Related to that, and with a potential move there by the Rays, you'd have instant rivalry potential with the Seattle Mariners. Tampa Bay Rays Spring Training: Southern Exposure. Tampa Bay Rays moving spring training site due to hurricane damage. 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 . Charlotte seems like it could be a great fit for a professional baseball team. NHL Lightning & Panthers. I think the loyal sports followers would go, but I think the biggest problem would be how spoiled the fans would be. "It's not just for a ballgame but an entire experience.". The Grizzlies were 27th in NBA attendance, but this is largely due to their struggles during the regular season. The 2023 Tampa Bay Rays season is the 26th season of the Tampa Bay Rays franchise and their 16th as the Rays. Never miss out on the latest with the Bucs, Rays, Lightning, Florida college sports and more. Meanwhile, the Rays couldnt fill their stadium during a playoff game. 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. 2023 Leaders Group. The Spurs have been world class forwellever it seems. Charlotte County supports the Rays efforts to secure alternative accommodations for 2023 spring training. The Rays' Major League spring workouts, plus a Feb. 28 home game, will take place at the Disney complex in Lake Buena Vista. 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 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. Support local journalism with a digital subscription to the Herald-Tribune. 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. Guerra isn't exactly a . Floridians dont care about baseball as much hence Florida Marlins. They have a temporary stadium that could possibly be upgraded. Sorry, something went wrong with the copy but here is the link for you. To see a team that appears on the decline (at least from the perspective of two 90 win seasons in the last few years) go to a new city and perhaps, stink, may give San Antonio pause. Legacy: San Antonio is known as a basketball town with the two major franchises being the NBA and the WNBA. Residents of Dunedin, the Florida governor's "blue-collar" hometown, are split on whether his values mirror the city's. The stadium, where the Rays have conducted Spring Training since 2009, sustained water damage and electrical issues. All rights reserved.The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Leaders Group. 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.. This scenario seems perfect for an in-state move. 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. 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 . They had 35 years with very little success (one NLCS appearance and the best record in baseball in 1994. 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. The Rays and Charlotte County announced the decision in a joint statement on Thursday night. 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. Privacy Policy. However, as I just stated, this is geared towards getting a new team. PETERSBURG -- Due to damage caused by Hurricane Ian, the Rays will not be able to hold Spring Training in Port Charlotte next year. Not to mention that the Triple-A Charlotte Knights get pretty good attendance, at least when COVID isnt affecting their numbers. 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. 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? One of the drawbacks, however, would be the very low population. "It will no longer be a dream denied. Period. Braves brace for spring training push following World Series victory, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. Among the 14 AL teams, the Rays have not finished any higher then ninth in attendance since 2007 and finished 12th the year of their World Series run. dedicated to making a push for their own Major League Baseball team. There are corporate interests, fans to pounce on, and an area that wants baseball. All rights reserved. Other Franchises: San Antonio Spurs (four championships), San Antonio Silver Stars. Not much has changed in Tampa Bay this year either. 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 community is in the thoughts and hearts of the Rays, and the team will continue to support recovery efforts. Can this problem be solved with money and a stadium move to Tampa proper? 4.26.2023. Get the best experience and stay connected to your community with our Spectrum News app. "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 . Ian made landfall just south of Punta Gorda on Sept. 28. Other Franchises: No major sport franchises. 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. 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. 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. 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. December 2, 2022 in Grapefruit League Teams, Tampa Bay Rays. But it happens, even to the best of teams, the best of fans and even the most successful of franchises. Compare pay for popular roles and read about the team's work-life balance. Ticket information for the Rays Spring Training games will be released in January. 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. The Rays and Braves played the first game ever at CoolToday Park, to close out the 2019 spring training schedule. 2023, Charter Communications, all rights reserved. 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. We are thankful for Disneys willingness and ability to accommodate our unexpected Spring Training needs, Rays president Matt Silverman said in a statement. 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 . As part of the move to Charlotte, the Rays moved their Class A team from Vero Beach to Charlotte County. 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 Raleigh-based Carolina Hurricanes (NHL) have also begun to sputter. Already a subscriber? The community is in the thoughts and hearts of the Rays, and the team will continue to support recovery efforts. 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. 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. The Tampa Bay Rays have baseball's best offense, . The Rays will move operations from Disney to Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg at the beginning of March for the rest of Spring Training. So would bringing a team back there make sense? Along with other list member Charlotte, Portland was a finalist for the Expos franchise but lost out to Washington. 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. Ticket information for the Rays Spring Training games will be released in January. As a matter of fact, there were some in, Charlotte that did not want to give the Knights a new stadium. Tampa Bay Rays moving spring training site due to hurricane damage Skip to main content Skip to navigation > ESPN Search You have come to the ESPN Africa edition, for other ESPN editions,. Our Spectrum News app is the most convenient way to get the stories that matter to you. Is it reasonable to assume 15 to 30 percent of the entire city would go to a baseball game. 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. 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. Sign up for the Rays Report weekly newsletter to get fresh perspectives on the Tampa Bay Rays and the rest of the majors from sports columnist John Romano. 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 plan calls for a new domed stadium to be ready for the 2028 season opener; the Rays' current stadium lease is up in 2027. Find out what works well at Tampa Bay Rays from the people who know best. The Rays' easy solution to fixing their money and attendance problems is to simply move north to Tampa. Period. Additionally, I wouldnt want to try to compete with Texas Football during the fall, which is another reason to keep out of Austin. 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. Because they play somewhere accessible for the greater Tampa Bay area. It would work out, believe me it will. The Rays declined through an email from a team spokesman to comment further. 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 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. Renderings indicate the old stadium would be demolished. 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. Imagine converting one-fourth of that 100,000 television audience to home games live. Overall, Welch said, the idea is to create a destination for people who come to Rays games, as well as build a new community. The Rays and Charlotte County intend to develop a restoration plan for Charlotte Sports Park in the coming weeks.. 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. The biggest reason to move to Charlotte is because it is an untapped baseball market. There has been discussion from some investors. Analysis: Fool me oncewhile the Expos had its fair share of ownership issues throughout its troubled history, the Expos also had very lousy attendance and, not for the last time, a Canadian team playing a United States game, had to go elsewhere. There is an obvious solution as to where . 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). But, lets say the Rays come to town. 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). In 2021, as part of an overall reorganization of minor league baseball, the Rays moved theirClass A-advanced affiliate to South Carolina. Keep in mind I mostly avoided cities that were too far away from St. Petersburg, because many of those scenarios are far-fetched, and it seems like the Athletics are moving to Vegas anyway, with other Western cities like Portland and Vancouver being expansion options. According to the St. Petersburg Times, the Rays have almost 100,000 fans watching their games (per game) at home due to the long trek from Tampa to St. Petersburg. may trucking locations, the poor law 1834 bbc bitesize,
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