Along with other list member Charlotte, Portland was a finalist for the Expos franchise but lost out to Washington. The Rays current contract with Charlotte County runs through the 2028 spring training camp.. Divisions will stay the same, because the move from Tampa to Charlotte keeps the team on the East coast no rearranging of divisions would be necessary 6. Legacy: San Antonio is known as a basketball town with the two major franchises being the NBA and the WNBA. If you can plop a stadium right into downtown Tampa, you get it all. However, at its closest, St. Pete is six to eight miles from the city of Tampa and much, much farther coming from surrounding suburbs. However, if they were to bite the bullet and go to North Carolina, theres definitely reasons to believe they can succeed. Attendance is always low. 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 material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Leaders Group. 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. 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). It might be easier to root for the Red Sox or Yankees if you live in Connecticut, but I just have a gut feeling a Hartford team would be a resounding success. Welch said the plan should keep the Rays in St. Petersburg for the long term. Wander Franco #5 of the Tampa Bay Rays hits a ground ball in the first inning against the Minnesota Twins during a Grapefruit League spring training game at Charlotte Sports Park on March 29, 2022 in Port Charlotte, Florida. The city of Omaha has also risen in the population rankings from 47th to 40th since 1990, which indicates a growing interest in the area and perhaps a growing fanbase if the trend continues. Other Franchises: Indiana Pacers, Indianapolis Colts (five total championships, two Super Bowl victories), Indiana Fever. Follow our Tampa Bay Times sports team on Twitter and Facebook. The market, fan interest, history, community, and financial backing all exist, making this a great option if theyre willing to have a relocated franchise. A spokesman for Tampa Mayor Jane Castor declined to comment as well, noting that the city would not be involved in that concept. Tampa residents Dennis Gallagher and his daughter Kate wait for the start of the Tampa Bay Rays final home spring training game last season. Ticket information for the Rays Spring Training games will be released in January. Analysis: I'm not joking when I put this as my choice. Watch more top videos, highlights, and B/R original content, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. Imagine converting one-fourth of that 100,000 television audience to home games live. 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. All rights reserved. So yes, these options are regional. Charlotte County supports the Rays efforts to secure alternative accommodations for 2023 spring training. 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. Where are the Tampa Bay Rays moving to? | Dependable The Rays dropped to 14-1 at home after losing to the Astros. 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 . 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. NHL Lightning & Panthers. Ian made landfall just south of Punta Gorda on Sept. 28. December 1, 2022. It has had a AA and AAA squad (the current incarnation is the Charlotte Knights, who are the White Sox affiliate), but most professional sports have been basketball (the former Hornets and now the Bobcats) and football (the Panthers, who despite varied success, average in the top 10 in attendance). 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. All rights reserved. Details remain to be worked out over the next several years, including how to finance the project among the Rays, the city, Pinellas County and other entities. This scenario seems perfect for an in-state move. 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. Meanwhile, the Rays couldnt fill their stadium during a playoff game. The Rays Minor League camp will be based out of the Disney complex throughout Spring Training. The mayor's grandfather ran a woodyard business there before the neighborhood was essentially obliterated by Tropicana Field. 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 Raleigh-based Carolina Hurricanes (NHL) have also begun to sputter. (Photo by Julio Aguilar/G. 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 think the loyal sports followers would go, but I think the biggest problem would be how spoiled the fans would be. With Charlotte Sports Park damaged due to Hurricane Ian, the team plans on opening spring at Disneys ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex. 2023 Tampa Bay Rays season - Wikipedia 2021 Half Street High Heat A Nationals Podcast, Nats Parks New BetMGM Sportsbook is Great. The Tampa Sports Authority had researchers put together a new report on the financials of putting in a new stadium for the Tampa Bay Rays in Ybor City. 5 Potential Relocation Spots For Rays - Half Street High Heat | A Not to mention a name change the Rays would have to do, to something like the Stars or Outlaws. 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. Wed be very sad to see them go. The Rays faced the Atlanta Braves and drew 1,127 fans, the maximum attendance because of COVID-19 restrictions. 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. The Rangers and Astros have been centerpieces of MLB for decades. It time to move on to more deserving cities. Legacy: Montreal once had the Expos. Commissioner Rob Manfred has repeatedly stated his desire to expand to 32 teams. Award-winning original reporting, with in-depth profiles, timely research and expert opinions on the biggest issues and stories in sports business. New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast. 