Why Rays Drew Rasmussen will slow down this spring, Rays Tyler Glasnow sustains oblique injury during practice, Bucs expected to release veteran tight end Cameron Brate, In Daniel Robertsons return to Rays, a clear mind is what matters, No details or plans to lure Rays, just Dreamers right now in Orlando, Orlando overtakes St. Petersburg as fourth most populated city, No O.J. On Tuesday, Disney announced the Tampa Bay Rays will conduct part of the teams 2023 spring training at ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex. This is all speculation, as the XFL has yet to release any official statements on what will happen with the XFL restart. new However, as I just stated, this is geared towards getting a new team. Be the best Tampa Bay Rays fan you can be with Bleacher Report. sport Kudos to MLB for juicing the balls to try and create more excitement, but it's still not as exciting as basketball or even hockey. 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. The market, fan interest, history, community, and financial backing all exist, making this a great option if theyre willing to have a relocated franchise. Every little bit helps. Create an account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations. No more wholesale sports welfare. After a four-year absence, Major League Baseball's spring training is returning to Walt Disney World Resort. Europe Keep up with the latest storylines, expert analysis, highlights, scores and more. trot 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. from Read: Rooting for you: 9 tips to help your outdoor plants survive the cold. America The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are expected to release veteran tight end Cameron Brate, per ESPN's Jeremy Fowler.This move comes as no surprise, considering the Bucs' salary cap situation, as well as their recent youth movement at the position.An undrafted free agent out of Harvard, Brate won a roster The Rays have the second worse attendance record in the game in 2019 with a team that is at the top of the American League East. . That change happened after the 2007 season. Additionally, I wouldnt want to try to compete with Texas Football during the fall, which is another reason to keep out of Austin. There would therefore be room for a ball team in this city located barely two hours by road from St-Petersburg. I do feel like Spring Training is a little different from an actual team. Subscribe now to get the latest news delivered right to your inbox. Our small but mighty team is working tirelessly to bring you up to the minute news on how Coronavirus is affecting Tampa and surrounding areas. Where do visiting teams stay when playing the Rays? Typhoon Lagoon and Blizzard Beach are part of Disney World. Photos: Rays back at Trop in spring game against Twins, Top prospect Taj Bradley, Rays take on Red Sox today, Rays Tyler Glasnow sustains oblique injury during practice, In Daniel Robertsons return to Rays, a clear mind is what matters. This is the ONLY place the Rays need to go. Major League Baseball nixed the plan to divide the Rays' home games between Tampa Bay and Montreal. Follow our Tampa Bay Times sports team on Twitter and Facebook. With the 2027 end of their lease at Tropicana Field getting closer, the Rays are back to exploring stadium options in the Tampa Bay area. I would suggest Casita Taqueria for lunch (closed on Sundays). He grew up in Southern Illinois and graduated from Southern Illinois University with a bachelors degree in TV and digital media. With no answers from MLB on the vote, the team is focusing on great talks with Tampa Bay officials but needs to hear more details. The Tampa Bay Rays would double-down on their Orlando push, as they scheduled a second series in Orlando in 2008. When Orlando Magic co-founder Pat Williams announced his intentions of lure an MLB team to Orlando many reacted with skepticism. (AP Photo/John Raoux, File), (John Raoux, Copyright 2020 The Associated Press. Nobody really knows what will happen with the Tampa Bay Rays in the short to medium term. The stadium was built using taxpayer dollars and now they think they are going to get people who are too lazy to drive from Tampa or St Pete by building a new stadium at taxpayer expense. ESPN Wide World of Sports was the Atlanta Braves spring training home for two decades and was a host site for the inaugural 2006 World Baseball Classic, which features major-league players. out of the belief they could bring an MLB team to the stadium instead. Rays co-presidents Matt Silverman and Brian Auld have met with Williams several times" since Rays owner Stu Sternberg announced his split-season concept between Tampa Bay and Montreal. Save. 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. China Co-founder and retired executive of the Orlando Magic. The Bucs are heavily targeting tight ends at the 2023 NFL Scouting Combine. politics World document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Ditto for those of hockey, besides since the Lightning dominates the league. Video shows Florida alligator easily blasting through a metal fence, Despite zoning law, Tampa city council candidate Blake Casper is using his Bayshore homes as commercial sites. Now, Williams is confident that Orlando can lure the Rays to a brand new ballpark ready for the first pitch of the 2028 season. Ill be supportive of anything that Stu wants to do., Reinsdorf and Red Sox principal owner John Henry, another council member, declined Wednesday to share details on the Montreal decision. The Tampa-St. Petersburg metropolitan area has the highest rate of homelessness in the nation, according to the National Alliance to End Homelessness in a report issued earlier this year 57 homeless for every 10,000 residents. This area has approximately 16,000 homeless, and about one-fifth of them are children. 