Writers and fans STILL dont have much to talk about right now regarding baseball, but in other news, MLB finally shot down the Tampa Bay Rays ridiculous plan to split their season between the Tampa area and Montreal. The downsides of this proposal are apparent. 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. Population:709,441 (18th among U.S. cities), Other Professional Teams in the City: Carolina Panthers. Column: Another domino falls on road to MLB expansion Rays moving spring camp due to damage caused by hurricane 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. the Tampa Bay Rays ridiculous plan to split their season between the Tampa area and Montreal. The Rays faced the Atlanta Braves and drew 1,127 fans, the maximum attendance because of COVID-19 restrictions. Not only is it the most reasonable, but it is the most likely, at least in my opinion. 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.. I think it is about time the world's largest playground gets a professional sports team. 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). Related: Braves brace for spring training push following World Series victory. Timely, daily updates provide the latest developments and news relied upon by industry leaders. A future without Rays spring training? Possibility leaves many Astros: Why pitcher Luis Garcia relied on his cutter to shut out Rays Ranking MLB's radical City Connect uniforms: Which one's No. Its definitely still a possibility and a good idea at that. 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. K.C. If you can plop a stadium right into downtown Tampa, you get it all. Get notified on your phone in the morning with the latest forecast and news to start your day. The storm struck the southwest coast of Florida and slowly moved across the state. Tampa Bay Rays Spring Training: Southern Exposure. There are already 2 teams in Texas that have been there for a long time (Astros since 1962, Rangers since 1971), and they have taken up the majority of the fan interest. Co-founder and retired executive of the Orlando Magic Pat Williams has made a direct appeal to Rays management about a move to the city of Orlando. Oakland A's are relocating; Tampa Bay Rays are on deck | Commentary 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 . 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. Please enter your username or email address to reset your password. Related to that, and with a potential move there by the Rays, you'd have instant rivalry potential with the Seattle Mariners. They have a temporary stadium that could possibly be upgraded. 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. 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. However, at its closest, St. Pete is six to eight miles from the city of Tampa and much, much farther coming from surrounding suburbs. Team officials said there was not enough time to get the park in suitable condition to host games. Legacy: Charlotte has never been much of a baseball town. History. 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 dropped to 14-1 at home after losing to the Astros. Tampa This was the only city that was going to be number 1. 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 . We are thankful for Disneys willingness and ability to accommodate our unexpected Spring Training needs, Rays president Matt Silverman said in a statement. Welch said the plan should keep the Rays in St. Petersburg for the long term. Already a subscriber? The Charlotte Stone Crabs enjoyed an 11-year run in Charlotte County. "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 . "At the moment there's not something concrete with any of these clubs, but I'm told he's open to make a top club move in the summer so it's one to watch for sure. If you can plop a stadium right into downtown Tampa, you get it all. It can be problematic, but not unheard of, for Major League baseball teams to host spring training at more than one site. Register for a free SBJ account to unlock one extra article per month. 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 . 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. Tampa Bay Rays Looking At Possible Move To Nashville Rays relocate 2023 spring workouts to Disney - MLB 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. The move to Central Florida comes after the team's facilities in Port Charlotte were damaged by Hurricane Ian back in September. It did help with putting us a little more on the map with travelers and tourists, he added. Lets give Tennessee its own team instead. Theres also the fact that the Rays would have nowhere to play until they move, which sours the idea of an immediate relocation. 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. From 2009 to 2020, it also hosted the Charlotte Stone Crabs of the Class A-Advanced Florida State League. 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. . Its also a decent distance from Florida. 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. However, as I just stated, this is geared towards getting a new team. If the team were moved to the city in which is takes it name from, would that attendance increase? 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. Its definitely still a possibility and a good idea at that. Get hyperlocal forecasts, radar and weather alerts. Rays ownership still has a proposal for a $700 million stadium in Ybor City at their feet. 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. Tampa Bay Rays moving spring training site due to hurricane damage. 2023 Leaders Group. Central Texas is one of the most populous areas in the United States, and there have been talks of them potentially hosting another sports team for some time. 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. 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). The downsides of this proposal are apparent. 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 Charlotte Sports Park facility, which has been the the Rays spring home since 2009, sustained extensive damage in the late-September storm, including to the game stadium and other buildings. However, the key stat here, is the Rays television audience. Tampa, while a great city, is not exactly a great sports town, even during the best of times (the Bucs and Lightning have won championships but consistent attendance is a problem. And even if the Rays create a mini-dynasty and win four of the next five championships, the current situation (crappy stadium, poor attendance, terrible local access) at a consistent rate will cause the owners and operators to question the viability of a Tampa franchise. 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. 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. 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. The Rays and Charlotte County announced on Dec. 1 that the club would not be able to hold Spring Training at Charlotte Sports Park. out of the belief they could bring an MLB team to the stadium instead. The biggest reason to move to Charlotte is because it is an untapped baseball market. 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 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. Get the inside scoop on jobs, salaries, top office locations, and CEO insights. 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. December 1, 2022. While this proposal has some ground, its one that needs to become more concrete, and works better for an expansion franchise. Can this problem be solved with money and a stadium move to Tampa proper? 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.
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