Tropicana Field repairs VOTED DOWN & Rays say new stadium is GONE

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The St. Petersburg City Council reversed course Thursday on whether to spend more than $23 million to repair the hurricane-shredded roof of the Tampa Bay Rays' ballpark, initially voting narrowly for approval and hours later changing course.
The reversal on fixing Tropicana Field came after the council voted to delay consideration of revenue bonds for a proposed new $1.3 billion Rays ballpark. Just two days before, the Pinellas County Commission postponed a vote on its share of the new stadium bonds, leaving that project in limbo.
"This is a sad place. I'm really disappointed," council chair Deborah Figg-Sanders said. "We won't get there if we keep finding ways we can't."
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The Rays say the lack of progress puts the new stadium plan and the future of Tropicana Field in jeopardy.
"I can't say I'm confident about anything," Rays co-president Brian Auld told the council members.
The Trop's translucent fiberglass roof was ripped to pieces on Oct. 9 when Hurricane Milton swept ashore just south of Tampa Bay. There was also significant water damage inside the ballpark, with a city estimate of the total repair costs pegged at $55.7 million.
The extensive repairs cannot be finished before the 2026 season, city documents show. The Rays made a deal with the Yankees to play next season at 11,000-seat Steinbrenner Field, New York's spring training home across the bay in Tampa.
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[@brodiebrazil]

*Some other videos you might like:* Tropicana Field repairs VOTED DOWN & Rays say new stadium is GONE 📺 kzbin.info/www/bejne/paXMq6h7i9aahpI NBA close to announcing Seattle & Las Vegas expansion? 📺 kzbin.info/www/bejne/apvdaJqZpd51pKM River Cats move to Oakland, while A's in Sacramento? 📺 kzbin.info/www/bejne/hJXdmqhner92fMk Rays imply stadium plans DONE after 2nd Vote Delay 📺 kzbin.info/www/bejne/aWXVdaV4rJuLndU Will Candlestick Park FINALLY be replaced with new plan? 📺 kzbin.info/www/bejne/gKm1fHidrL2Jbck Josh Reddick kept some Coliseum grass [Let's Go Oakland E03] 📺 kzbin.info/www/bejne/anakZnylfNGiY7c Rays RELOCATION just became real possibility in Tampa? 📺 kzbin.info/www/bejne/fZ2bYWiciMdqnNU MLB is NOT close to expansion, anymore? 📺 kzbin.info/www/bejne/nJiWYZSVdpZrgcU Did MLB lose fans, customers over Oakland A's move? 📺 kzbin.info/www/bejne/oqm7qIV_bJKegZI Astrodome could go from ABANDONED to revived 📺 kzbin.info/www/bejne/oWqlcqejmdmsfpY Rays to play 2025 season at Steinbrenner Field in Tampa 📺 kzbin.info/www/bejne/kKOvhpqGrcpqb5I

[@danielspallone3236]

It's crazy I kmow the attendance isn't great there but I don't get why they voted yes for the roof money then walked it back it's so weird

[@plangineer1375]

@brodiebrazil This is called a "motion to reconsider." Any vote taken can be taken again (at the same or next meeting) if a member asks for that privilege. It has no real effect if the vote isn't close - because it would fail if reconsidered - but a one-vote difference means "we may have to come back to this topic." That means there were unsettled issues (perhaps waiting on more info from the insurance company, Rays, MLB or even the County vote). The fact that it was taken again - and failed the second time - means somebody voting "Yes" switched to "No." So, they got some new information that hasn't been fully reported yet. BTW: "Reconsideration" isn't just a St. Pete City Council rule. This is from "Roberts Rules of Order" which is the standard guide for parliamentary process in public and corporate governance.

[@gregoryglading1517]

It would be unprecedented for league rivals to reach this degree of cooperation. Nevertheless, the infrastructure is in place to add an upper deck to Stéinbrenner Field and possibly a roof

[@LarryKingGuy]

The City of St. Petersburg lowered Tropicana Field insurance coverage for wind & flood damage in early 2024, capping coverage at $25 million. That’s why they had to vote on funding $23 million to fix the stadium. It's money in addition to insurance coverage. And even then, they would still require FEMA funds to reach the total estimated cost of repairs. If the City Council approves this money, it would be a tacit admission to their taxpayers that their effort to save $275,000 in annual insurance costs resulted in a $23 million dollar tax bill. Perhaps they’re unwilling to make that admission.

[@DaveBailey18]

I still can't get over this hurricane passed through the Tampa area on the same day the Tropicana in Vegas got imploded and now Tropicana Field is damaged and things aren't looking good!

[@RapidTransit1941]

Both involved the name Tropicana, the name is cursed maybe :(

[@NuggyRC]

The curse of Tropicana....... it goes deep!

[@bradkay4794]

What do you mean things aren't looking good? This is a great outcome. A decade ago St Pete didn't have council members with the sense to accept 40 million dollars from the Rays to let them leave early.

[@dagobert1234321]

Omg.. I had not realized both are named Tropicana.. Our lord is sending a clear message that taxpayer funds do not belong in stadiums

[@jelambertson]

Wicked coincidence ay?

[@Chudley716]

That actually seems like a good decision, why throw more money into that do[o]med stadium.

[@Gutterbunnytales]

It’s brutal to look at the trop daily. When the sign got knocked during Helene it was a bad omen but by Helene it was clear it would never be the same. I bicycle by the there every day and feel so bad for the workers.

[@kjorlaug1]

It actually makes sense to not repair the Trip. But combined with not approving the bonds, as well as the Rays seeming to hedge against the project, seems to guarantee the Rays are gone

[@deanfirnatine7814]

Yep I agree

[@ronclark9724]

Salt Lake City here is your chance to LAND a MLB team. Either the Rays owner will SELL or RELOCATE the team very soon... Nashvile here is your chance to LAND a MLB team. Charlotte here is your chance to LAND a MLB team. San Antonio here is your chance to LAND a MLB team... Get with it, this shouldn't take long... Maybe within days...

[@David-di8nm]

@@ronclark9724Orlando

[@michaelmarkowski204]

@@ronclark9724 I'd say much like the NHL, SLC is the only city that is prepared to take the team whenever MLB wants to grant it to them - confident it will build a state-of-the-art new ballpark fully funded while the team plays at Smith's Ballpark in the interim.

[@michaelmarkowski204]

@@ronclark9724 BTW, San Antonio and Austin won't get a team - it will be a hard no from both the Astros and Rangers.

[@JD200_]

Brody has slowly become the MLB relocation guy

[@brodiebrazil]

It’s sad that has to become a thing. Unfortunately the A’s situation opens the door for others

[@danielspallone3236]

Yeah I'm so sorry Brodie that they did that to.your team honestly i think and I'm not the only one that it was a major mistake and thar I'm not sure the vegas move is even gonna happen regardless of what they say.

[@stuarttupp3541]

@@brodiebrazil Maybe the Rays should move to Oakland. They do have a stadium, after all.

