Hamina’s Balloliijat is the only club whose home arena does not meet the Päsäpalliito’s stand requirements at the Championship level.
Vallikenttä, a baseball sanctuary located in Hamina, is the only one in Superpesis that does not meet the Finnish Baseball Association’s stand requirements next season.
In 2016, the Päsäpalliitto outlined that all home stadiums of teams playing in the men’s Superpes must have covered seats for at least 1,500 spectators. At the Women’s Championship level, the canopies of 750 places are required.
After the alignment, baseball clubs across Finland have put their home arenas in order. For example, Sotkamon’s Jymy has new stands for the 2022 season.
There are no covered seats at all on the field.
The home fields of Hyvinkää’s Tahko and Hamina’s Palloilijde did not meet the stadium requirements for the teams playing at the championship level this season.
Conditions are changing in Hyvinkää. A new covered grandstand is currently being built in Hyvinkää, which will be ready for the 2024 season.
Hamina’s Balloliijat has to apply for a special permit to organize their home match at Vallikentä.
– An exemption is possible. There will be a discussion about the conditions with the Hamina Ballers in the near future. We are surveying the club’s and the city’s plans for improving the conditions in the near future, says the competition manager of the Finnish Baseball Association Juha Kuoppala.
Left behind in the circumstances
Next summer, both HP’s women’s and men’s teams will play at the major league level.
Executive director of Hamina’s Ball players Marko Hovi notes that the conditions for playing super games in Vallikentä are weak.
– The environment is great and traditional, but we have undeniably fallen behind due to the circumstances, says Hovi.
The rampart is owned by the city of Hamina. The city currently has no pending investment decisions regarding Vallikentsi. Hovi considers the role of the city to be significant in the development of conditions.
– Circumstances have fallen away from development and we have to do something about it.