- Champion Stadium
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Champion Stadium 
Former names Cracker Jack Stadium (1997-2006)
The Ballpark at Disney's Wide World of Sports (2007)Location Walt Disney World Resort Opened 1997 Owner Walt Disney Parks and Resorts Operator ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex Surface Grass Capacity 9,500 Field dimensions Left field - 335 ft / 102 m
Left Center - 385 ft / 117 m
Center Field - 400 ft / 122 m
Right Center - 385 ft / 117 m
Right field - 335 ft / 102 mTenants Atlanta Braves (spring training)
Gulf Coast Braves (GCL)
Tampa Bay Rays (one three game series in 2007 and 2008)
Orlando Rays (SL) (2000-2003)
USSSA Pride (NPF) (2011-present)Champion Stadium is a 9,500 seat baseball stadium located at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex in the Walt Disney World Resort[1]. The stadium was built in 1997. It is the spring training home of the Atlanta Braves[2] and is the home for the Rookie-league GCL Braves. The stadium has a capacity of 9,500 including seating in the berm area. It features four luxury boxes and two open-air party suites.
Contents
Name
Champion Stadium was originally known as Cracker Jack Stadium. When it was first built, Frito-Lay purchased the naming rights to the venue for ten years and put its Cracker Jack brand on the stadium. Frito-Lay chose not to renew its naming rights deal. During most of 2007, it was referred to as The Ballpark at Disney's Wide World of Sports. On November 1 of that year, HanesBrands Inc. purchased the naming rights for ten years and put its Champion brand on the stadium.
Orlando Rays
In 2000, after years of poor attendance at Tinker Field, the Orlando Rays moved to the Ballpark. However, the Rays, the Class AA Southern League affiliate of the Tampa Bay Rays, continued to draw barely 1,000 fans a game in their new stadium. Things improved somewhat over the next three seasons; the Rays drew 150,051 fans in 2003, more than twice what they had seen just a few years earlier at Tinker Field, but still last in the league. Following the 2003 season, the Rays moved (breaking a 10-year lease at Disney after just four years)[citation needed] and became the Montgomery Biscuits.
Other uses
The Atlanta Braves Spring Training game against the New York Mets in 2008
Champion Stadium was used during first-round games for the 2006 World Baseball Classic. It hosted Pool D, and featured teams with professional players from Venezuela, Australia, Dominican Republic and Italy. All games were sell-outs.
The stadium hosted its first regular season MLB games from May 15–17, 2007 season when the Texas Rangers played the Tampa Bay Devil Rays in a three-game series. The three games drew a total of 26,917 fans, and attendance went up each game. In April 2008, the Rays moved another series, this time against the Toronto Blue Jays, to Orlando.[3] The Rays won all three games both years they visited Champion Stadium.
Champion Stadium is used for numerous high-school baseball tournaments every year, and has also hosted the Disney Channel Games.
As part of the ESPN rebranding of the complex as a whole, an HD video panel was placed on the right side of the scoreboard wall in center field.
References
- ^ Powers, Scott (2008-06-17). "Fun and games serious business at Disney's Wide World of Sports". Orlando Sentinel. http://www.orlandosentinel.com/business/orl-talking1708jun17,0,1322206.story. Retrieved 2009-05-22.
- ^ "Check out ticket prices, directions and more for all 16 Grapefruit League teams". Orlando Sentinel. 2009-02-17. http://www.orlandosentinel.com/sports/orl-spring-training-grapefruit-information-021709,0,549800.story. Retrieved 2009-05-22.
- ^ Topkin, Marc (2007-11-07). "MLB, likely foe open to return to Orlando". St. Petersburg Times (TampaBay.com). http://www.sptimes.com/2007/11/07/Rays/MLB__likely_foe_open_.shtml. Retrieved 2009-05-22.
