Rays DEADLINE response: still "IN", but can't afford ballpark

[@brodiebrazil]

*Some other videos you might like:* FanDuel aiming to CHANGE MLB in 2025? 📺 kzbin.info/www/bejne/mpXdYpKilJmhl7s Macklin Celebrini vs. Connor Bedard: Unfair & unavoidable comparisons 📺 kzbin.info/www/bejne/gWqpn6CCppaJn5Y Rays & A's have STRIKING similarities, right now 📺 kzbin.info/www/bejne/gYa2c5R5q8lqbKc Cincinnati wants New Arena WITHOUT Major Sports Team 📺 kzbin.info/www/bejne/eXiUnKVqrriljJY INSANE changes to 2025 Rays home schedule 📺 kzbin.info/www/bejne/bqDCi59jhc-WjJY Blake Snell to Dodgers: Time for MLB Salary Cap? 📺 kzbin.info/www/bejne/epzJaJt3bryKnc0 Pirates fans begin "Sell The Team" Movement 📺 kzbin.info/www/bejne/i168nqFjmrlpn6c Rays Facing Critical SUNDAY Deadline for New Ballpark Commitment 📺 kzbin.info/www/bejne/goq1qGSDprV1aK8 Did Las Vegas F1 draw HALF attendance in 2024? 📺 kzbin.info/www/bejne/qXqwc32ufZKioM0 A's relocation WAS GREAT (for Kansas City) 📺 kzbin.info/www/bejne/n5_bZaZneqqJosk Joe Thornton gets 19 RETIRED by San Jose Sharks 📺 kzbin.info/www/bejne/mImzYZapi7aKe80 Some thoughts on my life, lately 📺 kzbin.info/www/bejne/oH-tmp6nmKmrgZI 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

[@richweber8372]

The one thing that is not thought about “out loud “ is how about taking the existing stadium, and do a major upgrade to it! New boards, new facilities, etc. , and a new retractable roof! Look at the upgrades done to the three oldest stadiums. And it should be less than a new one!!

[@Gutterbunnytales]

Howdy from St. Petersburg, thanks for literally breaking it down better than anyone else.

[@dannyboy34677]

JP Peterson breaks it down even better.

[@JoshFallen]

The craziest thing about this stadium drama is that if this new ballpark gets built it will solve nothing on the main issue...it will be located right by the Trop. The number 1 issue Ray's fans say about attending games is it is not convenient to get to the Trop.

[@joshstorch3315]

Getting to the trop for the majority of us in Tampa for a week night game is not worth it

[@Tampafan33]

EXACTLY

[@NewJerseyJets22]

They need to love to Salt Lake City

[@joshstorch3315]

@NewJerseyJets22 A's would move before the Rays because of division alignment

[@jamescaron6465]

It’s a shame they can’t even think about building something in Tampa because it seems to me the Tampa fans do support their teams when you look at the lightning and the buccaneers

[@joshualieberman2265]

Nobody is talking about how the public votes clearly wont be favorable seeing how the public just elected 2 commisoners who are anti-stadium. I find it bizaar that this has not raised red flags anywhere I have looked yet. It honestly seems like the entire city is saying they do not want the rays there anymore based on how they have already voted.

[@garfieldsmith332]

The old stadium is toast. A new stadium is required. What is required is 1) - a decision to build it where it will draw the most fans. And that could be in Florida or another state. And 2) - who pays for it? And it should not be any taxpayers. Let the owners pay for it.

[@forsman959]

When has a team entirely paid for a stadium?

[@johnchambers8528]

@@forsman959I believe Dodger Stadium was built and paid for by that team owner. I do not know if the city or county helped with some of the costs but I heard it was built by the team owner.

[@Smart-Towel-RG-400]

Sick of teams begging for money if the owner can't make it work sell it to someone who can

[@scotttild]

Said the same thing for a long time. Hope people are waking up to this fraud. They don’t help cities they help billionaires.

[@allensansone6537]

I totally agree with 100 percent if the owners can't help pay for the stadium

[@sebastian.stamour]

All major sport teams owners claim they're poor when they need a new stadium. It's ridiculous.

