{"id":125943,"date":"2024-11-15T01:26:06","date_gmt":"2024-11-14T18:26:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/?p=125943"},"modified":"2024-11-15T01:26:06","modified_gmt":"2024-11-14T18:26:06","slug":"rays-plan-to-play-2025-season-at-tampas-steinbrenner-field","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/?p=125943","title":{"rendered":"Rays plan to play 2025 season at Tampa\u2019s Steinbrenner Field"},"content":{"rendered":"<p> <script async src=\"https:\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-3711241968723425\"\r\n     crossorigin=\"anonymous\"><\/script>\r\n<ins class=\"adsbygoogle\"\r\n     style=\"display:block\"\r\n     data-ad-format=\"fluid\"\r\n     data-ad-layout-key=\"-fb+5w+4e-db+86\"\r\n     data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-3711241968723425\"\r\n     data-ad-slot=\"7910942971\"><\/ins>\r\n<script>\r\n     (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});\r\n<\/script><br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div id=\"\">\n<p class=\"\">The Rays are planning to play the 2025 season at Tampa\u2019s Steinbrenner Field, spring training home of the rival New York Yankees.<\/p>\n<p class=\"\">The Rays have been looking for an interim home since <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tampabay.com\/hurricane\/2024\/10\/10\/rays-start-assessing-damage-viability-tropicana-field\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Hurricane Milton caused extensive damage to Tropicana Field<\/a> last month. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tampabay.com\/sports\/2024\/11\/12\/tropicana-field-damage-assessment-st-petersburg-city-council-hennessy-construction\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Under a repair plan revealed Tuesday<\/a>, the Trop won\u2019t be playable until the 2026 season.<\/p>\n<p class=\"\">The Rays apparently chose Steinbrenner Field over Clearwater\u2019s BayCare Ballpark, spring home of the Philadelphia Phillies, in consultation with Major League Baseball.<\/p>\n<p class=\"\">An announcement will be made later today.<\/p>\n<p class=\"\">\u201cWe have ongoing discussions with (the Rays), and they had talked to me about that,\u201d St. Petersburg Mayor Ken Welch said. \u201c\u2026 I understand their rationale for Steinbrenner. \u2026 I\u2019ll let them speak to that.\u2019<\/p>\n<p class=\"\">\u201cWe discussed Clearwater versus Tampa and why they might want to go in that direction, along with MLB.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"\">Newly elected Pinellas County Commissioner Vince Nowicki said Thursday morning he was told the Rays called St. Petersburg City Council members to tell them of their plans.<\/p>\n<p class=\"\">Details of the agreement with MLB and the Yankees, and the fate of the Class A minor-league Tarpons, who play at Steinbrenner Field during the summer, were not immediately clear.<\/p>\n<p class=\"\">Rays officials declined comment, as they have on any questions related to their preferences and prerequisites for potential homes.<\/p>\n<p class=\"\">Though there has been speculation about stadium sites across the state and country, as well as internationally, MLB commissioner Rob Manfred said last month <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tampabay.com\/sports\/rays\/2024\/10\/21\/mlb-hopeful-rays-finding-interim-home-tampa-bay-area\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">he wanted the team stay in the Tampa Bay area<\/a> and noted several workable options in spring training stadiums.<\/p>\n<p class=\"\">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.<\/p>\n<p class=\"\">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.<\/p>\n<p class=\"\">A downside <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tampabay.com\/sports\/rays\/2024\/11\/04\/interim-stadium-baycare-ballpark-steinbrenner-field-fsl-marlins-braves\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">would be playing in the summer heat and rain<\/a>. According to Florida State League data, the Tarpons over the last 10 seasons have averaged 6.4 postponements annually, nearly all weather-related.<\/p>\n<p class=\"\">Playing in Tampa also would provide the Rays an entr\u00e9e to a segment of their market they seemingly have had trouble connecting with, bringing the game closer to fans who at times have cited the travel time to downtown St. Petersburg as prohibitive.