Text and photos by Joe Mock
All rights reserved
Just like in 2025, this year’s matchup is one that hasn’t happened before in a World Series. In fact, the last time the Brewers were in the Fall Classic (1982), the Rays hadn’t been born yet (they arrived as an expansion team in 1998).
It seems slightly odd to see a World Series without the Dodgers, seeing as how they participated in five of them from 2017 through 2025, including winning their last three (2020, 2024, 2025).
But this year, we have two teams that have never won a Fall Classic. Tampa Bay has appeared twice, losing to the Phillies in 2008 and to the aforementioned Dodgers in the “Bubble World Series” played in Arlington, Texas in 2020.
The Brewers, who’ve been in existence 29 more years than the Rays, have made only one appearance. They lost a thrilling seven-game classic to the Cards in 1982.
It’s also interesting that the franchises with the highest payroll are nowhere to be found this World Series. The Brewers have the 19th highest payroll, and the Rays are 25th. This is not what MLB was hoping for as they try to justify the need to add a salary cap to the next Collective Bargaining Agreement. To be fair, in 2025, the #2 payroll (Dodgers) beat #4 (Blue Jays).
Anyway, it’s time for our annual comparison of the two ballparks in the Fall Classic. We’ve been doing this for over two decades, and it’s always fun — and a little bit tongue-in-cheek. We call it our “tale of the tape,” which references the way two boxers used to be compared in generations gone by. (By the way, if you’re looking at this on your phone, note you’ll need to swipe to read the column about American Family Field.)
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Tropicana Field |
American Family Field |
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| The (Devil) Rays moved in here in 1998. They had to play a season in Tampa in ’25 while it was rebuilt following Hurricane Milton. | Year opened | It was called Miller Park, and it replaced Milwaukee County Stadium (directly next door) in 2001. |
| It was built in a sea of parking lots just west of downtown St. Petersburg. Honestly, there isn’t a lot around it. | Site | The park is west of downtown. Its vast parking lots are filled with tailgates that are the envy of the sports world. |
| Both I and my USA TODAY baseball-writing brethren have it next to last, at #29 | Our ranking among 30 MLB parks | I rank it at #22 while the USA TODAY staff place it just below that, at #24 |
| For the playoffs, it holds 42,735. With the upper deck closed, the capacity is 25,025 | Seating capacity | 41,900. Throughout the season, the Brewers sold 82% of all available tickets. Impressive. |
| Shaw Sports Turf (artificial) | Playing surface | Kentucky Bluegrass (yes, it’s natural) |
| The renovation preserved the tank of rays beyond center field. There now is also cool lighting on the rebuilt dome. | Special feature | The massive roof is retractable. Bernie Brewer’s slide high above left field is also a blast after a home run. |
| HOK (now called Populous) was aided by Lescher & Mahoney Sports in the original design | Architects | HKS and NBBJ designed the stadium |
| $138 million. The year-long post-hurricane work cost almost as much, at $130 million | Cost to build | It cost $400 million to build (partially due to delays and overruns) |
| Following the renovations: 315′-370′-404′-370′-322′ | Outfield dimensions | 342′-371′-400′-374′-337′ |
| Even though the team has played in two World Series, only one (2008) was held here | World Series hosted | None, because the last time the Brewers were in the Fall Classic was 19 years before this was built |
| Tampa Bay is looking for its first-ever Fall Classic title | Last World Series won by home team | Like the Rays, the Brewers have never won it all (like the Mariners, Rockies and Padres) |
| It hasn’t hosted one, but you can bet one will be played at their new stadium in Tampa | All Star Games hosted | Back when it was called Miller Park, it hosted the ASG in 2002, which ended in a 7-7 tie. |
| The entry way beyond right field includes a nice rotunda | Landmarks | The site of Miller Park is now an exemplary youth facility called Helfaer Field |
| It has hosted the NCAA Final Four and the NHL (while Benchmark International Arena was under construction in Tampa) | Other events | The biggest crowds ever here were for concerts by P!NK and George Strait, both in 2023 |
| Statcast calculates that The Trop allows about 4% fewer runs, but about 4% more HRs, than the average MLB park | 2024-26 park factors Source: Statcast |
The Brewers park is very similar, about 4% fewer runs but 3% more HRs. Doubles and triples are well under the average. |
| Fans really turned out for the deciding game of the ALCS, but prior to that, thousands of seats for Games 1 and 2 went unsold. | Filled with | Devoted fans. The team finished 12th in attendance in ’26, fantastic in a “small market” |
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