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Not terrible, but not good. PETERSBURG, Fla. The Tampa Bay Rays are relocating their spring base for 2023 due to extensive damage to team training facilities caused by Hurricane Ian. It is even to believe that the upper echelons of the MLB do not know it either with the few information that it is possible to obtain here and there! by Alejandro Avila May 29, 2021, 4:37 pm updated May 30, 2021, 5:45 pm 10 Comments. "Wed just be moving them a little to the east.. The column proposed that the Vipers move to was Orlando, which had the Orlando Apollos in the AAF, coached by former-Buc Steve Spurrier. ORLANDO Rays officials still havent gotten any clarity from other major-league owners or top executives during their quarterly meetings about why the plan to split future seasons in Montreal was killed. 2023 Cox Media Group. Either way, well get to see the Vipers go 2-10 and disappoint us all over again. At that time, he was vague about whether the team would pursue an expansion franchise or an existing team. Columnist John Romano will send the latest Rays insights and analysis to keep you updated weekly during the season. Attendance is always low. Rays expect to move Yandy Diaz to first base for 2023. . Are there any new MLB stadiums being built? Obviously, the latter preaches for his parish, but he brings up some good points that are very defensible. The downsides of this proposal are apparent. However, if they were to bite the bullet and go to North Carolina, theres definitely reasons to believe they can succeed. The stadium was built using taxpayer dollars and now they think they are going to get people who are too lazy to drive from Tampa or St Pete by building a new stadium at taxpayer expense. Despite increased interest expressed by Tampa Mayor Jane Castor in providing a . However, as I just stated, this is geared towards getting a new team. Press J to jump to the feed. There are already 2 teams in Texas that have been there for a long time (Astros since 1962, Rangers since 1971), and they have taken up the majority of the fan interest. The Rays began play in 1998 and were known as the Devil Rays until the end of the 2007 season. With no answers from MLB on the vote, the team is focusing on great talks with Tampa Bay officials but needs to hear more details. A summary report from the Tampa Sports Authority, Sign up for the Rays Report weekly newsletter, Former Devil Ray Gerald Williams dies of cancer. Every little bit helps. Its the fastest-growing metro area in Florida and fifth fastest in the nation. It arrives at the foot of the podium with a population of 2,673,376 inhabitants, arriving far behind the greater Miami area and not far behind that of, precisely, Tampa Bay. Yeah, it should work.. Orlando is currently the 18th largest TV market, several notches down from Tampa Bays 11th ranking, but its just a matter of time before Orlando passes Tampa Bay, Williams said. Newest Tampa Bay Rays Stadium Rumored Location: Florida State Fairgrounds. Never miss out on the latest with the Bucs, Rays, Lightning, Florida college sports and more. Whatever he thinks works, works. Specifically, a relocated Tampa Bay Rays. I decided to list 5 cities, one for each of the times a baseball flew into the Tropicana catwalks during the postseason over the years. Orlando is a smaller city than Tampa, but it gains much more tourist revenue. One downside I see to this idea is that the state of Florida is really a football state and less of other sports. Tampa Bay Rays moving spring training camp to ESPN Wide World of Sports for 2023 By Matt Reeser, WFTV.com December 20, 2022 at 12:05 pm EST By Matt Reeser, WFTV.com December 20, 2022 at 12:05 pm EST Over the winter, the Rays traded away Ji-Man Choi and signed Zach Eflin. Where do visiting teams stay when playing the Rays? As of April 1, 2020, the Orlando metro area ranked third in Florida demographically. Tuesday's meeting was the first for Mayor Jane Castor and Rays owner Stu Sternberg to talk face-to-face about the team building a stadium in Ybor City . A summary report from the Tampa Sports Authority provided some details of a plan for a potential Ybor City stadium, but the Rays need to hear and see more, which at some point will include the cost breakdown. The article I linked mentions how San Antonio is a tad crowded, and that Austin is a government city, and that a better place for a Rays stadium would be in between the cities, in a place like San Marco, or New Braunfels. There has been discussion from some investors, most notably MLB legend Nolan Ryan and his son Reid, who have both given consideration to pitching the owners on an expansion or relocation to Central Texas. Their attendance matches the teams talent level, and the Bucs have had great success, even before Tom Brady showed up in town. The team, which has lived with an uncertain stadium future for years, released details and renderings of a proposed new home east of