The Rays dropped to 14-1 at home after losing to the Astros. In recent years,the Rays have contemplated moving from St. Petersburg to Tampa, andteam officials have touted a Sister Cities concept that would have the Rayssplit theseason between new stadiums in Tampa and Montreal. Danny - Nationals Lead Writer: @Nats_Baseball, Matt - Nationals Lead Writer: @HolleranMDH, 2021 Half Street High Heat A Nationals Podcast . Sign up for the Rays Report weekly newsletter to get fresh perspectives on the Tampa Bay Rays and the rest of the majors from sports columnist John Romano. The Rays will likely not be able to use TD Ameritrade Park though because of the minor league teams in the city, plus it can only fit around 24,000 fans. In 2021, as part of an overall reorganization of minor league baseball, the Rays moved theirClass A-advanced affiliate to South Carolina. Most recently, published reports, primarily in the Tampa Bay Times, have highlighted a portion of that effort that would have the Rays play their spring training games in a stadium that would be built as part of the development play for the 50-acre Gas Worx parcel between Ybor City and the Channelside area, with a spring training player development site to the north, in Pasco County. The Rays and Braves played the first game ever at CoolToday Park, to close out the 2019 spring training schedule. They have a lease that runs through 2031 after recent extensions, according to the Port Charlotte Sun. 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. Get the inside scoop on jobs, salaries, top office locations, and CEO insights. Following a joint assessment of the damage to Charlotte Sports Park caused by Hurricane Ian, Charlotte County and the Tampa Bay Rays 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, the statement said. By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. But the infrastructure is there, in case the idea is ever there. . 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. Not to mention that the, Triple-A Charlotte Knights get pretty good attendance, , at least when COVID isnt affecting their numbers. CHARLOTTE COUNTY Sean Doherty, director of tourism for the Punta Gorda Englewood Beach Convention and Visitors Bureau, can recall when the area's name recognition increasedafter the Tampa Bay Rays moved theirspring training headquarters to Charlotte Sports Park. 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. Get notified on your phone in the morning with the latest forecast and news to start your day. This scenario seems perfect for an in-state move. Tampa Bay Rays moving spring training site due to hurricane damage. Team officials said there was not enough time to get the park in suitable condition to host games. Pitchers and catchers are scheduled to report to Spring Training on Feb. 14, with early arrivals slated for Feb. 6. Period. It has had a AA and AAA squad (the current incarnation is the Charlotte Knights, who are the White Sox affiliate), but most professional sports have been basketball (the former Hornets and now the Bobcats) and football (the Panthers, who despite varied success, average in the top 10 in attendance). Daily updates aggregating the stories and spin from more than 600 outlets across the globe. So, even if the Rays do end up making the. In the case of the Tampa Bay Rays, relocation and contraction have been words that have plagued the franchise, both through years and years of frustrating on the field struggles and during a still-running streak of division winning success. Like Indy, I find the market perfect due to the population numbers and lack of in-city competition during the high-ratings portions of the leagues but see the fan expectations as an issue. "It will no longer be a dream denied. Rays to Disney's sports complex before games at the Trop. Ticket information for the Rays Spring Training games will be released in January. Right now, even as it struggles for in-person fans, Tampa draws close to 15 percent of Hartford's entire population per game. ", Plan outlined for new Rays park, redevelopment, Harper may return Tue., 160 days post-TJ surgery, Rangers ace deGrom 'frustrated' to land on IL, Twins will shut P Mahle down for at least 4 weeks, Cards broadcaster, 2-time champ Shannon dies, Giants' Yastrzemski (hamstring) likely IL-bound, Yankees to evaluate Judge's hip strain Monday, Mexico City's uphill climb toward landing an MLB franchise. I need not remind everyone theres no team between Washington, D.C. and Atlanta. Legacy: The Portland Beavers have been a AAA affiliate (or minor league affiliate in some capacity) since the beginning of the 20th century. Charlotte Sports Park has been Tampa Bay's Spring Training home since 2009. I decided to list 5 cities, one for each of the times a baseball flew into the Tropicana catwalks during the postseason over the years. The Oakland Athletics are packing their bags for Las Vegas, a long-expected move that will affect far more baseball fans than in those two cities. Two proposals shepherded by the previous mayor were scrapped last year by Welch, who sought to focus more on affordable housing and job opportunities at the Gas Plant District. The Rays will operate their big league camp at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex from then until March 1. Oh, and they have been doing all this while remaining in the bottom third of the MLB's payroll rankings. 