Hurricane Milton destroys the Tampa Bay Rays’ home

The 29th of September marked the end of the Tampa Bay Rays’ Major League Baseball season after a 3-1 loss to the Boston Red Sox at their iconic Fenway Park. Less than 10 days after that, their own stadium, Tropicana Field, was being repurposed as a shelter. It was supposed to be a 10,000-person base camp during Hurricane Milton.

With the roof designed to withstand winds of up to 177 kilometres per hour, people and equipment had to be evacuated before the storm hit, as forecasts predicted winds above that threshold. It turned out to be the right decision, as on the night of October 9th, the strong winds of Hurricane Milton seriously damaged the roof of Tropicana Field.

The roof was shredded, leaving visible from aerial shots the rows of beds that were supposed to be used by first responders and emergency personnel involved in debris clean-up operations.

It’s not the first time sports facilities have played a key role during extreme weather events in the United States, with the New Orleans’ Superdome famously used as a refuge during Hurricane Katrina.

However, the destruction of the Tampa Bay Rays’ roof raises questions about how stadiums can withstand extreme weather events, especially if they are to play a humanitarian role.

Climate change threatens sports facilities

These questions on stadiums' resilience to extreme weather events are particularly relevant in a warming world, as climate change increases their likelihood. According to World Weather Attribution, global warming made Hurricane Milton’s wind speeds 10% stronger and increased rainfall by 20-30%.

As it stands, it seems unlikely that Tropicana Field will be ready for the start of the Rays’ 2025 season against the Colorado Rockies on March 27th. These damages also come a couple of years before the opening of a new stadium. While the Rays have played at Tropicana Field since 1998, they plan to play in a new $1.3 billion ballpark by 2028.

It’s now up in the air where the team might play in 2025 if the stadium isn’t repaired in time and how smaller facilities might be upgraded to meet major league standards. Given the costs of the repairs and relocation, it’s only normal to assume the climate resilience of their new home in 2028 will be closely evaluated throughout construction.

At Wavezero, we often write about what sports teams are doing to minimise their environmental impact, but Hurricane Milton highlighted that their sustainability strategy should also consider how they can adapt to the physical effects of climate change.

With an increasing number of extreme weather events, sports facilities such as MLB ballparks or NFL stadiums will continue playing a key role in providing refuge to displaced people or becoming base camps for first responders.

It is clear that sports organisations cannot ignore how they might be impacted by extreme weather events, and that they can play a key role in mobilising society to take climate action.