The Saskatoon Berries are getting an early start on the gardening season.
After two very successful seasons in the Western Canadian Baseball League, the club has announced a major renovation project to bring even more fans into the stands for the 2026 season.
In partnership with the Gordie Howe Sports Complex, the Berries will be installing 352 new seats at the NexGen Patch at Cairns Field.
They will make up a brand new section right behind home plate.
“This project will not only allow more fans to get into the ballpark, but this also provides a comfortable, premium seating space to enjoy the games,” Berries president Steve Hildebrand said.
The expansion, which is set to open for the team’s Opening Night on May 30, also comes ahead of a year that will also see the stadium host the annual WCBL All-Star Weekend for the first time.
SASKATOON’S GARDEN OF EDEN
It had been a decade since Saskatoon hosted a WCBL team when the Berries started to take shape ahead of the 2024 season.
Cairns Field was the home of the Yellow Jackets from 2002 to 2014 before the team folded thanks to cratering attendance.
When Sask Entertainment Group came on-board, the goal was to bring high-level baseball back to the community, but to also provide an atmosphere that fans wanted to keep coming back to.
A new video board was added in the outfield while patio seating options were added and a splash of purple paint was added in many areas.
As a result of the upgrades and a strong on-field product, including setting the league record for wins in a season in 2025, the team has seen more than 109,000 fans come through the gates for regular season and playoff games.
A BERRY IMPORTANT PROJECT
Heading into the 2026 season, the Berries wanted to go bigger.
“Berries fans have shown up and proven their support for baseball in Saskatoon,” Hildebrand said. “We simply don’t have enough space for everyone to come out and enjoy the entertainment.”
They opened up discussions with Gordie Howe Sports Complex officials to see what could be done with the facility.
The popularity of the newly created “B.I.P. section” in 2025 opened up some conversations about bringing fans closer to the action.
“The increased seating along with the new sections behind the home plate just expands the big-league atmosphere it will bring to the Saskatoon Berries at Cairns Field,” said Complex chairperson Bryan Kosteroski.
COMING THIS SUMMER
With an agreement in place, the hope is for a milder spring so crews can move in and put shovels in the ground in early-spring.
Plans are already in place to allow current Berries season ticket holders to upgrade their tickets to the new sections, while sales to the general public will go on sale Feb. 3.
Not only will the team be looking to improve upon their record-setting 2025 regular season and get themselves into the WCBL championship series for the first time, but the Berries will also be at the centre of the summer circuit’s world for its mid-summer classic.
After four years at Seaman Stadium in Okotoks, the WCBL All-Star Game is coming to Saskatoon for the weekend of July 18-19.
The team says full details will be released at a later date, but have said the festivities will also include a Home Run Derby, Bunt Contest, live concert, and more.
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