[@Redpoppy80]

Let me break out my "world's smallest violin" for the Rays owner who won't come up with the money. I do agree wholeheartedly that they need to move the stadium to somewhere that will not be a massive inconvenience to let fans come to see a game but if they can't afford it then they need to sell to someone who can and will. Again, MLB REALLY needs to dump their parasitic owners and there are about 12 off the top of my head who qualify for that.

[@RayManzarekRocks]

The longer the delay, the more costly the project. So who pays the additional expense? This is not difficult to understand.

[@mitchelmodine9197]

Brodie: They’re watching all of this very closely and: KZbin: Ad

[@brodiebrazil]

Did it really do that?!? 🤦‍♂️

[@Elephant2024]

You Tube Premium. No ads. It's worth it.

[@ddddirge]

What I take from this is: Rays doesn't care whether the deal is terminated as long as it's not from their side because if it's terminated from their side it's gonna be PR nightmare that could prevent them from getting same bonds when they're building the stadium on other sites So in case the deal is dead they taunt the city/county to terminate it for them instead 🤔🤔🤔

[@spencerward431]

No if the Rays cancel the deal then they lose out on the land redevelopment for Tropicana Field, which is going to be a lot of money, but if they can get the City or County to screw the deal they still have the land and can move the team

[@ChrisGtravels666]

I still think it would be a huge mistake to build a fancy new stadium in that location. The Rays have been a consistently competitive team, yet can't draw more than a few thousand heads on a typical night. There's obviously more to it than just the stadium being outdated.

[@jeremybingham7505]

We have the Yankees, Phillies, Blue Jays, Pirates and Tigers playing in our market as well. So for a growing area it’s easy for the new ones to retain their home team.

[@craigcavaliere6744]

It's the location. It's on the southeastern end of the peninsula which means you have to take a bridge to get there from most places. I think there's three bridges from Tampa and one from the Bradenton area. It's 30 minutes from Steinbrenner Field to the Trop and Steinbrenner Field is close to one of the main roads. The rest of the Tampa population is spread out. I live on the east coast and haven't been to a Rays game in almost 15 years. The last time I went, it took 3.5 hours to get there. It's a pain to trek across I-4 to get to Tampa. The traffic between Disney and Tampa is horrible. If they were in Orlando, I'd go to at least one game each year.

[@gordonlong3095]

Every video you make on the Rays’ situation, I feel we keep getting one step closer to the failure of the Gas Plant stadium and project, and either a plan to cross the Bay permanently to Tampa, or leave this metro area. I wasn’t following the A’s mess closely, but from what I’ve heard from you, it feels eerily that history is repeating itself in the one hand, not just for the A’s situation, but for the Expos, Thrashers, Rams, Chargers, and Coyotes situations. Who will get their new baseball stadium open first: Rays, A’s, White Sox, Stars, Salt Lake, or Portland…

[@James9000]

No public funding for entertainment centers for billionaires

[@GDavis49]

I agree but thats not how these things work in a majority of cases

[@James9000]

@GDavis49 only if you vote for it

[@scotttild]

@@James9000Most of the time there is no vote, city’s do it on their own without pubic say which in my opinion is even more wrong. The Giants built their entire part on their own without one cent from the city. They took out a 20 year loan, they funded the other part with PSL, advertising and naming rights. No reason why the Ray’s can’t do the same.

[@HunterMaggiacomo]

@@scotttildwhat are your thoughts on them asking other companies like maybe hard rock or a local brand to help with the price and in turn get naming rights and percentages on the land?

[@KPnDC]

@@scotttild right. I'm confused as why they keep saying they can't afford it. They need to sell the team then

[@Brandon-qd2lb]

How much does the Rays make a year it’s like 300 million… don’t get cheap on me or move over to Tampa!

[@michaelmarkowski204]

About a year ago, I read an article (can't remember the source) which stated that, given revenue sharing, their low team payrolls, and the sweet ballpark lease deals the Marlins and Rays enjoy, these two teams often DO make a net profit most years in spite of the low attendance figures.