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. The plan calls for a new domed stadium to be ready for the 2028 season opener; the Rays' current stadium lease is up in 2027. Charlotte Sports Park (formerly known as Charlotte County Stadium and Ranger Stadium) is a baseball stadium in Port Charlotte, Florida.The stadium is the home field for Tampa Bay Rays spring training operations, as well as its Rookie-class Florida Complex League Rays teams. 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. Where . There has been discussion from some investors. With two major franchises already in tow, one being the Bobcats with an owner in Michael Jordan, and the Panthers, who have had their share of regular season and playoff success, the idea of a MLB team in the city doesn't seem outlandish. The Rays and Charlotte County announced the decision in a joint statement on Thursday night. Baseball Legacy: Tampa and its bay area is, of course, a major player in the MLB 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. 1 one month into the season? The latter ideacomes from state Sen. William Simpson, R-Trilby, current senate president. According to the St. Petersburg Times, the Rays have almost 100,000 fans watching their games (per game) at home due to the long trek from Tampa to St. Petersburg. Imagine converting one-fourth of that 100,000 television audience to home games live. Among the 14 AL teams, the Rays have not finished any higher then ninth in attendance since 2007 and finished 12th the year of their World Series run. 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. 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 . By then, the sports park then known as Charlotte County Stadium had been without a spring training club since 2002, when the Texas Rangers left for Arizona, after spending 15 years there. Once again, this would be a great place for the Rays to move because there are no professional sports teams in Nebraska, let alone the surrounding states like Iowa, Kansas and Wyoming. Along with other list member Charlotte, Portland was a finalist for the Expos franchise but lost out to Washington. Pat Williams has made a direct appeal to Rays management about a move to the city of Orlando. Tampa, mainly, services minor league teams. Related to that, and with a potential move there by the Rays, you'd have instant rivalry potential with the Seattle Mariners. If the team were moved to the city in which is takes it name from, would that attendance increase? 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. 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. From 1998 to 2008, the Devil Rays played their spring training games at Al Lang Stadium in St. Petersburg, just a few blocks from Tropicana Field. A playoff game. PETERSBURG -- Due to damage caused by Hurricane Ian, the Rays will not be able to hold Spring Training in Port Charlotte next year. Legacy: Montreal once had the Expos. Well, until the strike hit anyway). Overall, Welch said, the idea is to create a destination for people who come to Rays games, as well as build a new community. It's time for the Rays to move the franchise to a city where they can gain the support they need to continue as one of the AL's best teams for years to come. So yes, these options are regional. By accepting all cookies, you agree to our use of cookies to deliver and maintain our services and site, improve the quality of Reddit, personalize Reddit content and advertising, and measure the effectiveness of advertising. Not only is it the most reasonable, but it is the most likely, at least in my opinion. There is an obvious solution as to where . That said, on this list, I find this destination the least likely. Seattle Mariners unveil City Connect uniforms. Id be on the road for leisure travel sales and when I mentioned I was from the Port Charlotte area, before the Rays came on, a lot of time Id get stares, because people didnt know where we were located, said Doherty who started with the bureau in 2005 as the sports marketing manager. 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. ST. PETERSBURG -- Due to damage caused by Hurricane Ian, the Rays will not be able to hold Spring Training in Port Charlotte next year. On a personal note, I am a Rays fan living outside of Florida (though born and raised in Tampa, represent!) ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- A new ballpark for the Tampa Bay Rays will be built near the current one under plans unveiled Monday as part of a massive redevelopment project that also includes affordable housing, office space and retail in what was once a thriving Black neighborhood. Nashvilles high interest makes them the most attractive of the out of state relocation options, but again, a desire for a new team and a lack of a temporary stadium make this difficult when they collide with the Rays lengthy lease and their TV deals in Florida. The storm struck the southwest coast of Florida and slowly moved across the state. 