Analysis: For a city with very little exposure to professional sports (only two major sports franchises exist now and the only exposure to baseball has been a minor league affiliate) Portland has been a target for an MLB team for years. The Tampa Bay Rays have baseball's best offense, . Writers and fans STILL dont have much to talk about right now regarding baseball, but in other news, MLB finally shot down the Tampa Bay Rays ridiculous plan to split their season between the Tampa area and Montreal. We are thrilled to be bringing Major League Baseball back to Walt Disney World Resort, Faron Kelley, vice president of Disney Sports, said in a statement. While the Whalers were a popular franchise in Hartford, Hartford is just plain inexperienced at handling major league sports. Tampa Bay Rays. Get the inside scoop on jobs, salaries, top office locations, and CEO insights. Yes. Why are the Rays in St Pete? But the infrastructure is there, in case the idea is ever there.
MLB-best Tampa Bay strengthens bullpen with Brewers trade The move to Central Florida comes after the team's facilities in Port Charlotte were damaged by Hurricane Ian back in September. The Rays and Charlotte County intend to develop a restoration plan for Charlotte Sports Park in the coming weeks.. Baseball Legacy: Tampa and its bay area is, of course, a major player in the MLB spring training. He also knows a thing or two about the Athletics, the MLB franchise that the Raiders . Analysis: Baseball can work in Texas. Analysis: While the legacy for baseball is not great, Indiana, and Indianapolis in particular, has a strong group of fans behind them in whatever sport they decide to follow. Can this problem be solved with money and a stadium move to Tampa proper? With the Reams lease at the Trop ending in 2027, Williams pitched to the team in 2020 an entire proposal fleshed out for a Rays move, including a $1.2 billion dollar stadium, corporate sponsorships and possible support from Disney, and the numbers, that show how Orange County collects triple the tourist taxes of Pinellas and Hillsborough, where St. Petersburg and Tampa sit, respectively.
The new Rays Stadium in Tampa should be built on Dale Mabry - DRaysBay When the Athletics tidy up the multi-billion-dollar details in Sin City, where they're expected to reside by the 2027 season if not sooner, a new stadium for the Tampa Bay Rays will be the last . The team rebounded in 2010 by winning the AL East for the second time in three years with a 96-66 record, but the Rays fell to the eventual World Series champion Texas Rangers in the ALDS. NO LEVER LEFT UNPULLED: SPORTS BUSINESS JOURNAL's Erik Bacharach noted the Rays started the season with 13 consecutive wins and the front office pulled all the levers it could to maximize, from a business perspective, the unexpected run of on-field success," including "efforts in ticketing, marketing and fan experience. The Rays relied heavily on their organic communications through social and email to capitalize on the buzz around the team -- especially as it related to ticketing." The Toronto Blue Jays will now play the Rays at Tropicana Field on that date. But it happens, even to the best of teams, the best of fans and even the most successful of franchises. The community is in the thoughts and hearts of the Rays, and the team will continue to support recovery efforts.
How are Rays' hopes for a new stadium impacted by A's-Las Vegas deal? Here are five cities that would likely be great fits for the Rays. PETERSBURG -- Due to damage caused by Hurricane Ian, the Rays will not be able to hold Spring Training in Port Charlotte next year. The team's AAA affiliate has not had a lot of attendance success so the expectation of fan excitement and fan attendance may need to be studied further. Well see, he added. Tampa Bays home game against the Pittsburgh Pirates on Sunday, Feb. 26, has been removed from the schedule. I need not remind everyone theres no team between Washington, D.C. and Atlanta. The market, fan interest, history, community, and financial backing all exist, making this a great option if theyre willing to have a relocated franchise. The biggest reason to move to Charlotte is because it is an untapped baseball market. The Rangers and Astros have been centerpieces of MLB for decades. The Indiana Pacers are floundering at the moment, which would provide the Rays with an opening to win over the Indianapolis fanbase. A spokesman for Tampa Mayor Jane Castor declined to comment as well, noting that the city would not be involved in that concept. and I recently flew into Tampa for a three game series and getting to Tropicana Field from Tampa itself was a pain in the butt. The Raleigh-based Carolina Hurricanes (NHL) have also begun to sputter.
Its also a decent distance from Florida. Floridians dont care about baseball as much hence Florida Marlins. Same goes for the Colts. So it came as some surprise that the attendance for a 'home' franchise is so low (with, at least, fans originating from Tampa without ties to other franchises). Co-founder and retired executive of the Orlando Magic Pat Williams has made a direct appeal to Rays management about a move to the city of Orlando.
