Jacobs Field

Lore & Background

The ballpark and arena are funded mainly by the passage of a sin tax in 1990 and both are owned by the Gateway Economic Development Corporation of Greater Cleveland. When it opened, the listed seating capacity was 42,865 people and between 1995 and 2001 the team sold out 455 consecutive regular-season games. Modifications over the years resulted in several moderate changes to the capacity, peaking at 45,569 in 2010. As of 2025, the official seating capacity is listed at 34,820 people, making it the smallest MLB stadium by total maximum capacity, though additional fans can be accommodated through standing room areas and temporary seating. Since moving to Progressive Field, the Guardians have won 12 Central Division titles, three American League pennants and have hosted playoff games in 13 different seasons. In the 1997 season, it became one of the few facilities in baseball history to host the MLB All-Star Game and games of the World Series in the same season. The stadium has hosted games of the World Series three times: in 1995, 1997, and 2016.

In Their Own Story

The October wind comes off the lake in long, cold sheets, threading through the upper deck and tugging at the hem of a faded navy cap. A young kid in the lower bowl presses his face against the railing, watching the outfielder track a deep fly ball. The ball drifts, the lake breeze lifting it just enough, and it sails over the fence into the grey-blue water. The kid doesn't cheer. He just stares at the spot where the ball disappeared, then turns to his father and says, 'That's the lake.' His father nods, takes a sip from a paper cup, and says, 'Yeah. That's Cleveland.' Around them, the lower bowl hums — a low, steady roar that sounds less like a crowd and more like the lake itself breathing. The 'C' in the outfield grass is half-hidden by the October light, but it's there. It's always there.

Reader's Guide

The ballpark is located in the downtown area of Cleveland, Ohio, as part of the Gateway Sports and Entertainment Complex. It opened in 1994. The official seating capacity as of 2025 is 34,820, with standing room and temporary seating available. The ballpark has hosted playoff games in 13 different seasons and three World Series (1995, 1997, 2016). Notable features include Heritage Park (installed in 2007) with plaques honoring the Cleveland Indians Hall of Fame and a memorial plaque for Ray Chapman. The ballpark also had solar panels installed in 2007 and a wind turbine from Cleveland State University in 2012, though the turbine was removed in 2013 due to cracks.

Did You Know?

• The ballpark opened as Jacobs Field in 1994 and was renamed Progressive Field in 2008.
• The longest home run in ballpark history was hit by Jim Thome on July 3, 1999, measured at 511 feet.
• During the 2007 ALDS, a swarm of midges from Lake Erie enveloped the field, distracting Yankees pitcher Joba Chamberlain in the 'Bug Game'.
• The ballpark was the first new major sporting facility to open in Cleveland since Cleveland Arena opened in 1937.