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 previously released exhibition schedule is expected to be revised. MLB Power Rankings: Who's No. That's an extra 25,000 and a total attendance of 43,000-plus. Support local journalism with a digital subscription to the Herald-Tribune. 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 . The Spurs have been world class forwellever it seems. The Baltimore Orioles, prior to their move to Ed Smith Stadium in 2010, hosted Major League spring training in Fort Lauderdale, while the minor league camp was at Twin Lakes Parks in Sarasota, which was originally developed by the Kansas City Royals in 1970 as a baseball academy. Firstly, one has to know that Nashville has an entire website dedicated to making a push for their own Major League Baseball team. Period. PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla. The Tampa Bay Rays will be on the move when Spring Training 2023 arrives. This is the ONLY place the Rays need to go. Las Vegas has already lost out on the Sacramento Kings who decided to stay put and the Phoenix Coyotes decision to keep their franchise in its current location. Privacy Policy. 2023 Leaders Group. NEXT IN LINE: In Orlando, Mike Bianchi writes Tampa Bay civic leaders are "on the clock and it is ticking ever so loudly on your status as a Major League Baseball area. As the situation in Oakland was resolved just a few days ago when the As announced they purchased land in Las Vegas to build a ballpark, Tampa Bay is on deck and better step up to plate or the red-hot Rays will someday soon be announcing a move to Nashville, Charlotte, Montreal or some other baseball-hungry city (ORLANDO SENTINEL, 4/26). "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. (AP image). New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast. Charlotte County spokesman Brian Gleason said via email that Charlotte County has enjoyed partnering with the Tampa Bay Rays on their spring training camp and player development program since 2009. The Montreal thing has come up a number of times the past few years. While the Whalers were a popular franchise in Hartford, Hartford is just plain inexperienced at handling major league sports. Divisions will stay the same, because the move from Tampa to Charlotte keeps the team on the East coast no rearranging of divisions would be necessary 6. Floridians dont care about baseball as much hence Florida Marlins. The biggest reason to move to Charlotte is because it is an untapped baseball market. PETERSBURG The Rays may soon stand alone as baseball's problem child. The team is considering several options and hopes to make a decision in the next few weeks. Tampa Bay Rays will use Disney, Tropicana Field as temporary spring training locations. In 2018, he listed Nashville, along with Las Vegas, Charlotte, Montreal, Portland and Vancouver as potential . There are corporate interests, fans to pounce on, and an area that wants baseball. The Rays could go to North Carolina, continue winning and give sports fans in the state a team they can root for in the postseason, aside from the North Carolina Tar Heels and Duke Blue Devils in the NCAA tournament. 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 market, fan interest, history, community, and financial backing all exist, making this a great option if theyre willing to have a relocated franchise. Additionally, I wouldnt want to try to compete with Texas Football during the fall, which is another reason to keep out of Austin. Access to easy-to-read digital editions of weekly issues. The Rays and Charlotte County intend to develop a restoration plan for Charlotte Sports Park in the coming weeks.. It should be noted though that MLB had Charlotte as a finalist for the Expos franchise when relocation was being considered (and eventually acted on). Perhaps not. 2023 Leaders Group. Why? The mayor's grandfather ran a woodyard business there before the neighborhood was essentially obliterated by Tropicana Field. The Rays and Charlotte County announced the decision in a joint statement on Thursday night. Chief Business Officer Bill Walsh said that the team also made other ticket pricing adjustments around their ballpark to make sure that folks who maybe tuned in to the evening news and caught wind of what was happening here, that if they went to our website they could find some tickets, if not for $10, maybe within close proximity to that (SPORTS BUSINESS JOURNAL, 4/24 issue). Nashville's pursuit of an MLB franchise might be gaining steam, if a Tampa City Council member is to be believed. 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. The two closest teams to Charlotte (Braves & Nats) are both NL, so having a Carolina team be AL only makes sense, 7. QUIZ: Which Member of the 2021 Washington Nationals Are You? There werent as many teams near the teams former spring training home Lake Buena Vista. Locally, the Pittsburgh Pirates host spring training at LECOM Park at 1611 9th Street W., Bradenton, but the minor leaguers train a few miles east at Pirate City. If the Rays played their spring training games as well as a portion of the 162-game regular season in Ybor City, the Rays would likely play the same teams they do now. This is why the Rays rank in the bottom half for attendance (at roughly 18,000-plus per) and even then, you have a large portion being visiting fans (snow birds or local residents who hailed from other states before the Rays existed). Its also a decent distance from Florida. The Rays' current contract with Charlotte County runs through the 2028 spring training camp," a spokesperson wrote in an email to 10 Tampa Bay. 