[@joelenns5020]

Hagan has said that the Ybor site is still available along with others. Tampa is still very much an option when St. Pete doesn't work out

[@HunterMaggiacomo]

I really hope so

[@tweitner]

After what we experienced with the Arizona Coyotes, my prediction is the Rays are done in St. Pete and maybe the whole area.

[@TimFrith24]

I think Stuart Sternberg will likely sell the Rays to the Glazers, who own the Buccaneers, and Lightning majority owner Doug Ostrover and Marc Lipschultz, for $2.17 billion before the Rays build the same $1.3 billion 30,000-seat ballpark adjacent to Raymond James Stadium on the former Tampa Stadium site for the 2028 season.

[@bartphlegar8212]

@@TimFrith24 $1.725B was paid for 70% of the Baltimore Orioles, which would make the assumed total value of the team around $2.46B. But the Orioles come with a legacy stadium and a substantially larger TV market. So how do you get a $2.13B valuation for a homeless team with few assets? People keep assuming the Rays and the Orphan A's are $2B+ teams and they're not...

[@eggstor]

The Rays are one delay (or outright rejection) away from being out, and they're engineering said delay/rejection.

[@MarcSonnenberg300]

Brodie, what if during Construction of the new ballpark, a Cat. 4 or 5 Hurricane comes through and destroys things? My Opinion is either move to Orlando or better yet Nashville.

[@David-si8vq]

Can we put the Rays in Nashville and the Athletics in SLC and just be done? Move the Tigers to the East and Nashville to the Central. Play ball!

[@GDavis49]

The challenge in Nashville will be they’ve committed over a billion dollars in public money for a new Titans stadium

[@robertewalt7789]

What is SLC?

[@BigBlueHorses]

@@robertewalt7789 Salt Lake City, Utah.

[@ElectrifyingUno]

Isn't Cleveland more east than Detroit.

[@David-si8vq]

@@GDavis49 Good point. Charlotte or Raleigh, then, and leave them in the East.

[@scotttild]

Enough with the public funding. If the Giants can build their own park with not one cent from the city or state so can the Rays. Giants did it with a 20 year loan, for 400 Million PSL which generated another 100,000 Million adverting and naming rights which paid for the rest. I think the total was like 600 to 700 million when all was said and done. Point is Ray can do the same. they should move to Orlando though.

[@jimsmerbeck4049]

Giants did so in an area with some of the highest real estate and labor costs in the world. Paid it off early, too. So now it just prints money. Dodger Stadium does the same, which is why O'Malley insisted on a private stadium instead of Robert Moses's proposed municipal stadium (near where Barclays Center is now)

[@craigphillips3154]

There's no way that at least a half dozen locations haven't been reaching out to the Rays through back channels.

[@martinarden9705]

"Hi. We're the Rays. We're a little bit pregnant."

[@mikepuncsak7297]

Brodie....I'm here to give you props my friend. I'm sure it takes so much effort to put out these quality videos but you do it and you do it so well ! Thanks much for keeping us all informed about happenings outside of CA. . Being from back East I like to keep up on things back in the hardland . Thsanks again !

[@danieldougan269]

I understand why they need a roof, but can't they at least make it retractable? I think people would enjoy the fresh air when the weather is nice. People still come to Florida for the weather. Isn't one of the complaints about the Trop that it feels like a cave? Sure, this would have more natural light, but that's not the same as fresh air. It's not like the stadium is in Montreal. Even the Mariners have a retractable roof, and the Twins play outdoors. Yes, they have a lot of rainy days and obviously hurricanes, and it gets too hot during the summer, but there should at least be some days at the beginning and end of the season when it makes sense to be outdoors.

[@nix0737]

retractable roof will easily make the stadium 1.5x the cost and the Rays owners already don't want to pay up.

[@dancahill9585]

The Rays should tell Pinellas county they are delaying their response for reasons in the same way Pinellas county delays their vote for reasons. There is no good reason for the Rays ought to go out of their way to be nice to Pinellas county. Pinellas county has played hardball with the Rays since the Rays made the mistake of moving to that Godawful ballpark. I don't think the Rays owe Pinellas anything.

