Detroit Tigers Nearly Split Day and Night Games at Fifth Third Park

The Tigers will be embarking on their first season at a new home that is actually their old home, now with a new name. Comerica Park is becoming Fifth Third Park, and Detroit has officially announced the start times for all 81 home games this season.

The games are divided into three different time slots. Day games will start at either 1:10 p.m. ET or 1:40 p.m. ET, while all night games will begin at 6:40 p.m. ET. The Tigers are moving away from their previous 7:05 p.m. and 7:10 p.m. start times.

The 1:40 p.m. ET starts make up the smallest portion of Detroit's schedule. All 13 of those games are Sunday afternoon contests, meaning every Sunday home game this season will begin at 1:40 p.m.

The 1:10 p.m. ET starts are reserved for the Tigers' other afternoon games. Detroit will play 24 non-Sunday day games at that time.

Lastly, the Tigers will play 44 night games, with every one of them scheduled to begin at 6:40 p.m.

Overall, Detroit's 81 home games are split between 37 day games and 44 night games. That balance is becoming more common as the organization recognizes that night games during the colder months, particularly April, can make for uncomfortable conditions and lower attendance.

Even with kids still in school, the idea of heading to a baseball game when you have to wear snow pants isn't exactly appealing. Moving more games into the afternoon during the early stages of the season makes attending a game a more inviting experience for fans.

Detroit will play just six night games in its first 18 home games during March and April, accounting for only 33% of that stretch. Those games include one against the Mets, one against the Red Sox, and two each against the Yankees and Diamondbacks.

Forcing Arizona to travel to a cold-weather city and play two night games, even if they're toward the end of the month, seems a bit diabolical.

By the end of the season, Detroit will have just four day games among its final 12 home contests in September, with the remaining eight scheduled for the evening.

It's a good way to get more fans into the ballpark. Baseball just feels like it should be played under the sun in warm weather, unless it's the middle of summer.

This year's 81 games in Detroit offer a relatively even balance between day and night baseball. No matter which time of day fans prefer, there will be plenty of opportunities to catch a game at the newly named Fifth Third Park.