Tampa Bay Rays Spring Training - Spring Training Online Where are the Tampa Bay Rays moving to? | Dependable It did help with putting us a little more on the map with travelers and tourists, he added. December 2, 2022 in Grapefruit League Teams, Tampa Bay Rays. The Rays seem to be connecting with their base even as they scour both sides of the bay for a new home, as the team prior to last night had not lost at home and had "yet to draw a crowd of less than 10,000, according to Gabe Lacques of USA TODAY. Here is a look at seven cities that could benefit from the addition of a major league franchise, in this case, the Tampa Bay Rays. Montreal was viable once so, of course, it can be again and the Blue Jays, through thick and thin, have stuck around. ST. PETERSBURG The Rays on Thursday made official what had seemed likely, that their 2023 spring training camp will be relocated from Port Charlotte due to damage to the facility caused by Hurricane Ian.
Storm damage to have Rays on the move for Spring Training The Trop was built as a hockey arena, and even the Lightning found it wasnt as suitable for it, moving to the Amalie Arena in downtown Tampa. The Rays are locked into a lease at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg through 2027, while the lease for spring training in Port Charlotte runs through 2028.
Rays moving camp site due to hurricane damage - ESPN The Titans and Predators have no issues with attendance and are immensely popular in the region, while Nashville also had the, highest economic growth of any American city in 2021. . Not only is it the most reasonable, but it is the most likely, at least in my opinion. Analysis: With the Tampa Bay area splitting residents up all over the place, an increase in population could work in the Rays favor if they moved to Charlotte. The Rays use the facility on a year-round basis for extended spring training, complex and instructional league play, and mini-camps. Tampa Bays Major League operations will move from the Walt Disney World Resort to Tropicana Field at the beginning of March, and the Rays will play the remainder of their spring home games at the Trop. Team Puerto Ricos scheduled exhibition game against the Rays on Thursday, March 9 will now be hosted by the Atlanta Braves at North Port. The Rays and Charlotte County announced the decision in a joint statement on Thursday night. Manager Joe Maddon helped guide the youthful Rays to their first playoff appearance in 2008, and they proceeded to upset the Boston Red Sox in the ALCS, but they were eventually defeated by the Philadelphia Phillies in the World Series. San Antonio, despite immense basketball success, is considered small market. Legacy: San Antonio is known as a basketball town with the two major franchises being the NBA and the WNBA. The 2020 season was cancelled because of COVID-19 pandemic concerns. The Tampa Bay Rays still went by the name Devil Rays in August 2006, when they signed a 20-year spring training lease with Charlotte County for Charlotte Sports Park, which first hosted the Rays in 2009, followinga $28 million renovation. Their attendance matches the teams talent level, and the Bucs have had great success, even before Tom Brady showed up in town. They have a stadium and entertainment area proposal, a section on the citys baseball history and their Negro League ties, and an entire group of investors. They have a temporary stadium that could possibly be upgraded. The two closest teams to Charlotte (Braves & Nats) are both NL, so having a Carolina team be AL only makes sense 7. The Trailblazers, in thick and thin (mostly thin in the last few decades), have stuck by them, and the Portland Timbers, a new MLS franchise, is making soccer viable in the US in at least one section of the country. That's an extra 25,000 and a total attendance of 43,000-plus. The Rays play their home games at Tropicana Field as members of Major League Baseball's American League East Division.. Team officials said there was not enough time to get the park in suitable condition to host games.
Rays relocate 2023 spring workouts to Disney - MLB Other Franchises: Indiana Pacers, Indianapolis Colts (five total championships, two Super Bowl victories), Indiana Fever. The Spurs have been world class forwellever it seems. and our If the team were moved to the city in which is takes it name from, would that attendance increase? The Rays' easy solution to fixing their money and attendance problems is to simply move north to Tampa. With the Athletics buying land for a new stadium in . There is an obvious solution as to where . The Rays have played at the domed Tropicana Field since their inaugural 1998 season but have considered moving elsewhere, such as neighboring Tampa, amid consistently low attendance. 'Believe in the power of cheese': How a group of rookies helped give the Brewers the best vibes in baseball, Fantasy baseball: Load up on San Diego bats this weekend. ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) The Tampa Bay Rays are relocating their spring base for 2023 due to extensive damage to team training facilities caused by Hurricane Ian. Award-winning original reporting, with in-depth profiles, timely research and expert opinions on the biggest issues and stories in sports business. I think MLB view cities like Montreal, Portland, Nashville, Charlotte and possibly Mexico City as possible expansion cities. That said, on this list, I find this destination the least likely.
