Leading Florida sports teams and stadiums suffered disruption as a result of Hurricane Milton.

The roof at Tropicana Field, the home of the Tampa Bay Rays, sustained “major damage because of high winds associated with Hurricane Milton”, according to a report by ESPN. 

Most of the fabric covering the domed roof was torn off Wednesday night as Hurricane Milton made landfall along Florida's Gulf Coast. 

ESPN said: “There were plans to use the stadium as a temporary shelter but those plans were changed as the storm neared, amid concerns that the roof simply would not survive Milton's wrath.” 

According to the Tampa Bay Rays, the “Trop” as the stadium is referred to colloquially, was built to withstand winds of up to 115 mph. The roof is “supported by 180 miles of cables connected by struts in what the team calls the "world's largest cable-supported domed roof." 

The stadium reportedly “opened in 1990 and initially cost $138 million. It is due to be replaced in time for the 2028 season with a $1.3 billion ballpark.” 

The hurricane highlights how weather can impact sporting events from a Business Interruption perspective. ESPN reported: “Concerns over the storm and its effects on Florida led to the cancellation of Friday's preseason game in Orlando between the Magic and the New Orleans Pelicans, the NBA said.  

In other sporting disruption news, the NFL's Jaguars “modified their London travel plans Thursday because of the storm, pushing their departure from Jacksonville to later in the evening. Countless college and high school sporting events in Florida also have been cancelled or postponed because of the storm, which forecasters said is likely to bring drenching rain across a wide swath of the state.”