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. 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. With CBA negotiations becoming even more tense, it now looks like the MLB season will not start on time, with Spring Training at the bare minimum being pushed back. Tampa Bay Rays Spring Training: Southern Exposure. The facilities in Port Charlotte sustained heavy damage caused by Hurricane Ian, so officials from the team and county agreed to relocate the Rays Spring Training base while they clean up and repair the complex with plans to return in 2024. Pacers fans are immensely loyal and, regardless of talent or win totals, it always seems the Pacers are blue collar and supported as such. 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. 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. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Leaders Group. In 2021, as part of an overall reorganization of minor league baseball, the Rays moved theirClass A-advanced affiliate to South Carolina. 1. "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 . Follow our Tampa Bay Times sports team on Twitter and Facebook. So, even if the Rays do end up making the. Support local journalism with a digital subscription to the Herald-Tribune. Not much has changed in Tampa Bay this year either. 1. 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 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. Its also a decent distance from Florida. Find out what works well at Tampa Bay Rays from the people who know best. Cookie Notice Legacy: Montreal once had the Expos. 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. 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. Charlotte Sports Park has been Tampa Bays Spring Training home since 2009. There isnt really an issue with this proposal. 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 . So would bringing a team back there make sense? SBJ I Factor presented by Allied Sports features an interview with Navigate founder A.J. The Rays have arguably the best bullpen in the big leagues. A history in Charlotte County. Pat Williams has made a direct appeal to Rays management about a move to the city of Orlando. 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. There are already 2 teams in Texas that have been there for a. time (Astros since 1962, Rangers since 1971), and they have taken up the majority of the fan interest. The Tampa Bay Times reported on Sept. 29 that there was obvious damage done to the Charlotte Sports Park complex, noting that a worker on site described water damage and electrical issues inside the buildings. out of the belief they could bring an MLB team to the stadium instead. The Rays will move operations from Disney to Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg at the beginning of March for the rest of Spring Training. Relocate to Montreal or Nashville where they can draw fans, same can said for the Marlins, Team Puerto Ricos scheduled exhibition game against the Rays on Thursday, March 9 will now be hosted by the Atlanta Braves at North Port. And while the STORY of the Rays (small fries defeating the big time spending giants) is great dramatic fodder, no one, at least in person, is seeing it. Same goes for the Colts. Writers and fans STILL dont have much to talk about right now regarding baseball, but in other news, MLB finally shot down. 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. Oh, and they have been doing all this while remaining in the bottom third of the MLB's payroll rankings. St. Petersburg is a hike from Tampa, and most of the ways to get between the two cities are clogged during weekday rush hour. The Tampa Bay Rays have baseball's best offense, . 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 . Here are five cities that would likely be great fits for the Rays. 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 Rays' Major League spring workouts, plus a Feb. 28 home game, will take place at the Disney complex in Lake Buena Vista. I think it is about time the world's largest playground gets a professional sports team. Support local journalism with a digital subscription to the Herald-Tribune. SBJ I Factor is a monthly podcast offering interviews with sports executives who have been recipients of one of the magazines awards, such as Forty Under 40, Game Changers and others. 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. But, lets say the Rays come to town. The storm struck the southwest coast of Florida and slowly moved across the state. The Rays Major League spring workouts, plus a Feb. 28 home game, will take place at the Disney complex in Lake Buena Vista. 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. And any time a team threatens or considers folding, Portland is in the cards. 5. The Rays will operate their big league camp at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex from then until March 1. Population: 676,640 (19th among U.S. cities), Other Professional Sports Teams in the City: Memphis Grizzlies. Timely, daily updates provide the latest developments and news relied upon by industry leaders. 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. Tampa This was the only city that was going to be number 1. All rights reserved. Population:709,441 (18th among U.S. cities), Other Professional Teams in the City: Carolina Panthers. However, if they were to bite the bullet and go to North Carolina, theres definitely reasons to believe they can succeed. Doherty noted that while the Stone Crabs offered some family friendly fun, the county was successful in attractingyouth tournaments to recoup some tourism dollars. This was the only city that was going to be number 1. By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. Renderings indicate the old stadium would be demolished. Tampa Bay Rays president Brian Auld told councilmember Charlie Miranda that . 