Indoor Practice Facility Softball Consideration

[DoubleNicks]

I was wondering if the indoor facility would allow for softball competition so I did some quick research on the dimensions...

It looks like the outfield fence from home plate can vary from at least 190 feet to 250 feet. The proposed width of the indoor facility is 217 feet. So, it at least looks like it's in the ballpark of being possible of hosting competition. Of course, one would need additional space for the backstop distance and dugout areas. And maybe some area for fan attendance, although not required.

This would also probably require softball specific turf markings or a removable turf surface. But this would be huge in ensuring earlier (and thus more) home games as well as being able to practice year round on an officially sized field since that is usually the main obstacle/excuse for early seasons' slow starts.

 

[DoubleNicks]

Here's an article on Northern Iowa playing some of their early season games in the UNI-Dome:
Northern Iowa Softball Playing Inside Domed Football Stadium Is The Strangest-Looking Field In Sports

And some video:
[media]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=un-vhxa7Xqg[/media]

It looks like they don't do much for markings (looks like temporary tape for the batter's box and pitching circle) and use the football sideline and a certain yardline as the foul lines. (With UM football needing the turf for practice/training only and not for official competition, I wonder if UM could just color the turf to at least to have a permanent brown infield marking just outside the endzone.) They don't have a lot of sideline space beside the football field, either, but they are able to make it work. Obviously, they have much better ceiling clearance than an inflatable bubble would have.

Here's an article about Syracuse also playing some in their football dome: https://dailyorange.com/2012/03/sb-...ll-field-hosts-games-for-1st-time-in-history/

 

[grizzlyjournal]

No harm in dreaming! Thanks for this, Hooked.
Tuesday the weather through game 1 was tolerable to decent. But shortly before game 2 the wind shifted & temps dropped. I wimped out.
As I was walking back to my truck I wondered about the prospects of a rich UM grad donor sitting in those stands considering a donation for a covered stadium right where the field is now. No harm in dreaming.

 

[maroonandsilver]

I was wondering if the indoor facility would allow for softball competition so I did some quick research on the dimensions...

It looks like the outfield fence from home plate can vary from at least 190 feet to 250 feet. The proposed width of the indoor facility is 217 feet. So, it at least looks like it's in the ballpark of being possible of hosting competition. Of course, one would need additional space for the backstop distance and dugout areas. And maybe some area for fan attendance, although not required.

This would also probably require softball specific turf markings or a removable turf surface. But this would be huge in ensuring earlier (and thus more) home games as well as being able to practice year round on an officially sized field since that is usually the main obstacle/excuse for early seasons' slow starts.

You are forgetting height. Your idea will be great if both teams promise to hit line drives only. One complaint I have heard about the bubble is it is too low to punt in.