I think the loyal sports followers would go, but I think the biggest problem would be how spoiled the fans would be. 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. Rays ownership still has a proposal for a $700 million stadium in Ybor City at their feet. The Rays currently play in St. Petersburg which is, at first glance, right "next to" Tampa (though, to be fair, part of the Tampa Bay area and the Rays are the Tampa BAY Rays). Compare pay for popular roles and read about the team's work-life balance. But appearances can be deceiving, and there's . Renderings indicate the old stadium would be demolished. 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. The 2023 Tampa Bay Rays season is the 26th season of the Tampa Bay Rays franchise and their 16th as the Rays. 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). Guerra isn't exactly a . 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. Get the inside scoop on jobs, salaries, top office locations, and CEO insights. https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Daily/Issues/2023/04/26/Franchises/tampa-bay-rays-standings-topicana-field-tickets.aspx. 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. So, even if the Rays do end up making the. The Rays and Charlotte County intend to develop a restoration plan for Charlotte Sports Park in the coming weeks.. They have a lease that runs through 2031 after recent extensions, according to the Port Charlotte Sun. The Rays Major League spring workouts, plus a Feb. 28 home game, will take place at the Disney complex in Lake Buena Vista. Tampa Bay Rays. More than two decades of archival stories, profiles, research and data. Meanwhile, the Rays couldnt fill their stadium during a playoff game. Related to that, and with a potential move there by the Rays, you'd have instant rivalry potential with the Seattle Mariners. The Rays declined through an email from a team spokesman to comment further. https://twitter.com/PDriscollTBT/status/1398317459220881408?s=20 The Rays dropped to 14-1 . 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. Rays president Brian Auld, who attended the mayor's event, said in a brief interview it is "a thrill" to see the project take a major step forward. The Rays are considering several options for a new spring base, including Tropicana Field and the Disney complex formerly used by the Braves, and hope to have a resolution in the next few weeks. With Charlotte Sports Park damaged from Hurricane Ian, the Tampa Bay Rays will be on the move when Spring Training 2023 arrives. Our Spectrum News app is the most convenient way to get the stories that matter to you. The Rays' current contract with Charlotte County runs through the 2028 spring training camp," a spokesperson wrote in an email to 10 Tampa Bay. Teams that cant draw or have stadium problems should get a 5 year out if these issues are not fixed. The community is in the thoughts and hearts of the Rays, and the team will continue to support recovery efforts. 4/24/2023 - Tampa Bay Rays amplify the wave to capitalize on record-tying start, SBJ Spotlight: Rich McKay of AMB Sports and Entertainment, Anquan Boldin on how the Players Coalition continues to fight for social justice, Jalen Rose on being a business-minded athlete, and why NIL is good for college players, Bill Simmons on the creation of ESPNs 30 for 30 documentaries. But it happens, even to the best of teams, the best of fans and even the most successful of franchises. The Rays have trained in Port Charlotte, which is about 90 minutes south of St. Petersburg, since 2009. Their attendance matches the teams talent level, and the Bucs have had great success, even before Tom Brady showed up in town. 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. There is an obvious solution as to where . Will Charlotte get MLB team? The stadium, where the Rays have conducted Spring Training since 2009, sustained water damage and electrical issues. dedicated to making a push for their own Major League Baseball team. But while sports is a passion for most of us, for the select few who own and operate a sports franchise, it is a stressful business, and sometimes the product has to go where a demanding market wants it. 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?). "It's not just for a ballgame but an entire experience.". 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 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 . There was also a proposal to split their home games between St. Petersburg and Montreal that was rejected by Major League Baseball. 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. 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. In 2018, he listed Nashville, along with Las Vegas, Charlotte, Montreal, Portland and Vancouver as potential . Oh, and they have been doing all this while remaining in the bottom third of the MLB's payroll rankings. Get hyperlocal forecasts, radar and weather alerts. 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 . 2023 Leaders Group. 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. Relocation and contraction are words no fan wants to hear, especially if it involves their beloved team. The team is considering several options and hopes to make a decision in the next few weeks. Tampa Bay Rays Spring Training: Southern Exposure. Same goes for the Colts. Doherty noted that while the Stone Crabs offered some family friendly fun, the county was successful in attractingyouth tournaments to recoup some tourism dollars. The Rays and Braves played the first game ever at CoolToday Park, to close out the 2019 spring training schedule. Cookie Notice 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 . But, lets say the Rays come to town. 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. | Powered By: Web Seo Wiz. San Antonio, despite immense basketball success, is considered small market. Well, until the strike hit anyway). With Charlotte Sports Park damaged due to Hurricane Ian, the team plans on opening spring at Disneys ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex. 2023, Charter Communications, all rights reserved. One of the drawbacks, however, would be the very low population. The Rays' Major League spring workouts, plus a Feb. 28 home game, will take place at the Disney complex in Lake Buena Vista. The decision affects both the major league and minor league camps. 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. Pat Williams has made a direct appeal to Rays management about a move to the city of Orlando. ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex will provide our players and coaches with first-class facilities for their annual ramp-up to the season., The Rays announced earlier this month that they would not be able to host spring training at their facility in Port Charlotte because repairs to their complex could not be made in time for spring training. Why? The Rays will operate their big league camp at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex from then until March 1. They want to be next to a vibrant downtown," Welch said. 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. Please enter your username or email address to reset your password. However, as I just stated, this is geared towards getting a new team. Download it here. The broader plan includes about 5,700 housing units -- a large chunk of them to be deemed affordable -- office and retail space, 700 hotel rooms, a 2,500-seat entertainment venue and a new Woodson African American Museum of Florida. This is the ONLY place the Rays need to go. 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. December 1, 2022. PETERSBURG -- Due to damage caused by Hurricane Ian, the Rays will not be able to hold Spring Training in Port Charlotte next year. If the Rays were to leave the Tampa-St.Pete area, this should be the first place they should consider going. It would work out, believe me it will. Lets give Tennessee its own team instead. Daily updates aggregating the stories and spin from more than 600 outlets across the globe. The Rays have trained since . 