Theres also the fact that the Rays would have nowhere to play until they move, which sours the idea of an immediate relocation. 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. Right now, even as it struggles for in-person fans, Tampa draws close to 15 percent of Hartford's entire population per game. ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex will provide our players and coaches with first-class facilities for their annual ramp-up to the season.. They had 35 years with very little success (one NLCS appearance and the best record in baseball in 1994. Perhaps not. But the infrastructure is there, in case the idea is ever there. Charlotte is a great city that baseball should look to expand to, but for the Rays, its not the right option. 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. It would work out, believe me it will. Lets give Tennessee its own team instead. 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. The downsides of this proposal are apparent. How are Rays' hopes for a new stadium impacted by A's-Las Vegas deal? Not much has changed in Tampa Bay this year either. 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. 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.. I think the loyal sports followers would go, but I think the biggest problem would be how spoiled the fans would be. Are Tampa Bay Rays considering Nashville relocation for MLB franchise? December 1, 2022. 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. There are corporate interests, fans to pounce on, and an area that wants baseball. They get corporate interest, the same attendance as the other two Tampa-based teams, more fan interest, and more money to work with. Their attendance matches the teams talent level, and the Bucs have had great success, even before Tom Brady showed up in town. History. Imagine converting one-fourth of that 100,000 television audience to home games live. Maestas, a member of Sports Business Journals Forty Under 40 class of 2015. Commissioner Rob Manfred has repeatedly stated his desire to expand to 32 teams. 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. So would bringing a team back there make sense? So yes, these options are regional. Major League Baseball commissioner Rob Manfred said last year that there is a "sense of urgency" for the Rays to resolve their stadium issue and that MLB wants the team to remain in the Tampa Bay area. I need not remind everyone theres no team between Washington, D.C. and Atlanta. 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. The Spurs were consistently in the top half of the NBA in attendance pre-pandemic, showing that San Antonio can gather fan interest, while Austin would be a fun experiment. The latter ideacomes from state Sen. William Simpson, R-Trilby, current senate president. 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. Ian made landfall just south of Punta Gorda on Sept. 28. The Rays and Charlotte County intend to develop a restoration plan for Charlotte Sports Park in the coming weeks.. Charlotte Sports Park has been Tampa Bays Spring Training home since 2009. 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. The fans were out in full force to create one of the loudest arenas in the NBA during the Grizzlies' playoff run into the Western Conference semifinals. All rights reserved. The Rays dropped to 14-1 . There are corporate interests, fans to pounce on, and an area that wants baseball. Is it reasonable to assume 15 to 30 percent of the entire city would go to a baseball game. The Nationals Stink, BAD. The move to Central Florida comes after the team's facilities in Port Charlotte were damaged by Hurricane Ian back in September. If Nashville wants Major League Baseball, it should look at Tampa QUIZ: Which Member of the 2021 Washington Nationals Are You? St. Petersburg is a hike from Tampa, and most of the ways to get between the two cities are clogged during weekday rush hour. 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. Oakland A's are relocating; Tampa Bay Rays are on deck | Commentary Other Franchises: Indiana Pacers, Indianapolis Colts (five total championships, two Super Bowl victories), Indiana Fever. In 2018, he listed Nashville, along with Las Vegas, Charlotte, Montreal, Portland and Vancouver as potential . The Rays would have to build a new ballpark, but there is no reason not to believe it would not be revered by baseball fans in the area. Officials: Tampa Bay Rays considering Pasco County training facility - KPNX Rays to move spring training from storm-damaged Port Charlotte facility Yes. Other Franchises: Montreal Canadiens (24 championships). Population: 454,731 (40th among U.S. cities). 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. 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. 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. It did help with putting us a little more on the map with travelers and tourists, he added. With Charlotte Sports Park damaged due to Hurricane Ian, the team plans on opening spring at Disneys ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex. The Rays and Charlotte County announced the decision in a joint statement on Thursday night. But as for baseball, Indianapolis has the AAA affiliate for the usually awful Pittsburgh Pirates. Floridians dont care about baseball as much hence Florida Marlins. So it came as some surprise that the attendance for a 'home' franchise is so low (with, at least, fans originating from Tampa without ties to other franchises). The community is in the thoughts and hearts of the Rays, and the team will continue to support recovery efforts. One thing I can say is that Portland folks are extremely outgoing and very loyal. 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). "Folks want to be here. (Photo by Julio Aguilar/G. The Rays play their home games at Tropicana Field as members of Major League Baseball's American League East Division.. 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.. The Rays Minor League camp will be based out of the Disney complex throughout Spring Training. By then, the sports park then known as Charlotte County Stadium had been without a spring training club since 2002, when the Texas Rangers left for Arizona, after spending 15 years there. 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. Nashvilles high interest makes them the most attractive of the out of state relocation options, but again, a desire for a new team and a lack of a temporary stadium make this difficult when they collide with the Rays lengthy lease and their TV deals in Florida. Population:709,441 (18th among U.S. cities), Other Professional Teams in the City: Carolina Panthers. Charlotte seems like it could be a great fit for a professional baseball team. A. . 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? Tampa Bay Rays Spring Training - Spring Training Online 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. 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). Column: Another domino falls on road to MLB expansion Uncover why Tampa Bay Rays is the best company for you. Ranking MLB's radical City Connect uniforms: Which one's No. So, even if the Rays do end up making the. The Braves used the Disney facility for 22 years, most recently in 2019, before moving their Spring Training operations to CoolToday Park in North Port. 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. K.C. The biggest reason to move to Charlotte is because it is an untapped baseball market. 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. For more information, please see our Walt Disney World Resort said its looking forward to providing. 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. Its definitely still a possibility and a good idea at that. The Rays dropped to 14-1 at home after losing to the Astros. The latest personnel hires and promotions, plus exclusive ratings and research from the sports industry. Not to mention a name change the Rays would have to do, to something like the Stars or Outlaws. Not to mention that the, Triple-A Charlotte Knights get pretty good attendance, , at least when COVID isnt affecting their numbers.
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