Rays Could Still Move To Tampa After St. Pete Redevelopment Bid The multifield complex will give the Rays the space they need for their Spring Training workouts. Daily updates aggregating the stories and spin from more than 600 outlets across the globe. This is the ONLY place the Rays need to go. Tampa Bay Rays will use Disney, Tropicana Field as temporary spring training locations. The Rays started the season with 13 consecutive wins, tying the 1982 Atlanta Braves and the 1987 Milwaukee Brewers for the modern era (post-1900) record, and the most . Rays ownership still has a proposal for a $700 million stadium in Ybor City at their feet, and with the split-season proposal with Montreal shot down, the idea is gaining traction. One thing I can say is that Portland folks are extremely outgoing and very loyal. "It will no longer be a dream denied. Additionally, I wouldnt want to try to compete with Texas Football during the fall, which is another reason to keep out of Austin. Once the Rays, who started training in Port Charlotte after its first American League Championship in 2008, arrived, Doherty said people would recognize that was where the team hosted spring training. All rights reserved. Relocate to Montreal or Nashville where they can draw fans, same can said for the Marlins, In this story: Raiders owner Mark Davis knows a thing or two about moving a team from Oakland to Las Vegas. Tampa Bay Rays moving spring training site due to hurricane damage. The Rays have averaged roughly between 22,000-23,000 fans per game in attendance, but the Trop seats 34,078 people and could hold 42,735 fans if they were to remove the tarp from certain sections in the stadium. "This team is the best partner for this generational endeavor, and now the next phase of work begins to bring this dream to reality for everyone in St. Petersburg," Welch said in a speech on the steps of City Hall. Mayor Ken Welch of St. Petersburg, Florida, chose a partnership between the Rays and the Houston-based Hines development company from among four proposals to transform an 86-acre (34-hectare) downtown site where Tropicana Field now sits.
Rays Moving Spring Camp Due to Damage Caused by Hurricane - US News Major League Baseball commissioner Rob Manfred said last year that there is a "sense of urgency" for the Rays to resolve their stadium issue and that MLB wants the team to remain in the Tampa Bay area. Analysis: Fool me oncewhile the Expos had its fair share of ownership issues throughout its troubled history, the Expos also had very lousy attendance and, not for the last time, a Canadian team playing a United States game, had to go elsewhere. The Rays will move operations from Disney to Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg at the beginning of March for the rest of Spring Training. There have also been professional leagues but, if substantial, it was back in the 19th century. The Charlotte Stone Crabs enjoyed an 11-year run in Charlotte County. The Rays faced the Atlanta Braves and drew 1,127 fans, the maximum attendance because of COVID-19 restrictions. Not to mention that the Triple-A Charlotte Knights get pretty good attendance, at least when COVID isnt affecting their numbers. Is it likely? Charlotte is a fast growing city, and theres tons of potential in every way. 2023 Leaders Group. Timely, daily updates provide the latest developments and news relied upon by industry leaders. They want to be next to a vibrant downtown," Welch said. Tampa Bay's success on the field has not translated to putting fans in the stands of Tropicana Field though, which is a big reason why their payroll continues to remain low and will not be doing them any favors as the trade deadline approaches in 2011. Orlando is a smaller city than Tampa, but it gains much more tourist revenue. It would work out, believe me it will. One possibility could be playing their Grapefruit League games at Tropicana Field, but they would likely need a larger space with more fields to hold their workouts. The previously released exhibition schedule is expected to be revised. Analysis: I'm not joking when I put this as my choice. From 2009 to 2020, it also hosted the Charlotte Stone Crabs of the Class A-Advanced Florida State League. And any time a team threatens or considers folding, Portland is in the cards. We are all disappointed for the residents of Charlotte County and the fans there. There has been discussion from some investors. With CBA negotiations becoming even more tense, it now looks like the MLB season will not start on time, with Spring Training at the bare minimum being pushed back. Not much has changed in Tampa Bay this year either.
