Where's Marty? Learning more about indoor soccer team Baltimore Blast's plan for outdoor games
Hi Everyone!
In 1785, (the man pictured above), Scottish poet Robert Burns wrote, "The best laid plans of mice and men often go awry."* And that about sums up Saturday's weather forecast impact of, what was, a really cool idea, The Baltimore Blast Spring Classic.
As the promotional logo states, The first outdoor indoor game in the MASL.
It was during COVID that Blast owner Ed Hale though playing the indoor game safely outside would have been a great way to keep the Major indoor league going. It never came to fruition, but Ed did not discard the idea.
Moving an indoor game outside has been done by hockey. The NHL Winter Classic is played in football, and baseball stadiums.
And college basketball's Carrier Classic was a hit!!. (The Carrier Classic game was on Veterans Day 2011. It took place on the flight deck of the aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson, with President Barack Obama attending.)
This week the indoor field from inside of Towson Universities SECU arena, where the Baltimore Blast routinely sell out, was moved outside into Johnny Unitas Stadium. The boards, the goals, the everything. This morning it was to be constructed and we were there. And then the quite foul weather forecast for Saturday got in the way. Cancelled. The rain was not the issue, as European leagues do play during rain. But it's the wind that is the issue as the indoor game uses plexiglass around the field which in big wind gusts could become loose and dangerous. Ticket refunds will be given, and not to be deterred Ed Hale told us, (live), next year will bring another attempt. And next year other teams in the league may also follow the outdoor model created by YOUR Baltimore Blast.
Marty B
*He also wrote Auld Lang Syne
