The future of the Rays

[Ali the Baseball Cat]

In all fairness, Olympic Stadium made the Trop look like field of dreams

Why put a team in a place that proves it could not support a team before. Charlotte and Nashville are much better choices.

[UMDNats]

The year is 2040, and the city of Tampa is still arguing with the Rays about a new stadium while team competes with a payroll of $30 million and 10 fans every game.

Get the team out of a city that doesn't want them. Charlotte is the Panera Bread of US cities, so it makes sense to put a team there, but the Rays are too good for that place. Move them to Nashville and stop dicking around with a city that lost a team (Montreal) and other turd markets like Austin (do we need a THIRD Texas team?).

[imref]

The year is 2040, and the city of Tampa is still arguing with the Rays about a new stadium while team competes with a payroll of $30 million and 10 fans every game.

With 3 world series appearances in the last 10 years.

[Natsinpwc]

Cmon. Sign up. You know you want to see an MLB game when you visit DisneyWorld.

https://orlandodreamers.com/

[imref]

Cmon. Sign up. You know you want to see an MLB game when you visit DisneyWorld.

https://orlandodreamers.com/

there is an empty minor league park about 90 minutes east of Orlando.

[Natsinpwc]

there is an empty minor league park about 90 minutes east of Orlando.

Could play in Lakeland and fit the current fan base.

[UMDNats]

Orlando would be a great place to move the Rays so we could really kill the franchise.

[Natsinpwc]

Orlando would be a great place to move the Rays so we could really kill the franchise.

Orlando > Nashville.

[KnorrForYourMoney]

Orlando > Nashville.

Sure...if you're talking about the quality of the local arroz con pollo.

Florida is and probably always will be a terrible sports market.  Nashville's not the greatest or anything, but it's certainly better than Orlando.

[Natsinpwc]

Sure...if you're talking about the quality of the local arroz con pollo.

Florida is and probably always will be a terrible sports market.  Nashville's not the greatest or anything, but it's certainly better than Orlando.

One of the fastest growing metro areas.

https://www.statista.com/statistics/431877/the-fastest-growing-metropolitan-areas-in-the-us/

The soccer team here does fine. And the Lightning pack them in for hockey in Tampa.  I think the arena location is a factor. The baseball stadium is in St Pete.

[UMDNats]

Sure...if you're talking about the quality of the local arroz con pollo.

Florida is and probably always will be a terrible sports market.  Nashville's not the greatest or anything, but it's certainly better than Orlando.

Nashville is more of a "the city is importing thousands of new tech jobs every year, is a major hub for the primary music choice of baseball fans and is in an area of the country with no MLB competition within 4 hours" than any no-brainer like moving the Raiders to LV or whatever. Florida as a pro sports state is awful and we have decades of proof.

[Natsinpwc]

Nashville is more of a "the city is importing thousands of new tech jobs every year, is a major hub for the primary music choice of baseball fans and is in an area of the country with no MLB competition within 4 hours" than any no-brainer like moving the Raiders to LV or whatever. Florida as a pro sports state is awful and we have decades of proof.

The Magic with three home wins are outdrawing the Wizards capacity wise. The soccer team outdraws DC United. I think in general Florida and Tennessee and basically all the south are not baseball territory. Tampa supports its hockey and football teams. Orlando supports its soccer and basketball. Miami supports its football and basketball. So I think to say Florida is a bad sports territory is just dumb. For baseball that has been true.

[OldChelsea]

In all fairness, Olympic Stadium made the Trop look like field of dreams

I attended a series at Stade Olympique against the Dodgers back in 1994 (when the Expos had the best record in MLB when the strike hit) and it wasn't bad at all - surprisingly affordable seats and plenty of different food/drink concessions, and some pretty good attendance supporting the suddenly-successful side. And I would head back to Montreal (I speak French) from time to time over the next six seasons as the franchise got strip-mined and the only incentive to attend matches was club seats at CDN22 a go (including beers served at your seat) - that's how hard up I was for baseball in those days.