[@bkroeckel]

Not only the MLB relocation guy, but rather, THE location guy (found this channel during the Arizona Coyotes downfall).

[@briantampa1164]

​@@brodiebrazilagreed! I have been a season ticket holder since 2011 and I'm devastated. The stadium employees have become like my second family. i hope they can come to some sort of agreement and keep baseball in the Tampa area.

[@dcgelinas1]

They voted it down because they were pissed that the Rays made a deal to play in Tampa at the Yankees complex instead of Clearwater at the Phillies complex. It came straight from one of the commissions mouths.

[@JGlennFL]

Insane. The stadium in Tampa is leaps and bounds ahead of the the Clearwater or Dunedin facilities.

[@dcgelinas1]

@@JGlennFL yeah, Phillies are trying to get a reno for their place. Also the players union would never allow for the Phillies complex.

[@danielspallone3236]

I honestly think the city doesn't want the Ray's there at all

[@HunterMaggiacomo]

Mayor Ken Welch has been on record to say that he had family roots in that area of st Pete, and was optimistic for the redevelopment of it.

[@AhusluhXXXratedEmpireTV]

they mad at Rays move ot Tampa for one season due to roof damage..

[@Mattswfc14]

The city does want the Rays there. They just have much bigger priorities than stadium funding

[@ElmerFudd16]

@@Mattswfc14Is that why nobody ever shows up to their games, including those piss-poor “crowds” for playoff games in 2023? 😂

[@bradkay4794]

Some politicians want the Rays in St Pete because they don't want their legacy associated with the Rays leaving. Fortunately there are fewer of those then there were a decade ago when the city declined an offer a 40 million dollars from the Rays for the right to break the Tropicana lease and leave

[@jasonfire3434]

St. Pete basically saying they don’t want the Rays anymore, it’s wild.

[@dancahill9585]

Not that surprising. For most of the Rays time there, they had lousy fan support. I'd been to the Trop for a handful of games over the last couple decades, and I could always walk up and get seats behind the plate or within the arc from 3rd to 1st day of the game for much less than face due to the crappy attendance. St. Pete would have been a terrible decision for the Rays. Every bit as bad as moving there and renting that eyesore of a stadium was way back when.

[@LoyaFrostwind]

They don't want it enough.

[@86byrdman]

Thank goodness the Giants didn't move there!

[@HEHEHE_I_AM_A_SUPAHSTAR_WARRIA]

In fairness they voted for it at first, and only went back on it because the Rays don't want a major league facility for some reason.

[@jeannettematthews5870]

Or are the Rays saying they don’t want to be in St. Pete anymore?

[@banditjimmy35]

Sounds like buyer's remorse here by St Pete / Pinellas. The Hurricane and damage to the Trop has been their blessing.

[@EditorVJAS]

There is no way that the Rays are taking this stance without that they have feelers out there for either a close move across the bay or Orlando or something even stronger in the works like Utah or Montreal.

[@brodiebrazil]

I’d have to agree. It’s a very strong arm.

[@Matt67012]

Bullshit, y’all are smoking meth if you think Utah stand any kind of chance. Manfred has been clear he wants two teams in Florida before expansion happens

[@charlesjwin]

Salt Lake City and Orlando could not offer enough of a season ticket base. they can barely handle NBA teams because they were the sole major pro club in town.

[@Okami1313]

@@charlesjwin The Jazz are currently averaging 18,000 attendance per game in a twenty thousand seat arena. They have the fourteenth highest average in the league. The new hockey team is also doing just fine filling the arena. Why does everyone say that Utah can't get enough interest when the data says the exact opposite?

[@UtinniUtinni]

I want MLB in UT more than any other sport. I'd buy into a partial season ticket plan.

[@stevenwalker4923]

Stop funding sports stadiums with tax payer funds. These are billionaires running the teams.

[@ThatC1official]

So all their money going to a stadium that a team that could cost them more money than make?

[@susantownsend8397]

I get your point. Does the revenue a pro team brings to the local economy offset that? Serious question. All I know for sure is that I don’t understand the economics involved.

[@TheChancellor212]

⁠@@susantownsend8397 it does not offset the public money spent. These are bad deals for cities.

[@reverend_wintondupree]

​@@susantownsend8397Majority studies done show the benefits are marginal at best, negative at worst case scenarios to the taxpayers and local communities. The only real benefit is the ability to say the community has a major professional sports team.

[@SpaceMagicStorm]

I get your point/argument but Rays aren't Yankees, Hal Steinbrenner only owns the Yankees and related properties (YES, concessions, merchandising) and even though that's one of the biggest brands in all of sports, it's not like Mets ownership who had 20 billion dollars before he even bought the team. Stu (Rays ownership) only has like 800 mil he was an investment banker. That's why rays trade these players 1-2 years before free agency. St. Pete owns the trop and would own the new stadium, it's an investment/attempt to earn the city money.

[@junoknobloch3830]

Stop letting billionaires get away with spending taxpayer dollars unless we get ownership rights!

[@rayrussell6258]

I agree it's time to reject funding these sports facilities, but what taxpayer wants to own a sports stadium? Nobody in their right mind would want ownership rights in them. It's just a bigger maintenance money pit than owning a house.

[@greenbeagle13]

I so, so, soooooooooooooooo agree with you. I never felt any financial impact from my tax dollars going to help a billionaire build a stadium so his millionaire players could play a nonconsequential game. Build your own playground. 😡😡

[@HumanBeanbag]

It's called "trickle down economics" blame Ronald McReagan

[@brianallyn5308]

Maybe you should spend 2 minutes to research how the bonds work and who actually owns the stadium (give you a hint, rays dont own the stadium, county does and leases it to them, so why would rays pay for a new stadium that they cannot own)

[@mramisuzuki6962]

@@HumanBeanbagurban recapture is a Democratic strategy, nothing to do with Regan.

[@joebecht5554]

Drove by the Trop yesterday. TEAR IT DOWN ! Also, 2023 The Rays had the best record in the AL. First playoff game vs Rangers only drew 17,000. Time for this team to go.

[@JamesSchubert-xz9iy]

@joe How did the Rays have the best record in the AL in 2023, when they didn't even have the best record in the AL east?

[@713davidh42]

If Tampa doesn't step up, this area can just say goodbye to the Rays.

[@markrichards6863]

That's fine, they get all of the baseball they want in spring training.

[@713davidh42]

@@markrichards6863 Yep. It's the same thing in Arizona.

