How awesome would a brand new baseball stadium look near the Las Vegas strip? All rights reserved. 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. 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. San Antonio, despite immense basketball success, is considered small market. Yes. 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. To see a team that appears on the decline (at least from the perspective of two 90 win seasons in the last few years) go to a new city and perhaps, stink, may give San Antonio pause. I believe MLB put teams in the Florida region to see how they fare because they regularly had spring training like Arizona so they tested the market. It would work out, believe me it will. St. Petersburg is a hike from Tampa, and most of the ways to get between the two cities are clogged during weekday rush hour. Register for a free SBJ account to unlock one extra article per month. More than two decades of archival stories, profiles, research and data. The biggest reason to move to Charlotte is because it is an untapped baseball market. "Charlotte County supports the Rays efforts to secure alternative accommodations for 2023 spring training," the statement . The mayor's grandfather ran a woodyard business there before the neighborhood was essentially obliterated by Tropicana Field. Period. 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. The Indiana Pacers are floundering at the moment, which would provide the Rays with an opening to win over the Indianapolis fanbase. The Rays have arguably the best bullpen in the big leagues. Renderings indicate the old stadium would be demolished. 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. There are already 2 teams in Texas that have been there for a. time (Astros since 1962, Rangers since 1971), and they have taken up the majority of the fan interest. 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. The Rays home game against the New York Yankees on Tues., Feb. 28, will now be played at The Stadium at the ESPN Wide World of Sports at Disney. Portland folk love to rival up against their northern state rivals and a MLB showdown 10 to 15 times a year would get the fans raring to go. out of the belief they could bring an MLB team to the stadium instead. 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 Rays dropped to 14-1 at home after losing to the Astros. Support local journalism with a digital subscription to the Herald-Tribune. 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. With this trade to re-acquire Javy Guerra, Tampa Bay is adding an intriguing arm to their group of relievers. Its definitely still a possibility and a good idea at that. 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. 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. 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. The Rays have been their prime candidate, considering their desire for a new stadium and less than spectacular attendance figures in Tampa Bay. I think were a good fit for them, I feel thatthey feel the same way from conversations Ive had with some of their staff over the years, Doherty said. ST. PETERSBURG -- Due to damage caused by Hurricane Ian, the Rays will not be able to hold Spring Training in Port Charlotte next year. The Rays and Charlotte County announced on Dec. 1 that the club would not be able to hold Spring Training at Charlotte Sports Park. In this story: Raiders owner Mark Davis knows a thing or two about moving a team from Oakland to Las Vegas. They get corporate interest, the same attendance as the other two Tampa-based teams, more fan interest, and more money to work with. The Charlotte Sports Park facility, which has been the the Rays spring home since 2009, sustained extensive damage in the late-September storm, including to the game stadium and other buildings. 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. 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. Tampa This was the only city that was going to be number 1. While this proposal has some ground, its one that needs to become more concrete, and works better for an expansion franchise. 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. 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. 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). Ian made landfall just south of Punta Gorda on Sept. 28. 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. . Walt Disney World Resort said its looking forward to providing. Moving the Rays to Charlotte is not only a good move, but an - Reddit MLB is a significant step closer to expansion, which will bring two more franchises into the big leagues while also necessitating the creation of eight new minor-league teams around the country. Get hyperlocal forecasts, radar and weather alerts. 