Fans Continue Traditions, Experience Revamped Target Field at Twins Opening Day

[Melissa Berman]

Sporting events are a source of special memories for many fans, but no tradition is more cherished than MLB Opening Day. 2023’s Opening Day at Target Field will likely stand out in fans’ memories as being even more special: from the debut of new league rules to the giant new scoreboard and a dramatic win in walk-off fashion. 

Image courtesy of Matt Blewett-USA TODAY Sports

The 2023 MLB season represents a time of change both for MLB and the Twins, as MLB implemented a host of new rules, and the Twins did their first significant remodel of Target Field since it opened in 2010. At Friday’s Home Opener, in the company of friends and family, Twins fans got their first experience of what a game in this new MLB will be like. 

Old and new traditions
The Twins Opener was pushed back from Thursday to Friday for the second year in a row due to cold temperatures. But with a high of 50 degrees and an intense sun, the weather was even nice enough that Twins fans Sarah and Thomas Kendrick biked to the game- about 10 miles one way from their house. 

“It’s beautiful out, and I feel like it’s easier than having to deal with parking,” Sarah said, though she said with a laugh she had not ruled out riding the bus back with her bike. It was Sarah and Thomas’ first Opening Day, which between biking to the stadium less than a week after a blizzard, and the Twins’ win in walk-off fashion, will be a memorable one for them. Maybe even a new tradition?

Friday's sunny weather led to an announced attendance of 38,465 fans, a sellout, up from 35,462 last year. It was noticeably cooler in the shade; those sitting in it bundled up, and others sought respite by crowding under the overhead heaters on the concourse. 

Cam Bailey drove with his 14-year-old son Trae, seven-year-old son Bostyn, and father Ron from Marshall, Minnesota, about three hours away in southwest Minnesota, for the Opener. Attending Opening Day has been a tradition for Cam, who has been to every Twins Opening Day at Target Field since the stadium opened, and now the tradition is one he can share with his sons: it was Trae’s fifth Twins Home Opener and the first for Bostyn. Ron has been to about 30 openers throughout the years. Though the family makes the trek to a number of Twins games a year, the Opener is special,

“You kind of look at it like it’s almost a holiday of sorts,” Cam said. “We kind of joke, you know, that everyone has a clean slate, and it’s a new season."

Cam said his family enjoys walking around the stadium on Opening Day and checking out all the new amenities at the ballpark. This year, there were plenty, but that won't be the only thing his kids remember about the game. 

"For my youngest son, it was his first Opener, so this afternoon when we left, he, said, 'Dad, my first Opener. I think that was my first extra-inning game. And I think that was my first walk-off game," Cam said. 

Hunter Anderson, a Twins fan who drove up for the game from southern Minnesota, attended the Opener with his mother. In 2014, his baseball coach invited him and his mother to the Opener; they’ve attended it together nearly every year since.

“Knowing that it’s a tradition for probably the majority of the attendance makes it that much more special,” Anderson said. 

Friday’s game was Anderson’s second Twins Opener of the season: he traveled down to Kauffman Stadium last week to see the Twins open the season vs. the Kansas City Royals.

For Kenny Devine, attending the Home Opener is a tradition he and his brother typically share, This year, he attended with friends, but is celebrating his brother's birthday at the game during opening weekend, 

“Opening Day, it really does have such a great energy. Everyone goes, even if it’s cold," Devine said. 

And this writer also attends Opening Day with her brother each and every year, and hopes to continue the tradition for years to come regardless of jobs, obligations, and whatever else is going on in life. 

First Look at Revamped Target Field
At Friday’s game, fans could see Target Field’s new outfield scoreboards for the first time during in-game action. The boards, installed during the offseason, feature 22 new LED displays and 75% more square footage than last season. The large board in left-center field is MLB’s sixth largest main video board. The Twins also added a new, smaller video board on the Gate 34 plaza, so now fans playing cornhole on the plaza can keep up with the game action, and added extra video boards on the concourse.

Devine was impressed with the new scoreboard displays despite his and many others' observations about some first day malfunctions. He especially liked the prominence of pitch speed and type. 

"It's going to be fun to be a fan, but also a more more engaged fan in terms of like 'wow, that was actually a super good curveball' or whatever it is," Devine said. With the giant new video board, "there's so much more room and more opportunity to show [facts] off," Devine said..

Friday also represented the home debut of the Twins’ new, redesigned uniforms. The Twins wore their home whites, one of four new uniform designs the Twins are debuting this year, in addition to two new logos- a simplified “TC” design and a new “M” design that the Twins will wear on the road. 

Though the jury is out on the new logos, the home white uniforms have received near-universal acclaim from fans. 

“They’re definitely an upgrade. Looking back at the old home whites, they were so bland. These ones have more noticeable piping, and the sleeve patch is my favorite part,” Anderson said.