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. That is true about the Hispanic population in Miami, but I feel like that organization has pissed off so many fans in Miami. Commentators and fans wondered how a franchise in Orlando was a viable option. UAE But in the six weeks since unveiling the drive to get a team at an Orlando sports pub, Williams says, 11,302 people as of Monday have signed up to be potential season ticket holders. Next time you're in town, though, I hope it's for the All-Star Game instead of the owners meetings. Orlando has expressed interest in stealing the Rays from Tampa Bay, so losing the Vipers to the Mouse's city would be a bad sign. July 21, 2022 by Dave Harris. Floridians dont care about baseball as much hence Florida Marlins. Your email address will not be published. Subscribe now to get the latest news delivered right to your inbox. And, quite frankly, a bit surprised at what happened, as we were. Walt Disney World Resort said its looking forward to providing professional-grade facilities and world-famous hospitality to the players and coaches. While this proposal to move the Rays to Ybor City is apparently dead, there is continued discussion of other stadium sites in either Pinellas or Hillsborough County. Their attendance matches the teams talent level, and the Bucs have had great success, even before Tom Brady showed up in town. 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. Residents in the Tampa park at 4801 E. Hillsborough Avenue say they received the same notice, adding that their fixed incomes leave them with very few options.. READ: Tampa Electric, Duke Energy propose rate hikes for customers after impacts from two hurricanes in 2022. People want us in the area, which is the most important thing. Answer (1 of 2): The Rays have a perfectly nice Stadium in St Pete. Theres also a lot of ifs. 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. Manorama Online The Rays easy solution to fixing their money and attendance problems is to simply move north to Tampa. The removal of these seating options give a better optical illusion for TV, but it's weird at a game. Hit me up on Twitter @BianchiWrites and listen to . "Wed just be moving them a little to the east.. So it's really not driving the conversation, but it's certainly an important element.". 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. Yeah, it should work.. Spring training workouts begin Feb. 6 for early arrivals, with pitchers and catchers reporting Feb. 14. "He can certainly toss his hat in the ring with all the other communities, and all the power to him. Some things: The leader of the push for the Dreamer is Pat Williams - the same guy who brought the Magic to town. Sternberg said the Rays are working to find that next solution. Walt Disney World on Tuesday announced it has come to an agreement with the Tampa Bay Rays to host the . If you need help with the Public File, call 407-291-6000. He contended that a drive east on Interstate 4 is more convenient for Hillsborough fans than a jaunt over the bridges unless you have a helicopter., We would not be taking away Tampas baseball team at all," he said. Fri, Sep 4, 2020 at 5:28 pm. It might be best that the Rays relocate. This station is part of Cox Media Group Television. Rays President Matt Silverman said the team was looking forward to playing at Disney. White Sox chairman Jerry Reinsdorf, one of the eight owners on the executive council, said he remains convinced the Rays can be successful in the Tampa Bay area. Free Will Astrology: Is the soul shaped like an iceberg or a hummingbirds eye? It is even to believe that the upper echelons of the MLB do not know it either with the few information that it is possible to obtain here and there! I might rather sit in I-4 traffic rather than paying to watch a pitchers duel from the outfield bleachers. Period. A retired Orlando Magic executive thinks its a perfect fit for Stu Sternberg to move his team east on Interstate 4. I think the reason for most attendance for a local team will be for the transplants who don't get to see their old home town teams much - it will be the Bronx south on Yankee series, little . This is the ONLY place the Rays need to go. Williams also said the Tampa Bay area is too fragmented by geography and politics to make up for St. Petersburgs weaknesses. Tampa has a lot of debt, and the city is still recovering from the financial crisis of the late 90's. The Rays might find it harder to sell tickets to fans in a city that is in economic trouble. USA But This is What You Should Have Expected, Mocking the Nationals Offseason, Early Postseason Edition, Washington Nationals Top 10 Prospects (51), Zach Bryzkcy: The Nationals Closer of the Future, Reliable Relievers Returning From the 2022 Nats, Weekend Prospect Report Card: Chase Dollander Start #2. Theyve tried everything they can for the last 20 years to make it work. | Powered By: Web Seo Wiz. There has been discussion from some investors, most notably MLB legend Nolan Ryan and his son Reid, who have both given consideration to pitching the owners on an expansion or relocation to Central Texas. Press J to jump to the feed. Tampa Bay Rays Looking At Possible Move To Nashville. The location in St Pete makes attendance for the Rays suffer because the distance from Tampa and northern suburbs is a challenge on 275 most weekdays. , most notably MLB legend Nolan Ryan and his son Reid, who have both given consideration to pitching the owners on an expansion or relocation to Central Texas. 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. 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. . Lebanon.. 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. We have a good relationship, Williams said. Also not a factor was input from the Blue Jays, who would have had to share the Canadian market, at least part-time. It should work, said Reinsdorf, who considered moving his team to St. Petersburg in the late 1980s and sat on the expansion committee that awarded the franchise in 1995. As part of the agreement, the Rays players and coaches will work out at ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex beginning Feb 6.