tampa bay rays moving to charlotte
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. 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. Tampa Bay Rays Spring Training: Southern Exposure. The Rays and Charlotte County intend to develop a restoration plan for Charlotte Sports Park in the coming weeks.. , and with the split-season proposal with Montreal shot down, the idea is gaining traction. 1 one month into the season? The Rays' Major League spring workouts, plus a Feb. 28 home game, will take place at the Disney complex in Lake Buena Vista. Charlotte County supports the Rays efforts to secure alternative accommodations for 2023 spring training. Id be on the road for leisure travel sales and when I mentioned I was from the Port Charlotte area, before the Rays came on, a lot of time Id get stares, because people didnt know where we were located, said Doherty who started with the bureau in 2005 as the sports marketing manager. PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla. The Tampa Bay Rays will be on the move when Spring Training 2023 arrives. Not to mention that the Triple-A Charlotte Knights get pretty good attendance, at least when COVID isnt affecting their numbers. Montreal was viable once so, of course, it can be again and the Blue Jays, through thick and thin, have stuck around. 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 Rays have trained in Port Charlotte, which is about 90 minutes south of St. Petersburg, since 2009. 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. Co-founder and retired executive of the Orlando Magic. The downsides of this proposal are apparent. 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. Attendance is always low. It did help with putting us a little more on the map with travelers and tourists, he added. 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. St. Petersburg is a hike from Tampa, and most of the ways to get between the two cities are clogged during weekday rush hour. All rights reserved. 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. Overall, Welch said, the idea is to create a destination for people who come to Rays games, as well as build a new community. 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. 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). 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. The city has experimented with five different minor league baseball teams since 1903 with limited success. So yes, these options are regional. On a personal note, I am a Rays fan living outside of Florida (though born and raised in Tampa, represent!) 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 . Get notified on your phone in the morning with the latest forecast and news to start your day. Population:709,441 (18th among U.S. cities), Other Professional Teams in the City: Carolina Panthers. NHL Lightning & Panthers. Teams that cant draw or have stadium problems should get a 5 year out if these issues are not fixed. out of the belief they could bring an MLB team to the stadium instead. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. The market, fan interest, history, community, and financial backing all exist, making this a great option if theyre willing to have a relocated franchise. Ranking MLB's radical City Connect uniforms: Which one's No. Click below to sign in. This scenario seems perfect for an in-state move. 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. Sure, the Expos had their legal fights, and they have their legal fans, but does a Tampa franchise struggling with attendance and stadium issues want to go back to the same problem but this time in a country that might be indifferent? Writers and fans STILL dont have much to talk about right now regarding baseball, but in other news, MLB finally shot down. Period. This is the ONLY place the Rays need to go. Move the Tampa Rays to Memphis. The latter ideacomes from state Sen. William Simpson, R-Trilby, current senate president. Why? Their attendance matches the teams talent level, and the Bucs have had great success, even before Tom Brady showed up in town. Not only is it the most reasonable, but it is the most likely, at least in my opinion. Team Puerto Ricos scheduled exhibition game against the Rays on Thursday, March 9 will now be hosted by the Atlanta Braves at North Port. 1. Can this problem be solved with money and a stadium move to Tampa proper? 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. The two closest teams to Charlotte (Braves & Nats) are both NL, so having a Carolina team be AL only makes sense, 7. Why are the Rays in St Pete? The Rays faced the Atlanta Braves and drew 1,127 fans, the maximum attendance because of COVID-19 restrictions. The stadium, where the Rays have conducted Spring Training since 2009, sustained water damage and electrical issues. It time to move on to more deserving cities. Tampa Bay Rays moving spring training site due to hurricane damage. 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. 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, as the Rays played their spring home games at Al Lang Field from 1998-2008 before moving south to Port Charlotte. Its definitely still a possibility and a good idea at that. But, lets say the Rays come to town. The Rays and Braves played the first game ever at CoolToday Park, to close out the 2019 spring training schedule. 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. However, as I just stated, this is geared towards getting a new team. A news outlet reported in August of 2010 that Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman is actively pursuing a professional baseball team for the city. 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. 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. They want to be next to a vibrant downtown," Welch said. The Toronto Blue Jays will now play the Rays at Tropicana Field on that date. Population: 807,584 (14th among U.S. cities), Other Professional Teams in the City: Indianapolis Colts, Indiana Pacers. 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. Were always looking for top-tier events, like the Rays Spring Training, for our guests to enjoy at ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex.. Other Franchises: Indiana Pacers, Indianapolis Colts (five total championships, two Super Bowl victories), Indiana Fever. Other Franchises: San Antonio Spurs (four championships), San Antonio Silver Stars. Charlotte is a great city that baseball should look to expand to, but for the Rays, its not the right option. Tampa, mainly, services minor league teams. Plus, the only teams the Rays would have to compete with for attendance would be the Nevada Wolfpack and the UNLV Rebels' college teamswell, and the Lingerie Football League (pictured above), but I do not think they will be able to cause the same attendance troubles the Rays have at the moment. With Charlotte Sports Park damaged from Hurricane Ian, the Tampa Bay Rays will be on the move when Spring Training 2023 arrives. 1:50. Pitchers and catchers are scheduled to report to Spring Training on Feb. 14, with early arrivals slated for Feb. 6. 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. 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. 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. 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. Period. Earle Kimel primarily covers south Sarasota County for the Herald-Tribune and can be reached at earle.kimel@heraldtribune.com. The Rays are just seven games out of the lead in the AL East and five and a half games out of the Wild Card, but are ranked 13th in AL attendance. 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. . City officials decided early on that the city would attempt to attract Major League Baseball. 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. Guerra isn't exactly a . The Rays have not yet finalized their plans for Spring Training, but they are considering a variety of options. "Charlotte County supports the Rays efforts to secure alternative accommodations for 2023 spring training," the statement . Is it reasonable to assume 15 to 30 percent of the entire city would go to a baseball game. Population: 567,641 (28th among U.S. cities), Other Professional Teams in the City: None. The Rays have had a charmed first month of the 2023 season, and plays like the one Wander Franco made against the Astros on Monday are what's fueled such a dominant start. But, lets say the Rays come to town. Perhaps not. Tampa Bay's 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. 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. 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. https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Daily/Issues/2023/04/26/Franchises/tampa-bay-rays-standings-topicana-field-tickets.aspx. Meanwhile, the Rays couldnt fill their stadium during a playoff game. Tampa residents Dennis Gallagher and his daughter Kate wait for the start of the Tampa Bay Rays final home spring training game last season. The latest personnel hires and promotions, plus exclusive ratings and research from the sports industry. Manager Joe Maddon helped guide the youthful Rays to their first playoff appearance in 2008, and they proceeded to upset the Boston Red Sox in the ALCS, but they were eventually defeated by the Philadelphia Phillies in the World Series. In 2018, he listed Nashville, along with Las Vegas, Charlotte, Montreal, Portland and Vancouver as potential . In recent years,the Rays have contemplated moving from St. Petersburg to Tampa, andteam officials have touted a Sister Cities concept that would have the Rayssplit theseason between new stadiums in Tampa and Montreal. Our Spectrum News app is the most convenient way to get the stories that matter to you. 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. If the team were moved to the city in which is takes it name from, would that attendance increase? Find out what works well at Tampa Bay Rays from the people who know best. Never miss out on the latest with the Bucs, Rays, Lightning, Florida college sports and more. 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.
Reborn As A Greek God Webnovel,
Ford Performance Power Pack 3,
Does Lips Color Change After Kissing,
Articles T