Major League Baseball has approached the Trump administration about staging a game in a national park. While federal officials have scouted three potential sites in Wyoming’s Grand Teton National Park, the White House confirmed that the concept remains purely an exploratory idea with no permits issued or priority status granted.
Major League Baseball is looking well beyond traditional stadiums for its next big stage. Buoyed by the massive success of specialty neutral-site matchups over the past decade, league officials have approached the Trump administration to discuss the viability of hosting an official game on federal protected land.
The preliminary dialogue, which was first reported by The Washington Post, marks a fresh chapter in baseball’s aggressive push for unique event backdrops. The sport has already ventured far beyond standard ballpark fences in recent years.
Grand Teton Scouts and Potential Park Locations
Though the White House stressed that the league’s inquiry was just an early-stage concept, federal reconnaissance is already underway. According to sources who spoke with The Washington Post, the administration has actively scouted locations within Grand Teton National Park in northwest Wyoming to determine if building a temporary or permanent baseball park is feasible.
Lands declined to comment on the site visits.
Despite the active scouting trips, the administration has drawn a sharp line regarding its own involvement in the initiative.
“This is not a Presidential directive, nor is it being directed by the White House. It’s also not being driven by the Department of Interior. Therefore, this is not a White House or Administration priority.”
The White House, via The Washington Post
The statement added, If the MLB wants to go on site visits of national parks, that is their prerogative.
Precedent of Unique Event Games and Inspiring Settings
The national park concept draws heavy inspiration from baseball's recent affinity for cinematic scenery. Major League Baseball officials specifically pointed to the iconic Field of Dreams game in Iowa as the blueprint for what an outdoor, historic-feeling standalone event can achieve.
That event returned to the schedule this year—featuring the Philadelphia Phillies and Minnesota Twins playing before a crowd of 7,163 at a permanent ballpark built where the 1989 movie was filmed in Dyersville, Iowa—after a brief hiatus following its 2022 installment. Demand for the venue remains exceptionally high, with resale ticket prices frequently topping high figures.
- Rickwood Field in Birmingham, Alabama, which hosted a game in 2024.
- A 2025 regular-season matchup staged inside Bristol Motor Speedway in Tennessee.
- The annual Little League Classic held in Williamsport, Pennsylvania.
Beyond baseball, other professional sports leagues have occasionally looked to touch federal or protected wilderness. The National Hockey League hosted two regular-season games in 2021 on the shores of Lake Tahoe, though those contests were played without crowds on a temporary ice rink constructed on private property.
Conservation Concerns and Environmental Precedent
Building a professional sports venue inside a protected national park has immediately sparked intense pushback from conservationists. Critics warn that introducing a commercial sporting event and permanent or semi-permanent infrastructure to a marquee park known for wildlife populations like grizzlies, wolves, and bison could set a dangerous precedent for utilizing protected public lands for entertainment purposes.
A local county commissioner characterized the proposal as a radical departure
from the foundational purpose of national parks. These environmental concerns unfold against a broader backdrop of federal policy changes; during his second term, Donald Trump has overseen major staffing and budget reductions within the National Park Service, alongside separate administration proposals to trade or give away park land to private developers.
As it stands, the National Park Service has not granted any permits for a game, and no formal agreements are in place. With the league’s 2027 schedule already finalized—featuring returning favorites like the Field of Dreams matchup between the Boston Red Sox and Kansas City Royals—any potential national park showcase would remain out of reach until at least 2028.
