CHARLESTON, W.Va. — GoMart Ballpark, the home of the Charleston Dirty Birds, will be getting some needed safety updates.
On Monday evening, Charleston City Council members voted to enter a contract with Meadow Ridge Ranch Construction to install new backstop
netting and additional foul ball netting.
The new foul ball netting will be on both the first and third base lines, extending towards the end of the seating area.
The MLB recently passed a new policy to mandate extended netting for all minor league affiliated clubs before the start of the season. Though Charleston lost its affiliation before rebranding as the “Dirty Birds,” the team and city decided to follow suit.
All 30 MLB ballparks extended the nettings that were in place before the 2020 season, though not every team had the exact same looks.
The city’s contract with Meadow Ridge Ranch Construction to extend the baseline netting and replace the backstop netting is $189,000.
The Dirty Birds begin the 2025 campaign on Friday, April 25, at the Lexington Legends. The team’s home opener is Friday, May 2, against the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs.