Travel Blog

In honor of Opening Day, here is the letter I sent last week to the President of Business Operations for the Marlins:

"I know you’re very busy, especially now with the season starting, but I wonder if you could take the time to enlighten me – a long-time resident of Fort Lauderdale – as to why professional baseball is no longer played outdoors in South Florida.

"Without question, an indoor stadium is a blessing in summer. (Though I watched a lot of games at Joe Robbie/Pro Player/Land Shark Stadium in July and August, and loved how, at the end of every game, win or lose, Louis Armstrong would come over the loudspeakers singing “What a Wonderful World.”) But in recent years I have driven down from Fort Lauderdale on balmy evenings in April and May only to find the roof closed. More than once, rather than pay to sit in an air-conditioned din (it’s the music, not the fans, that rattles the ears), I have promptly turned around and headed back to I-95.

"Someone told me at the World Baseball Classic (when the roof was never opened, making me think that perhaps it’s stuck), that the decision is made two days ahead of time and is based on a variety of factors. Judging by the amount of times the roof has been opened in the last few years, those factors must include a steady outdoor temperature of 76 degrees, a wind of less than 5 mph, a humidity percentage in the single digits, and a zero chance of precipitation.

"I have also heard that it’s the players who demand that the roof be closed. This sounds plausible, as they are largely coddled millionaires. But as I write this, tennis players are playing at the Miami Open in the middle of the day, with a much lighter ball more affected by wind, and exerting more energy than baseball players ever do, yet none of them are clamoring for a climate-controlled space.

"And none of the spectators at the Open are, either. In fact, they seem to enjoy being outside. Most people do, especially after a day spent in an office or a classroom or a warehouse. It’s why restaurants here have outdoor seating, which is popular even in summer. It’s why the New World Symphony makes many of its concerts available to picnickers through its Wallcasts. You can do all kinds of things outdoors in South Florida but, for some strange reason, watching the Marlins isn’t one of them.

"As you know, a game at loanDepot Park with an open roof is a beautiful thing – even, perhaps especially, at night. It’s a gift that, if regularly available, would undoubtedly bring more people to the ballpark – something that you, the players, and everyone interested in South Florida baseball would like to see.

"But it’s not just about aesthetics; there is also an environmental cost. Miami is a city that stands to suffer considerably from rising seas, and yet one of its largest structures is regular pumped with air-conditioning – a major contributor to global warming – despite the fact that it was built with a retractable roof to let in the fresh air. This is dumber than trading Christian Yelich – and has infinitely greater consequences."