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 decision affects both the major league and minor league camps. Support local journalism with a digital subscription to the Herald-Tribune. So yes, these options are regional. If you can plop a stadium right into downtown Tampa, you get it all. A. . I think it is about time the world's largest playground gets a professional sports team. The Rays and Charlotte County announced the decision in a joint statement on Thursday night. Rays moving camp site due to hurricane damage - ESPN Rays relocate 2023 spring workouts to Disney - MLB And while the STORY of the Rays (small fries defeating the big time spending giants) is great dramatic fodder, no one, at least in person, is seeing it. SBJ I Factor is a monthly podcast offering interviews with sports executives who have been recipients of one of the magazines awards, such as Forty Under 40, Game Changers and others. dedicated to making a push for their own Major League Baseball team. The community is in the thoughts and hearts of the Rays, and the team will continue to support recovery efforts. There isnt really an issue with this proposal. They get corporate interest, the same attendance as the other two Tampa-based teams, more fan interest, and more money to work with. 2023, Charter Communications, all rights reserved. Then they lost them. However, the key stat here, is the Rays television audience. And while this Rays fan would be immensely sad if his home town team lost it's major league baseball franchise, there is no reason, in the worse case scenario that they DO, indeed, leave, for me to think the franchise, as changed as it would be, couldn't flourish somewhere else. So while baseball might take some getting used to, Indianapolis is fond of many sports and has the population to support it. The biggest reason to move to Charlotte is because it is an untapped baseball market. They have a temporary stadium that could possibly be upgraded. 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). Analysis: Baseball can work in Texas. I need not remind everyone theres no team between Washington, D.C. and Atlanta. "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. Proximity of the Rays in Port Charlotte as well as the Orioles and Pirates to the north and Red Sox and Twins to the south in Fort Myers was one of several factors when the Atlanta Braves decided to move theirspring training quarters to North Port. A playoff game. 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. "I pitched like that in 2021, and it was a good year from me, so I think moving there has had the same effect," said Garcia, who has lowered . Pacers fans are immensely loyal and, regardless of talent or win totals, it always seems the Pacers are blue collar and supported as such. 1 spring training destination by the readers of USA Today and 10Best. Never miss out on the latest with the Bucs, Rays, Lightning, Florida college sports and more. 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 . Pat Williams has made a direct appeal to Rays management about a move to the city of Orlando. SBJ I Factor presented by Allied Sports features an interview with Navigate founder A.J. Learn More. PETERSBURG -- Due to damage caused by Hurricane Ian, the Rays will not be able to hold Spring Training in Port Charlotte next year. 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. There are corporate interests, fans to pounce on, and an area that wants baseball. Additionally, I wouldnt want to try to compete with Texas Football during the fall, which is another reason to keep out of Austin. 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. Download our app, Charlotte Sports Park damaged due to Hurricane Ian, opening spring at Disneys ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex, Charlotte Sports Park sustained water and electrical damage, Rays updated Sprint Training schedule released, Ticket information for the Rays Spring Training games, California Consumer Limit the Use of My Sensitive Personal Information, California Consumer Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information, Rays to open Spring Traiing 2023 at Disney's Wide World of Sports Complex, Rays beging Spring Training Feb. 14; will move operations to Tropicana Field March 1 and play games at Tropicana Field. Charlotte is a fast growing city, and theres tons of potential in every way. 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. Your email address will not be published. The Rays will move operations from Disney to Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg at the beginning of March for the rest of Spring Training. 1. The Trop was built as a hockey arena, and even the Lightning found it wasn't as suitable for it, moving to the Amalie Arena in downtown Tampa. Rays to move 2023 Spring Training from Port Charlotte - MLB Other Franchises: Tampa Bay Buccaneers (average attendance: 49,000-plus; one championship), Tampa Bay Lightning (average attendance: 17,000-plus; one championship). Orlando is a smaller city than Tampa, but it gains much more tourist revenue. Ticket information for the Rays Spring Training games will be released in January. 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). 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. Download it here. Here are five cities that would likely be great fits for the Rays. The Rays dropped to 14-1 . Rays moving spring camp due to damage caused by hurricane With Charlotte Sports Park damaged due to Hurricane Ian, the team plans on opening spring at Disneys ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex. The community is in the thoughts and hearts of the Rays, and the team will continue to support recovery efforts. Follow our Tampa Bay Times sports team on Twitter and Facebook. Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. 