their current stadium, Tropicana Field. The location in St Pete makes attendance for the Rays suffer because the distance from Tampa and northern suburbs is a challenge on 275 most weekdays. A retired Orlando Magic executive thinks its a perfect fit for Stu Sternberg to move his team east on Interstate 4. Baseball clubs have never drawn crowds. Videos by OutKick. The Rays have trained since 2009 in Port Charlotte, Florida, about 90 minutes south of St. I think MLB view cities like Montreal, Portland, Nashville, Charlotte and possibly Mexico City as possible expansion cities. Video Before playing at Champions Stadium, the Orlando Rays played at Tinker Field, where in the year 2000 brought in 61,960 people. That change happened after the 2007 season. Less than two weeks until we really kickoff 2022. While this proposal to move the Rays to Ybor City is apparently dead, there is continued discussion of other stadium sites in either Pinellas or Hillsborough County. I might rather sit in I-4 traffic rather than paying to watch a pitchers duel from the outfield bleachers. Political news Co-founder and retired executive of the Orlando Magic Pat Williams has made a direct appeal to Rays management about a move to the city of Orlando. 2 References. New rules could make them more aggressive. The results are disappointing for the soccer team, in addition to its history in the context of the tournament MLS is backtournament played precisely in Disney facilities. And there are those big potential corporate sponsors. Columnist Stephanie Hayes will share thoughts, feelings and funny business with you every Monday. Subscribe now to get the latest news delivered right to your inbox. Letsgetstarted. New rules could make them more aggressive. Retired Orlando Magic executive Pat Williams says Orlando is the natural future home for the Tampa Bay Rays. The Tampa Bay Rays have submitted a proposal to build a new domed ballpark near the site of the Major League Baseball (MLB) franchises current Tropicana Field home in St Petersburg, Florida. Vice president of Disney Sports, Faron Kelley, said they are thrilled to bring Major League Baseball back to Walt Disney World Resort. Coronavirus The column cites poor attendance compared to the other XFL teams for the games played at Raymond James Stadium, explains how the XFL could capitalize on the markets created by the recently deceased Alliance of American Football (AAF), and gets into how the recent hype surrounding the Bucs could make the Vipers an afterthought to football fans in Tampa. And hes made that pitch to team executives in recent months. The Titans and Predators have no issues with attendance and are immensely popular in the region, while Nashville also had the highest economic growth of any American city in 2021. Central Texas is one of the most populous areas in the United States, and there have been talks of them potentially hosting another sports team for some time. USA In an effort to court the Orlando, Florida, market, the Devil Rays played a series at The Ballpark (now called Champion Stadium) at Disney's Wide World of Sports Complex in the 2007 Tampa Bay Devil Rays season. But This is What You Should Have Expected, Mocking the Nationals Offseason, Early Postseason Edition, Washington Nationals Top 10 Prospects (51), Zach Bryzkcy: The Nationals Closer of the Future, Reliable Relievers Returning From the 2022 Nats, Weekend Prospect Report Card: Chase Dollander Start #2. Following Silverman's announcement Sunday, Rays fans chanted, " Move to Tampa ," according to 95.3 WDAE. Theres also the fact that the Rays would have nowhere to play until they move, which sours the idea of an immediate relocation. ", Subscribe to our free Stephinitely newsletter. Whatever location would definitely have to be convenient, I agree. Next time you're in town, though, I hope it's for the All-Star Game instead of the owners meetings. Walt Disney World Resort said its looking forward to providing professional-grade facilities and world-famous hospitality to the players and coaches. The article I linked mentions how San Antonio is a tad crowded, and that Austin is a government city, and that a better place for a Rays stadium would be in between the cities, in a place like San Marco, or New Braunfels. Alas, it was voted down (again) early this year. 2021 Half Street High Heat A Nationals Podcast, Nats Parks New BetMGM Sportsbook is Great. Rays ownership still has a proposal for a $700 million stadium in Ybor City at their feet, and with the split-season proposal with Montreal shot down, the idea is gaining traction. The decision was not made, officials said, as part of the ongoing negotiations for a new collective bargaining agreement (which commissioner Rob Manfred will address Thursday in a media conference). ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. The Tampa Bay Rays are relocating their spring base for 2023 due to extensive damage to team training facilities caused by Hurricane Ian. Tampa Bay retiree one of thousands stuck in federal . Theyve tried everything they can for the last 20 years to make it work. Subscribeto our newsletter and follow@cl_tampabayon Twitter. Before working at News 6 he worked for stations in Miami and Fort Myers. He noted that Major League Baseball is planning to expand by two teams in the coming years. A city that has history rooting for other teams would find it more appealing to take the time to build a stadium for an original team and to start new than bring in a franchise that already has 20+ years of history in another state. Ill be supportive of anything that Stu wants to do., Reinsdorf and Red Sox principal owner John Henry, another council member, declined Wednesday to share details on the Montreal decision. . In an interview with the Tampa Bay Times, Tampa mayor Jane Castor made clear that she hopes to see the Rays remain in the Tampa area. Population: 335,709 Other Franchises: Tampa Bay Buccaneers (average attendance: 49,000-plus; one championship), Tampa Bay Lightning (average attendance: 17,000-plus; one championship) Baseball . Baseball would be the most boring attraction of them all in Orlando. People from Orlando know this Hispanic population doesnt necessarily mean baseball attendance- look at Miami. Home News Option to move Rays to Orlando must be raised. Walt Disney World on Tuesday announced it has come to an agreement with the Tampa Bay Rays to host the . Also the location is poor for Tampa residents. As one myself, Im curious to know how the Mets fans have wronged you worse than Red Sox fans or (shudders) Yankee fans. Were looking forward to engaging.. ESPN Wide World of Sports was the Atlanta Braves spring training home for two decades and was a host site for the inaugural 2006 World Baseball Classic, which features major-league players. 20 Tampa Bay restaurants every new resident needs to try to call themselves a local If you're gonna live in Tampa, you have to eat like a Tampeo. 1 min read. Free Will Astrology: Is the soul shaped like an iceberg or a hummingbirds eye? Students may not be here for summer, but Spring and Fall they will be, and Orlando is easily accessible for students that go home for break. Manorama Online dedicated to making a push for their own Major League Baseball team. There are plenty of good local restaurants around. We are thankful for Disneys willingness and ability to accommodate our unexpected spring training needs, Silverman said. (Tampa is third.) He grew up in Southern Illinois and graduated from Southern Illinois University with a bachelors degree in TV and digital media. Matthew Moyer Golden State won the title last season, and a healthy Curry, and the eventual return of Gary Payton II gives Golden State the most depth it has had all season. Africa With a plan to play part of the season in Montreal scrapped, the Tampa Bay Rays are reportedly shifting from a plan for a modest Ybor City facility to a larger, domed ballpark that will serve as year-round home for the MLB team. I need not remind everyone theres no team between Washington, D.C. and Atlanta. This scenario seems perfect for an in-state move. On the day that this article was written, the Tampa Bay Times reported that MLB officially shut down the split-city idea with Montreal. Read on to see where the candidates stand on smart growth, workforce issues and their willingness . "This is unnatural," Rays president Matt Silverman said. I believe MLB put teams in the Florida region to see how they fare because they regularly had spring training like Arizona so they tested the market. You know what lies in life in Orlando that attracts millions of tourists annually? However, as I just stated, this is geared towards getting a new team. Residents in the Tampa park at 4801 E. Hillsborough Avenue say they received the same notice, adding that their fixed incomes leave them with very few options.. READ: Tampa Electric, Duke Energy propose rate hikes for customers after impacts from two hurricanes in 2022. The team dropped the "Devil Rays . Thats up to Stu, Reinsdorf said. Floridians dont care about baseball as much hence Florida Marlins. When he is not at work you can catch him at one of Orlando's theme parks or the beach. Tampa Bay is entering 2023 with high expectations after making it to the playoffs for the last four seasons. Either way, we'll get to see the Vipers go 2-10 and disappoint . On Tuesday, Disney announced the Tampa Bay Rays will conduct part of the teams 2023 spring training at ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex. We go into something, we put our best foot forward, and well see. That amount was set to decrease to $3 million per year from 2019 to 2022 and $2 million from 2023 to 2026. Save. The Rays easy solution to fixing their money and attendance problems is to simply move north to Tampa. St. Petersburg Mayor Rick Kriseman chuckled when he heard Williams characterization of his city. The series selected was the May 15-17 series