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. But as for baseball, Indianapolis has the AAA affiliate for the usually awful Pittsburgh Pirates. Download it here. The article I linked mentions how San Antonio is a tad crowded, and that Austin is a government city, and that a better place for a Rays stadium would be in between the cities, in a place like San Marco, or New Braunfels. The Rays' Major League spring workouts, plus a Feb. 28 home game, will take place at the Disney complex in Lake Buena Vista. Lets be real. With Charlotte Sports Park damaged due to Hurricane Ian, the team plans on opening spring at Disneys ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex. Ian made landfall just south of Punta Gorda on Sept. 28. Earle Kimel primarily covers south Sarasota County for the Herald-Tribune and can be reached at earle.kimel@heraldtribune.com. 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. For more information, please see our It will be a temporary return of sorts for Spring Training in downtown St. Petersburg, as the Rays played their spring home games at Al Lang Field from 1998-2008 before moving south to Port Charlotte. 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. With the Athletics buying land for a new stadium in . The Tampa Sports Authority had researchers put together a new report on the financials of putting in a new stadium for the Tampa Bay Rays in Ybor City. The downsides of this proposal are apparent. The move to Central Florida comes after the team's facilities in Port Charlotte were damaged by Hurricane Ian back in September. The Rays have arguably the best bullpen in the big leagues. Finally it makes sense for travel times too, every team in the AL East is closer to Charlotte than Tampa by several hours of flight, and very few teams in any division would have further travel times. Population:709,441 (18th among U.S. cities), Other Professional Teams in the City: Carolina Panthers. The latest personnel hires and promotions, plus exclusive ratings and research from the sports industry. "We are solely focused on the Sister City plan and keeping the Rays in Tampa Bay for generations," said Rays' president Brian Auld. Charlotte seems like it could be a great fit for a professional baseball team. Attendance is always low. More than two decades of archival stories, profiles, research and data. The Rays would have to build a new ballpark, but there is no reason not to believe it would not be revered by baseball fans in the area. He also knows a thing or two about the Athletics, the MLB franchise that the Raiders . 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. Timely, daily updates provide the latest developments and news relied upon by industry leaders. 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). 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. 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. Tampa Bay Rays Spring Training: Southern Exposure. Rays ownership still has a proposal for a $700 million stadium in Ybor City at their feet. The article I linked mentions how San Antonio is a tad crowded, and that Austin is a government city, and that a better place for a Rays stadium would be in between the cities, in a place like San Marco, or New Braunfels. However, if they were to bite the bullet and go to North Carolina, theres definitely reasons to believe they can succeed. 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. 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. A spokesman for Tampa Mayor Jane Castor declined to comment as well, noting that the city would not be involved in that concept. It might be easier to root for the Red Sox or Yankees if you live in Connecticut, but I just have a gut feeling a Hartford team would be a resounding success. Well see, he added. The 2023 Tampa Bay Rays season is the 26th season of the Tampa Bay Rays franchise and their 16th as the Rays. With Rays ownership seeming more and more likely to move out of their current spot once their lease at the dreaded Tropicana Field ends in 2027, I decided to take a look at some possible cities in the United States the Rays could possibly end up. The biggest reason to move to Charlotte is because it is an untapped baseball market. Population: 454,731 (40th among U.S. cities). Legacy: Hartford is perhaps more known for its former franchise, aka The Whalers, then anything else. K.C. "At the moment there's not something concrete with any of these clubs, but I'm told he's open to make a top club move in the summer so it's one to watch for sure. Analysis: I'm not joking when I put this as my choice. 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 . the Tampa Bay Rays ridiculous plan to split their season between the Tampa area and Montreal. 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.
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