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 should be noted though that MLB had Charlotte as a finalist for the Expos franchise when relocation was being considered (and eventually acted on). Montreal was viable once so, of course, it can be again and the Blue Jays, through thick and thin, have stuck around. 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. '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. Related: Braves brace for spring training push following World Series victory. Overall, Welch said, the idea is to create a destination for people who come to Rays games, as well as build a new community. Already a subscriber? one for each of the times a baseball flew into the Tropicana catwalks during the postseason over the years. The previously released exhibition schedule is expected to be revised. With the Rays relocating, there were minor changes made to the Grapefruit League schedule, which MLB announced on Wednesday: Pitchers and catchers are scheduled to report to Spring Training on Feb. 14, with early arrivals slated for Feb. 6. 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. The Rays will operate their big league camp at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex from then until March 1. Click below to sign in. Its also a decent distance from Florida. 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. Firstly, one has to know that Nashville has an entire website dedicated to making a push for their own Major League Baseball team. The downsides of this proposal are apparent. 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. Seattle Mariners unveil City Connect uniforms. 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. 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. 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). Legacy: Charlotte has never been much of a baseball town. Ticket information for the Rays Spring Training games will be released in January. Commissioner Rob Manfred has repeatedly stated his desire to expand to 32 teams. 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 Braves used the Disney facility for 22 years, most recently in 2019, before moving their Spring Training operations to CoolToday Park in North Port. (Photo by Julio Aguilar/G. 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. Team officials said there was not enough time to get the park in suitable condition to host games. 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. Analysis: I'm not joking when I put this as my choice. 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. Not to mention that the Triple-A Charlotte Knights get pretty good attendance, at least when COVID isnt affecting their numbers. Lets be real. 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. 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. The Rays easy solution to fixing their money and attendance problems is to simply move north to Tampa. sun PHOTO BY TOM O'NEILL The Tampa Bay Times reported on Sept. 29 that there was obvious damage done to the Charlotte Sports Park complex, noting that a worker on site described water damage and electrical issues inside the buildings. 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. The storm struck the southwest coast of Florida and slowly moved across the state. Privacy Policy. Floridians dont care about baseball as much hence Florida Marlins. Ian made landfall just south of Punta Gorda on Sept. 28. 1 spring training destination by the readers of USA Today and 10Best. 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. Other Franchises: Tampa Bay Buccaneers (average attendance: 49,000-plus; one championship), Tampa Bay Lightning (average attendance: 17,000-plus; one championship). 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. "This selection validates all the hard work," Auld said. However, if they were to bite the bullet and go to North Carolina, theres definitely reasons to believe they can succeed. 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 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. 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 continue to look for a long-term answer to stay in Florida, asking for a new stadium to be built in Tampa. 49 print issues delivered to your home or office. How awesome would a brand new baseball stadium look near the Las Vegas strip? The Rays have not yet finalized their plans for Spring Training, but they are considering a variety of options. "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 . 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. Charlotte, N.C. 2 of 5 Other Franchises: Charlotte Bobcats, Carolina Panthers. Co-founder and retired executive of the Orlando Magic. 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. Legacy: The Portland Beavers have been a AAA affiliate (or minor league affiliate in some capacity) since the beginning of the 20th century. 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. It did help with putting us a little more on the map with travelers and tourists, he added. That said, on this list, I find this destination the least likely. While the Whalers were a popular franchise in Hartford, Hartford is just plain inexperienced at handling major league sports. Charlotte Sports Park has been Tampa Bays Spring Training home since 2009. ST. PETERSBURG -- Unable to use the Charlotte Sports Park complex due to damage caused by Hurricane Ian, the Rays will hold the first phase of their Major League Spring Training camp at Disneys ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex before hosting most of their Grapefruit League games at Tropicana Field. Your email address will not be published. The Montreal thing has come up a number of times the past few years. K.C. The downsides of this proposal are apparent. That's an extra 25,000 and a total attendance of 43,000-plus. The Indiana Pacers are floundering at the moment, which would provide the Rays with an opening to win over the Indianapolis fanbase. 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. 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. Get notified on your phone in the morning with the latest forecast and news to start your day. Follow our Tampa Bay Times sports team on Twitter and Facebook. There are corporate interests, fans to pounce on, and an area that wants baseball. 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. 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. 1 one month into the season? The two closest teams to Charlotte (Braves & Nats) are both NL, so having a Carolina team be AL only makes sense 7. Attendance is always low. Relocate to Montreal or Nashville where they can draw fans, same can said for the Marlins, Writers and fans STILL dont have much to talk about right now regarding baseball, but in other news, MLB finally shot down. The Rays play their home games at Tropicana Field as members of Major League Baseball's American League East Division.. Then they lost them. The two closest teams to Charlotte (Braves & Nats) are both NL, so having a Carolina team be AL only makes sense, 7. Obviously the Rays would need a new ballpark built, but the remaining fanbase in Tampa Bay is already calling for a new stadium, so this is somewhat of a moot point. Meanwhile, the Rays couldnt fill their stadium during a playoff game. 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 County supports the Rays efforts to secure alternative accommodations for 2023 spring training., Added the Rays, We are all disappointed for the residents of Charlotte County and the fans there. Rays' early-season success leads to attendance bump.
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