January 11, 2005 [LINK]

Dolphins Stadium!?

Thanks to "Stadium Guru" I found out about Monday's announcement by the Miami Dolphins that they are renaming Pro Player Stadium "Dolphins Stadium." (It was originally called Joe Robbie Stadium.) This name change is part of a massive long-term, privately funded renovation program. "Phase II, which could not commence until the relocation of the Marlins [!], would potentially include expansion of the stadium concourses, a permanent or retractable roof, additional seating capacity, ..." See miamidolphins.com Not missing a beat, the Marlins have already updated their own Web site with the new stadium name. I guess I'd better do so too: Dolphins Stadium! (While I was at it, I revised the diagrams on that page to include warning tracks, etc.) This will become, as far as I can tell, the first time a Major League team has ever played in a stadium named after another currently-playing team, reinforcing the Marlins' sense of "homeless" insecurity. The Giants played in Seals Stadium for their first four years in San Francisco, but that was just temporary and the PCL Seals had already folded, of course. Four NFL "tenant" teams have had to put up with this second-class status: the Detroit Lions (at Tiger Stadium), the New York Giants (at Yankee Stadium), the New York Jets (at Giants Stadium), and the Houston Oilers (at the Astrodome).