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. Tampa Bay Rays moving spring training site due to hurricane damage. Rays Moving Spring Camp Due to Damage Caused by Hurricane - US News This scenario seems perfect for an in-state move. Already a subscriber? December 1, 2022. On a personal note, I am a Rays fan living outside of Florida (though born and raised in Tampa, represent!) For more information, please see our Its also a decent distance from Florida. 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. 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). K.C. MLB-best Tampa Bay strengthens bullpen with Brewers trade 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. Other Franchises: Charlotte Bobcats, Carolina Panthers. Were always looking for top-tier events, like the Rays Spring Training, for our guests to enjoy at ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex.. 1. Theres also the fact that the Rays would have nowhere to play until they move, which sours the idea of an immediate relocation. However, there's no . This is the ONLY place the Rays need to go. 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. But as for baseball, Indianapolis has the AAA affiliate for the usually awful Pittsburgh Pirates. While this proposal has some ground, its one that needs to become more concrete, and works better for an expansion franchise. 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). Danny - Nationals Lead Writer: @Nats_Baseball, Matt - Nationals Lead Writer: @HolleranMDH, 2021 Half Street High Heat A Nationals Podcast . Well, until the strike hit anyway). We are thankful for Disneys willingness and ability to accommodate our unexpected Spring Training needs, Rays president Matt Silverman said in a statement. The Rays have trained since . 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 Rays current contract with Charlotte County runs through the 2028 spring training camp.. Seattle Mariners unveil City Connect uniforms. So would bringing a team back there make sense? Uncover why Tampa Bay Rays is the best company for you. There werent as many teams near the teams former spring training home Lake Buena Vista. 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. Theres also the fact that the Rays would have nowhere to play until they move, which sours the idea of an immediate relocation. With the Athletics buying land for a new stadium in . 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. The Montreal thing has come up a number of times the past few years. 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 Rays have arguably the best bullpen in the big leagues. Not much has changed in Tampa Bay this year either. 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. Daily updates aggregating the stories and spin from more than 600 outlets across the globe. , and with the split-season proposal with Montreal shot down, the idea is gaining traction. 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. Please enter your username or email address to reset your password. Period. They had 35 years with very little success (one NLCS appearance and the best record in baseball in 1994. Pat Williams has made a direct appeal to Rays management about a move to the city of Orlando. The city has experimented with five different minor league baseball teams since 1903 with limited success. A history in Charlotte County. ", 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. The Rays and Charlotte County intend to develop a restoration plan for Charlotte Sports Park in the coming weeks.. 2023 Leaders Group. Charlotte is a fast growing city, and theres tons of potential in every way. 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 . Register for a free SBJ account to unlock one extra article per month. 2023 Tampa Bay Rays season - Wikipedia 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. 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 . They also need a home for their minor-league teams to train. With Charlotte Sports Park damaged due to Hurricane Ian, the team plans on opening spring at Disneys ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex. 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. Ian made landfall just south of Punta Gorda on Sept. 28. I think MLB view cities like Montreal, Portland, Nashville, Charlotte and possibly Mexico City as possible expansion cities. 2023 Leaders Group. 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. The Rays use the facility on a year-round basis for extended spring training, complex and instructional league play, and mini-camps. The Carolina Panthers are in the middle of a down phase and may not be winners again for quite some time. Column: Another domino falls on road to MLB expansion Not to mention a name change the Rays would have to do, to something like the Stars or Outlaws. Required fields are marked *. Sorry, something went wrong with the copy but here is the link for you. 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. Well have to play the wait-and-see game to see where that goes and we know their agreement here goes through 2028, so we hope to at least have them through then, but wed love to renew that agreement.. Maestas, a member of Sports Business Journals Forty Under 40 class of 2015. 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. 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. "It will no longer be a dream denied. MLB Power Rankings: Who's No. Pacers fans are immensely loyal and, regardless of talent or win totals, it always seems the Pacers are blue collar and supported as such. The Rays continue to look for a long-term answer to stay in Florida, asking for a new stadium to be built in Tampa. The Rays Minor League camp will be based out of the Disney complex throughout Spring Training. There is also an established baseball tradition in Omaha with the College World Series played there every year. SBJ I Factor presented by Allied Sports features an interview with Navigate founder A.J. 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. The biggest reason to move to Charlotte is because it is an untapped baseball market. Commissioner Rob Manfred has repeatedly stated his desire to expand to 32 teams. Imagine converting one-fourth of that 100,000 television audience to home games live. 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 decision affects both the major league and minor league camps. 5 Potential Relocation Spots For Rays - Half Street High Heat | A 1 spring training destination by the readers of USA Today and 10Best. "We are solely focused on the Sister City plan and keeping the Rays in Tampa Bay for generations," said Rays' president Brian Auld. 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. Where . How is MLB expansion impacted by the Oakland A's likely move to Las Get the inside scoop on jobs, salaries, top office locations, and CEO insights. The Indiana Pacers are floundering at the moment, which would provide the Rays with an opening to win over the Indianapolis fanbase. 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. 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 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. 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. Archived post. Montreal was viable once so, of course, it can be again and the Blue Jays, through thick and thin, have stuck around. Walt Disney World to host Tampa Bay Rays spring training Our Spectrum News app is the most convenient way to get the stories that matter to you. 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. There isnt really an issue with this proposal. A spokesman for Tampa Mayor Jane Castor declined to comment as well, noting that the city would not be involved in that concept. With this trade to re-acquire Javy Guerra, Tampa Bay is adding an intriguing arm to their group of relievers. Tampa Bay Rays Careers and Employment - Indeed