[@detroittigers1282]

I’m only 42, so amazing how people down in Tampa forget so quickly how long, hard they fought to have Major League Baseball there, which lead them building the then named Florida Suncoast Dome now known as Tropicana Field in 1990. They built the park to lure a current team or an expansion, from 1988-1992 they lost out on the San Francisco Giants, Chicago White Sox and Seattle Mariners, all franchises who were seriously considering relocating, then they thought expansion was a sure thing, in 1991 they lost those bids to Miami and Denver, wasn’t until 1995 Tampa area finally received a MLB team, an area rich in baseball, finally had a team, local legends and future hall of famers Fred McGriff and Wade Boggs were there in the beginning as a home coming. So that is what makes this sad, fact that I believe everyone involved forgot just how difficult of a journey it was to secure a team and now baring a miracle, the franchise will be playing elsewhere by end of the decade if not sooner. And there’s plenty of blame go around, from the city of St. Petersburg cutting the insurance coverage in a state that produces a hurricane yearly along with many other strong storms to Stu Sternberg not caring about the community. Vince Namoli, R.I.P. to him, wasn’t a great owner far as wins and losses, however he played a huge role in securing the Tampa Bay Area a MLB team, something they’ve yearned for years. And fact that the NHL has suceeded there and MLB isn’t, is a black eye on the sport and all those involved who have allowed this to happen. MLB has had one relocation from 1973 to this year, so 52 seasons, and by end of this decade will have two relocated franchises in the A’s and all their history in Oakland and now the Rays. And how about both franchises, with con artists as owners, The A’s slogan at one point was “Rooted in Oakland” now it’s “Uprooted from Oakland” and Rays “Here to stay” to “Here to leave”. That is pro sports in 2024 and beyond, fans are last along with any history, tradition, money is the symbol of all sports today, even college. When MLB allowed ads on uniforms and seen the iconic Yankee pinstripes with an insurance ad, just knew it was never going be the same. I feel more bad for the youth, myself, I’m apathetic to professional sports, have a lot of great memories, in the end all that we’ll be left with.

[@robinschell3175]

Hard to believe someone could design such a terrible baseball stadium. Was it done by a highschool architect class?

[@sit2go]

Also want to know who’s bright idea it was to build a Tampa baseball stadium. So far away from Tampa?

[@AustrianPainter14]

Only 42?

[@KTM22Ride]

Salt Lake City has 900 Million ready to go.

[@86byrdman]

For real, right? Salt Lake City may have to be tapped into, even though I'm sure the D-Backs and the Rockies may have something to say about that

[@desertdog3473]

Not happening, team in the AL East isn't going to Utah😂 Charlotte or Nashville

[@andrew.three7]

​@@desertdog3473 realignment in the AL could potentially move Texas to the Central, Rays/Utah to West, and Guardians to East to solve the issue.

[@Rovr0]

​@@andrew.three7 Agreed, though if only 1 Texas team goes to the AL Central, it would be Houston IMO. If you wanted to keep the Astros and Rangers in the same division, you could move Cleveland to the AL East, Kansas City and Utah (Rays) to the AL West, and Texas and Houston to the AL Central.

[@vincesmith2499]

Utah is socialist.

[@ryanthomas887]

Probably should just work out a deal with the Yankees and play in Steinbrenner Field for 2-3 years until a new place is built in Tampa - not St Pete

[@janetd5121]

It is too small really even for a single season.

[@ryanthomas887]

@ the situation sucks, no doubt about it but I am not sure what other alternative there is.

[@Michael-x9y6j]

The Rays don't draw 5,000 to a game. Play forever at Steinbrenner field.

[@plangineer1375]

@brodiebrazil This is called a "motion to reconsider." Any vote taken can be taken again (at the same or next meeting) if a member asks for that privilege. It has no real effect if the vote isn't close - because it would fail if reconsidered - but a one-vote difference means "we may have to come back to this topic." That means there were unsettled issues (perhaps waiting on more info from the insurance company, Rays, MLB or even the County vote). The fact that it was taken again - and failed the second time - means somebody voting "Yes" switched to "No." So, they got some new information that hasn't been fully reported yet. BTW: "Reconsideration" isn't just a St. Pete City Council rule. This is from "Roberts Rules of Order" which is the standard guide for parliamentary process in public and corporate governance.

[@MarcosTorralba-p8b]

It is so ironic 19 years ago the City of New Orleans was hit by hurricane Katrina and that almost sent the saints out of the city and almost led to the demolition of the Superdome but in the end the saints came back and went to the NFC championship game that same season and 3 to 4 seasons later they went from the aint's to super bowl 44 champions 2010

[@MarcosTorralba-p8b]

Side Note: This can go one of two ways 1. They resolve everything and at least get the new stadium cuz that will ensure the safety of Tampa Bay's future in MLB baseball if they can get Tropicana up and running then I will be a bonus 2. Everything falls apart and in a reverse UNO card of the hurricane Katrina almost leading to the end of the New Orleans saints but instead leading to a successful comeback to super bowl champions and instead like I said the opposite happening and and the rays end up leaving Tampa Bay if this happens hurricane Milton will be blamed for ruining Tampa Bay baseball animal potentially lead to a riot in the Tampa Bay area Recap scenario 1 will lead to the Tampa Bay's baseball future being saved and scenario 2 leading to hurricane Milton forever being the hurricane that screwed Tampa bay that and the city government of St Petersburg add to the officials in St Petersburg f*** you don't blame the hurricane the hurricane may have started a domino effect but you just make the fire even bigger and it is not getting smaller you told the fans that the new stadium project was ready to be executed and it fell apart somehow you voted to get funding to repair Tropicana Field and you walk back to voting and voted against I need a project falling apart was a little bit of a okay that was a BS but we'll see what happens but then voting to repair Tropicana Field and then taking that back and voting against WTF Let me send this little message to the officials of St Petersburg if the rays stay in Saint Petersburg Tampa Bay area hallelujah if they move you will never be liked by anyone in the St Petersburg area or any former Tampa Bay rays fans your pubic image to the fans they will look at you and they won't see saviors they will see diablos demons you will be seen as villains not heroes you will be f***** literally and figuratively

[@MarcosTorralba-p8b]

This goes one of two ways the team stays or leaves order will be restored or riots will break out and the story will the city government cave in and build a new stadium or will they be remembered for being the men and women who let the Tampa Bay rays walk to the next state

[@HELLH0WND]

The only reason The Superdome was repaired after Katrina was because the NFL hated the optics of blacks being the ones that destroyed it after a category 4 hurricane couldn't.

[@dannyboy34677]

JP Peterson, who has followed this for 14 years, predicted this two months ago that it would happen like it did officially. The Tampa Bay Rays deal Imploded at the St Petersburg City Council meeting! Again he predicted this 2 months ago the Rays are pulling out of the Stadium deal but still want development rights! What?” For those that said it would be done in St Petersburg, he told you it would never be built. Completely on-brand for the Rays and “your beloved owner!”In which Stu Sternberg is the problem and always has been throughout the whole process. All this was Brodie was a money grab from Stu Sternberg. Peterson explained that very clearly. he never wanted to build a stadium in Saint Petersburg. Peterson also broke a big story yesterday that I think you haven’t reported on enough and that’s the revival of Tampa and Ybor city plan for the new stadium. He interviewed Hillsborough County Commissioner Ken Hagan. Hagan said that he met with Tampa Mayor Jane Castor, and other county officials. There is going to be new ownership. Peterson is confident that from sources he’s talked to. now is that a done deal? No. but you better believe MLB is vetting buyers behind the scenes in Tampa to get a sale done. Stu is going to be forced to sell the team.

