On Sunday, Tampa Bay Rays proprietor Stuart Sternberg responded bluntly to rumors of a possible sale of the group.
“I anticipate we’ll construct a ballpark in Tampa Bay that may hold the Rays right here for generations to return,” Sternberg stated in an announcement, by way of the Tampa Bay Times. “I additionally plan on remaining the Rays proprietor.”
The Rays are incomes consideration from a number of events thinking about buying the group. Earlier Sunday, Ken Rosenthal and Chandler Rome of The Athletic reported that one potential purchaser, a neighborhood businessman, would hold the Rays within the space. In the meantime, a handful of out of doors teams who would transfer the Rays are additionally .
A brand new stadium has at all times been the most important hurdle to the Rays staying put. They’ve wanted a substitute for Tropicana Subject since MLB granted Tampa Bay an enlargement group. Nevertheless, a report in March indicated an increase in optimism surrounding a brand new stadium for the Rays, and Sternberg’s newest feedback solely validate the sensation.
Tampa Bay’s house since 1998 has by no means been supreme for baseball, and in 2023 it’s miles behind the instances. The Rays have a historical past of failing to attract followers, however many consider a brand new stadium will alleviate these points.
Placing a profitable product on the sector actually helps fill the stands, and the Rays are actually that proper now. At 34-14, the Rays personal the perfect file in MLB, and regardless of rating twenty fourth in attendance, their success is resulting in a lift in fan help. Tampa Bay is averaging 17,955 followers per recreation at Tropicana Subject this season, up from 13,927 in 2022, per ESPN.