versus the Texas Rangers. Follow our Tampa Bay Times sports team on Twitter and Facebook. Its an incomplete picture of the work that theyve been doing, and were eager to see that full pitch once its ready, team president Matt Silverman said. Central Texas is one of the most populous areas in the United States, and there have been talks of them potentially hosting another sports team for some time. Williams also said the Tampa Bay area is too fragmented by geography and politics to make up for St. Petersburgs weaknesses. Maybe the Rays will be able to convince the city to fund a new ballpark, but even that might be risky. A move east likely wouldnt nullify a reportedly lucrative new television contract that the Rays just inked, since the Rays currently broadcast statewide. The cheapest way to get from Orlando to Tampa Bay costs only $26, and the quickest way takes just 4 hours. If people can afford a family trip to Disney, they can spend a few extra bucks to see Mike Trout perform. While this proposal has some ground, its one that needs to become more concrete, and works better for an expansion franchise. Klicken Sie auf Alle ablehnen, wenn Sie nicht mchten, dass wir und unsere Partner Cookies und personenbezogene Daten fr diese zustzlichen Zwecke verwenden. As part of the agreement, the Rays players and coaches will work out at ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex beginning Feb 6. He would see the Rays move to Orlando. More information about spring training games, including locations and ticketing details will be released in January. With the Reams lease at the Trop ending in 2027, Williams pitched to the team in 2020 an entire proposal fleshed out for a Rays move, including a $1.2 billion dollar stadium, corporate sponsorships and possible support from Disney, and the numbers, that show how Orange County collects triple the tourist taxes of Pinellas and Hillsborough, where St. Petersburg and Tampa sit, respectively. Since 2009, WDAE/620 in St. Petersburg, Florida, has served as the flagship station for the network.. Breaking news A playoff game. In addition, the citizens are already remotely familiar with the team. Tampa has a lot of debt, and the city is still recovering from the financial crisis of the late 90's. The Rays might find it harder to sell tickets to fans in a city that is in economic trouble. (AP Photo/John Raoux, File), (John Raoux, Copyright 2020 The Associated Press. But, lets say the Rays come to town. As the Rays' 2022 season began, the team's expiring 2027 lease at Tropicana Field crept closer. The biggest reason to move to Charlotte is because it is an untapped baseball market. Bei der Nutzung unserer Websites und Apps verwenden wir, unsere Websites und Apps fr Sie bereitzustellen, Nutzer zu authentifizieren, Sicherheitsmanahmen anzuwenden und Spam und Missbrauch zu verhindern, und, Ihre Nutzung unserer Websites und Apps zu messen, personalisierte Werbung und Inhalte auf der Grundlage von Interessenprofilen anzuzeigen, die Effektivitt von personalisierten Anzeigen und Inhalten zu messen, sowie, unsere Produkte und Dienstleistungen zu entwickeln und zu verbessern. economy Read: Tips to keep your furry friends safe from the cold this winter. A bid to move to Dallas was dismissed by the other AL owners in 1962. Fri, Sep 4, 2020 at 5:28 pm. Were going to try our best, he said. World Pinellas eyes youth sports complex with big question: Where would it fit? There are already 2 teams in Texas that have been there for a. time (Astros since 1962, Rangers since 1971), and they have taken up the majority of the fan interest. Whether it takes days or weeks at this point, were fine with it, he said. The Spurs were consistently in the top half of the NBA in attendance pre-pandemic, showing that San Antonio can gather fan interest, while Austin would be a fun experiment. What it will take, Reinsdorf said as have many others is a new ballpark. Remember, the XFL has yet to stay alive long enough for back-to-back seasons. Sports media giant ESPN announced Wednesday, Nov. 4, 2020, that it is cutting about 500 jobs from its global workforce and laying off about 300 employees. Get todays headlines in minutes with Your Florida Daily: Copyright 2022 by WKMG ClickOrlando - All rights reserved. Thundering Spirit Family Pow Wow returns to Mount Dora this weekend, Orlando bids a sad, though not final, farewell to musical theater powerhouse Tod Kimbro, Monster Jam crashes into Orlando's Camping World Stadium this weekend, The Uptown Arts Expo is back in Altamonte Springs in late March, The Fringe Festival announces dates for this year and a return to downtown Orlando. Pitchers and catchers will report the following week on Feb. 14. Whether or not the idea of moving a baseball club there is worth discussing remains to be seen. Sternberg said the Rays are working to find that next solution. The Bucs are heavily targeting tight ends at the 2023 NFL Scouting Combine. Its a tiny little market. There