Official Field Consultant of MLB brings ballpark to life in an Iowa cornfield

We built it and they’re coming… again! As anticipation builds for the encore to last year’s MLB at Field of Dreams game, BrightView (NYSE: BV), the Official Field Consultant of Major League Baseball, is deep in the thick of a Dyersville, Iowa cornfield fine tuning and carefully manicuring the major league field inspired by the beloved 1989 film.

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BrightView, the Official Field Consultant of Major League Baseball, is working with MLB to prepare the ballfield for the 2022 edition of the Field of Dreams game. (Photo: Business Wire)

With the second installment of the Field of Dreams classic scheduled for August 11, BrightView is again working with MLB to bring this vision to life and ensure the field conforms to major league playing standards. And the sequel, featuring the Cincinnati Reds and Chicago Cubs, promises to be just as epic.

Since MLB announced the Field of Dreams series in 2019, BrightView has worked with MLB to draw up plans and carve out and maintain an MLB caliber ballfield in a cornfield adjacent to the Dyersville farm where the movie was filmed and the original field still stands. In fact, the distance from the movie site’s homeplate to the MLB field’s homeplate is exactly 1,000 feet.

Led by Murray Cook, President of BrightView’s Sports Turf division, BrightView performed all site work and constructed the ballfield, bullpens, fencing, and foul poles, as well as oversaw installation of the outfield wall, backstop net, and various player-related areas. The team also managed the planting of the corn that is part of the iconic outfield background.

“This was an incredibly satisfying project,” said Cook. “Our goal was to build a field that not only replicates the Field of Dreams movie magic, but make it so players are literally stepping out of the cornfield onto a first-class major league field that has been transplanted in the middle of an Iowa farm. We built it, and they came.”

Come gametime, BrightView’s 12 person grounds crew, which includes eight native Iowans, is responsible for mowing, painting, and lining the field, as well as raking the base paths, grooming the infield, and changing bases between innings.

“MLB at Field of Dreams exemplifies BrightView’s passion for and commitment to helping bring grandiose ideas, improbable concepts, and even movie dreams to life,” said Andrew Masterman, BrightView President and Chief Executive Officer. “Each project we work on with Major League Baseball is unique and presents its own challenges, but Murray and his crew are the best in the business and they always rise to the occasion.”

Field of Dreams Field Fast Facts

BrightView is the nation’s leading commercial landscape company, providing a wide range of services, from design, maintenance, and snow and ice removal to tree care, golf course maintenance, sports turf, and more.

The Field of Dreams game is yet another special project in a long line of celebrated games that BrightView has assisted MLB. Following completion of this game, BrightView will again oversee field management for MLB’s Little League Classic in Williamsport, Pa., where the sports turf team has maintained historic Bowman Field since the inaugural contest was played in 2017. The company has also worked with MLB to develop, construct, and maintain fields for the Fort Bragg Game (2016), London (2019) and Japan (2019) series, and the historic exhibition game played in Havana, Cuba (2016), among other notable games.

Field of Dreams © Universal City Studios LLC. All Rights Reserved.

About BrightView

BrightView (NYSE: BV), the nation’s largest commercial landscaper, proudly designs, creates, and maintains the best landscapes on Earth and provides the most efficient and comprehensive snow and ice removal services. With a dependable service commitment, BrightView brings brilliant landscapes to life at premier properties across the United States, including business parks and corporate offices, homeowners' associations, healthcare facilities, educational institutions, retail centers, resorts and theme parks, municipalities, golf courses, and sports venues. BrightView also serves as the Official Field Consultant to Major League Baseball. Through industry-leading best practices and sustainable solutions, BrightView is invested in taking care of our team members, engaging our clients, inspiring our communities, and preserving our planet. Visit www.BrightView.com and connect with us on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn.

Source: BrightView Landscapes

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"Our goal was to build a field that not only replicates the Field of Dreams movie magic, but make it so players are literally stepping out of the cornfield onto a first-class major league field that has been transplanted in the middle of an Iowa farm."