<\/p>\n<p class=\"\">The decision is not likely to go over well with some Pinellas County commissioners, who wanted the team to remain in the county by playing in Clearwater or Dunedin (spring home of the Blue Jays). They <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tampabay.com\/news\/2024\/11\/08\/rays-stadium-deal-pinellas-commission\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">have the leverage of voting against the bonds<\/a> needed to finance the Rays\u2019 planned $1.3 billion stadium, which could kill the deal.<\/p>\n<div class=\"fXDgxBh article start my-32\">\n<div class=\"fXDgxBh__content\">\n<div class=\"fXDgxBh__stage--start\">\n<h2 class=\"fXDgxBh__headline\">Stay updated on Tampa Bay\u2019s sports scene<\/h2>\n<p class=\"fXDgxBh__subheadline\">Subscribe to our free Sports Today newsletter<\/p>\n<div>\n<p>We\u2019ll send you news and analysis on the Bucs, Lightning, Rays and Florida\u2019s college football teams every day.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"fXDgxBh__stage--finish\"><svg viewbox=\"0 0 24 25\" class=\"fXDgxBh__success-icon\"><path d=\"M9.6 18.326L3.6 12.326L5.292 10.622L9.6 14.93L18.708 5.82205L20.4 7.52605L9.6 18.326ZM12 0.32605C10.4241 0.32605 8.86371 0.636439 7.4078 1.2395C5.95189 1.84255 4.62902 2.72647 3.51472 3.84077C1.26428 6.09121 0 9.14345 0 12.326C0 15.5086 1.26428 18.5609 3.51472 20.8113C4.62902 21.9256 5.95189 22.8095 7.4078 23.4126C8.86371 24.0157 10.4241 24.326 12 24.326C15.1826 24.326 18.2348 23.0618 20.4853 20.8113C22.7357 18.5609 24 15.5086 24 12.326C24 10.7502 23.6896 9.18976 23.0866 7.73385C22.4835 6.27794 21.5996 4.95507 20.4853 3.84077C19.371 2.72647 18.0481 1.84255 16.5922 1.2395C15.1363 0.636439 13.5759 0.32605 12 0.32605Z\"\/><\/svg><\/p>\n<h2 class=\"fXDgxBh__headline\">You\u2019re all signed\u00a0up!<\/h2>\n<p class=\"fXDgxBh__blurb\">Want more of our free, weekly newsletters\u00a0in\u00a0your\u00a0inbox?<!-- --> <strong>Let\u2019s\u00a0get\u00a0started.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tampabay.com\/newsletters\/\" class=\"ui__button--call-to-action\" data-tbtevent=\"link\" data-tbtcategory=\"Newsletter Sign Up Form\" data-tbtlabel=\"{&quot;element&quot;:&quot;All newsletters link&quot;}\">Explore all your options<svg viewbox=\"0 0 19 19\" class=\"fXDgxBh__link-icon\"><path d=\"M18.2334 9.32605C18.2334 11.713 17.2852 14.0022 15.5974 15.69C13.9095 17.3778 11.6203 18.326 9.2334 18.326C8.0515 18.326 6.88118 18.0933 5.78925 17.641C4.69732 17.1887 3.70516 16.5257 2.86944 15.69C1.18161 14.0022 0.233398 11.713 0.233398 9.32605C0.233398 6.9391 1.18161 4.64992 2.86944 2.96209C4.55726 1.27426 6.84645 0.32605 9.2334 0.32605C10.4153 0.32605 11.5856 0.558842 12.6775 1.01113C13.7695 1.46343 14.7616 2.12636 15.5974 2.96209C16.4331 3.79782 17.096 4.78997 17.5483 5.8819C18.0006 6.97383 18.2334 8.14415 18.2334 9.32605ZM3.8334 10.226H11.0334L7.8834 13.376L9.1614 14.654L14.4894 9.32605L9.1614 3.99805L7.8834 5.27605L11.0334 8.42605H3.8334V10.226Z\"\/><\/svg><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"\">Said commissioner Chris Latvala Thursday at a county workshop, \u201cI\u2019m not going to say you play in Dunedin or you play in Clearwater and I\u2019m a yes. But if they play in Hillsborough, I\u2019m a no. So, you know, they can do the math how they want to do the math.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"\">Welch, determined to get the Rays back to a repaired Trop in 2026, said he remains \u201coptimistic\u201d they could work with the county and keep the new stadium deal intact.<\/p>\n<p class=\"\">\u201cWe\u2019re going to have that conversation about the long-term value of the deal with the Rays and see where it goes from there,\u201d Welch said. \u201cI still have faith that the 30-year deal makes sense for the county and the city. \u2026<\/p>\n<p class=\"\">\u201cI think the right economic decision will win out, and we\u2019ll talk it through. End of the day, we\u2019ve got a lot of priorities in the city. The deal that we put together still makes sense. \u2026 I see many paths to make it work.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"\">Welch is hoping the Rays need just one year in an interim home. An assessment report determined that repairs to the Trop <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tampabay.com\/sports\/2024\/11\/12\/tropicana-field-damage-assessment-st-petersburg-city-council-hennessy-construction\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">will cost at least $56 million<\/a> and take until just before opening day in late March 2026 to complete.