Florida Marlins…A Successful Expansion Team
In 1993, the expansion franchise the Florida Marlins brought professional baseball to the Miami-Dade area. The team has since made it to the World Series twice as wild card winners, defeating the other team both times. They are the only team to date to have won the Series in all of their post season appearances. The team also has two National League Pennants.
The Florida Marlins are the first team in Major League Baseball history to have a dance squad. The Florida Marlins Mermaids are an all female dance team that entertains fans at home games. They are accompanied by the Florida Marlins Manatees, an all male dance team made up of overweight men who construct their own dance routines to entertain the fans. Of course, the team also has their mascot, Billy the Marlin. This fun fish plays his pranks, performs stunts, and generally just has fun with the fans at each regular season home game.
Although it has been known by many different names, the Sun Life Stadium has been home to the Marlins since their inception. The stadium is also home to the Miami Dolphins, the University of Miami Hurricanes, and hosts the Orange Bowl every year. For baseball, the stadium holds a capacity of 38,560 fans, although this can be expanded to around 68,000 if needed. In 2006, the stadium installed two of the largest scoreboards in professional sports.
Because their current stadium was originally built for football but with baseball in mind, it is easily convertible to a baseball stadium. The only problem is that the seats have a strange orientation, pointing mainly toward the fifty yard line, which for Marlins games is center field. These sightline problems are part of the reason why the Marlins are scheduled to get their own stadium in 2012.
Located at the sight of the Miami Orange Bowl, the stadium is expected to have a capacity of approximately 30,000 with 3,000 club seats and 60 private suites. It will have a retractable roof and a natural grass playing surface. Currently under construction, the stadium has a webcam pointed towards it that is updated regularly for fans to keep track of the progress.
Out in their community, the Florida Marlins are committed to improving the lives of less fortunate area residents, especially those of children. They have organized the Marlins at School program which assists teachers in improving education, and the RBI youth program which gives teenagers an opportunity to participate in the world of Major League Baseball. They also have established the Marlins Community Foundation which hosts and organizes a variety of events, activities, and fundraisers for local charities and organizations.
Throughout Florida, Marlins fans are excited and devoted to their team. The entertainment at games from the dance teams and mascot only serve to increase the level of excitement already created by the game itself. After the lights go out and the crowds are gone, the team is tirelessly working to improve the lives of their community residents. All these factors and more make the Florida Marlins a team thrilling to watch.
