League of Fans’ Sports Forum podcast
[Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Anchor and others]
It is estimated that more than 5,000 fans have been injured, some seriously, by foul balls in Major League Baseball (MLB) and minor league baseball stadiums since 2012.
While significant improvements have been made at the Major League level in recent years (in terms of protective netting being installed to the end of the dugouts or down to the foul poles) fans in some minor league and college baseball parks are still unprotected, except directly behind home plate.
Our guests for this podcast are Jordan Skopp, founder of FoulBallSafety.com and Greg Wilkowski, a Chicago based attorney. Wilkowski has filed a class action lawsuit against the Peoria Chiefs, a minor league affiliate of the St. Louis Cardinals in Peoria, Illinois. Chiefs management has refused to put up protective netting at their field beyond the netting directly beyond home plate. The result has been numerous fan injuries.
We discuss the historical problem of foul balls injuring fans, the “Baseball Rule” that teams have used to avoid liability, the specific case in Peoria, why some teams are still hesitant to put up protective netting, and the fact the vast majority of players are for more protective netting in stadiums.
The League of Fans’ Sports Forum podcast can be found wherever you get your podcasts, including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Anchor and others.
Follow on Facebook: @SportsForumPodcast
— Editor
If you enjoyed this article, please consider sharing it!
Books
