Baseball’s future may rest on adapting to climate change

With extreme heat and volatile weather increasingly disrupting games, Major League Baseball faces growing pressure to adapt its sport to climate change.

Ellen Cushing reports for The Atlantic.

In short:

• Hurricane damage to Tropicana Field in Florida highlighted baseball's vulnerability to extreme weather, as high winds tore off the stadium’s roof.
• Rising summer temperatures, more intense storms, and worsening air quality pose health risks for players and fans, forcing some clubs to implement cooling stations and retractable roofs.
• Experts suggest shortening the baseball season or even relocating teams as potential strategies to make the sport more sustainable.

Key quote:

“It’s becoming difficult for me, as somebody who enjoys the sport, and as somebody who researches climate change. I don’t know that there’s a way to have it all.”

— Jessica Murfree, assistant professor of sport administration at the

Why this matters:

Baseball’s identity is rooted in outdoor play, yet climate-driven challenges like heat and severe storms are increasingly pushing games indoors, altering the experience for fans and athletes alike. Without proactive measures, the sport risks both financial losses and declining attendance as the climate crisis escalates.