We searched the internet and found the Lakeland Tigers who are affliliated to the Detroit Tigers. Best seats in the house were $7 each. It was only a 20 minute journey to get there. We didn’t expect much as it was a local team.

As we drew nearer the stadium it was more like some of the Premier Football League Grounds. What amazed us first was the massive car park they had. We arrived about an hour before the game started and got some food and drink. There are always offers depending on what night you go.

The stadium was half empty when we found our seats. But unfortunately on the first nght it started raining so they pulled on the covers (much like Wimbledon) and we waited but the game got put off. We were given a rain check for our ticket and came back the next evening when they were playing a double header against the same team. By the way they play each other about 7 times in a row and play about 160 games per year.

The follwoing night was different and we saw the whole game completed. In between innings there were little competitions for the kids and some adults who wanted to take part.

It was a real family atmosphere, nothing like out football matches at home. Everyone was made welcome the players spoke to the supporters and it was a really enjoyable evening. Make sure you check a game out!

Once we started to look into it we got more and more excited about the event. It turned out that the Tampa Bay Rays were playing the Detroit Tigers on the second Saturday of our stay. There were tickets available and they seemed a bargain at $11 each. We booked online and arranged to collect the tickets at the gate – all of this was very easily done.

The Tampa Bay stadium was a very easy drive from our villa in Kissimmee and we easily found free parking a short walk away. The atmosphere even before we entered the stadium was really exciting and as we did enter the vast dome, we were stunned by the size, the noise and the colours of the venue. We arrived there at about 6pm and the game was due to begin at 7pm. If there was one downside to the whole evening, the food wasn’t great so we were glad we had spent the day in St Pete first and gone to one of our favourite restaurants there.

Long before the game was due to begin we were entertained by music, colourful characters doing all sorts of crazy things in the seating area, and watching the players warming up. When the game finally got underway we were hooked from the first minute. The game lasted a long time, compared to the sports we are used to in the UK, but there were plenty of breaks with small elements of entertainment thrown in. The whole atmosphere was fun, lively and very, very family friendly. The game was over by about 10pm and we strolled back to our car and were home at our villa, tired and exhilarated, by 11.30.

All in all we felt the evening was excellent value for money, fun for all the family and definitely something we will do again when we are in Florida this year.