are not only the tourists, but also all the Disney employees who could potentially go and have fun at a Rays game on their day off. St. Petersburg simply isnt big enough to support a major league team, he said. MLS home games number 17 (outside of post season), MLB has 81. COVID-19 Disneys influence on baseball attendance is negligible - the Braves are leaving the stadium at the Disney sports complex (for Spring training) due to attendance and proximity to the other teams on the west coast of Florida. Your email address will not be published. Please enter your username or email address to reset your password. We want to be in the area, which is the most important thing. Rays ownership still has a proposal for a $700 million stadium in Ybor City at their feet. Writers and fans STILL dont have much to talk about right now regarding baseball, but in other news, MLB finally shot down. . Theres also the fact that the Rays would have nowhere to play until they move, which sours the idea of an immediate relocation. Pat Williams has made a direct appeal to Rays management about a move to the city of Orlando. That is true about the Hispanic population in Miami, but I feel like that organization has pissed off so many fans in Miami. We know theyve been working hard on the effort, and were excited to see what they put together. Hes confident that his booming metro area will outpace Tampa Bay in population and clout within a dozen years. "I can't afford to move," said Skylite . TAMPA, Fla. - The possibility of the Tampa Bay Rays moving out of St. Petersburg could be closer to reality. I think Stu should do what I think hes trying to do, (which) is get a stadium built in the Tampa area, Reinsdorf said. Tampa Bay Lightning left wing Pat Maroon (14) fends off Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Pierre-Olivier Joseph (73) during the third period of an NHL hockey game, Sunday, Feb. 26, 2023, in Pittsburgh. Our small but mighty team is working tirelessly to bring you up to the minute news on how Coronavirus is affecting Tampa and surrounding areas. July 21, 2022 by Dave Harris. They have a stadium and entertainment area proposal, a section on the citys baseball history and their Negro League ties, and an entire group of investors. They would have a fan base and really wouldnt effect the St.Louis Cardinals. To hide the sight of empty seats, the Tampa Bay Rays removed the upper deck seats during games. Weitere Informationen ber die Verwendung Ihrer personenbezogenen Daten finden Sie in unserer Datenschutzerklrung und unserer Cookie-Richtlinie. Lets give Tennessee its own team instead. Again, thank you for the constructive criticism. So it's really not driving the conversation, but it's certainly an important element.". One possibility under consideration is for the team to move to land on the western edge of Tampa's Ybor City, space formerly occupied by Kforce headquarters, the Tampa Bay Times reported. In addition, WGES/680 in St. Petersburg . Baseball can be a thriving business in a fast-growing region heavy with deep-pocket corporate sponsors like Disney and Universal, he says. PETERSBURG, Fla. - Baseball came early to Tropicana Field this year. Mr. Soto or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Washington Nationals, The Nationals Stink, BAD. The Rays have the second worse attendance record in the game in 2019 with a team that is at the top of the American League East. St. Petersburg is a hike from Tampa, and most of the ways to get between the two cities are clogged during weekday rush hour. Letsgetstarted. China The reason spring training is in Florida is because of our weather. If we talk about Big 5 and MLS, we must add to this equation Orlando City which joined MLS only in 2015. ORLANDO, Fla. -- Baseball officials "have a sense of urgency" to find a new ballpark for the Tampa Bay Rays after scrapping a plan to split seasons between Florida and Montreal when the team's . Were always looking for top tier events, like the Rays spring training for our guests to enjoy at ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex.. This is their perfect new home.. The fact is the Rays have been trying to . Period. health The Tampa-St. Petersburg metropolitan area has the highest rate of homelessness in the nation, according to the National Alliance to End Homelessness in a report issued earlier this year 57 homeless for every 10,000 residents. This area has approximately 16,000 homeless, and about one-fifth of them are children. 