‘Field of Dreams’ to Host a Regular Season MLB Game in 2020

The famous line, “If you build, he will come,” which inspired Field of Dreams’ Ray Kinsella to build a regulation-sized field amongst his corn is one of the most well-known lines in modern film. In fact, according to the American Film Institute (AFI), that mysterious phrase is the 39th top film quote of all-time; and while it led to a special reunion 30 years ago between Ray and his ghostly father, John Kinsella, it has also officially led to an actual MLB game being scheduled on his farm.
Dyersville, Iowa is going to feature a 2020 regular-season game on the Field of Dreams between the Chicago White Sox and the New York Yankees (John Kinsella’s two favorite teams over the course of his life). Scheduled for August 13, it will mark the first MLB game held in the state of Iowa—probably the first one played on a field where ghosts have played, too.
“As a sport that is proud of its history linking generations, Major League Baseball is excited to bring a regular-season game to the site of Field of Dreams,” said MLB Commissioner Robert D. Manfred, Jr. “We look forward to celebrating the movie’s enduring message of how baseball brings people together at this special cornfield in Iowa.”
The Field of Dreams was purchased by Denise Stillman and a group of investors in 2011 with the goal of preserving it and creating a special place for baseball fans, tournament players, and families. In 2015, Stillman began working closely with the MLB, which has finally culminated in this special game.
Later this month, MLB will begin construction on the park to include 8,000 temporary seats and a special pathway through the cornfield that will lead spectators to the famous movie site, which has been pristinely maintained over the last three decades. The right-field wall will also include windows to display the eerie specter-filled cornfields beyond the ballpark.
“Field of Dreams captures the uniqueness of Iowans’ can-do attitude, and there’s no better place to host our state’s very first Major League game than this legendary baseball field in Dyersville. As the famous movie quote goes, ‘Is this heaven?’ ‘No it’s Iowa,’” said Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds. “Iowa’s truly a land of opportunity, where you can work hard, dream big and anything can happen. I look forward to this historic event in 2020.”
Information on ticket availability will be released by the MLB in months ahead, but even if you’re one of the lucky few to get your hands on admission, it might be even harder just getting to the park.