[@bobsjers]

What other for-profit company relies on the local government to pay for their facilities? It is paid by the taxpayers, many of whom can not afford to go to a game in the stadium. Player salaries are out of control, and perhaps more of the revenue should be spent on facilities.

[@TheSimpleTravelers]

Ken Hagen has said Tampa/Hillsborough is ready for 10 years. :)

[@lukenasty3206]

Remember 15 million is going to the Yankees for use of there stadium

[@intentionaloffside8934]

The election and the hurricane changed the political and financial situation of the region.

[@RogerBates7]

A lot of you want to have your cake and eat it, which is a Vibe that's feeding off Brodie. You want the billionaires to pay for their own stadium, but you also don't want them to leave town. Pick a lane, if it's their money, they decide where to build the building. When you're a partner, you get a signed lease that forces the team to stay around

[@randycoryer6399]

It’s time for the Rays to move to Tampa or elsewhere. Let’s get on with it. Montreal will take them….just imagine the Ex-Rays! Now that’s funny! Toronto and Montreal in the AL East would be a great rivalry.

[@michaelleroy9281]

Montreal CAN'T take them

[@georgehand]

So they're in but they don't want to pay for it that's not commitment that's taking the city for a ride!!!

[@RodrigoLugo-v6e]

brodie I've been keeping up with this ray's situation and being a st Pete native would not mind at all if they were to move to Tampa that means just like football more tailgating but for baseball and more people would visit Tampa and experience new surroundings i wouldn't be mad if they moved to tampa id be something huge for hillsBourgh county and the city of tampa

[@spencerward431]

You do know that the City of Tampa has a Bucs problem, they can either build a new stadium for the Bucs or Rays, they can’t do both

[@NewNomics]

Maybe the Rays can actually show up to the Pinellas County Commission meeting this time, bring hard numbers and answer questions... 3 month delay at present, a delay from a possible storm in 25 26 27 during construction, wanting to open in 28 vs 29... Time to explain why all of a sudden it's too expensive and why they arn't willing to hold up their end of the agreement to cover cost over runs. Any given summer there can be a major hurricane... so did they not plan for it? 🤦🏻 Right now it sounds like a Rays problem. Also, how is building in Tampa or moving the team by 29-30 going to be any cheaper? What offers do they have in the works that would prove it would be any cheaper for them? Again, lots of good questions for the Rays to answer... Or are they playing hardball to get more like they always have.

[@craigphillips3154]

The relationship between the Rays and Pinellas County can be summarized in several ways: 1) They are like 2 kids sitting in the backseat on a road trip and they're both complaining that the other won't stop touching them. 2) They're like a codependent couple that really need to break up but neither one will do it. 3) They're like two drunks sitting at a bar with grand plans on how to get rich but neither one has enough money to cover the bar tab.

[@BoulderCityBlues]

No public money should ever be given to billionaire sports team owners to build a stadium anywhere..These obnoxious new stadiums that are obsolete in 10 years are worse than investing in a new car ..It’s the same game whether you’re playing in a new ballpark or a 100 year old ballpark . If you put a winning team on the field the people will show up

[@tomk.3428]

They should continue to play in the current stadium (with roof fixed) until they find a privately funded way to afford a new stadium.

[@williamlloyd3769]

Orlando Rays! New stadium for team and Orlando conventions exhibit space. It would be near Disneyland, Universal Studios plus other parks. Fans could eventually take Brightline high speed rail to games! PS - site further inland would be less susceptible to hurricane damage.

[@purplesprigs]

Disneyland is in California.

[@GDavis49]

The MLB experiment in Florida has been a failure, it’s way past time to give another market a chance

[@MarlonBitoy]

Fun fact: there is no theme park in all of the state of Florida named “Disneyland.” There’s one by Angel Stadium, one in Japan, one in Paris, one in China, but not on in Florida!

[@LeanMrfuzzles]

@@GDavis49they haven’t even truly given the Tampa Bay market a chance.

