The Red Sox are no strangers to the Southwest Florida area; the team has practiced in Fort Myers for more than 20 years. The team has been training at the new JetBlue Park at Fenway South (11581 Daniels Parkway, Fort Myers, Fl) since 2012. The field has 9,900 fixed seats and a standing-room capacity of 11,000, It resembles Fenway Park with its replica Green Monster, along with other notable characteristics.
This 2016 season will be fans last chance to watch designated hitter David Ortiz play before he retires. With that said, watching a spring training game is a great opportunity to try and get Ortiz’s autograph, as well as other players; they may be a bit easier to grab during spring training for their John Hancock than a season game.
The Red Sox will play 17 home games during spring training in Southwest Florida. One of these home games will be against the Sox’s biggest rivals, the New York Yankees, on March 15. Depending on the seats, tickets range from $5 to $32.
Minnesota Twins Spring Training
The Minnesota Twins are in their 26th spring training season at CenturyLink Sports Complex (14100 Six Miley Cypress Parkway, Fort Myers, Fl). The complex is home to Hammond Stadium, five other playing fields, and the Twins Player Development Academy. Hammond Stadium fits 7,500 people.
Twins fans can feel like their back home in the Land of 10,000 Lakes as all the streets within the complex are named for Twins players. The stadium has a large fountain and waterfall, and its face is designed to look similar to Louisville Churchill Downs racetrack. The stadium just received a brand-new canopy over the standing-room section.
Twins tickets range from $9 to $30, depending on the game and seat location. The team will play 15 home games this season.
Twins Vs. Sox
The teams will face off seven times: March 2nd (JetBlue Park), 3rd (Hammond Stadium), 10th (JetBlue Park), 16th (JetBlue Park), 18th (JetBlue Park), 29th (JetBlue Park), and 31st (JetBlue Park). The Twins won on March 2nd and the Sox won on March 3rd.
The two teams compete for the Crosstown Cup, a traveling, spring training trophy. Since 1993, the teams are even at 67-67-3.
Live Nearby Spring Training
Red Sox and Twins spring training is just one reason to live in Southwest Florida. Along with being a vibrant baseball-loving community, the Southwest Florida area has some of the best beaches, restaurants, nightlife, shopping (and more) for you to enjoy before or after a game. Want to know more about things to do in the area? Or looking to buy a home? Contact Dave and Brenda of Sage Realtor group at 239-896-8549.
Did You Miss Any Other Relocation Guide?
Here are links to past months’ relocation guides:
SWFL Arts
SWFL schools
SWFL Golf Clubs