Noticeably absent this year were the traditional Opening Day security lines, which right before first pitch, typically have stretched for as far as blocks. New this season are Evolv scanners at each entrance, which rely on artificial intelligence to scan fans for weapons upon entry. On Opening Day, fans could walk straight into the stadium through the scanners without emptying their bags and pockets, and only had to stop to have their bag searched if the scanner flagged something.

“Flawless,” said Devine of how the Evolv scanners seemed to work. 

 In past years, Gate 6 in left field, where he typically enters games, has had security lines that snake all around the transit station area. But today, getting into the stadium fast was “no problem.”

“Walking in, we kind of got there late, which wasn’t ideal. But there wasn’t a line like I thought there’d be,” Devine said.

The home opener also was the first Twins game many have attended with a pitch clock. Friday’s game lasted 2:47 with ten innings compared to 2022, which lasted 2:53 in regulation.

Cam noticed the effect of the pitch clock during the Opener.

“When we go to games, it’s not like I want the game to go quicker so we can go home faster, but the pace was smoother,” he said of Friday’s game. 

Despite driving three hours to go to Twins games, Cam said he is okay with the games being a little shorter and that the pitch clock would be good for the game in the long term.  

Anderson said the effect of the pitch clock was especially noticeable at the Kauffman Stadium season opener, and that he might miss some of the lulls in the action when at games in-person.

“I definitely am going to enjoy not having to stay up late for games on TV on work nights, but I did enjoy the longer games while being in attendance,” he said.

Target Field will continue liquor sales into the 8th inning this season, rather than stop in the 7th inning like in the past, due to the shortened game times.

Other changes at the ballpark include a new Minnie and Paul sign with a mechanical handshake, mini golf holes on the right field concourse, a third family value concession stand, a new Women in Baseball art installation, and the spinning "disco ball" located in right field.

Despite how sweet Opening Day always is, a day spent with cherished family and friends watching baseball, the day is just a little sweeter when the Twins win.

 “Our day started at 8:30 this morning, and we’ll pull into the driveway at 10 o’clock at night, but the drive back’s a heck of a lot easier when you win,” Cam said.

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Do you have any special Opening Day celebrations? What did you think of all the new Target Field features? Let us know in a COMMENT below.

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[Melissa]

Thanks so much for this, Melissa! A mixture of factual description of new features like the scoreboards and sped-up entry process with reflection on your experience.

I also really appreciate the personal perspectives you share with us by meeting and talking to other fans - that’s such a great way into the experience, too, for those of us unable to attend in person.

[One typo I noted - Target Field opened in 2010, not 2013.]

[Matthew Lenz]

2nd annual Lenz family Opening Day! Weather was great (in LF, at least), Target Field’s facelift looked good, and a Sonny Gray was on fire!

Good to see you at the pregame party!

[Brock Beauchamp]

The scoreboard experience was really something to behold:

[theBOMisthebomb]

The nonexistent security lines were amazing for the home opener. I've stood in line for what felt like hours at previous home openers, so this was a definite upgrade to the fan experience. 

The scoreboard was rather impressive. I did notice about halfway through the game that a portion of the scoreboard wasn't working. I'm sitting in Target Field pregame Saturday and it appears fixed. 

As usual, the Twins have made upgrades to Target Field that really enhance the fan experience. 

[Melissa Berman]

5 hours ago, Matthew Lenz said:

2nd annual Lenz family Opening Day! Weather was great (in LF, at least), Target Field’s facelift looked good, and a Sonny Gray was on fire!

Good to see you at the pregame party!

LOVE this picture! That green grass, blue sky, and a beautiful family! 😄 So nice seeing you too!!!

[Melissa Berman]

4 hours ago, Brock Beauchamp said:

The scoreboard experience was really something to behold:

YEP, and how Michael A. Taylor was every single player yesterday. A few blips at today's game, but much improved!

[Melissa Berman]

2 hours ago, theBOMisthebomb said:

The nonexistent security lines were amazing for the home opener. I've stood in line for what felt like hours at previous home openers, so this was a definite upgrade to the fan experience. 

The scoreboard was rather impressive. I did notice about halfway through the game that a portion of the scoreboard wasn't working. I'm sitting in Target Field pregame Saturday and it appears fixed. 

As usual, the Twins have made upgrades to Target Field that really enhance the fan experience. 

Yes! No security lines from now on is such a game-changer. There's been a few minor mistakes today, like I'm looking at one right now, but much-improved from yesterday!

[Brock Beauchamp]

3 hours ago, Melissa Berman said:

YEP, and how Michael A. Taylor was every single player yesterday. A few blips at today's game, but much improved!

The Michael A Taylor thing was incredible. Even my nine year old was screaming THAT’S NOT BYRON BUXTON