[@GDavis49]

@@LeanMrfuzzles The same things were said about the Marlins. Build a new ballpark and the fans will come, it hasn’t happened there. For whatever the reasons MLB expansion into Florida has not worked. Save the taxpayers hundreds of millions and let the Rays relocate to another region.

[@ianfeuerhake1859]

What a scam

[@a.j.haszko3465]

Tampa and Hillsboro County don't have the money to build a stadium for the Rays. The Rays can't negotiate to build a stadium outside of the Tampa Bay area with out consent from Pinellas County and Saint Petersburg. Orange County Florida and The Dreamers group want a baseball team to relocate or expand to Orlando but will not interfere with a current baseball team's negotiating with their current city. The tourist tax from the theme parks can easily build a baseball stadium. The Rays are screwed until their lease expires.

[@Cyclonus12]

Keep in mind, the Rays are not contractually bound by their lease if Tropicana Field is not in usable condition.

[@StaYUTI420]

I keep hearing rumors that Padres are going to be asking for the same thing in the next 5 or so years and Pecto Park just turned 20 last year. By 2030 were gonna need some 26 new ballparks.

[@djowers1349]

Why petco is a great stadium?

[@zcorpalpha2462]

Interesting Video

[@mikeh1242]

The whole deal was doomed from the beginning, and they all knew it, with all the open hoops that still needed to be jumped through with all the unforeseen variables that could and did take place to derail it. It also makes MLB look bad, not hard to do. MLB should take more investment/ oversight with these deals to deliver an iron clad agreement to avoid this type of messy outcome.

[@Db_traveler]

Fast forward to the end of next season: How does the conversation go if the A’s and Ray’s are not filling the seats of minor league parks? Maybe we are witnessing the end of 30k seat facilities with ballpark villages for many MLB markets.

[@Kalbuir66]

Nothing cordial?? they're basically legal documents and you want them to be cordial??? Every video I watch you do about this, you clearly take the side of the county commission. I got news for ya, the county are the bad guys here.

[@RogerBates7]

100%. I actually like Brody as a video creator, but he seriously has issues with this stuff. It comes off with a "hung up on your ex" vibe sometimes. If you watched his videos, you would think that Oakland and Alameda were begging the Athletics to stay and John Fisher just basically ignored them. Total rewrite of history. Don't get me wrong, Fisher is a scumbag, but the stadium issue in Oakland has been going back decades over three owners and everyone wants to pretend now like it fell through on the 11th hour. The ray situation is apples and oranges

[@trclark7689]

Talking to Nashville wouldn't get them far unless they're selling the team.

[@josephmangone4250]

Saint Pete and Tampa are like twin cities It’s one metropolitan area so either side would be beneficial however as a previous videos and I’ve lived there so I know this for a fact or the population is on the Tampa Hillsborough side Hillsborough Tampa just have to decide how much money they want to build a stadium in Ybor city I’m not sure of the mayors board on this that’s part of the problem Not surprised me if it’s a raise already looking for a new home where they’re gonna be appreciated and supported

[@johnny234511]

If St-Pete lost the team they regret it couple of years after. Remember the Expos. I'm in Montréal, a big Expos fan and I miss my team!

[@michaelmarkowski204]

Ideas: If Pinellas County / St. Pete officials don't believe keeping the team is a priority given what the Rays are requesting and most of their constituents agree, vote No on the funding. The City of St Pete owns the Trop. Cut a deal with the Rays on a buyout re. the three years left on the Rays lease (if the Rays ask is excessive, take it to court where a compromise will likely be reached before trial, especially if the Rays announce they are moving to a new city in the interim). Sell the Trop and the land for $1 to a reputable, deep-pocketed developer who commits to pay the entire cost of knocking down the Trop, taking all debris away, and building residential high-rises or commercial buildings on the land, which would mean a good chunk of property taxes collected by the city every year. If the County votes No on the funding, I think the Rays will indeed look to Tampa next. Seems like the Hillsborough County Commissioner is very interested but he can't say much given the St Pete deal is not dead. However, given his initial statement, I suspect the likelihood of a deal for a new ballpark in Tampa is better than 50/50. If the Rays move to Tampa, all three "Tampa Bay" major league pro sports will remain in the area, and Rays fans in St. Pete would still be able to go to games and/or cheer on their "local" team, just like the Bucs and Lightning.

