The health and safety protocols developed to allow college and professional sports to play during the global coronavirus pandemic showed our ability to adapt under difficult circumstances, but let's face it, the games were not the same.
They were not as fun. They were not as exciting. They were not as memorable.
As much as I tried to rev up my excitement meter for the 2020 football season, each time I walked into The Swamp with hardly anyone roaming around outside or attended a road game such as Vanderbilt where the crowd was announced in the hundreds rather than tens of thousands, reality slapped me.
Make no mistake, the fact the action continued was better than not playing and so many people deserve credit for making it happen. Still, the games we love need fans to create the atmosphere, to add energy and foster shared memories. Without them, the action on the field can feel like a video game with human characters running around.
Grab your tickets for this weekend's NCAA Gainesville Regional at Florida Ballpark!
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— Florida Gators Baseball (@GatorsBB) June 2, 2021
When the Gators opened Florida Ballpark on a Friday night in February against Miami, the sparkling new stadium should have been packed. However, due to reduced-capacity restrictions, the announced attendance was 1,418. That is very unlike a Florida-Miami game.
Consider that in the history of McKethan Stadium, four of the top 20 crowds to show up came to see the Gators and Hurricanes slug it out. The Florida-Miami rivalry is one of the best in the country and fortunately, we have a chance to see a rematch in the Gainesville Regional this weekend at Florida Ballpark.
The Hurricanes are in town along with USF and South Alabama. The Gators host USF in the regional's first game on Friday at noon, followed at 5 p.m. by the Hurricanes facing South Alabama. If the Gators and Hurricanes both win their first-round games, they would play on Saturday at 4 p.m.
There's a lot of baseball to be played over the next few days at Florida Ballpark, possibly as many as seven games Friday through Sunday. Postseason baseball in a new ballpark is a winning combination in my view.
For ticket information, you can click here.
Meanwhile, Gators head coach Kevin O'Sullivan and select players are scheduled to have a press conference later today. Check out FloridaGators.com for a regional preview and throughout the weekend.
And if you get a chance, stop by Florida Ballpark. The more the merrier. A pitch that has never rang truer than after the experiences of the past year.
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June 03, 2021 at 07:08PM
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Carter's Corner: Finally, Postseason Baseball in a New Ballpark and No Crowd Restrictions - Florida Gators
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