Column: Another domino falls on road to MLB expansion ST. PETERSBURG -- Due to damage caused by Hurricane Ian, the Rays will not be able to hold Spring Training in Port Charlotte next year. As a matter of fact, there were some in Charlotte that did not want to give the Knights a new stadium out of the belief they could bring an MLB team to the stadium instead. The Rays declined through an email from a team spokesman to comment further. The decision affects both the major league and minor league camps. However, as I just stated, this is geared towards getting a new team. A's officials last week announced that they had signed a binding agreement to purchase 49 acres of land for a stadium . Legacy: Charlotte has never been much of a baseball town. Details remain to be worked out over the next several years, including how to finance the project among the Rays, the city, Pinellas County and other entities. Oh, and they have been doing all this while remaining in the bottom third of the MLB's payroll rankings. Earle Kimel primarily covers south Sarasota County for the Herald-Tribune and can be reached at earle.kimel@heraldtribune.com. A spokeswoman for Simpson confirmed that he and other Pasco County state legislators would consider seeking state aid for a proposed training site, depending on the details.. So, even if the Rays do end up making the.
Rays spring training: Charlotte County officials ponder future - Yahoo! In2014, the new stadium, which included a boardwalk food area behind the outfield fence and a grass berm seating area, was named the No. With a .
Tampa Bay Rays Looking At Possible Move To Nashville The Montreal thing has come up a number of times the past few years. Insert the Rays into Memphis, and you have a city on the rise with two very young franchises thriving on the baseball diamond and hardwood. 4.26.2023. The Rays have had a charmed first month of the 2023 season, and plays like the one Wander Franco made against the Astros on Monday are what's fueled such a dominant start. Tampa Bay's Major League operations will move from the Walt Disney World Resort to Tropicana Field at the beginning of March, and the Rays will play the remainder of their spring home games at the Trop. Memphis is the 19th-largest city in the United States and features the Memphis Grizzlies, whose rise from the cellar of the NBA is much similar to the Rays'. Charlotte is a great city that baseball should look to expand to, but for the Rays, its not the right option.
Are Tampa Bay Rays considering Nashville relocation for MLB franchise? Population: 335,709 Other Franchises: Tampa Bay Buccaneers (average attendance: 49,000-plus; one championship), Tampa Bay Lightning (average attendance: 17,000-plus; one championship) Baseball . There are corporate interests, fans to pounce on, and an area that wants baseball. Wed be very sad to see them go. Tampa This was the only city that was going to be number 1. Rays to open upper deck for Yankees series in May, Rays lefty Josh Fleming finds his role as the bulk guy, Rays add bullpen depth in reacquiring Javy Guerra from Brewers, Rays send impressive rookie pitcher Taj Bradley back to minors, Heres why Tampa Bay Rays attendance during the teams historic winning streak matters | Editorial, White Sox pay tribute to Rays radio broadcaster Dave Wills, Why well know a lot more about the Rays in a month, CEO who turned Creative Pinellas into a thriving arts center is retiring, 2-year-old daughter of Bucs linebacker Shaquil Barrett drowns in family pool, Assembly line of Triple-A arms somehow has kept Rays atop the standings, Sign up for the Rays Report weekly newsletter, Hall of Famer Gaylord Perry, a two-time Cy Young winner, dies. Never miss out on the latest with the Bucs, Rays, Lightning, Florida college sports and more. "Folks want to be here. Population: 567,641 (28th among U.S. cities), Other Professional Teams in the City: None. Ranking MLB's radical City Connect uniforms: Which one's No. Cookie Notice The Rays followed up their Cinderella season by winning 84 games in 2009 and finishing third in the AL East, which was nothing short of remarkable considering they lost 101 games in 2006. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. However, as a former resident, I will add that even during the WORST of times with both the Bucs and Lightning, there were very dedicated fans that came). Braves brace for spring training push following World Series victory, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. City officials decided early on that the city would attempt to attract Major League Baseball. Its definitely still a possibility and a good idea at that. I was at the infamous David Price Tweet game last year when the Rays had a chance to clinch a playoff spot against the Orioles. It will be a temporary return of sorts for Spring Training in downtown St. Petersburg -- the Rays played their spring home games at Al Lang Field from 1998-2008 before moving south to Port Charlotte. Tampa, mainly, services minor league teams. New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast. The team and county officials put out a joint statement Thursday night saying, in part, that after a joint assessment of the damage, both parties have determined there is not adequate time before the Rays 2023 spring training is scheduled to begin to get the park in suitable condition to host games. They get corporate interest, the same attendance as the other two Tampa-based teams, more fan interest, and more money to work with. Charlotte County supports the Rays efforts to secure alternative accommodations for 2023 spring training. Other Franchises: Charlotte Bobcats, Carolina Panthers. The Rays easy solution to fixing their money and attendance problems is to simply move north to Tampa.