[@jimsmerbeck4049]

I agree Tampa makes way more sense, but with funding bonds, EIS, etc., we'd be looking at 2030 at the earliest. Where do the Rays play in the interim? St. Pete/Pinellas isn't going to pay to repair the Trop if the Rays are leaving. I don't see MLBPA allowing the ridiculously unbalanced schedule at Steinbrenner Field to last more than a year. And good luck attracting and keeping players at a minor league facility.

[@michaelmarkowski204]

@@jimsmerbeck4049 Good points, though I don't think it would take 6+ years to build a new ballpark in Tampa. Perhaps St Pete and the Rays could come to an agreement whereby Sternberg pays for the portion of the necessary repairs to the Trop not covered by insurance in exchange for paying nothing for the remaining 3 years of the existing lease (It's my understanding that Rays don't pay a fixed annual rent at the Trop - just a portion of ticket sales, which is a very sweet deal in and of itself given their low attendance numbers). Rays would then have an option to extend the lease on a year by year basis for a maximum of five additional years beyond the end of the 2028 season based on modified terms of their existing lease agreement (say half of the % of ticket sales they've been paying under the existing lease). This would secure the Trop as a temporary home for the Rays through the 2033 season if necessary.

[@michaelmarkowski204]

@@jimsmerbeck4049 Another option would be to pay annual rent to share loanDepot Park with the Marlins, but I think the Trop repairs idea is much better.

[@draneym2003]

Can someone explain how Oakland "deserves" to lose their team but the Rays have had issues with attendance and the ballpark since day 1 and they get chance after chance.

[@ddddirge]

Oakland "shares" some of the Bay Area market with SF, if they leave some SF markets can just invade the remains Rays is the only one in Tampa Bay or maybe larger Central Florida market, if they leave no one can replace them, except if they move to Orlando, Central Florida marker might just replace some of the Tampa Bay market

[@djowers1349]

The Rays need to into Tampa proper or move somewhere else. The team isn't bad but the location of the stadium is atrocious.

[@raysnhell89]

I hope Stu sells the team to a better owner that will stay in the Tampa/St. Pete area. Once he tried the split Montreal seasons move I was done with him.

[@74C5]

They should play at the Oakland Coliseum! The stadium is available after the worst owner of MLB moved the team to Sacramento.

[@GDavis49]

😂

[@jamesmcdonough2726]

That's a great idea

[@steventagawa6959]

Oakland and Alameda County should definitely be on the phone with the Rays. Sure, the Coliseum isn't a great stadium, but it's up to MLB specs, and more importantly, unlike all the other alternatives, it's available NOW. They can tell the Rays, "You can dump your $15 million per year agreement with the Yankees and open here in April." They were offering the A's $12 million a year; they can offer the same price to the Rays-less money for a major league park.

[@GDavis49]

@@steventagawa6959 so they live out of a hotel all season, you move the entire front office/team staff there and the games start at 4pm every day? And what about the players/staff families? That is a really bad idea.

[@reef1334]

We don't need $15.99 cans of light beer anyway. Buh bye Rays.

[@jamescaron6465]

Let’s face it the rays do not want this. The Pinellas County officials do not want this. Nobody really wants this. Let’s stop dancing around and admit it and move on like the adults they claim to be.

[@jazznik2]

No, they want it. The Rays just want other people to pay for most of their palace of a new ballpark and village.

[@RogerBates7]

​@jazznik2 one of the new Commissioners has come out in publicly said that maybe the money would be better spent repairing the beaches since the hurricane. Pinellas County is choking on their end of this. Your comments are half of a story, respectfully.

[@jamescaron6465]

@@jazznik2 I should’ve been more clear, what I should’ve said is the race do not want to accept reality and the deal that they are gonna have to accept. What they want may as well be pixie dust and unicorn farts

[@joshstorch3315]

The Rays need to be in Tampa or another state not in Pinellas County!!! We dont want to drive there!!!