[@sandysmithvideos228]

28th in attendance out of 30 in the league ahead of only the A's and Marlins is not good.

[@nelloismello]

This situation sucks. I'm going to the Marlins now

[@Kalbuir66]

A 2 month long delay in a construction project can in fact be a disaster, especially if it's early on. A short delay can cause long term delays down the road and scheduling issues and all of that costs a lot of money. In the case of a stadium that you need open at a very specific date, it's even worse. You miss the date for opening day, then you're most likely stuck waiting for the next opening day. Time is money.....A LOT of money.

[@bradkay4794]

Three Rivers stadium wasn't ready on opening day. The first game there was in June.

[@Kalbuir66]

@@bradkay4794 You're gonna go with an example from...1970?????? And it wasn't June, it was July.

[@bradkay4794]

@@Kalbuir66 I stand corrected on the date. Note that even not being available until July 16th they didn't wait till next season to move in. If you are stating a principal then the age of my example is irrelevant.

[@bfrides7800]

The Rays should move to the I-75 / I-4 interchange area. That makes east Tampa the midpoint of the fan base and puts Orlando and Ocala markets into a reasonable driving distance (Sarasota too). That will help fix the abysmal attendance in the current location.

[@nevertrustbob1]

This is the answer, the issue is you'll never get funding to build it.

[@BlackSaiyan24]

Move them to Tampa or Orlando and be done with it.

[@Ironcabbit]

Move the Rays to Las Vegas and the A’s to Portland.

[@jeffc1347]

There is NO support in Tampa or Orlando. They have been trying to make a deal with Tampa for 15 years and Tampa keeps rejecting them, and there was only one guy in Orlando who wanted it (Pat Williams) but there was a lack of support and the Orange County Commissioners didn't even take it up for a vote. Then Pat Williams passed away earlier this year.

[@ericlund2909]

Utah is starting to look a lot more attractive. Salt Lake City has about $1 billion in taxpayer money for a stadium and a dig ready location, plus an ownership group ready to front the rest of the dough. Hmmmm.

[@charlesjwin]

they can't sell enough MLB season tickets with that population base after 40 basketball and 40 hockey dates each year.

[@troyhackett]

@@charlesjwinbaseball season is in the summer. They don’t have to compete against the Jazz and the Hockey club. Sure they barely over lap but not enough to make a difference. Utah loves sports and wants teams to come. If you build it, they will come.

[@alanlange4353]

Salt Lake Bee's average attendance is 6,300. They are building a new stadium in the south valley . Salt Lake has a long baseball history. They have government support at all levels for MLB.

[@pm5206]

Not happening.

[@rayrussell6258]

and not enough people within a thousand square miles to pay for tickets .... so not gonna happen.

[@ProfessorOfLogic980]

Building a new stadium in St Pete always seemed like an insane idea since all we have been hearing for 25 years is ST Pete cannot support a team because not enough people live and work close enough to the stadium. My guess is that the Rays owner and senior execs were popping champaign corks within hours of that roof blowing off at their good fortune. Mother nature gave them a get out of jail free card.

[@MrLaneSir]

This is a very sad saga for the Tampa Bay Rays, and this isn’t even the worst of it.

[@boltyourselfin]

Oh damn. I saw the news they approved the 23m repair allocation but didnt see they walked it back. Thats insane. We're losing the Rays. That really sucks 😔

[@ncdad1995]

Latest is the commissioners are expecting a termination letter from the Rays before the next vote. The old former stadium proposal across the bay sounds like it is coming back to life.

[@johnmcgill4864]

Dam! That’s really sad. I guess all of those bars and restaurants in that area around the Trop are making too much money. Plan on sell outs at every game at Steinbrenner. I hope that it will carry over into the team moving over to Tampa

[@charlesjwin]

Selling out an 11000 capacity stadium isn't impressive.

[@GeorgeJefferson-eg4gu]

Rays attendance is at the bottom 3 teams in the league, only ahead of Miami and Oakland, all of which are pitiful.

[@BiiYAAAA]

@@GeorgeJefferson-eg4gu add a basketball team, and make it a concert stadium host EDM events.. St Pete needs it pretty dumb to let this go

[@WLOUIS1024]

Tennessee needs to make a pitch.

[@wi54725]

It isn't going to happen in Nashville, because the city won't pay a penny to publicly finance or even help finance a new ballpark. That money is now going into neighborhood sidewalks, library branch improvements, and municipal parks. The only way an MLB stadium is built in Nashville will be if it is 100% privately financed. Former MLB Pitcher Dave Stewart has the financing in place to buy a franchise, pay a relocation fee, and build a retractable dome stadium. There is one caveat. Former Tennessee governor Bill Haslam, part of the multi-billion dollar Pilot Oil Corporation, is good friends with Stu Sternberg. He is also friends with Oracle CEO Larry Ellison (who is moving Oracle to Nashville on a 70-acre riverfront campus) and hedge fund manager Tripp Miller, who previously attempted to buy the Rays and move them to Nashville. Still, I don't see the Rays moving to Nashville. Short of being rewarded an expansion franchise, the best chance for a relocation to Nashville would be the White Sox with Jerry Reinsdorf selling to Stewart's investment group. One more thing: Sternberg and other staffers have visited Nashville in the past, but they were dealing with the former mayor, who believed in investing in large companies that could bring a lot of employment to the city, while offering additional entertainment options. The current mayor not only ran on the promise of not giving billionaires public money to build sports venues, as a member of the Nashville council, he voted against giving money to the Tennessee Titans to build their new dome stadium. If the Rays leave Florida, I'd think that Raleigh is the most likely location. They could play in the Raleigh MiLB park for two years if a deal could be struck in 2025, and the construction could be fast-tracked. The Rays' current AAA affiliate is in Raleigh, just like the A's AAA affiliate was in Las Vegas.

[@benschroeder4036]

I thought I had read that the city was contractually obligated to fix the roof. If that's true, what's up with all the voting?

[@gregorycoan8871]

Manfred lets them stay in Tampa while he forced the A’s out of Oakland. I am so done with baseball.

[@Kalbuir66]

it's not even close to being the same situation. The A's would have had less issues if their fans actually went to games but they didn't...for years on end.

[@troyhoffman6012]

@@Kalbuir66Are you pretending people showed up to Rays games? They couldn’t draw 20k to a playoff game

[@naturallawman2965]

​@@troyhoffman6012 with very good winning teams for HALF of their existence from 2008-present.

[@oiler62]

​@@Kalbuir66...54k for a wild card game in 2019 is no support? The team was gutted 2 years later and Tix prices jacked up. The A's would draw well in the O with a new park and decent ownership. Just look at the Giants.

