Shaded Seating at LECOM Park

What You Need to Know About Shade at LECOM Park

Built in 1923, LECOM Park in Bradenton is the spring training home of the Pittsburgh Pirates and the oldest stadium currently used for Spring Training. Despite its age, recent renovations have added modern amenities, including a boardwalk that allows fans to walk the entire 360-degree perimeter of the field.

The park features a classic Spanish Colonial exterior and exposed steel girders that highlight its historic charm. There are also three large structures that offer shade for a majority of seats.

How Shade Actually Works Here

The ballpark is oriented with the batter facing northeast. During a typical 1:05 PM game, the sun sits high above the first-base grandstand.

As the afternoon progresses, the shadows from the three independent roof structures expand downward toward the field. While the third base side starts the game with more exposure, it quickly becomes protected as the sun moves behind the stadium’s primary structure.

Stay Behind Home Plate for the Most Guaranteed Shade

For the most consistent “out-of-the-sun” experience, the first base line is your premier destination.

• Behind Home Sections 1 – 4: These Box seat sections behind home plate gain consistent shade in the higher rows.
• Sections 7 – 12 Upper Rows: These sections are behind each dugout, but more importantly under the other roof structures. Even sections are on the first-base side (Pirates dugout), and odd numbers are third.

Late Afternoon and Evening Games

For evening games, the setting sun will move further behind the third-base and home plate structures, casting long shadows that cover the entire seating bowl and most of the field well before the first pitch.

Fans in the left field bleachers should be prepared for some direct sun in their eyes during the early stages of a 4:00 PM start, but by a 7:00 PM game, the intensity of the Florida sun has largely faded into the evening shadows.