[@johncrace911]

Build NO Stadiums for Billionaires. Just say No

[@SaberToothBicycle]

Thanks for the update. Still seems to me Floridians get all the baseball they want--during Spring Training.

[@michaelmarkowski204]

Agree. MLB had it right when Florida just hosted MLB teams in Spring Training before they headed north in April and avoiding the storm season in Florida. The smaller towns that host an MLB team in Spring Training get a sizeable amount of tourist revenue and the locals get to go to games in very nice weather.

[@BlackSaiyan24]

Move to Orlando

[@lanieparker5730]

They still need an indoor stadium built -- will Orlando/Orange County take that on?

[@BlackSaiyan24]

@ yes, they have identified a location and payment plan. The tourism tax will largely pay for it

[@gaggledweasel2579]

I hope they stay in st. Pete i live 7 minutes from the trop

[@brenth6723]

This to me is so insane ridiculous because there's a hurricane , it's nobody's fault. We don't want to lose the Rays.. and Tropicana are they going to just leave it there to rot. What the hell is wrong with Pinellas county? I blame them if we lose the Rays.

[@KPnDC]

The Rays are full of it. Sell the team broke boys!

[@ElectrifyingUno]

Baseball got what they wanted. A team in Vegas then Nashville. Oakland and Tampa got the shaft.

[@bartphlegar8212]

This is a typical hat dance. The Rays are essentially shopping themselves around - Tampa, et al - and also trying to get STP/Pinellas to sweeten the pot. Not blaming the Rays, since they really did get a footlong $#!+ sandwich between the two hurricanes and the Board flip at the county. Of course the county got hosed as well, and since have shifting priorities. The team does bleed money at Steinbrenner - or maybe it's a push compared to what they were drawing at Trop Field - but they were already anemic before the Gas Plant deal...TBH, short of Tampa/Hillsborough speed racing a project through, I don't see how the Rays stay afloat - no matter where they go. If they share a ballpark with another team, they won't get the attendance they need. If, say, they go to Omaha or San Antonio, without actually moving the team there officially, the same problem occurs. You might get good novelty crowds the first few weeks, but after that, a depleted Rays team won't continue to draw well...The Orphan A's shot themselves in the foot. The Rays, on the other hand, got ambushed. I feel for the fans in St. Pete, but as they say "that's life on the Gulf"...Quick side note. Cashman Field in Las Vegas went no bid at an auction on the 19th. The A's were too stupid to even put an option on it as a backup. The NBA snapped up the Rio, and the A's "can't afford" the Wild West, and they pissed off the Festival Grounds. I don't think Ballys comes back out of the ground. We might end up with a two team contraction here...

[@Cyclonus12]

While there were many contractions in the early history of sports leagues, and even in some more recent minor leagues, the probability of a Major League Baseball contraction in this era is approximately 0%. Uncertain stadium or arena situations aren't what cause teams to fold. Contractions happen because a team can't afford to continue playing, not because of venue uncertainty. While the stadium situations around these two teams are indeed currently sketchy, the overall demand for a major league team still currently exceeds supply. If things fall apart to the point where no resolution can be reached with the current owners and / or cities, the league will simply force a sale (and there are plenty of people who would buy either team if it were available for a discounted price) to someone who will do whatever it takes to get them into some stadium, in some city.

[@edwardcasper5231]

Can you say Montreal Rays? Tampa/St. Pete fans don't go to the Ray's games, so why should the team stay where it's apparently not wanted? And ... there's a natural rivalry in place with the Blue Jays. I could be totally wrong about my speculation, but it wouldn't surprise me to see it happen.

[@scotttild]

MLB is never going back to Canada with another team. Too many sports teams have failed in Canada for a number of reasons in each league. Problems are more complex than just a place to play. Taxes, Local TV, payments and lots of other issues come up.

[@edwardcasper5231]

@@scotttild The Blue Jays haven't failed.