1:50. WFTV-TV reported that politician Armando Gutierrez has discussed moving a baseball team to Orlando. And, he argues, Orlando is uniquely poised to introduce Americas pastime to tens of millions of foreign tourists who come for Mickey but might stick around a day longer for baseball. Now, Williams is confident that Orlando can lure the Rays to a brand new ballpark ready for the first pitch of the 2028 season. This deal is, of course, moot as a stadium deal has fallen apart (for now). entertainment Its been great to meet with them, Sternberg said. The team was relocated to Montgomery, AL before the 2004 season as the Montgomery Biscuits. Co-founder and retired executive of the Orlando Magic. Tickets: https://t.co/JC6GjkLsV1@orlandohealth | #ORLvMTL pic.twitter.com/rYcIt2vpvx, Orlando City SC (@OrlandoCitySC) February 14, 2022. Not to mention a name change the Rays would have to do, to something like the Stars or Outlaws. I'm fine with it. Florida is truly a football state, both professional and amateur. Because they play somewhere accessible for the greater Tampa Bay area. Toronto president Mark Shapiro said the Jays, who said they were in favor of the Rays exploring the plan, were not consulted by the council and also were surprised by the decision. Your favorite tequila battle is back on 4/7/23! The plan would have kept the Rays in the Tampa area; moving them 25 miles east into Hillsborough County and 80 miles west of Orlando. But its been nice to be around the senior baseball community here from all the other teams, theyve all been very complimentary. create an agency to facilitate the process for Argentines, Charger specialist Anker launches a very promising 3D printer on Kickstarter. Read: Rooting for you: 9 tips to help your outdoor plants survive the cold. College students wouldnt be here during a bulk of the baseball season. Want more of our free, weekly newslettersinyourinbox? Lebanon.. The official subreddit about the City of Orlando and the surrounding communities of Central Florida. MLB has tried to encourage o. . The biggest reason to move to Charlotte is because it is an untapped baseball market. QUIZ: Which Member of the 2021 Washington Nationals Are You? By James Hicks | January 12, 2022 at 4:22pm CDT. The attendance-challenged Tampa Bay Rays have Major League Baseball's permission to play half their home games in Montreal, a city without baseball since the Expos left after the 2004 campaign. Period. Click for more. We are thrilled to be bringing Major League Baseball back to Walt Disney World Resort, said Faron Kelley, vice president of Disney Sports. There are corporate interests, fans to pounce on, and an area that wants baseball. ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex will provide our players and coaches with first-class facilities for their annual ramp up to the season.. Nobody really knows what will happen with the Tampa Bay Rays in the short to medium term. move to sidebar hide (Top) 1 Notable Orlando alumni. Where are the Tampa Bay Rays moving to? By all appearances, the Tampa Bay Rays are staying put. | New Bond March 2023 | Breastfeeding bonus | homes of the homeland 2023 | Venezuela, Thanks in particular to a gem from Foden, City mates Newcastle and puts pressure on Arsenal. Florida Gov. Football It is what it is, Williams said. After nearly a decade as the Devil Rays, and countless phone calls pleading with the team to change the name, the teams new ownership, led by current owner Stuart Sternberg, decided that it was best to change the name to the Tampa Bay Rays. "I made a big mistake, a real mistake, in trying to promote our sister-city plan with a . Rays co-presidents Matt Silverman and Brian Auld have met with Williams several times" since Rays owner Stu Sternberg announced his split-season concept between Tampa Bay and Montreal. TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) Meoshi Mullins was given a notice in January that said on March 1, her rent will double. Pinellas eyes youth sports complex with big question: Where would it fit? Sign up for the Rays Report weekly newsletter to get fresh perspectives on the Tampa Bay Rays and the rest of the majors from sports columnist John Romano. The Trop was built as a hockey arena, and even the Lightning found it wasnt as suitable for it, moving to the Amalie Arena in downtown Tampa. April 7, 2022 by archyde. At the time I had asked (for reasons for the Montreal vote), it was, just a decision by the executive council, and it remains the same, principal owner Stuart Sternberg said Wednesday at the meetings hotel. For an international Disney visitor, the idea of attending a sport that epitomizes America such as baseball can be appealing. America Orange County collects about triple the tourist bed taxes each year than the combined totals of Pinellas and Hillsborough. Its not a great tourist town. News Orlando is a fantastic in-state option for the Rays, and it doesnt have the cumbersome cost of starting the fanbase over or getting out of a valuable TV deal across the state of Florida. Hes quite popular in Florida, as he was a star QB at the University of Florida and later coached the Gators to a national championship. Subscribe now to get the latest news delivered right to your inbox. The ability to maintain 22-23k per home game in MLB is difficult. With the 2027 end of their lease at Tropicana Field getting closer, the Rays are back to exploring stadium options in the Tampa Bay area.