BREAKING: Rays to play 2025 season at Steinbrenner Field in Tampa
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The Rays are planning to play the 2025 season at Tampa’s Steinbrenner Field, spring training home of the rival New York Yankees.
The Rays have been looking for an interim home since Hurricane Milton caused extensive damage to Tropicana Field last month. Under a repair plan revealed Tuesday, the Trop won’t be playable until the 2026 season.
The Rays apparently chose Steinbrenner Field over Clearwater’s BayCare Ballpark, spring home of the Philadelphia Phillies, in consultation with Major League Baseball.
An announcement will be made later today.
“We have ongoing discussions with (the Rays), and they had talked to me about that,” St. Petersburg Mayor Ken Welch said. “… I understand their rationale for Steinbrenner. … I’ll let them speak to that.’
Reporting: https://www.tampabay.com/sports/2024/11/14/interim-stadium-steinbrenner-field-yankees-tarpons-pinellas-st-petersburg/
Steinbrenner Field, which opened in 1996 as Legends Field, sits across Dale Mabry Highway from Raymond James Stadium. It provides the largest capacity (11,026) of the spring stadiums, along with 13 suites, several club areas, social spaces and cabana seating, plus other upgrades from a $40 million renovation prior to the 2017 season.
Equally appealing, it has much of the required major-league-standard equipment, facilities and amenities for players in place. As a result, the facility would require the fewest upgrades to meet MLB regular season and players association standards.
Topics:
0:00 Official announcement expected later today
1:39 The BASICS
2:38 The GOOD
5:25 The BAD
9:19 TAKEAWAYS
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45 comments
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So…they’re owned by The Yankees?
I would suggest regarding “Rain Outs” at the outdoor TAMPA Ballpark that I if a one occurs against a Divisional Opponent then the RAYS should consider making up those games at the Away Stadium. This is possible because of the numerous times these teams will play each other throughout the season. All other Non-Divisional Opponents would have to attempt to play Double-Headers there in TAMPA. If these Make up Double-Headers are Single Admission then the RAYS would lose the Gate Revenue regardless so having additional games a Real MLB Stadium would benefit the Players.
The 30 minute closer drive will be much more attractive to people in Orlando and Lakeland who never went to St. Pete for games
Their attendance is about to skyrocket. Way easier to get to than the Trop for fans. At a glance, that area is generally where the Rays always should've been. The Bucs' stadium is right there as well. Wouldn't be shocked if they try to scrap plans for St. Pete and play in Tampa forever. Perhaps temporary seating as well to up the capacity more?
I don’t love the 2 AL teams in minor league parks point. The two situations seem so different. The A’s irregardless of the future should never have been allowed to play in Sacramento unless it had been announced it was going to be their permanent home. They should’ve figured out how to stay in the coliseum until the permanent home was ready. Tampa has no choice unless they were going to be leaving Tampa permanently.
In 2026, the Tampa Bay and Athletics could be put on hiatus. It isn’t clear how both would react to this, but it minimizes the potential for longer term issues involving those teams. It would also open the door for expansion to Nashville or wherever in 2027.
All things being equal, I don’t see how the Rays could ask for a better situation.
I've always believed that the rays should've always been in Tampa proper. Not St.Petersburgh the traffic is why there's no fans at the Trop.
…oh…and I made it to the end of the video Brodie, I know you appreciate that.
…oh…and I made it to the end of the video Brodie, I know you appreciate that.
Why didn't the a's play at their spring training facility instead of going up to Sutter Health Park ?
They should just fast track the new stadium and play at Steinbrenner field until it’s ready
How much will the Yankees charge them.
So when the Yankees play the Rays at Steinbrenner, who gets the home team locker room?
I would just build the new stadium right now
Couldn't they add 3-4 thousand temp outfield seats?
speaking of television: Fan Duel Sports Network (Diamond Sports Group – formerly Ballys) has struck deals with the Rays, Tigers, Braves, Angels, Marlins and Cardinals on restructured deals for 2025.
Assuming the new stadium plans included demolishing the Trop after completion, it might be possible to do the demo first and then build an upgraded stadium on the same footprint and reusing some of the structural elements. May be the lowest cost option. Wondering if that is being considered?
The Blue Jays spring training stadium is gorgeous and brand new too, and is in Dunedin – relatively close. But it only seats 8,500.
Fans don’t cross the bridge. That’s the problem. With the 5 minor league teams in the immediate area of Tropicana field most fans that go to Tropicana field live within 10 miles of that stadium.
Wow, has to be a MLB first in all history. Not just one, but two teams, in 2025, will be playing their home games in minor league ballparks!
You should do more detail about financials curious how this works… city gave 6.5 mil already do they get 6.5 back from insurance… rays have to lease from yankees and how much and will insurance policy pay that… lots of financial questions…
MLB allows the A's to play in minor league stadium, Ray's to follow, heck, Menfred has managed to degrade MLB like no other commissioner before.
I wonder which team will have a worse home Sacramento A's or Tampa Bay. Which will be hotter to play in? It's going to be super hot in both locations to watch Baseball. If I were a gambler I would bet the Ray's will be there for 4 years. The new stadium is likely delayed a year until 2029.
Just simulate all of their games on MLB the Show. People don't show up for their games anyway. The market just never seemed to take shape in Tampa for MLB. The Marlins with their shiny new stadium still can't draw fans. Florida and MLB just hadn't quite worked out.
It won't matter much, because they don't draw more than 10k anyways. Funny we have 2 minor league stadium in the American League
What's a "doubleheader"? Unusual circumstances, call for unique solutions. Sometimes working together with opponents is required. It benefits everybody.
The Tarpons can play in the blue jays new, minor league stadium
The GMSF renovations are happening now and have been in each of the last five years.
Rays averaged 16,500 last season in the Trop.
Why can't you play DH's?
They may actually sell out! Just pack up and move the team.
Hey Brody they can move to Oakland and call themselves the Oakland Rays with a new ballpark being built for them
Tampa Bay Rays own Al Lang Stadium downtown St. Pete. Kinda wild it hasn’t been talked about at all
Get ready for postponements and doubleheaders
The Rays may not be a big draw, but they averaged over 16k fans per game last year. I don't think any business would be happy about having a 30+% drop in a revenue stream, it amounts to over 10 million/yr. On top of that they may as well call the Yankees their daddy playing at Steinbrenner field. I feel dirty just typing that name, I'd be disgusted with myself playing there if I was part of the Rays.
George Steinbrenner loved the area (had a home here) & would have stepped up in the wake of a hurricane I'm sure, so I'm not that surprised.
Thank you for the video.
Do you know the average rain suspended games for the rest of NL and AL teams without a in door stadium?
We've got an open major league stadium here in Arlington Texas that no ones using during the Summer. 🙂
You won't catch me at a game there between June and September. Too damn hot. Love the rays but it's going to be tough
16,515 is the 2024 attendance average.
One thing you didn't mention, a lot of money comes from luxury seats and they will lose that for a year. But if it goes more than a year they could have trouble getting those commitments back.
I think the Rays average 15 to 20 thousand a game.
It was so obvious that this was gonna be the outcome
30 minutes with traffic😂
If I'm the Orlando ownership group, I see this chaos with the city of St. Pete and the county and see if I can slide my way back into the conversation. The ownership group there has already gotten the ball rolling with Orlando and Orange County last year. Give those conversations some traction now.