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 rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. 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 any time a team threatens or considers folding, Portland is in the cards. Column: Another domino falls on road to MLB expansion Tampa Bay Rays Careers and Employment - Indeed MLB Power Rankings: Who's No. It did help with putting us a little more on the map with travelers and tourists, he added. 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, which first hosted the Rays in 2009, followinga $28 million renovation. The downsides of this proposal are apparent. 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. Danny - Nationals Lead Writer: @Nats_Baseball, Matt - Nationals Lead Writer: @HolleranMDH, 2021 Half Street High Heat A Nationals Podcast . Tampa This was the only city that was going to be number 1. If the Rays were to leave the Tampa-St.Pete area, this should be the first place they should consider going. 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. Oh, and they have been doing all this while remaining in the bottom third of the MLB's payroll rankings. 1 spring training destination by the readers of USA Today and 10Best. Its also a decent distance from Florida. Its the fifth fastest growing city in the US, and a growing city for sports aswell with the Panthers boasting the 7th highest average attendence in 2018 despite being a relatively new expansion team, 5. Theres also the fact that the Rays would have nowhere to play until they move, which sours the idea of an immediate relocation. Tampa Bay Rays Spring Training - Spring Training Online It can be problematic, but not unheard of, for Major League baseball teams to host spring training at more than one site. 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. Will Charlotte get MLB team? Related to that, and with a potential move there by the Rays, you'd have instant rivalry potential with the Seattle Mariners. Lets give Tennessee its own team instead. Meanwhile, the Rays couldnt fill their stadium during a playoff game. 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." However, if they were to bite the bullet and go to North Carolina, theres definitely reasons to believe they can succeed. So is it their time yet? The Rays Minor League camp will be based out of the Disney complex throughout Spring Training. Officials: Tampa Bay Rays considering Pasco County training facility - KPNX 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. 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. Download it here. Is it likely? All rights reserved. Insert the Rays into Memphis, and you have a city on the rise with two very young franchises thriving on the baseball diamond and hardwood. 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 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. 1:50. Because Charlotte is another example of a city that would be better off receiving an expansion franchise than an exported Rays franchise that would probably have to change its name to something more relevant. Rays to Disney's sports complex before games at the Trop. Uncover why Tampa Bay Rays is the best company for you. 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 easy solution to fixing their money and attendance problems is to simply move north to Tampa. That said, on this list, I find this destination the least likely. 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. Related: Braves brace for spring training push following World Series victory. So, even if the Rays do end up making the. If you can plop a stadium right into downtown Tampa, you get it all. 1? 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. 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. However, as I just stated, this is geared towards getting a new team. 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. In 2018, he listed Nashville, along with Las Vegas, Charlotte, Montreal, Portland and Vancouver as potential . Same goes for the Colts. If Nashville wants Major League Baseball, it should look at Tampa 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. Moving the Rays to Charlotte is not only a good move, but an - Reddit They would have a fan base and really wouldnt effect the St.Louis Cardinals. Other Franchises: Portland Trailblazers (one championship), Portland Timbers. The stadium, where the Rays have conducted Spring Training since 2009, sustained water damage and electrical issues. Analysis: Being about 20 minutes from the worldwide leader in sports, ESPN, might help you get the stakes up, but will it provide the lasting touch into sustaining a franchise long term? But, lets say the Rays come to town. This scenario seems perfect for an in-state move. According to the Tampa Bay Times, the Rays may have identified a future ballpark location at the recently abandoned K-Force headquarters building on the north side of ongoing redevelopment at. K.C. However, as a former resident, I will add that even during the WORST of times with both the Bucs and Lightning, there were very dedicated fans that came). Follow our Tampa Bay Times sports team on Twitter and Facebook. The Tampa Bay Rays have baseball's best offense, . The Spurs have been world class forwellever it seems. There are corporate interests, fans to pounce on, and an area that wants baseball. Charlotte is a fast growing city, and theres tons of potential in every way. 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. stories and Draft takeaways; The premise behind Wasserman Ventures; Tony Ressler's grand vision for Atlanta and early schedule highlights from an expanded CFP. Analysis: Fool me oncewhile the Expos had its fair share of ownership issues throughout its troubled history, the Expos also had very lousy attendance and, not for the last time, a Canadian team playing a United States game, had to go elsewhere. 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. Legacy: Charlotte has never been much of a baseball town. "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 . A. . Get the inside scoop on jobs, salaries, top office locations, and CEO insights. 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. The Rays have trained since . The Rays faced the Atlanta Braves and drew 1,127 fans, the maximum attendance because of COVID-19 restrictions. Please enter your username or email address to reset your password. 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. [Source: TampaBay.com] 10 Things To Know About The 2022 Gameplan for a Rays Stadium in Ybor. "This selection validates all the hard work," Auld said. 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. Renderings indicate the old stadium would be demolished. A playoff game. Storm damage to have Rays on the move for Spring Training I think MLB view cities like Montreal, Portland, Nashville, Charlotte and possibly Mexico City as possible expansion cities. 1. Ticket information for the Rays Spring Training games will be released in January. 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. There has been discussion from some investors. The decision affects both the major league and minor league camps. Where . Welch said the plan should keep the Rays in St. Petersburg for the long term. At first, it seems like an odd move for the Tampa Bay Rays to abandon one of the cushiest spring-training setups in baseball and leave scenic Al Lang Field in downtown St. Petersburg for a spring-training site once abandoned by the Texas Rangers. NHL Lightning & Panthers. The Rays will operate their big league camp at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex from then until March 1. 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 team is considering several options and hopes to make a decision in the next few weeks. 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. Award-winning original reporting, with in-depth profiles, timely research and expert opinions on the biggest issues and stories in sports business. But This is What You Should Have Expected, Mocking the Nationals Offseason, Early Postseason Edition, Mr. Soto or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Washington Nationals, Nats Prospects or: The Art of Tempering Expectations. 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' current contract with Charlotte County runs through the 2028 spring training camp," a spokesperson wrote in an email to 10 Tampa Bay. The multifield complex will give the Rays the space they need for their Spring Training workouts. 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.
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