It time to move on to more deserving cities. Earle Kimel primarily covers south Sarasota County for the Herald-Tribune and can be reached at earle.kimel@heraldtribune.com. Required fields are marked *. The Rays have trained since . Analysis: With the Tampa Bay area splitting residents up all over the place, an increase in population could work in the Rays favor if they moved to Charlotte. "We are solely focused on the Sister City plan and keeping the Rays in Tampa Bay for generations," said Rays' president Brian Auld. In 2018, he listed Nashville, along with Las Vegas, Charlotte, Montreal, Portland and Vancouver as potential . City officials decided early on that the city would attempt to attract Major League Baseball. The Rays faced the Atlanta Braves and drew 1,127 fans, the maximum attendance because of COVID-19 restrictions. Charlotte County spokesman Brian Gleason said via email that Charlotte County has enjoyed partnering with the Tampa Bay Rays on their spring training camp and player development program since 2009. 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.. 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. 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. Tampa Bay Rays Spring Training: Southern Exposure. So, even if the Rays do end up making the. This is why the Rays rank in the bottom half for attendance (at roughly 18,000-plus per) and even then, you have a large portion being visiting fans (snow birds or local residents who hailed from other states before the Rays existed). 4/24/2023 - Tampa Bay Rays amplify the wave to capitalize on record-tying start, SBJ Spotlight: Rich McKay of AMB Sports and Entertainment, Anquan Boldin on how the Players Coalition continues to fight for social justice, Jalen Rose on being a business-minded athlete, and why NIL is good for college players, Bill Simmons on the creation of ESPNs 30 for 30 documentaries. 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. Related to that, and with a potential move there by the Rays, you'd have instant rivalry potential with the Seattle Mariners. Other Franchises: No major sport franchises. Lets give Tennessee its own team instead. Please enter your username or email address to reset your password. 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 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. The Trop was built as a hockey arena, and even the Lightning found it wasnt as suitable for it, moving to the Amalie Arena in downtown Tampa. 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. The Rays and Charlotte County announced on Dec. 1 that the club would not be able to hold Spring Training at Charlotte Sports Park. It would work out, believe me it will. All rights reserved. A history in Charlotte County. 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. Tampa This was the only city that was going to be number 1. Charlotte Sports Park has been Tampa Bay's Spring Training home since 2009. 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. Rays' early-season success leads to attendance bump. The Rays and Charlotte County intend to develop a restoration plan for Charlotte Sports Park in the coming weeks.. 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. The Rays easy solution to fixing their money and attendance problems is to simply move north to Tampa. Upgrade your subscription to get all the news you need: Adding SBJ weekly content will give you the comprehensive view of sports business with: Adding SBJ daily content will give you the comprehensive view of sports business with: You have 1 All Access article remaining this month. Not to mention that the, Triple-A Charlotte Knights get pretty good attendance, , at least when COVID isnt affecting their numbers. St. Petersburg is a hike from Tampa, and most of the ways to get between the two cities are clogged during weekday rush hour. 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'. 49 print issues delivered to your home or office. 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). Commissioner Rob Manfred has repeatedly stated his desire to expand to 32 teams. 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. 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.. 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. 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. The Tampa Bay Rays still went by the name Devil Rays in August 2006, when they signed a 20-year spring training lease with Charlotte County for Charlotte Sports Park, which first hosted the Rays in 2009, followinga $28 million renovation. Charlotte, N.C. 2 of 5 It's time for the Rays to move the franchise to a city where they can gain the support they need to continue as one of the AL's best teams for years to come. I need not remind everyone theres no team between Washington, D.C. and Atlanta. Sorry, something went wrong with the copy but here is the link for you. 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. Not to mention a name change the Rays would have to do, to something like the Stars or Outlaws. Compare pay for popular roles and read about the team's work-life balance. Yes. December 2, 2022 in Grapefruit League Teams, Tampa Bay Rays. He also knows a thing or two about the Athletics, the MLB franchise that the Raiders . The Rays use the facility on a year-round basis for extended spring training, complex and instructional league play, and mini-camps. Co-founder and retired executive of the Orlando Magic. 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. Its definitely still a possibility and a good idea at that. I believe MLB put teams in the Florida region to see how they fare because they regularly had spring training like Arizona so they tested the market. PETERSBURG The Rays may soon stand alone as baseball's problem child. The Rays Minor League camp will be based out of the Disney complex throughout Spring Training. And any time a team threatens or considers folding, Portland is in the cards. 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 Rays and Charlotte County intend to develop a restoration plan for Charlotte Sports Park in the coming weeks.. Well see, he added. That being said, lets get to it! Legacy: San Antonio is known as a basketball town with the two major franchises being the NBA and the WNBA. Rays have the second-lowest average attendance in the MLB, only second to their in state counterparts, Speaking of the Marlins, Florida will still have a team so it wont be like Florida is completely isolated from Baseball, The Marlins have a brand spanking new stadium, wheras the Rays are in need of a new home anyway with their stadium being 29 years old, 4. Other Franchises: Indiana Pacers, Indianapolis Colts (five total championships, two Super Bowl victories), Indiana Fever. 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. MLB is a significant step closer to expansion, which will bring two more franchises into the big leagues while also necessitating the creation of eight new minor-league teams around the country. 