[@UserName-ts3sp]

Impoverished stadium, fanbase that didn't always turn out (tho usually better than the Rays). A's needed to leave

[@JJ-Orbtiz]

I think the Rays don't want to pay for cost over runs even though they agreed to and are now trying to make a new deal.

[@plangineer1375]

The secret with sports franchises is that the owners only really make money 1) by owning the facility or 2) selling the team. The rest of the time they are money pits. The TV money and the game day revenue may barely - or not even - cover the operating expenses.

[@psychopathyoutubeemployees280]

Once again, the Green Bay Packers ownership model is the way to go.

[@reverend_wintondupree]

Only the top "brands" of professional sports leagues actually make money, and subsidize their opponents and the league to maintain as going concerns

[@ISpitHotFiyaa]

They lose money every year but the team prices grow steadily. They're like a classic Ferrari. You're constantly putting money into it, it's fun to own, and the things are a lot scarcer than the rich people who want to own them - so they'll gain value so long as the rich keep getting richer. I mean the number of billionaires goes up every year but the number of MLB teams never changes.

[@dancahill9585]

@@psychopathyoutubeemployees280 Except football economics aren't anywhere close to Baseball economics. There are much easier ways for MLB franchises to spend their money to have an advantage over poorer teams, and there is no equitable distribution of revenue like in the NFL. Poor teams in the MLB have to work much, much harder to compete with rich teams in MLB compared to the NFL. A Packers ownership model wouldn't be competitive at all in MLB.

[@brianallyn5308]

Maybe you should spend 2 minutes to research how the bonds work and who actually owns the stadium (give you a hint, rays dont own the stadium, county does and leases it to them, so why would rays pay for a new stadium that they cannot own)

[@pebmets]

With a delay in roof repair, thank goodness Florida is going into its dry season. With that said, having the inside exposed to the elements which was not built to do so, indicates to me the Rays have played their last game at the Trop.

[@jtk3023]

I don't think Tampa is an option since the Bucs have already indicated that they want a major renovation of Ray Jay Stadium. It would be hard to think that Tampa would want to finance two stadiums. The best option to keep the team somewhat close is to sell them to the Orlando contingent. It may be possible to retrofit Camping World Stadium or use the Disney field as a temporary home until Orlando builds the proposed stadium by Sea World.

[@katazack]

There are already plans to update Camping World, but you can't play baseball there. It would be like trying to play baseball at Ray-J. MLB would be a tough sell in Orlando. The biggest sports allegiances here still seem to be college football. Pro soccer has a pretty good foothold and of course there is the Magic.

[@kingranch51]

SALT LAKE CITY is calling!!!

[@desertdog3473]

Team in the AL EAST isn't going to utah... Would go to Nashville or NC

[@RobotWillie]

@@desertdog3473 Would need to realign. Rays go to AL Central and Cleveland goes to AL East. Or much more complicated, Rays and Rockies swap leagues, The Rockies switch to AL Central with Salt Lake taking their place in the NL West. Cleveland switches to AL East to make up for the Rockies joining. That is the most logical geographical setup I can come up with right now. Of course MLB doesn't want to do that and there is always the whole argument it hurts rivalries. Salt Lake still isn't too bad of a travel for the AL Central and it makes more sense than taking one of the two Texas teams and making them be in different divisions from each other.

[@michaelleroy9281]

​​@@RobotWillieThe relocated team in Utah to AL central Guardians go toAL east, game over

[@JAG214]

@@desertdog3473 Why not back to Montreal

[@SladeBling]

I doubt the owner is sweating too much over this ordeal. Heck, I bet he's having fun watching all these votes on whether to patch the roof, clean the stadium, build new stadium, etc. Really all Rays owner Sternberg cares about is who will pay him the most for his asset, the Rays. Stu is probably open to selling the team OR moving the team OR even staying in St. Pete. Trust me, Stu Sternberg has a number in his head and whoever offers him that number(or more) will get the deal done.

[@andybryant5646]

I mean this is not the Oakland issues Brodie. The rays need a stadium. They literally don’t have one. No one is fixing up the old ballpark. If they move to Montreal so be it give the metro area the coyotes deal 5 years to build a stadium a get an expansion team with the rays history.

[@joelrobinson4497]

I’m thinking this is the route things are going. We get rid of our owner which Is a blessing in disguise

[@JAG214]

It the right thing to do and move the Rays to Montreal

[@andybryant5646]

@@JAG214 they could also moved to Salt Lake City second largest minor league stadium and $1 billion to build a new stadium.

[@gecko3644]

Montreal is getting (ironically) its roof repaired $870 million (owww $) and is out of commission currently. If the Rays wanted to go this route, the Olympic stadium would not be baseball ready for at least 2 -3 years.

[@jayberwanger]

What a mess with the White Sox, Rays, and A's.

[@iesparza1]

Royals are next

[@acelm8437]

Under no circumstances should the White Sox leave Chicago. They've been there for 124 years!

[@THEREDHOTWRECK]

Let's not forget the DBacks either

[@Redpoppy80]

MLB is very sick right now. It might be terminal.

[@jeffreybelluomini5271]

@@acelm8437 white sox could leave and nobody would miss them.... the Cubs rule Chicago!

[@SladeBling]

I bet the Rays owner is playing EVERYBODY against each other.

[@erickgutierrez4917]

The Rays should come to Salt Lake City. Smiths Ball Park has one of the highest seat capacity for a Triple AAA stadium and it will no longer be used by the Bee’s next season. The Ray should play there in the meantime as Big League Utah builds the new MLB stadium which already has the land for it, and APPROVAL along with some good money. The MLB just needs to approve it and shovels will be breaking ground asap.

[@steveanthony5530]

They walked back the vote after Stu’s mouthpiece ran to the media stating the Rays did not want the Trop to be repaired. The Rays plan is being revealed. Stu gets to move the team and still get the benefit of the gas plant development. This goes far beyond keeping a MLB team in the area. Also, the rescinded vote was 6 to 1 against.

[@adamgarnes4269]

The Rays can’t catch a break. MLB shouldn’t allow the Rays to relocate permanently based on a natural disaster that they were aware could happen when the Rays first started In 1998. Even if they have to postpone the new stadium they should still figure it out and keep them in Florida.

[@boltyourselfin]

It would be very slimy to cut and run after a natural disaster devastated our area. Damaged stadium or no it sends the message that the team, and MLB, doesn't care about any of us. As Rays fan and area resident I'm at the point of saying... just go. If you're not with us when you're down, we don't need you.

[@amazingeric97]

It seems like the St Petersburg city council & county council are kicking the Rays out of town if their current domed stadium cannot be fixed. I wonder if the Rays will see if they can get a stadium in Tampa or Orlando.

[@bradkay4794]

They already tried Tampa. You apparently have only become recently interested in this issue.

[@kingmo8789]

​@bradkay4794 moving to Tampa is the best situation for the Rays. Orlando is the Las Vegas of the east coast and who in Orlando cares about Baseball?