[@a.j.haszko3465]

Montreal couldn't afford a new baseball stadium thirty years ago, and they can't afford one now. The Blue Jays kicked the CFL team out of the stadium and configure the Rogers Center for baseball only because they don't have the expendable money for a stadium. The Canadian dollar is weak.

[@SizzurpFoo]

They definitely shouldn't be called the Ray's if they relocate the name should stay in Florida.

[@edwardcasper5231]

@@a.j.haszko3465 That was 30 years ago. When cities lose teams they often do what it takes to get one back. The Houston Texans are one example of this.

[@zch7491]

Move them to Mexico city

[@kendeezytv1853]

That would be Hella Kool!

[@BlackSaiyan24]

Hell no.

[@a.j.haszko3465]

Good luck trying to get any of the players to sign with that team and live there.

[@zcorpalpha2462]

@@a.j.haszko3465Mexico City 🌆 isn’t that Bad 😂

[@jacklopinto946]

put baseball out of it misery & MOVE RAYS TO DISNEYWORLD!!! LORD HAVE MERCY!

[@virtualpublishingllc4501]

Add the Dbacks to stadium drama - They claim that their stadium is too big and they want an enterprise zone. welfare for Billionaires!

[@shaindaman13]

That’s some of that dodgy sounding Athletics half speak coming outta the Rays. “In effect”??

[@michaelspain3601]

Salt Lake is sitting on $900 million... Tampa Bay Rays, are you paying attention

[@BlackSaiyan24]

Orlando is sitting on more :) would be much easier to move 2 hours away.

[@michaelleroy9281]

Baseball is not going to be fun in 2025, Too many teams face uncertain times

[@oldz70]

As long as I've been living in Florida, it's been nothing but a bitch session about the rays. Everyone in Florida complains about everything "bot being close" to get to but yet drive 2 plus fucking hours to see a mouse at the tourist trap in orlando. Tampa people complain st pete is "too far", st pete people complain tampa "is too far". Fuck it. I hope the team leaves. This state is not baseball friendly but only in the spring when all the old people and tourists are here. The minor league here is a joke also. The marlins don't have a fan base either even with a new ballpark. Fuckin leave already.

[@FelixChavez-xx9bg]

Rays leadership is stupid and suck Rays leadership is as pathetic as the A’s MLB is stupid and pathetic for letting the Rays and A’s go on and on with their stupidity!!!

[@michaelyoung2188]

You talk about the Rays fanbase. This is a tiny fanbase. Moving anywhere would be a better option.

[@HHSGDFootballJPD]

Their TV ratings were better than Tigers' games.

[@subicstationditosailor4053]

Just go away!!!!! You want money from people who serve food and work in the tourist industry. We don't have money to rebuild our houses and GIVE you a new stadium.

[@zcorpalpha2462]

Yup 😂

[@RoloTomassiVideos]

No … it’s “its.”

[@louiscypher4186]

Let's be real this is over, the Ray's don't have the numbers on the county board to get this passed. The rest is just dueling PR teams.

[@steveanthony5530]

Rays are using the two hurricanes to their advantage. They want to leave St. Pete with a better deal and still reap gain from any future development of the gas plant district. Rays are weasels and not to be trusted in any business deal. But, you know...Here to Stay. 😅

[@BigBlueHorses]

Utah Rays sounds really good.

[@robertgoodson5528]

How long are you going to milk this topic?

[@mrwhirly0358]

As long as there’s news on it… silly goose

[@MarcSonnenberg300]

​@@mrwhirly0358 Exactly

[@a.j.haszko3465]

I live in Orlando, which is one of the largest metro areas in the United States, without a baseball team. I LOVE baseball and follow relocation/expansion all the time. I subscribe to the MLB package and watch baseball all summer and travel to other areas of the country to watch live baseball. A fan does what a fan needs to do.

[@JonDoe-ln6nl]

Then go away, Troll.

[@mrbob8618]

Let me tell you residents of the city who don’t to attend. Necessarily convincing The games should not have to pay for the stadium if you can’t afford to build your own stadium as an owner sell the team.