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. Analysis: I'm not joking when I put this as my choice. There isnt really an issue with this proposal. 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. 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. Why? 1. The Nationals Stink, BAD. The Rays dropped to 14-1 at home after losing to the Astros. Additionally, I wouldnt want to try to compete with Texas Football during the fall, which is another reason to keep out of Austin. 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. 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. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. 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. Population:709,441 (18th among U.S. cities), Other Professional Teams in the City: Carolina Panthers. However, the key stat here, is the Rays television audience. One possibility could be playing their Grapefruit League games at Tropicana Field, but they would likely need a larger space with more fields to hold their workouts. 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 County supports the Rays efforts to secure alternative accommodations for 2023 spring training. 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. Then they lost them. The Rays seem to be connecting with their base even as they scour both sides of the bay for a new home, as the team prior to last night had not lost at home and had "yet to draw a crowd of less than 10,000, according to Gabe Lacques of USA TODAY. Divisions will stay the same, because the move from Tampa to Charlotte keeps the team on the East coast no rearranging of divisions would be necessary, 6. Cookie Notice 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. But appearances can be deceiving, and there's . , 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. There was significant damage and heavy flooding throughout Port Charlotte and Charlotte County after Hurricane Ian made landfall just south of Punta Gorda, Fla., on Sept. 28. The Grizzlies were 27th in NBA attendance, but this is largely due to their struggles during the regular season. Relocation and contraction are words no fan wants to hear, especially if it involves their beloved team. 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 . 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. Related: Braves brace for spring training push following World Series victory. Your email address will not be published. ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex will provide our players and coaches with first-class facilities for their annual ramp-up to the season.. But, lets say the Rays come to town. 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. In this story: Raiders owner Mark Davis knows a thing or two about moving a team from Oakland to Las Vegas. They have a temporary stadium that could possibly be upgraded. stories and Draft takeaways; The premise behind Wasserman Ventures; Tony Ressler's grand vision for Atlanta and early schedule highlights from an expanded CFP. With Charlotte Sports Park damaged from Hurricane Ian, the Tampa Bay Rays will be on the move when Spring Training 2023 arrives. Perhaps not. Much like the last two cities on this list, Nashville would be better off receiving an expansion franchise than sorting through recruiting the Rays. 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." The Rays currently play in St. Petersburg which is, at first glance, right "next to" Tampa (though, to be fair, part of the Tampa Bay area and the Rays are the Tampa BAY Rays). 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. This was the only city that was going to be number 1. Hartford hasn't really experimented in any of the other major American sports and when they lost the Whalers, they lost all access to major sports. Charlotte is a great city that baseball should look to expand to, but for the Rays, its not the right option. https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Daily/Issues/2023/04/26/Franchises/tampa-bay-rays-standings-topicana-field-tickets.aspx. While this proposal has some ground, its one that needs to become more concrete, and works better for an expansion franchise. Other Franchises: Montreal Canadiens (24 championships). 2023, Charter Communications, all rights reserved. Teams that cant draw or have stadium problems should get a 5 year out if these issues are not fixed. Wed be very sad to see them go. 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. Tampa residents Dennis Gallagher and his daughter Kate wait for the start of the Tampa Bay Rays final home spring training game last season. But while sports is a passion for most of us, for the select few who own and operate a sports franchise, it is a stressful business, and sometimes the product has to go where a demanding market wants it. Because they play somewhere accessible for the greater Tampa Bay area. 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. 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. Where . 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. But it happens, even to the best of teams, the best of fans and even the most successful of franchises. The Rays and Charlotte County announced the decision in a joint statement on Thursday night. 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. Additionally, I wouldnt want to try to compete with Texas Football during the fall, which is another reason to keep out of Austin. History. Tampa Bay's success on the field has not translated to putting fans in the stands of Tropicana Field though, which is a big reason why their payroll continues to remain low and will not be doing them any favors as the trade deadline approaches in 2011. 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. Follow our Tampa Bay Times sports team on Twitter and Facebook. 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. Tampa Bay Rays will use Disney, Tropicana Field as temporary spring training locations. 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. The Rays' current contract with Charlotte County runs through the 2028 spring training camp," a spokesperson wrote in an email to 10 Tampa Bay. 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. This scenario seems perfect for an in-state move. The team rebounded in 2010 by winning the AL East for the second time in three years with a 96-66 record, but the Rays fell to the eventual World Series champion Texas Rangers in the ALDS. 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. Ranking MLB's radical City Connect uniforms: Which one's No. MLB Power Rankings: Who's No. Your email address will not be published. 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. . Same goes for the Colts. 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.
Abandoned Mansions In Chicago, Australian Stereotypes In Film, Artifactory Build Docker Image, Articles T