<\/p>\n<p class=\"\">As a result, he said, there isn\u2019t much they can do about 2025.<\/p>\n<p class=\"\">\u201cIf we had a perfect world, they\u2019d be in the Trop, but we don\u2019t have that. So they have to work that out,\u201d Welch said. \u201cMy goal is to have the Trop repaired and have them back in \u201826 where they need to be in St. Pete.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"\">The Rays\u2019 arrival would cause disruptions for the Yankees\u2019 Tarpons farm team, which plays in the Low A Florida State League and is often the affiliate where major-league players start injury rehab assignments since the team has its minor-league base across the street.<\/p>\n<p class=\"\">Under the current schedules, there are 42 dates when the Rays and Tarpons \u2014 who averaged 993 fans per game last season \u2014 would both play at home. Manfred said there could be some adjustments to team schedules if there was an agreement for the Rays to play in a minor-league facility, and FSL officials have been told recently to expect changes.<\/p>\n<p class=\"\">Rays catcher Ben Rortvedt, a former Yankee, said last month that if the Rays ended up playing at Steinbrenner Field it would be workable.<\/p>\n<p class=\"\">\u201cThe facility is nice,\u201d Rortvedt said. \u201cThe locker room is nice, they\u2019ve been renovating it. There\u2019s plenty of batting cages and (covered) mounds. It\u2019s one of the nicer facilities I\u2019ve been in.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"article__body-align article__body-align-center\">\u2022 \u2022 \u2022<\/p>\n<p class=\"\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tampabay.com\/newsletters\/sports-today\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Sign up for the Sports Today newsletter <\/a>to get daily updates on the Bucs, Rays, Lightning and college football across Florida.<\/p>\n<p class=\"\">Never miss out on the latest with your favorite Tampa Bay sports teams. Follow our coverage on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/tampabaytimesbucs\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Instagram<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/TBTimes_Sports\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">X<\/a> and <a href=\"http:\/\/www.facebook.com\/TampaBayTimesSports\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Facebook<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><script async src=\"\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><script async src=\"\/\/www.instagram.com\/embed.js\"><\/script><br \/>\n<br \/><script async src=\"https:\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-3711241968723425\"\r\n     crossorigin=\"anonymous\"><\/script>\r\n<ins class=\"adsbygoogle\"\r\n     style=\"display:block\"\r\n     data-ad-format=\"fluid\"\r\n     data-ad-layout-key=\"-fb+5w+4e-db+86\"\r\n     data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-3711241968723425\"\r\n     data-ad-slot=\"7910942971\"><\/ins>\r\n<script>\r\n     (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});\r\n<\/script><br \/>\n<br \/><div data-type=\"_mgwidget\" data-widget-id=\"1660802\">\r\n<\/div>\r\n<script>(function(w,q){w[q]=w[q]||[];w[q].push([\"_mgc.load\"])})(window,\"_mgq\");\r\n<\/script>\r\n<br \/>\n<br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tampabay.com\/sports\/2024\/11\/14\/interim-stadium-steinbrenner-field-yankees-tarpons-pinellas-st-petersburg\/\">Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Rays are planning to play the 2025 season at Tampa\u2019s Steinbrenner Field, spring training home of the rival New York Yankees. The Rays have been looking for an interim &hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/?p=125943\" class=\"more-link\">Read More<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[9],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-125943","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-sports","entry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/125943","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=125943"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/125943\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=125943"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=125943"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=125943"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}