[@Itshadow306]

@@kingmo8789more like Phoenix of the east coast, Atlantic City or Atlanta is more like Las Vegas.

[@bradkay4794]

@@kingmo8789 Tampa may be good for the Rays but Tampa has already decided the Rays aren't good for them. Tampa and the Rays explore the possibility of the Rays moving there several years ago. There was a proposal for a ballpark in Ybor City. It didn't work out.

[@naturallawman2965]

​@@bradkay4794 there was resistance by some group who felt Sternburg wasn't putting up enough money. Plus St. Pete & Pinellas County both threatened to sue if the Rays even continued looking there. The Rays obliged by cutting off talks. Now St. Pete & Pinellas County suddenly decides they don't want the Rays anymore. The Rays asked for help and they refused. So the Rays cut a deal with the Yankees for Steinbrenner Field for 2025 and immediately the Westside of the Bay went cold to them. Point is -- Tampa as an option is not dead. And now that St. Pete/Pinellas has behaved in such bad faith, it opens up the Rays cozying up to Tampa. Orlando is a great option as well. With the billion-dollar expansion fee excluding (and precluding) most cities, I could easily see Pat Williams ponying up a ton of money or possibly buying into the team with Sternburg or without, in order to get the Rays to Orlando. Plus they keep the region, and keep some of their area loyalty, despite being 2 hours the other way.

[@user-yg1dg6xm2g]

‘Maybe insurance will pay for it.’ What’s the point of paying for insurance if they have the option to fulfill their obligations or not?

[@fandyllic1975]

The convergence with the disaster that is the A’s is disturbing. At least the Rays have a hurricane as an excuse. You can kind of tell that owners don’t really only want to partner if they get a big handout.

[@fluoriteheals]

YUP. Good call, let them go somewhere else! It's a gift, lets move forward folks

[@BHox01]

Snake Manfred puts out a disingenuous snake statement to gaslight everyone, what a shocker.

[@williamerazo3921]

Finally the experiment in Tampa is over. They were a terrible fanbase for o begin with. 14 years of success and still couldn’t get 3 million a season

[@jasonthompson8147]

Crap location. They put it in a bad location and they were told by lots of people it was a bad idea. They thought there numbers would be boosted by Northerns on retirement. They go home in the summer so that was stupid. Ownership made a bad call putting them in South St Pete. It isn’t the fan base it is the dumb ass location period.

[@Mikusanimechannel]

I am so sad that the Tropicana Field got damaged cause I love going there and they are one of my favorite team's 😭

[@bucksdiaryfan]

This sounds like Miller Park all over again. In '94 I thought the Brewers were goners. They had to go into the middle of the night and basically threaten George Petak's life and progeny to get him to switch his vote (which made him a Brewernation hero but a political dead duck). Where would the Rays go? Portland? Memphis? Nashville?

[@SuzuNoUtaTX]

If multiple teams have trouble negotiating with their cities maybe it’s not an issue with the cities….

[@joshualieberman2265]

Rays wanted out and are taking advantage of the the situation

[@mapleva]

Tampa Bay-St Pete almost got the Mariners about 30 years ago. They were the sexy place to move.

[@cuseyeti_one8three]

Repairing the Trop makes zero sense at this point. The stadium hasn’t made sense since its first proposal if you understand the area where they placed it. Also a relocation fee would cost the team more than just building a new stadium. So, in that light, the MLB and the team need to figure some things out. Find a way to build a stadium closer to a fan base and forget Tropicana. Use Steinbrenner Field in the interim. Politics will screw this up, though.

[@theghosthuntergal]

Amen and Amen .. St. Pete never should have been the home of a major franchise. I’m ok if they go to another state, but they should probably work with Hillsborough county instead of Pinellas county.

[@jcurnutte2007]

If the city and county can't come to an agreement then it's on the team owners to do something and if nothing is resolved then MLB steps in makes the team leave and wave the relocation fee and that even includes having the team sold to someone else in another city who will take them build the stadium or disband the team

[@BiiYAAAA]

St pete is the fastest growing area in greater tampa bay, big buildings, shopping, restaraunts... build it new and make it the center piece AT ANY COSTS... it belongs in st. pete, I'd argue that the new stadium should be able to accomodate an NBA team this is top 10 hottest area in the united states

[@cuseyeti_one8three]

@ consider this: it would be easier for a fan from St. Pete to travel to a more inland area more accessible to the rest of CENTRAL Florida’s population than for fans from Bradenton or Ocala or Orlando or Kissimmee to travel to St. Pete in late afternoon traffic to a game. It doesn’t matter how fast St. Pete is growing when public transit in the area is abysmal and there are limited bridge and highway routes that access it. You want your pro team’s arena to be in the center of your fan base not in some inaccessible remote corner, St. Pete alone isn’t growing fast enough to compromise the fan base residing in the rest of the region.

[@cuseyeti_one8three]

@ you will never see an NBA team in St.Pete or Tampa as long as the Orlando Magic exist in the market.

[@mikedavis7636]

Socialize the cost, privatize the profit.

[@HH-le1vi]

The Ray's don't own the stadium

[@bk_goatkim679]

You should make a video on what Hillsbourough commissioner said on the JP Peterson show on Wednesday - pretty interesting

[@joelrobinson4497]

Jp Peterson is the only guy I trust at this point

[@bk_goatkim679]

@ the interview was pretty intriguing

[@mrwasatch]

Salt Lake City!!! We've poached struggling pro teams before, and we are not afraid to poach again!

[@D2h2766]

I hope man!

[@Redpoppy80]

The Rays needed to relocate no matter what because Tropicana was not in a viable location for an MLB stadium. This is PURELY a money issue and maybe a land issue with Tampa because the Rays want as much money as possible covered for them to take the least financial hit as possible to make more money as soon as possible. If they can get that money from somewhere else, then they will go where the immediate money is because that is the game. Long-term consequences be darned.

[@Kaaaaammmm]

Why should the County pay for this or build a new stadium. Clearly people in the area do not attend games. Second worst attendance in 2024, of MLB teams. If the Rays want a new stadium, let them pay for it.

[@brianallyn5308]

Maybe you should spend 2 minutes to research how the bonds work and who actually owns the stadium (give you a hint, rays dont own the stadium, county does and leases it to them, so why would rays pay for a new stadium that they cannot own)

[@Knights_of_Zurg]

Salt Lake City wants an MLB team. If Tampa won't give the Rays a stadium, Salt Lake City will.

[@HKmaroLS1]

Hillsborough and Pinellas counties should have built a high-speed elevated tram system from Raymond James stadium, stops at Amalie arena, then ends at the redeveloped Gas Light district (Tropicana Field). People in Tampa could park at RayJay and ride the tram to St Pete and vice versa for all the the MLB and NFL games, and make stops at Amalie for NHL. Let alone keep it running non-game days to provide transportation and shopping from Tampa to St Pete......

