ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (WFLA) — The Rays officially have new owners. Major League Baseball unanimously approved the sale of the team Monday.
During the weekend, the Rays paid tribute to former owner Stuart Sternberg, acknowledging his two-decade tenure with the team. The current ownership faces a historically difficult challenge: securing a new location for the team.
“I believe Tampa is the more sensible option,” stated John Boyd, principal at The Boyd Company, which assists major corporations in choosing site locations. “Ybor City is also slated to host the new Brightline station arriving in Tampa within the next ten years. This will connect the Rays to Miami, Orlando, and the Space Coast.”
Boyd said cities count on stadiums and arenas to bring in billions. 8 On Your Side asked what the loss could mean for the St. Pete area.
“St. Petersburg will gain from the Rays remaining in the Tampa Bay market, more so than if they moved to Orlando,” Boyd noted. “The site is a well-known prime real estate location in St. Petersburg, the Gas Plant District. There will likely be numerous thrilling redevelopment proposals that will succeed irrespective of the Rays’ involvement.”
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The Rays had 61 sellouts this year at Steinbrenner Field, bringing in 786,750 attendees. It’s down from the 1,337,739 at Tropicana Field in 2024.
“The fan base is here. They won’t go wrong,” said Gregory Randle, a Ray’s fan.
Randle wants the owners to invest in St. Pete, as the city has new condos and continues to build up the area.
“It’s not solely about the fans. The responsibility lies with the general managers and the owners. It’s essential to draft the right players and build a team that resonates with the fan base,” remarked Randle.