Officials: Tampa Bay Rays considering Pasco County training facility - KPNX Pacers fans are immensely loyal and, regardless of talent or win totals, it always seems the Pacers are blue collar and supported as such. It time to move on to more deserving cities. The two closest teams to Charlotte (Braves & Nats) are both NL, so having a Carolina team be AL only makes sense, 7. After Tampa was awarded the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Tampa Bay Rowdies in the 1970s, St. Petersburg decided it wanted a share of the professional sports scene in Tampa Bay. Charlotte Sports Park has been Tampa Bay's Spring Training home since 2009. Meanwhile, the Rays couldnt fill their stadium during a playoff game. The city has a very high population and has quite a large media market as well, which would help promote the Rays and perhaps sell out more than just one game per year. Pitchers and catchers are scheduled to report to Spring Training on Feb. 14, with early arrivals slated for Feb. 6. Keep in mind I mostly avoided cities that were too far away from St. Petersburg, because many of those scenarios are far-fetched, and it seems like the Athletics are moving to Vegas anyway, with other Western cities like Portland and Vancouver being expansion options. They get corporate interest, the same attendance as the other two Tampa-based teams, more fan interest, and more money to work with. Already a subscriber? According to the Tampa Bay Times, the Rays may have identified a future ballpark location at the recently abandoned K-Force headquarters building on the north side of ongoing redevelopment at.
Oakland A's are relocating; Tampa Bay Rays are on deck | Commentary Tampa Bay Rays president Brian Auld told councilmember Charlie Miranda that . Seattle Mariners unveil City Connect uniforms. , and with the split-season proposal with Montreal shot down, the idea is gaining traction. This scenario seems perfect for an in-state move. Imagine converting one-fourth of that 100,000 television audience to home games live. There was also a proposal to split their home games between St. Petersburg and Montreal that was rejected by Major League Baseball. There has been discussion from some investors, most notably MLB legend Nolan Ryan and his son Reid, who have both given consideration to pitching the owners on an expansion or relocation to Central Texas. Tampa Bay previously hosted six regular-season games at the Disney ballpark, sweeping a series against the Rangers in May 2007 then winning three games against the Blue Jays in April 2008. The Titans and Predators have no issues with attendance and are immensely popular in the region, while Nashville also had the highest economic growth of any American city in 2021.
Rays to move spring training from storm-damaged Port Charlotte facility But the population, mostly consisting of people aged between 20 and 50 and with a solid but still lower-to-middle income, might enjoy a change of sports scenery. Population:709,441 (18th among U.S. cities), Other Professional Teams in the City: Carolina Panthers. The latter ideacomes from state Sen. William Simpson, R-Trilby, current senate president. Register for a free SBJ account to unlock one extra article per month. Last night's game drew 9,916 fans, but the average attendance through Monday marked a 57% jump "from last years low point over a similar stretch and a milestone worth noting. The Rays in 2019 "drew 22 crowds of less than 10,000, with a low of 5,786. After four consecutive playoff runs -- the most prosperous stretch in franchise history -- the locals may be responding (USA TODAY, 4/25). Hartford hasn't really experimented in any of the other major American sports and when they lost the Whalers, they lost all access to major sports. The Spurs were consistently in the top half of the NBA in attendance pre-pandemic, showing that San Antonio can gather fan interest, while Austin would be a fun experiment. Sure, the Expos had their legal fights, and they have their legal fans, but does a Tampa franchise struggling with attendance and stadium issues want to go back to the same problem but this time in a country that might be indifferent? The Rays Major League spring workouts, plus a Feb. 28 home game, will take place at the Disney complex in Lake Buena Vista. Learn More. The Rays Minor League camp will be based out of the Disney complex throughout Spring Training. Tampa residents Dennis Gallagher and his daughter Kate wait for the start of the Tampa Bay Rays final home spring training game last season. The city of Indianapolis already has a winning team in the Colts, but there is no reason the Rays cannot succeed in Indy as well. A city that has history rooting for other teams would find it more appealing to take the time to build a stadium for an original team and to start new than bring in a franchise that already has 20+ years of history in another state.