[@glengoad7846]

Where would the Rays go? Nashville? The problem there is that construction has started for the Titans new dome, ready for the 2027 season. Yes, I know that Bridgestone Arena and Nissan Stadium were built at the same time in the late 90's. It will be very tough to get another stadium project today. IDK about the temperature for Charlotte.

[@lynnbyrd9819]

Yeah. Things went downhill quickly, especially after the storms passed thru. The Rays sadly, weren't a popular attraction even in the years they were competitive...just recently. It may be all for the best to have them move elsewhere at this point. And I say this as an old Washington Senators fan. My team was allowed to move and become the Texas Rangers after the 1971 season. I was heartbroken!

[@Knights_of_Zurg]

The area just doesn't care about MLB. It's time the team moved to where they're wanted.

[@hollowmale]

The one that was renamed to Minnesota Twins, or the expansion one renamed to Texas Rangers? What about the Nationals, originally named Montreal Expos?

[@hollowmale]

​@@Knights_of_ZurgDon't know which "area" you were referring to. The national capital city now has the Nationals team. On the contrary, Tampa Bay may no longer be a good site for pro sports anymore. One can't help wonder why Tampa Bay lacks a basketball team.🧐

[@lynnbyrd9819]

@@hollowmale....Many folks are unaware of all this movement. The original Senators were formed around 1900 as part of the start of the American league. That existing team became the Twins in '1961, moving to Minnesota when MLB expanded that year. Washington was then granted one of the new franchises and every season that followed was a losing one... I believe, except 1969 when Ted Williams became the manager and they went 86-76. That team moved and became the Texas Rangers in 1972. The Montreal Expos were part of another expansion in '67...and remained there until they were moved to Washington, DC in 2005 to start the Nationals.

[@liberatovillavicencio7159]

They’ll play one year at Steinbrenner and will be relocating definitely.

[@Skroskznik]

Mind you Brodie, if they do relocate out of state, they still probably need the owner to pay a moving fee I believe unless they waive it. The moving fees are the same amount for developing the new stadium itself minus the whole original gas plant redevelopment. Stu paying for a moving fee?? I doubt it.

[@warriorjwr]

From what I understand the city gotta pay for the damages. But I dunno why people keep saying the new stadium is dead when it’s just been delayed because 2 hurricanes hit the area.

[@brianallyn5308]

The reason city has to pay for the damages is because the city owns tropicana field, not the rays. Rays can only lease the field since the city owns it.

[@Cerby1979]

Time for the Rays to move out of Florida.

[@USC9210]

Time to contract the Rays and the Marlins.

[@Cerby1979]

@ maybe the Rays but won’t happen with the Marlins because Loan Depot Park is an actual baseball park despite the Marlins sucking in 11 of the 13 seasons they played there (playoffs during the Covid-shortened season and in 2023 where they made it to the wildcard but swept by the Phillies).

[@THEREDHOTWRECK]

Was simply waiting for this one to drop

[@nikolatesla5553]

If the Rays want Tropicana Field repaired, all they have to do is pay for the repairs. The Taxpayers shouldn't be on the hook.

[@psychopathyoutubeemployees280]

Especially when that stadium is going to get torn down anyway.

[@cpl.m9645]

City owns the stadium and is legally obligated to repair it as part of their lease. Imagine you rent but the roof flies off and you are expected to fix it.

[@Kalbuir66]

@@psychopathyoutubeemployees280 which is exactly why they don't want to pay for it because it's a waste of money. It's not okay to waste the taxpayers money but it's okay to waste the Ray's money??? Ridiculous notion from an ignorant mind set

[@ronclark9724]

St. Petersburg the landlord could have had bought better insurance, but refused to do so concerning repairs. The Rays, the tenants, have been forking out millions over the past twenty years annually for rent never failing to do so. The lease will soon expire, however, the Rays will not be happy paying rent for a stadium without a roof mind you a stadium designed and built without the proper drainage of an outdoor stadium. If I were the Ray I would not be doing any business in that county or city, as they are very poor landlords... Failing to buy proper insurance, failing to repair the roof, while demanding rent.... Do the letter F and O come to mind?

[@Dept246]

Landlord pays for repairs to the roof not the tenant. St. Petersburg’s insurance on damages includes a $22 million deductible. Ouch

[@BoricuaPower]

Its definitely location for attendance because when the Raptors played the covid season at Amalie Arena they was getting lots of fans

[@michaelcsonka2675]

First a domed stadium managed properly is used the entire year and represents a much better community asset then a single use open stadium. Second the current deal has the Rays paying all overages. So each delayed vote costs the team more. Inflation is a thing. Lost revenue is a thing.

[@aaronstreitenberger6012]

At this point they should just look at using AAA stadiums all ofer the country to fill the dates for both the A's and Rays. Make road trips easier for teams like the Mariners, have the Rays play some home games in Utah or Albuquerque or Omaha to help with the travel problem. Have the A's Barnstorm in Indy, Nashville, or Montreal (once the roof is fixed). It would be a way better use of resources and a great way to bring MLB to places that don't normally get it.

[@MrWoahna]

Ok, so we know Nashville would like a baseball team. What are the chances they retrofit the old football stadium once the new one is fnished for baseball as temp home for an MLB team (Rays, Sox) while a new ballpark is build as well.

[@jacobwagner8984]

Idk why everyone gets so bent out of shape for relocations. If the city doesn't want them, why would they fight to stay? The Rays AAA team is in NC, and they LOVE baseball and don't have a pro team. It makes more sense to go to a new fanbase that will actually support the team. Stop getting upset over franchises treading water where they aren't wanted.

[@peterojas3174]

Where will the team relocate to in the future? Perhaps will stay anywhere in the Eastern Time Zone. But isn't the team contractually obligated to remain in Tampa?

[@moose2021]

This whole thing seems to confirm that the Rays will leave not just Tampa Bay, but Florida. It's just a matter of where they'll go. The hurricane just served as the final nail in the coffin. Sad. Florida is fine for spring training, but not so much for an MLB team playing a 162 game schedule (plus playoffs sometimes). If the Marlins didn't have a fairly new ballpark to pay for, they'd be leaving, too.

[@jasonfire3434]

Florida and Arizona have the same fan base/market problems, and the Dbacks could very easily be next out the door.

[@3Dsjk]

Based on the 2023 average ticket price and attendance, and Steinbrenner field capacity, the Ray could host 486,000 fewer fans and lose about $13-14 million in ticket revenue alone. That doesn’t include lost revenue from merchandise and concessions of the 6,000 fans that can’t come, lost revenue from luxury suites, and other sources. The Rays may want to consider helping out on the Tropicana Field repairs just to keep from losing too much money between now and a new stadium deal. Playing Tampa and St. Pete off each other is the best way to stay in Tampa Bay. Potential relocation pushes the stadium plans back at least two years to find a location and funding.

