Brewers survey fans over stadium upgrades

Milwaukee Brewers fans are being asked to share their thoughts on the redevelopment of American Family Field, the Major League Baseball team’s home stadium.

The Brewers have issued a fan survey to gather views on a potential outdoor entertainment area at the stadium. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel newspaper, the area would be known as Brewers Bash and would include bars and live entertainment.

Rick Schlesinger, president of business operations for the team, told the Journal Sentinel that the entertainment offering would be located in an area behind centrefield. “We’re trying to really listen to what the fans want,” he said.

Other potential additions to American Family Field include indoor gathering spaces such as a family zone, field-level lounge and a standing-room-only area known as the Brew HQ Social Patio.

Last year, Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers signed two bills to keep the Brewers in the state until 2050, with American Family Field set to undergo major renovation work as a result.

The Brewers’ lease deal at American Family Field, which is majority-owned by the Southeast Wisconsin Professional Baseball Park District, had been due to run until 2030. Without an investment from the state, the District does not have the resources to meet existing contractual and legal obligations to maintain and update American Family Field.

To avoid the threat of the Brewers leaving Milwaukee following the 2030 season, Evers announced an initial proposal as part of his 2023-25 biennial budget proposal.

Two bills passed in December 2023 will provide $500.8m (£390.5m/€457.3m) in public funding over the terms of the extended lease, including $365.8m in state funds and $67.5m in local contributions from both Milwaukee County and the City of Milwaukee.

The Brewers have previously claimed that, as American Family Field’s sole tenant, the team represents the only reason for the facility’s existence. The team has said it requires a premier ballpark to drive ticket sales and continue to field a competitive side, making the maintenance of the stadium “all the more critical”.