Fort Bragg Field Wins Baseballparks.com’s 2016 Ballpark of the Year

Just over a month after its first and only game, Fort Bragg Field has been recognized by Baseballparks.com as the 2016 Ballpark of the Year. A temporary ballpark built to show appreciation to America’s military, Fort Bragg Field marked the first time in history a professional sport played a regular season game on an active military base.

The installation hosted the Atlanta Braves and Miami Marlins on July 3^rd for a live audience of more than 12,000 military men and women and their families. Although the structure did not last beyond one game, the event was engrained in the memories of all in attendance as a truly special occasion.

“I fully realize it’s an unconventional choice presenting this award to a park that technically no longer exists,” Joe Mock, Editor-in-Chief of Baseballparks.com, explained. “In my reviews of new baseball stadiums, I’ve always maintained that I like approaches that are different than at other parks. Well, you can’t get much more ‘different’ than a ballpark that is used only once, then dismantled. Truly, this was a once-in-a-lifetime ballpark.”

Commissioned by Major League Baseball, the ballpark was designed by Populous’ event overlay team working in tandem with the practice’s design team.

“A true once-in-a-lifetime ballpark for the military at Fort Bragg, it showcases the evolving potential of pop-up sports venues,” said Todd Barnes, a Principal at Populous and the project manager for this facility. “We’re honored to have been a part of this project, and being named Ballpark of the Year truly establishes Fort Bragg Field as one of the most memorable ballparks in Major League Baseball.”

Following the game, the ballpark was met with praise from league personnel and has since begun the process of disassembly to become a recreational facility with fields for softball, soccer, flag football and other intramural sports. It joins Petco Park and Southwest University Park as recent Populous-designed ballparks to receive the honor from Baseballparks.com.

For more on temporary event design and placemaking for the modern ballpark, contact media@populous.com.