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. K.C. It time to move on to more deserving cities. "Charlotte County supports the Rays efforts to secure alternative accommodations for 2023 spring training," the statement . While the Whalers were a popular franchise in Hartford, Hartford is just plain inexperienced at handling major league sports. ST. PETERSBURG -- Unable to use the Charlotte Sports Park complex due to damage caused by Hurricane Ian, the Rays will hold the first phase of their Major League Spring Training camp at Disneys ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex before hosting most of their Grapefruit League games at Tropicana Field. 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. Analysis: Baseball can work in Texas. Get notified on your phone in the morning with the latest forecast and news to start your day. They want to be next to a vibrant downtown," Welch said. Our Spectrum News app is the most convenient way to get the stories that matter to you. More than two decades of archival stories, profiles, research and data. Tampa, mainly, services minor league teams. Here is a look at seven cities that could benefit from the addition of a major league franchise, in this case, the Tampa Bay Rays. "I am a child of the Gas Plant," Welch said. I think were a good fit for them, I feel thatthey feel the same way from conversations Ive had with some of their staff over the years, Doherty said. Theres also the fact that the Rays would have nowhere to play until they move, which sours the idea of an immediate relocation. The Raleigh-based Carolina Hurricanes (NHL) have also begun to sputter. With this trade to re-acquire Javy Guerra, Tampa Bay is adding an intriguing arm to their group of relievers. The downsides of this proposal are apparent. 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. . 1? Charlotte, N.C. 2 of 5 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. 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. The Rays dropped to 14-1 at home after losing to the Astros. The Rays have not yet finalized their plans for Spring Training, but they are considering a variety of options. Population: 335,709 Other Franchises: Tampa Bay Buccaneers (average attendance: 49,000-plus; one championship), Tampa Bay Lightning (average attendance: 17,000-plus; one championship) Baseball . So yes, these options are regional. The team's AAA affiliate has not had a lot of attendance success so the expectation of fan excitement and fan attendance may need to be studied further. 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. 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. ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- A new ballpark for the Tampa Bay Rays will be built near the current one under plans unveiled Monday as part of a massive redevelopment project that also includes affordable housing, office space and retail in what was once a thriving Black neighborhood. This is the ONLY place the Rays need to go. 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. The city of Indianapolis already has a winning team in the Colts, but there is no reason the Rays cannot succeed in Indy as well. Other Franchises: Tampa Bay Buccaneers (average attendance: 49,000-plus; one championship), Tampa Bay Lightning (average attendance: 17,000-plus; one championship). The Rays have been their prime candidate, considering their desire for a new stadium and less than spectacular attendance figures in Tampa Bay. 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'. (AP image). Where . Earle Kimel primarily covers south Sarasota County for the Herald-Tribune and can be reached at earle.kimel@heraldtribune.com. . That means 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. There are corporate interests, fans to pounce on, and an area that wants baseball. 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. "It will no longer be a dream denied. PETERSBURG -- Due to damage caused by Hurricane Ian, the Rays will not be able to hold Spring Training in Port Charlotte next year. Charlotte is a fast growing city, and theres tons of potential in every way. Legacy: The Portland Beavers have been a AAA affiliate (or minor league affiliate in some capacity) since the beginning of the 20th century. 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. He also knows a thing or two about the Athletics, the MLB franchise that the Raiders . I need not remind everyone theres no team between Washington, D.C. and Atlanta. If you can plop a stadium right into downtown Tampa, you get it all. So is it their time yet? Ian made landfall just south of Punta Gorda on Sept. 28. Is it reasonable to assume 15 to 30 percent of the entire city would go to a baseball game. Proximity of the Rays in Port Charlotte as well as the Orioles and Pirates to the north and Red Sox and Twins to the south in Fort Myers was one of several factors when the Atlanta Braves decided to move theirspring training quarters to North Port. 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 Oakland Athletics are packing their bags for Las Vegas, a long-expected move that will affect far more baseball fans than in those two cities. The Rays dropped to 14-1 . Because they play somewhere accessible for the greater Tampa Bay area. 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.. 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. (Photo by Julio Aguilar/G. There is also an established baseball tradition in Omaha with the College World Series played there every year. Tampa Bay Rays moving spring training site due to hurricane damage. However, as a former resident, I will add that even during the WORST of times with both the Bucs and Lightning, there were very dedicated fans that came). The Nationals Stink, BAD. A spokesman for Tampa Mayor Jane Castor declined to comment as well, noting that the city would not be involved in that concept. If the Rays were to leave the Tampa-St.Pete area, this should be the first place they should consider going. 