Norwich — The Thomas J. Dodd Memorial Stadium will have a slightly different look this summer for Connecticut Tigers games, with a plan to install triangular-shaped protective foul ball netting using an existing backstop cable that attaches to the roofs of each dugout.

Major and Minor League baseball stadiums across the country have extended protective netting or plan to do so in response to recommendations by Major League Baseball released in December 2015 that protective netting be extended to improve fan safety. The guideline — not mandated — called for extending the netting to protect all fan areas within a 70-foot radius of home plate.

The Norwich Baseball Stadium Authority over the past year has considered several options, including one that would have extended the netting across the entire length of both team dugouts. But structural issues, including the need to run new support cables, complicated the designs and raised costs.

The current plan calls for hanging triangular-shaped nets from the existing support cables that run down from the existing backstop and attach to each dugout roof about a quarter of the length of each dugout. Gary Schnip, the Stadium Authority member who oversees stadium operations, said the new net would provide protection for all seats within 75 feet of home plate, and would meet the recommended guidelines.

The authority is awaiting a final design and price for the netting from Jaypro Sports of Waterford, which installed the backstop netting at Dodd. Schnip said the cost should be “minimal” and the netting should be installed by the start of the Tigers season, which begins Monday, June 19.

From the fans' perspective at the stadium, the net would fall in front of Section 8 on the first base dugout and in front of Section 14 on the third base side. The cable support is attached to the front of the dugout, allowing fans in the front row still to use the roof of the dugout to place drinks and food.

Tigers General Manager Dave Schermerhorn said the netting also would protect the first few front row seats of sections 7 and 14 from direct line drive foul balls.

Baseball actually will begin at Dodd Stadium April 1, with high school and college games expected to be held at the stadium throughout the spring. Schermerhorn said a couple of high school teams have asked to play games at the stadium later this month as well, since high school fields might still be muddy or frozen.

Installation of the netting is not expected to disrupt spring game schedules, Schnip said.

c.bessette@theday.com