2023 Leaders Group. The 2020 season was cancelled because of COVID-19 pandemic concerns. But, lets say the Rays come to town. Rays have the second-lowest average attendance in the MLB, only second to their in state counterparts, Speaking of the Marlins, Florida will still have a team so it wont be like Florida is completely isolated from Baseball, The Marlins have a brand spanking new stadium, wheras the Rays are in need of a new home anyway with their stadium being 29 years old, 4. As part of the move to Charlotte, the Rays moved their Class A team from Vero Beach to Charlotte County. New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast. Not to mention that the Triple-A Charlotte Knights get pretty good attendance, at least when COVID isnt affecting their numbers. Theres also the fact that the Rays would have nowhere to play until they move, which sours the idea of an immediate relocation. The Charlotte Stone Crabs enjoyed an 11-year run in Charlotte County. 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. Right now, even as it struggles for in-person fans, Tampa draws close to 15 percent of Hartford's entire population per game. 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. Welch said the plan should keep the Rays in St. Petersburg for the long term. The latest personnel hires and promotions, plus exclusive ratings and research from the sports industry. We are aware of the media reports about potential relocation discussions, but were told by the Rays management they have no immediate plans to move their spring training location, he continued. Charlotte seems like it could be a great fit for a professional baseball team. The Tampa Bay Rays have baseball's best offense, . So would bringing a team back there make sense? The city has experimented with five different minor league baseball teams since 1903 with limited success. Floridians dont care about baseball as much hence Florida Marlins. 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). The new Rays Stadium in Tampa should be built on Dale Mabry - DRaysBay Daily updates aggregating the stories and spin from more than 600 outlets across the globe. 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. 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. However, if they were to bite the bullet and go to North Carolina, theres definitely reasons to believe they can succeed. 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. Wed be very sad to see them go. How is MLB expansion impacted by the Oakland A's likely move to Las The Montreal thing has come up a number of times the past few years. Rays Could Still Move To Tampa After St. Pete Redevelopment Bid 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. 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. One of the drawbacks, however, would be the very low population. The Rays' current contract with Charlotte County runs through the 2028 spring training camp," a spokesperson wrote in an email to 10 Tampa Bay. They would have a fan base and really wouldnt effect the St.Louis Cardinals. 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. The fans were out in full force to create one of the loudest arenas in the NBA during the Grizzlies' playoff run into the Western Conference semifinals. In Charlotte, the team would be missed, Doherty said, but admitted that the loss of the Stone Crabs proved to be a dress rehearsal for that possibility. 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. Maestas talks with SBJs Abe Madkour about the early days of Navigate, which he said he founded with too little knowledge, though good fortune as far as timing made up for my mistakes. Maestas traces his career path and personal development, and highlights the attributes and practices that he believes help make a successful business person and human being. Disney World visitors would pounce on the opportunity for other entertainment, similar to how the Golden Knights of the NHL built up their attendance by pouncing on bored Vegas visitors who had run out of shows to see and money to gamble away. 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. But appearances can be deceiving, and there's . Their attendance matches the teams talent level, and the Bucs have had great success, even before Tom Brady showed up in town. Braves brace for spring training push following World Series victory, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. 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. Is it reasonable to assume 15 to 30 percent of the entire city would go to a baseball game. I think MLB view cities like Montreal, Portland, Nashville, Charlotte and possibly Mexico City as possible expansion cities. Ron DeSantis' Tampa Bay hometown has evolved. Does it still claim him? Relocation and contraction are words no fan wants to hear, especially if it involves their beloved team. Officials: Tampa Bay Rays considering Pasco County training facility - KPNX The move to Central Florida comes after the team's facilities in Port Charlotte were damaged by Hurricane Ian back in September. The Braves used the Disney facility for 22 years, most recently in 2019, before moving their Spring Training operations to CoolToday Park in North Port. Earle Kimel primarily covers south Sarasota County for the Herald-Tribune and can be reached at earle.kimel@heraldtribune.com. According to the Tampa Bay Times, "As the Montreal plan took shape, Rays officials said it was their 'only' option and dismissed any chance of getting a new full-time home in the Tampa Bay . 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.
