Plus, the only teams the Rays would have to compete with for attendance would be the Nevada Wolfpack and the UNLV Rebels' college teamswell, and the Lingerie Football League (pictured above), but I do not think they will be able to cause the same attendance troubles the Rays have at the moment. 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. Privacy Policy. The Tampa Bay Rays will be seeking a temporary spring training site after determining Charlotte Sports Park damage caused by Hurricane Ian was too extensive for camp in 2023. 1. 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'. The latest personnel hires and promotions, plus exclusive ratings and research from the sports industry. and our "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 . Well, until the strike hit anyway). Will Charlotte get MLB team? Right now, even as it struggles for in-person fans, Tampa draws close to 15 percent of Hartford's entire population per game. The 2023 Tampa Bay Rays season is the 26th season of the Tampa Bay Rays franchise and their 16th as the Rays. So while baseball might take some getting used to, Indianapolis is fond of many sports and has the population to support it. All rights reserved.The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Leaders Group. Period. 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. ST. PETERSBURG -- Due to damage caused by Hurricane Ian, the Rays will not be able to hold Spring Training in Port Charlotte next year. Sorry, something went wrong with the copy but here is the link for you. But, lets say the Rays come to town. So is it possible? The market, fan interest, history, community, and financial backing all exist, making this a great option if theyre willing to have a relocated franchise. Orlando is a fantastic in-state option for the Rays, and it doesnt have the cumbersome cost of starting the fanbase over or getting out of a valuable TV deal across the state of Florida. The Carolina Panthers are in the middle of a down phase and may not be winners again for quite some time. Tampa Bay Rays president Brian Auld told councilmember Charlie Miranda that . (AP image). 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. Charlotte seems like it could be a great fit for a professional baseball team. Commissioner Rob Manfred has repeatedly stated his desire to expand to 32 teams. 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 . Legacy: Hartford is perhaps more known for its former franchise, aka The Whalers, then anything else. The Rays continue to look for a long-term answer to stay in Florida, asking for a new stadium to be built in Tampa. 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. There are corporate interests, fans to pounce on, and an area that wants baseball. December 2, 2022 in Grapefruit League Teams, Tampa Bay Rays. The previously released exhibition schedule is expected to be revised. 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. The multifield complex will give the Rays the space they need for their Spring Training workouts. 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. 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. Baseball Legacy: Tampa and its bay area is, of course, a major player in the MLB spring training. 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. The Rays will move operations from Disney to Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg at the beginning of March for the rest of Spring Training. New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast. The Rays declined through an email from a team spokesman to comment further. "This selection validates all the hard work," Auld said. So getting people to go to games wouldn't be a problem (and heck, out of 1.3 million people, someone has to like baseball there, right?). Here are five cities that would likely be great fits for the Rays. Tampa Bay Rays moving spring training site due to hurricane damage. NHL Lightning & Panthers. A. . There is also an established baseball tradition in Omaha with the College World Series played there every year. Pat Williams has made a direct appeal to Rays management about a move to the city of Orlando. Welch, who is St. Petersburg's first Black mayor, emphasized that a key goal is to restore a majority Black neighborhood known as the Gas Plant District that was ousted by the stadium and a highway. "We are solely focused on the Sister City plan and keeping the Rays in Tampa Bay for generations," said Rays' president Brian Auld. The Rays faced the Atlanta Braves and drew 1,127 fans, the maximum attendance because of COVID-19 restrictions. Seattle Mariners unveil City Connect uniforms. Team officials said there was not enough time to get the park in suitable condition to host games. Because they play somewhere accessible for the greater Tampa Bay area. Charlotte is a great city that baseball should look to expand to, but for the Rays, its not the right option. The Rays and Charlotte County announced the decision in a joint statement on Thursday night. There have also been professional leagues but, if substantial, it was back in the 19th century. There was also a proposal to split their home games between St. Petersburg and Montreal that was rejected by Major League Baseball. 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. 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. The decision affects both the major league and minor league camps. 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. In this story: Raiders owner Mark Davis knows a thing or two about moving a team from Oakland to Las Vegas. Its also a decent distance from Florida. The 2020 season was cancelled because of COVID-19 pandemic concerns. The latter ideacomes from state Sen. William Simpson, R-Trilby, current senate president. The move to Central Florida comes after the team's facilities in Port Charlotte were damaged by Hurricane Ian back in September. Already a subscriber? Its definitely still a possibility and a good idea at that. The Rays dropped to 14-1 . Nashville's pursuit of an MLB franchise might be gaining steam, if a Tampa City Council member is to be believed. The Rays are just seven games out of the lead in the AL East and five and a half games out of the Wild Card, but are ranked 13th in AL attendance. The Rays' easy solution to fixing their money and attendance problems is to simply move north to Tampa. 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. The downsides of this proposal are apparent. The Rays use the facility on a year-round basis for extended spring training, complex and instructional league play, and mini-camps. Is it reasonable to assume 15 to 30 percent of the entire city would go to a baseball game. Why? In 2021, as part of an overall reorganization of minor league baseball, the Rays moved theirClass A-advanced affiliate to South Carolina. | Powered By: Web Seo Wiz. With Charlotte Sports Park damaged due to Hurricane Ian, the team plans on opening spring at Disneys ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex. 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 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. The Rays have trained since 2009 in Port Charlotte, Florida, about 90 minutes south of St. Petersburg, and intend to explore several options before making a . 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. Orlando is a smaller city than Tampa, but it gains much more tourist revenue. The city's population ranking has shot up from 63rd to 28th since 1990, which is also another great reason to establish a professional sports team in Las Vegas. So would bringing a team back there make sense? I think it is about time the world's largest playground gets a professional sports team. 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. "It will no longer be a dream denied. With a . 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. Ticket information for the Rays Spring Training games will be released in January. But as for baseball, Indianapolis has the AAA affiliate for the usually awful Pittsburgh Pirates. Is it likely? With this trade to re-acquire Javy Guerra, Tampa Bay is adding an intriguing arm to their group of relievers. 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. That means 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. Upgrade your subscription to get all the news you need: Adding SBJ weekly content will give you the comprehensive view of sports business with: Adding SBJ daily content will give you the comprehensive view of sports business with: You have 1 All Access article remaining this month. (Photo by Julio Aguilar/G. 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. 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. Imagine converting one-fourth of that 100,000 television audience to home games live.
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