PETERSBURG -- Due to damage caused by Hurricane Ian, the Rays will not be able to hold Spring Training in Port Charlotte next year. There isnt really an issue with this proposal. St. Petersburg is a hike from Tampa, and most of the ways to get between the two cities are clogged during weekday rush hour. Ranking MLB's radical City Connect uniforms: Which one's No. Firstly, one has to know that Nashville has an entire website dedicated to making a push for their own Major League Baseball team. I was at the infamous David Price Tweet game last year when the Rays had a chance to clinch a playoff spot against the Orioles. The latter ideacomes from state Sen. William Simpson, R-Trilby, current senate president. So is it possible? Legacy:Besides the two major sports of basketball and football, in which the Indianapolis crowd has been lucky to have very storied franchises with big names, Indianapolis is home to prestigious racing, WNBA, and, as of late, major college basketball success with Butler. 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. Other Franchises: No major sport franchises. 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. . 2023 Leaders Group. Population:709,441 (18th among U.S. cities), Other Professional Teams in the City: Carolina Panthers. Tampa Bay Rays. 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 . Not to mention a name change the Rays would have to do, to something like the Stars or Outlaws. 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. The Rays and Charlotte County intend to develop a restoration plan for Charlotte Sports Park in the coming weeks.. Rays ownership still has a proposal for a $700 million stadium in Ybor City at their feet. The Rays will operate their big league camp at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex from then until March 1. 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. It did help with putting us a little more on the map with travelers and tourists, he added. 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 . 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. 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. Download it here. The previously released exhibition schedule is expected to be revised. Charlotte County supports the Rays efforts to secure alternative accommodations for 2023 spring training., Added the Rays, We are all disappointed for the residents of Charlotte County and the fans there. "This team is the best partner for this generational endeavor, and now the next phase of work begins to bring this dream to reality for everyone in St. Petersburg," Welch said in a speech on the steps of City Hall. They had 35 years with very little success (one NLCS appearance and the best record in baseball in 1994. Theres also the fact that the Rays would have nowhere to play until they move, which sours the idea of an immediate relocation. QUIZ: Which Member of the 2021 Washington Nationals Are You? The biggest reason to move to Charlotte is because it is an untapped baseball market. 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. Here are five cities that would likely be great fits for the Rays. One thing I can say is that Portland folks are extremely outgoing and very loyal. Legacy: San Antonio is known as a basketball town with the two major franchises being the NBA and the WNBA. Ticket information for the Rays Spring Training games will be released in January. Two proposals shepherded by the previous mayor were scrapped last year by Welch, who sought to focus more on affordable housing and job opportunities at the Gas Plant District. Sorry, something went wrong with the copy but here is the link for you. We are thrilled to be bringing Major League Baseball back to Walt Disney World Resort, Faron Kelley, vice president of Disney Sports, said in a statement. Obviously the Rays would need a new ballpark built, but the remaining fanbase in Tampa Bay is already calling for a new stadium, so this is somewhat of a moot point. The Tampa Bay Rays have been one of the best stories in Major League Baseball since 2008 when they went from being the doormat of the American League to the World Series runner-up. After Tampa was awarded the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Tampa Bay Rowdies in the 1970s, St. Petersburg decided it wanted a share of the professional sports scene in Tampa Bay. Obviously the Rays would need a new ballpark built, but the remaining fanbase in Tampa Bay is already calling for a new stadium, so this is somewhat of a moot point. I need not remind everyone theres no team between Washington, D.C. and Atlanta. The Rays will likely not be able to use TD Ameritrade Park though because of the minor league teams in the city, plus it can only fit around 24,000 fans. By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. Legacy: Montreal once had the Expos. Move the Tampa Rays to Memphis. This is the ONLY place the Rays need to go. I think MLB view cities like Montreal, Portland, Nashville, Charlotte and possibly Mexico City as possible expansion cities. The Rays and Charlotte County announced the decision in a joint statement on Thursday night. Welch said the plan should keep the Rays in St. Petersburg for the long term. 5. Rays' early-season success leads to attendance bump. Orlando is a smaller city than Tampa, but it gains much more tourist revenue. 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. 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. The Rays have been their prime candidate, considering their desire for a new stadium and less than spectacular attendance figures in Tampa Bay. The Grizzlies were 27th in NBA attendance, but this is largely due to their struggles during the regular season. 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. 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. 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). 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. We are thankful for Disneys willingness and ability to accommodate our unexpected Spring Training needs, Rays president Matt Silverman said in a statement. Floridians dont care about baseball as much hence Florida Marlins. Not to mention that the, Triple-A Charlotte Knights get pretty good attendance, , at least when COVID isnt affecting their numbers. The Rays' easy solution to fixing their money and attendance problems is to simply move north to Tampa. There was also a proposal to split their home games between St. Petersburg and Montreal that was rejected by Major League Baseball. Why? 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. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. And while this Rays fan would be immensely sad if his home town team lost it's major league baseball franchise, there is no reason, in the worse case scenario that they DO, indeed, leave, for me to think the franchise, as changed as it would be, couldn't flourish somewhere else. 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. MLB Power Rankings: Who's No. 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. Teams that cant draw or have stadium problems should get a 5 year out if these issues are not fixed. 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. The Montreal thing has come up a number of times the past few years. A's officials last week announced that they had signed a binding agreement to purchase 49 acres of land for a stadium . sun PHOTO BY TOM O'NEILL Let's be real. The city's population ranking has shot up from 63rd to 28th since 1990, which is also another great reason to establish a professional sports team in Las Vegas. 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). Well see, he added. A spokesman for Tampa Mayor Jane Castor declined to comment as well, noting that the city would not be involved in that concept. one for each of the times a baseball flew into the Tropicana catwalks during the postseason over the years. So, even if the Rays do end up making the. 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. But, lets say the Rays come to town. Privacy Policy. Following a joint assessment of the damage to Charlotte Sports Park caused by Hurricane Ian, Charlotte County and the Tampa Bay Rays have determined there is not adequate time before the Rays 2023 spring training is scheduled to begin to get the park in suitable condition to host games, the statement said. Tampa, mainly, services minor league teams.
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