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MLB’s special-event games, one of the most beloved parts of the league’s operations, are hitting an unusual level of turbulence with a potential plan to play at Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming.
League sources said MLB has approached the Trump Administration about the viability of staging a game at a national park, with Grand Teton among the sites discussed. No final decisions have been made, nor have any permits been granted by the National Park Service, and several other unrelated ideas are also under consideration.
Before any formal steps are taken, though, the mere idea of building a temporary ballpark within a national park prompted pushback from a variety of political and business leaders and environmental groups.
“Americans want to see protections for our national parks and public lands strengthened. Bulldozing these lands for a baseball stadium does the opposite, destroying the magnificent landscapes that millions of people come to experience,” said Sierra Club Wyoming chapter director Chris Kassar. “It is irresponsible and shortsighted. We can’t pretend that a baseball stadium in Grand Teton is in the best interest of Wyomingites.”
Seeking the Next Big Thing
MLB’s exploration of playing in a national park marks an effort to find the next iteration of its domestic special-event games, which have become key tentpoles within the schedule each year.
Over the past decade, the league has staged three games at the Field of Dreams movie site in Iowa, with a fourth scheduled for 2027, and has also played at Bristol Motor Speedway in Tennessee, Rickwood Field in Alabama, and Fort Bragg in North Carolina. Since 2017, MLB has also played annually in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, in conjunction with the Little League World Series.
Those games have garnered widespread appeal among fans and players, and several milestones have been set, including an MLB single-game attendance record last year in Bristol. The biggest complaint, if any, is that MLB doesn’t do more of these special-event games within its 2,430-game regular season.
“I definitely would like to have this be for three days instead of one day,” said Phillies star Bryce Harper before this year’s Field of Dreams game against the Twins. “I wish it was three days instead of coming in here so quick. It’d be nice to be able to settle down, get the family out there.”
The national park consideration, however, has created a rather different vibe.
“Even temporary infrastructure can create lasting impacts through habitat fragmentation, noise and light disturbances, increased human presence in wildlife areas, and strain on park resources,” read a joint letter to U.S. Interior Secretary Doug Burgum from leaders of Jackson, Wyoming, the Teton County Commissioners, and the Jackson Hole Chamber of Commerce. “The proposal also risks setting a precedent that major commercial entertainment should occur within protected boundaries.”
The White House, meanwhile, said the initial inquiries about the national parks were driven by the league and that it wasn’t an “Administration priority.”
As the 2027 MLB schedule is now set, any special-event decisions for 2028 and beyond will likely wait until after the league and MLB Players Association grapple with a difficult collective bargaining situation.
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