Could Omaha, Nebraska host MLB & the Rays?

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Could the Tampa Bay Rays play at the home of the College World Series after Hurricane Milton damaged Tropicana Field?

The Rays are set to play at George M Steinbrenner Field — the New York Yankees’ spring training facility and home to their Low-A affiliate Tampa Tarpons — in 2025.

Steinbrenner Field is the largest spring training facility in Florida, with a capacity of 11,026.

A Wall Street Journal article Friday added speculation to Omaha’s Charles Schwab Field being a home to the Rays with the team’s 2026 home being uncertain at this time.

KETV reached out to both MECA and the city of Omaha about the Wall Street Journal article. A spokeswoman for Mayor Jean Stothert told KETV they haven’t heard any communication from the Tampa Rays.

MECA doesn’t have anything to share at this time, but did say they’re open to conversations.

Hurricane Milton made landfall on Oct. 9 and damaged Tropicana Field, the Rays’ home since 1998, with nearly the whole roof ripped away.

Read More: https://www.ketv.com/article/tampa-bay-rays-omaha-stadium-hurricane-damage-tropicana-field/63119003

Topics:
0:00 Just EXPLORING how Omaha could work, at all?
0:55 The Rays overall situation
3:07 About Charles Schwab Field
4:52 Omaha has some advantages
7:37 Omaha has some disadvantages
9:58 This isn’t totally impossible

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25 comments

  1. Does OMAHA have a chance?

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  5. What difference does "will they sell out" make in a world where the A's are NOT going to sell out 33,000 more than 10% of the time, in the best case.

  6. Looking at population centers and the 'whispers' going around about possible expansion, the largest metro area without any major sports team is San Bernardino-Riverside, #20. I consider those as part of LA or even Anaheim.
    Next is San Antonio at #21. But can Texas support a 3rd MLB team? Possibly. Texas currently supports 3 NBA teams, so why not.
    Next up is 'whisper' #1, Charlotte which checks in at #23. VERY viable with 2 major sports teams already, so why not.
    Then we have Austin at #24. San Antonia is probably well ahead of Austin in regards of getting a team.
    Right after Austin is Sacramento. #25. They now have an MLB team…for now. But I doubt another one take the place of the A's.
    Then we have Portland #26. They have ONE team now, the NBA 'Blazers and for a LONG time. And for a LONG time not another major team. Chances are low.
    Next is Orlando at #28. IF the Rays stay in the Tampa area, a team in Orlando is probably NOT going to happen. HOWEVER, it might make sense for the Rays to MOVE up I-4 to Orlando
    Clocking in at #29 is Indianapolis. A low possibility HOWEVER they already have the Pacers and Colts. Not to mention Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The NCAA often has opening or second round March Madness games there; usually as a South regional. Although that's hardly in the south. The NCAA is supposed to be a scholastic base and yet they don't know that Indiana isn't in the south. Anyway, they have sport teeth there.
    San Jose is #30 but probably claims the Giants.
    #34 is Columbus. Only slightly smaller than Cincy and Cleveland and they boast an NHL team. But a third MLB team in a relatively small state? Probably not.
    Up next is Raleigh, NC. They have a hockey team as well. But MLB in the Carolinas will probably revert to Charlotte.
    At #37 is Virginia Beach. Crickets
    Then we get to #39, Jacksonville. They have an NFL team. Ok.
    Now we get to whisper #2, Nashville, #40. They have an NFL and NHL team so they also have sports teeth.
    Omaha is #59 so good luck there. And I think one of the other cities listed here is more likely to get Tampa or an expansion team.

  7. The Royals' AAA team is in Omaha. Okay, a suburb. Close enough. 10% chance. This scenario is so outside the box that it fascinates me.

    Salt Lake City has $900 million for an MLB stadium. Get approval of a team and the shovels are in the ground. Any team with a precarious stadium situation looks at Salt Lake with interest.

  10. St. Peterburg don't want to pay alot of money to build a new stadium and they are cheap. This is why florida don't like to change or spending alot money on transits or new homes. Population in florida are growing over 20 millions people and cost of living already high.

  12. If Omaha wants a team, let it be an expansion one. Not the Rays. Keep the Rays in Tampa or St. Pete. They have always been in Florida. Their entire history is there.

  14. Potential Benefits:
    – Strong Baseball Culture: Omaha has a rich baseball history and a passionate fanbase, demonstrated by the long-standing success of the College World Series.
    – Existing Facility: Charles Schwab Field Omaha provides a solid foundation for an MLB-caliber stadium, potentially reducing construction costs and timelines compared to building a new venue.
    – Untapped Market: Omaha could represent a new media market for MLB, potentially attracting new fans and revenue streams.

    Significant Challenges:
    – Market Size: Omaha's relatively small market size (ranked 90th in the US) raises concerns about the long-term financial viability of an MLB franchise.
    – Corporate Support: Attracting significant corporate sponsorships and premium seating revenue could be difficult compared to larger markets.
    – Travel Concerns: Omaha's location in the Midwest could create travel challenges for visiting teams and potentially impact player satisfaction.

  19. I really think Orlando is the play for them. Work with Disney on expanding the wide world stadium to something closer to MLB size. You're closer to your fanbase and not infringing on another franchise's market.

  20. It seems to me that the Rays could offer $50 million torward the Trop refit. That money would be saved by the Rays nby not having to pay the Yankees for two seasons at Tampa.

  22. I don’t think the population is a hindrance in this situation. I could totally see that becoming a community team much like the OKC Thunder. I mean if you can get 80k every Saturday for Nebraska college football then they could sustain as good attendance as TB.

    The good news for the Rays ownership is a low capital threshold since the ballpark already exists. But if they were looking to invest in a development around the stadium in St Pete they aren’t likely to make that kind of money in Omaha.

  25. There are about 1.5 million people in Greater Omaha (Omaha, Fremont, and Lincoln in Nebraska, Council Bluffs in Iowa). There’s also 1.5 million people in Hillsborough County, where Tampa is. The core Omaha area actually has 20,000 more people than Pinellas County, where St. Pete is. And there’s more than 5 million in an 8-county area centered on Tampa Bay.

    Remember, the problem is that very few people are commuting across the Bay from Tampa to St. Pete for games at Tropicana. This has been a known problem for many years.

    The only way the Gas Plant stadium can increase attendance is if a lot of Rays fans move into the district. I don’t see that really happening.

    Besides the commute across the Bay hampering attendance, spring training and the teams of the Florida State League suck away tens of thousands of fans away from both the Marlins and the Rays. Unlike in the other markets where transplanted teams or expansion teams largely drove out the minors (LA, SF, San Diego, Milwaukee, Minneapolis, KC, Dallas, Houston, etc), they still thrive in Florida.

    I don’t know but Orlando might be a better choice as the FSL doesn’t have much of a presence there.

    Omaha has a few major businesses—-Warren Buffett’s firm, Union Pacific Railroad, Mutual of Omaha insurance, and Kiewit (all Fortune 500)—-Gallup polls, Werner Trucking, and a few noted architectural firms.

    A lot of people in the Omaha area go down to Lincoln for Nebraska football; I’m sure a lot of them might support MLB.

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