📍 Gainesville, Florida
⚾ Home of Florida Gators baseball

Calling Alfred A. McKethan Stadium their humble home for over thirty years, the Florida Gators played some of the best baseball in the SEC during their tenure at the aging facility. Since the doors to McKethan first opened in 1988, the Gators appeared in 12 College World Series, were 7-time SEC Tournament champs and won the 2017 National Championship. Their stadium, however, could not keep up with their growing success, resulting in the construction of the $65-million Condron Family Ballpark just a few miles away in 2021.

The Gators’ new permanent home is a superior facility to “The Mac” in every way. On brutal spring days, the old digs provided no relief from the Florida sun; at Condron, large shade canopies along the lines offer fans an escape, while the large second deck and press box structure block additional rays from reaching the seats. Additionally, the park’s video board is larger and more modern, giving fans deeper insight into the game.

The venue was originally named Florida Ballpark when the gates first opened in 2021, but was renamed for philanthropist Gary Condron the following season. Condron, a Gator baseball alum himself, helped finance the construction of the new stadium and also supported renovations of Gator basketball’s Stephen O’Connell Center. The ballpark’s capacity is around 7,000 fans – thanks to expansive berms on the first and third base sides, as well as various outfield seating – and can be expanded to hold nearly 10,000 for marquee matchups.

Designed like the average minor-league facility, Condron Ballpark features a 360-degree concourse that’s littered with Gator baseball history. Plaques highlighting Florida’s twelve visits to Omaha line the beams that support the upper level, while large boards featuring National Players of the Year and statistics of the Gators’ greatest accomplishments cover the concourse walls behind the plate. At the center of it all is a trophy case displaying hardware from the 2017 National Championship.

In the left field corner, the berm morphs into an area for the Rowdy Reptiles – aka, the UF students – and is a much more accommodating area for the Gator faithful than the old cramped bleachers at Alfred A. McKethan Stadium.

Further along the concourse, a multitude of orange Adirondack chairs are nestled amongst palm trees in both left and right fields, offering fans a more relaxed space to enjoy the game. Called Dizney Grove, the spot is cutely decorated with string lights and features a wide variety of concessions for folks in the outfield. From a full-service bar behind the batter’s eye to an ice cream food truck, you’ll be able to find just about anything your heart desires.

The outfield concourse also goes directly behind both bullpens, giving fans an eye-level glimpse at the pitchers warming up for both the Gators and the visiting team. The walkway continues on to the immersive kids zone beyond the right field berm, which features a miniature baseball diamond and supervisory staff to keep young Gators entertained.

Young or old, a night out at the park is the best thing money can buy on spring Gainesville evenings. Now considered one of the more modern stadiums in the baseball-crazy SEC, Condron Family Ballpark has provided a much needed boost to the Florida baseball program and will prove itself a dependable venue for the Gators to call home for years to come.