[imref]

Some new St. Pete options for the Rays

https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2022/02/latest-on-rays-stadium-situation.html

The soccer stadium area would be convenient to downtown St. Pete.

[Natsinpwc]

Some new St. Pete options for the Rays

https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2022/02/latest-on-rays-stadium-situation.html

The soccer stadium area would be convenient to downtown St. Pete.

Seems the definition of insanity. They need to be in Tampa or move away.

[welch]

Need to move out of Florida to someplace that has baseball fans. Not Nashville, home of the Yankees AA Nashville Sounds and now home of the Brewers' AAA Sounds. Move them to Montreal, which deserves a baseball team. Then we can bother about that empty stadium in Miami. Or move the Devil Rays to Miami and move the Marlins to Montreal.

[sixthree175]

One of the fastest growing metro areas.

https://www.statista.com/statistics/431877/the-fastest-growing-metropolitan-areas-in-the-us/

Austin tops the list -- a real hell hole (remember Scranton in 2008?).  Overcrowded, insane traffic, dull landscape, oppressively hot and humid for six months of the year.

[blue911]

Austin tops the list -- a real hell hole (remember Scranton in 2008?).  Overcrowded, insane traffic, dull landscape, oppressively hot and humid for six months of the year.

How is that different than DC?

[Slateman]

How is that different than DC?

The food isnt crappy, the people arent narcissistic jerks who worship money and politics, and the brisket is amazeballs

[HalfSmokes]

The food isnt crappy, the people arent narcissistic jerks who worship money and politics, and the brisket is amazeballs

The may be apolitical, but there are definitely money hungry narcissists there

[OldChelsea]

Austin tops the list -- a real hell hole (remember Scranton in 2008?).  Overcrowded, insane traffic, dull landscape, oppressively hot and humid for six months of the year.

In fact Austin has grown so much (just missed 1m inhabitants at the 2020 census; metro area is about 2.3m) that it's getting direct flights to Europe now - British Airways and Lufthansa have already started service, and KLM and Virgin Atlantic are coming later this year.

[DPMOmaha]

It's been a while since I've been to Austin, but I enjoyed it when I was in college...

[imref]

I've spent a fair amount of time in Austin over the last few years. It is a great city if you are young. There is fantastic nightlife, great food, and lots to do in the area. Jobs are plentiful as well with a booming tech industry.

On the downside, it is one of the fastest growing cities in the US, meaning traffic is insane, and real estate prices are pushing way beyond affordable for those looking to purchase their first home.

WRT to the topic, given it's proximity to Houston, I don't think MLB would allow the Rays to move there.

[blue911]

I've spent a fair amount of time in Austin over the last few years. It is a great city if you are young. There is fantastic nightlife, great food, and lots to do in the area. Jobs are plentiful as well with a booming tech industry.

On the downside, it is one of the fastest growing cities in the US, meaning traffic is insane, and real estate prices are pushing way beyond affordable for those looking to purchase their first home.

WRT to the topic, given it's proximity to Houston, I don't think MLB would allow the Rays to move there.

It’s farther than you think. Nearly twice the distance from Philly to NYC

[UMDNats]

Need to move out of Florida to someplace that has baseball fans. Not Nashville, home of the Yankees AA Nashville Sounds and now home of the Brewers' AAA Sounds. Move them to Montreal, which deserves a baseball team. Then we can bother about that empty stadium in Miami. Or move the Devil Rays to Miami and move the Marlins to Montreal.

Montreal had a team and lost it because literally no one went to games, why do they deserve it again exactly?

Some new St. Pete options for the Rays

https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2022/02/latest-on-rays-stadium-situation.html

The soccer stadium area would be convenient to downtown St. Pete.

Ah good, seems like we're back to where they were 5-6 years ago and dicking around on stadium sites that inevitably will be killed. Excited for stadium site renders in 6 months that cost taxpayers $500k just so some douche owner can pretend he cares.