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. 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. On a personal note, I am a Rays fan living outside of Florida (though born and raised in Tampa, represent!) In 2018, he listed Nashville, along with Las Vegas, Charlotte, Montreal, Portland and Vancouver as potential . Download it here. Why? 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. 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. 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 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. As a matter of fact, there were some in, Charlotte that did not want to give the Knights a new stadium. The Rays and Charlotte County intend to develop a restoration plan for Charlotte Sports Park in the coming weeks.. 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. 2023 Leaders Group. Please enter your username or email address to reset your password. "It's not just for a ballgame but an entire experience.". ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex will provide our players and coaches with first-class facilities for their annual ramp-up to the season., The Rays announced earlier this month that they would not be able to host spring training at their facility in Port Charlotte because repairs to their complex could not be made in time for spring training. https://twitter.com/PDriscollTBT/status/1398317459220881408?s=20 Along with other list member Charlotte, Portland was a finalist for the Expos franchise but lost out to Washington. 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. The community is in the thoughts and hearts of the Rays, and the team will continue to support recovery efforts. Sorry, something went wrong with the copy but here is the link for you. 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 . Period. Move the Tampa Rays to Memphis. The Rays will operate their big league camp at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex from then until March 1. The Rays use the facility on a year-round basis for extended spring training, complex and instructional league play, and mini-camps. The two closest teams to Charlotte (Braves & Nats) are both NL, so having a Carolina team be AL only makes sense, 7. Their attendance matches the teams talent level, and the Bucs have had great success, even before Tom Brady showed up in town. Population: 807,584 (14th among U.S. cities), Other Professional Teams in the City: Indianapolis Colts, Indiana Pacers. Finally it makes sense for travel times too, every team in the AL East is closer to Charlotte than Tampa by several hours of flight, and very few teams in any division would have further travel times. Nashville's pursuit of an MLB franchise might be gaining steam, if a Tampa City Council member is to be believed. Related: Braves brace for spring training push following World Series victory. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Well see, he added. Ticket information for the Rays Spring Training games will be released in January. Not only is it the most reasonable, but it is the most likely, at least in my opinion. The Rays are considering several options for a new spring base, including Tropicana Field and the Disney complex formerly used by the Braves, and hope to have a resolution in the next few weeks. The Rays have trained in Port Charlotte, which is about 90 minutes south of St. Petersburg, since 2009. Danny - Nationals Lead Writer: @Nats_Baseball, Matt - Nationals Lead Writer: @HolleranMDH, 2021 Half Street High Heat A Nationals Podcast . There has been discussion from some investors. 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 . The Grizzlies were 27th in NBA attendance, but this is largely due to their struggles during the regular season. 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. Most recently, published reports, primarily in the Tampa Bay Times, have highlighted a portion of that effort that would have the Rays play their spring training games in a stadium that would be built as part of the development play for the 50-acre Gas Worx parcel between Ybor City and the Channelside area, with a spring training player development site to the north, in Pasco County. Well, until the strike hit anyway). The community is in the thoughts and hearts of the Rays, and the team will continue to support recovery efforts. With a . 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." 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. The Rays easy solution to fixing their money and attendance problems is to simply move north to Tampa. Never miss out on the latest with the Bucs, Rays, Lightning, Florida college sports and more. Like Indy, I find the market perfect due to the population numbers and lack of in-city competition during the high-ratings portions of the leagues but see the fan expectations as an issue. Guerra isn't exactly a . 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. Pitchers and catchers are scheduled to report to Spring Training on Feb. 14, with early arrivals slated for Feb. 6. The 2023 Tampa Bay Rays season is the 26th season of the Tampa Bay Rays franchise and their 16th as the Rays. The Rays and Charlotte County announced on Dec. 1 that the club would not be able to hold Spring Training at Charlotte Sports Park. 1 spring training destination by the readers of USA Today and 10Best. 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. 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. Once the Rays, who started training in Port Charlotte after its first American League Championship in 2008, arrived, Doherty said people would recognize that was where the team hosted spring training. 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.

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