[@Taser66]

Currently, the only stadiums without a MLB team and seating above 15,000 are in Omaha, Montreal, San Juan, and Monterrey. I highly doubt that MLB will move to San Juan or Monterrey, but Omaha and Montreal could present themselves as temporary homes for the Rays. I would love for them to move to Montreal (great market), but favor SLC. They have a better financial situation on their side. I think expansion must have been on the table for 2030 once the Athletics had moved and the Rays had figured out their new stadium, but this throws a wrench into the whole thing. Also, never trust a commissioner's words on relocation/expansion, the Yotes situation proves this point.

[@theprismaticbee]

The Rays have a backup plan, and my guess is it's Salt Lake City.. but Montreal, Charlotte, and Nashville are clearly possibilities.

[@GDavis49]

Montreal won’t have a ballpark ready for four years

[@brandong513]

The Dodge Report is showing that there is some behind the scenes activity from the Orlando MLB group. They haven't had any movement since August of last year. Keep and eye on that.

[@Rushbolt43]

If the fan base loses this team it's because they did not support it. Year after year of near-bottom of the league attendance does not send a clear message that you want to keep your team. It also costs that team 100s of millions of dollars in revenue over those years. Expecting that team to be happy with repairing their stadium after a natural disaster using their depleted coffers due to your lack of support is simply unrealistic. Top that off with a bunch of political jerks pushing the Rays around because they feel like they need to bad mouth them as a negotiating tactic and anyone would be furious. The Rays deserve to be in a city where the fans will come to the games and spend the money needed to build a successful franchise. It also might be nice to have a local government that works with you, not against you. The Florida Gulf Coast had it's chance and they blew it. It's time to move on.

[@HunterMaggiacomo]

I have a back up plan, lease Steinbrenner to the rays long term and maybe even eventually have the rays buy and renovate there. Only the tarpons would need to be relocated and the Yankees can still use it for spring training.

[@ThatC1official]

Nobody wants to build a ballpark for a single A team while the league average below 1,000 per game

[@plangineer1375]

The Rays and Yankees could share it for Spring Training. Several teams in both the Grapefruit and Cactus Leagues share facilities.

[@davidlasdon457]

You'd need to knock down the stadium and there might not be enough land there to build a new one.

[@FloridaCatholicGuy]

Once the rainy season gets here in June you will find out why open air baseball in Tampa will never work.

[@HunterMaggiacomo]

@@FloridaCatholicGuy key word renovate things could be done

[@paulleclaire2141]

Brodie, why do you not think 2 MORE months is a thing? At some point, the A's and the Ray's get to a point that is a line in the sand for them. They're done with the years and years of delays. There is an end point. And if the politicians say they want to step across that line in the sand, they run the risk of the team saying ENOUGH! Looks like Oakland and Tampa both stepped across that line

[@winningfreak1]

They should move the team to Orlando. The tourism that the city already brings, it's still driving distance to Tampa, would be more immune to massive hurricanes like they get on the coast and they have plenty of land to do it.

[@donaldpodzikowski8028]

My hope is we will get a new stadium and a new owner when all this is over.

[@giomole]

It might take a miracle but I hope for the sake of the fans that the team manages to get a permanent home somewhere in or around Tampa itself without having to cross the bay. If not then maybe the second best scenario would probably be Orlando. I fully believe that the crux of their attendance issues is the stadium location in St Pete, so building a new stadium right next door wouldn't solve anything.

[@jeremyd1869]

I don't suppose it occurred to Manfred to offer help to the city and ballclub? Even a low interest loan could be helpful, but Manfred acts like he's just a bystander. He's a failure at protecting MLB's brand. He will happily sacrifice fans and communities to put a few more bucks in the owners' pockets. Penny wise and puound foolish.

[@katazack]

The commissioner of MLB has no ability or authority to offer loans to to anyone.

[@bradkay4794]

The Rays are not flexible. The Rays view as they get all they want exactly how they want it and when they want it or they are going to move. A decade ago the Rays offer Saint Petersburg $42 million to break the Tropicana lease and leave early. Look at the shift. They went from being willing to pay to leave to being paid to stay.

[@FAITHandLOGIC]

Politicians ruining things as usual

[@stephenconnors7380]

Nashville, SLC, Charlotte, Montreal, or Raleigh bound

[@breezecardenas3941]

When things like this happen, don't be surprised if they relocate to another city ... Nashville, Charlotte, Salt Lake City, Montreal.... All viable cities to host an MLB team.

[@Keeter904]

Research relocating the Ray's to Charlotte, Oklahoma City or Indianapolis. These cities have solid support for their minor league teams and would have interest in an MLB team. While their facilities have less seating capacity than Tropicana Field, they have top notch amenities that can host an MLB team virtually overnight to play while a larger facility is being constructed. Victory Field in Indianapolis has a seating capacity of about 14,000, making it one of the larger minor league stadiums. Its design and amenities could make it a candidate for conversion to MLB. BB&T Ballpark in Charlotte is a modern facility that has a capacity of around 10,200. Its amenities and design could support a move to MLB with minimal changes. Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark in Oklahoma City has a modern design, good location, and a seating capacity of around 13,000. Its amenities and layout could be easily adapted for MLB.

[@michaelleroy9281]

Although as of November 2024 those cities are not candidates for expansion or relocation

[@MindQuestTrivia-d3d]

The city not fixing the damage probably violates the lease. I see relocation coming soon. You have SLC and Nashville begging for a team and the Tampa area citing things down. What would you do if you owned the team.

[@greg33770]

If it's such a good thing, why don't the Rays ownership and MLB fund the whole thing ?!

[@brianallyn5308]

Maybe you should spend 2 minutes to research how the bonds work and who actually owns the stadium (give you a hint, rays dont own the stadium, county does and leases it to them, so why would rays pay for a new stadium that they cannot own)

[@greg33770]

@@brianallyn5308 what you wrote has no bearing on what I wrote, they don't have to build right here, they can build anywhere....if it's such a good idea, then let the ownership and MLB pay for it, period !

[@zch7491]

Utah is buying, and public money is still there, just saying...

[@tenfourproductionsllc]

Nah, Nashville and Charlotte is 4 times the market share and baseball more than any other sport is reliant on local TV revenue.

[@ModMokkaMatti]

Is baseball even permitted in Utah? Still don't understand how the Coyotes 🏒 wound up there.

[@charlesjwin]

Portland, Charlotte and Nashville each offer better overall weather & larger population bases than Salt Lake City.

[@Melbester9]

​@@ModMokkaMattiSuns kicked the Coyotes out of stadium. The ownership group of the arena kicked Coyotes out and had to play at a college arena the Sun Devils arena and couldn't build a new stadium and get a deal done in Arizona and lost the team to Utah

[@michaelmarkowski204]

@@charlesjwin SLC has the money in place right now for a fully funded new stadium and a nice park (Smith's) to play at while the new ballpark is being built - they can take the team whenever MLB wants them to. Let us know when Nashville, Charlotte, or Portland can say the same. Also, it's no just population size. it's fan interest in the team and franchise stability with deep-pocketed owners that's more important.