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. 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. PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla. The Tampa Bay Rays will be on the move when Spring Training 2023 arrives. 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. Tampa Bay's success on the field has not translated to putting fans in the stands of Tropicana Field though, which is a big reason why their payroll continues to remain low and will not be doing them any favors as the trade deadline approaches in 2011. Maestas, a member of Sports Business Journals Forty Under 40 class of 2015. Other Franchises: Charlotte Bobcats, Carolina Panthers. Cities like Vegas and Memphis relocation cities. 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. We are thankful for Disneys willingness and ability to accommodate our unexpected Spring Training needs, Rays president Matt Silverman said in a statement. I think it is about time the world's largest playground gets a professional sports team. For more information, please see our 5. If you can plop a stadium right into downtown Tampa, you get it all. The Rays declined through an email from a team spokesman to comment further. They have a temporary stadium that could possibly be upgraded. But the infrastructure is there, in case the idea is ever there. The Rays will operate their big league camp at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex from then until March 1. dedicated to making a push for their own Major League Baseball team. As part of the move to Charlotte, the Rays moved their Class A team from Vero Beach to Charlotte County. A. . 4.26.2023. The Rays easy solution to fixing their money and attendance problems is to simply move north to Tampa. Moving the Rays to Charlotte is not only a good move, but an - Reddit 1 spring training destination by the readers of USA Today and 10Best. Doherty noted that while the Stone Crabs offered some family friendly fun, the county was successful in attractingyouth tournaments to recoup some tourism dollars. NFL Owner Rips Baseball Team for Plans to Move to Las Vegas PETERSBURG -- Due to damage caused by Hurricane Ian, the Rays will not be able to hold Spring Training in Port Charlotte next year. Baseball Legacy: Tampa and its bay area is, of course, a major player in the MLB spring training. A spokeswoman for Simpson confirmed that he and other Pasco County state legislators would consider seeking state aid for a proposed training site, depending on the details.. 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). 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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. 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. Download it here. Renderings indicate the old stadium would be demolished. 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. Will Charlotte get MLB team? Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. "Following a joint assessment of the . St. Petersburg is a hike from Tampa, and most of the ways to get between the two cities are clogged during weekday rush hour. If the Rays were to leave the Tampa-St.Pete area, this should be the first place they should consider going. With two major franchises already in tow, one being the Bobcats with an owner in Michael Jordan, and the Panthers, who have had their share of regular season and playoff success, the idea of a MLB team in the city doesn't seem outlandish. They also need a home for their minor-league teams to train. Rays Could Still Move To Tampa After St. Pete Redevelopment Bid But, lets say the Rays come to town. 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. There isnt really an issue with this proposal. 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. Plan outlined for new Tampa Bay Rays ballpark, redevelopment - ESPN More than two decades of archival stories, profiles, research and data. ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex will provide our players and coaches with first-class facilities for their annual ramp-up to the season.. Population: 807,584 (14th among U.S. cities), Other Professional Teams in the City: Indianapolis Colts, Indiana Pacers. Tampa Bay Rays early season success leads to attendance bump There is also an established baseball tradition in Omaha with the College World Series played there every year. 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. While the Whalers were a popular franchise in Hartford, Hartford is just plain inexperienced at handling major league sports. Pat Williams has made a direct appeal to Rays management about a move to the city of Orlando. 2023 Leaders Group. Tampa Bay previously hosted six regular-season games at the Disney ballpark, sweeping a series against the Rangers in May 2007 then winning three games against the Blue Jays in April 2008. In2014, the new stadium, which included a boardwalk food area behind the outfield fence and a grass berm seating area, was named the No. The Rays play their home games at Tropicana Field as members of Major League Baseball's American League East Division.. 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. Oh, and they have been doing all this while remaining in the bottom third of the MLB's payroll rankings. The Rays' easy solution to fixing their money and attendance problems is to simply move north to Tampa. https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Daily/Issues/2023/04/26/Franchises/tampa-bay-rays-standings-topicana-field-tickets.aspx. Rays to move 2023 spring training after Charlotte Sports Park damage