External links
- Champion Stadium Official Website
- Atlanta Braves Spring training info
- Photos and review on ballparkwatch.com
- Champion Stadium Views – Ball Parks of the Minor Leagues
Coordinates: 28°20′13.5″N 81°33′21.6″W / 28.337083°N 81.556°W
Atlanta Braves Formerly the Boston Red Stockings, Boston Red Caps, Boston Beaneaters, Boston Doves, Boston Rustlers, Boston Bees, Boston Braves and the Milwaukee Braves · Based in Atlanta, Georgia Franchise History (Boston) · Braves Museum & Hall of Fame · Award winners & league leaders · Records · No-hitters · Seasons · Owners and executives · Managers · Opening Day Starters (Atlanta · Boston and Milwaukee) · First-round draft picks · Broadcasters · Atlanta Braves Radio NetworkBallparks South End Grounds · Congress Street Grounds · South End Grounds · Fenway Park · Braves Field · Milwaukee County Stadium · Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium · Turner Field
Spring training: St. Petersburg Athletic Park · McKechnie Field · Municipal Stadium · Champion StadiumCulture 1897 Temple Cup · Continental League · Braves Bleacher Creature · Chief Noc-A-Homa · Homer · Rally · Braves TBS Baseball · Tomahawk Buzzcut · #715 · The Slugger's Wife · Francisco Cabrera game · Grand Slam Single · Randy Johnson's perfect gameRivalries Retired numbers Key personnel Owner: John C. Malone (Liberty Media) · General Manager: Frank Wren · Club President: John Schuerholz · Manager: Fredi GonzálezWorld Series
Championships (3)National League
Championships (17)National Association
Championships (4)Other Titles Minor league
affiliatesAAA: Gwinnett Braves AA: Mississippi Braves A: Lynchburg Hillcats · Rome Braves Rookie: Danville Braves · Gulf Coast League Braves · DSL BravesOther assets Seasons (140) 1870s 1880s 1890s 1900s 1910s 1920s 1930s 1940s 1950s 1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s 2000s 2010s 2010 • 2011 • 2012Tampa Bay Rays Formerly the Tampa Bay Devil Rays • Based in St. Petersburg, Florida (Tampa Bay) The Franchise Players • Managers • Owners and executives • Broadcasters • Tampa Bay Rays Radio Network
Awards • Records • Seasons • No-hitters • Opening Day starters • First-round draft picks
History (Baseball in the Tampa Bay area) • Expansion • Expansion Draft • All articlesBallparks Tropicana Field • Champion Stadium • Rays Ballpark (proposed)
Spring training: Al Lang Field • Charlotte Sports ParkCulture Rivalries Retired Numbers Key Personnel Owner: Stuart Sternberg • President: Matthew Silverman • General Manager (de facto): Andrew Friedman • Manager: Joe MaddonAL Pennants (1) Division Titles (2) 2008 • 2010AL Wild Cards (1) 2011Seasons (15) 1990s 2000s 2010s 2010 • 2011 • 2012Stadiums of the Grapefruit League Bright House Field • Champion Stadium • Charlotte Sports Park • City of Palms Park • Digital Domain Park • Florida Auto Exchange Stadium • Ed Smith Stadium • George M. Steinbrenner Field • Hammond Stadium • Joker Marchant Stadium • McKechnie Field • Osceola County Stadium • Roger Dean Stadium • Space Coast StadiumCurrent ballparks in the Gulf Coast League East North Bobby Mattick Training Center at Englebert Complex • Carpenter Complex • Chain of Lakes Park • Champion Stadium • Joker Marchant Stadium • George M. Steinbrenner FieldSouth Boston Red Sox Player Development Complex • Charlotte Sports Park • Ed Smith Stadium • Lee County Sports Complex • Pirate City Stadium • Twin Lakes Park2006 World Baseball Classic Stadiums Tokyo Dome (Tokyo) • Chase Field (Phoenix) • Scottsdale Stadium (Scottsdale) • Hiram Bithorn Stadium (San Juan) • Cracker Jack Stadium (Lake Buena Vista, FL) • Angel Stadium of Anaheim (Anaheim) • Petco Park (San Diego)
Walt Disney Parks and Resorts Disneyland Resort Walt Disney World Resort Tokyo Disney Resort Disneyland Paris Hong Kong Disneyland Resort Shanghai Disney Resort Shanghai Disneyland ParkDisney Cruise Line Other The Walt Disney Company · Walt Disney Imagineering · Walt Disney Creative Entertainment Categories:- Minor league baseball venues
- Grapefruit League venues
- Sports venues in Orlando, Florida
- World Baseball Classic venues
- Spring training ballparks
- Walt Disney World Resort
- Tampa Bay Rays stadiums
- Baseball venues in Florida
- Atlanta Braves spring training venues
- Frito-Lay
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