MLB commissioner Rob Manfred says Tampa Bay Rays, Oakland A's need new ballpark deals soon

Yappi

Go Buckeyes
Baseball commissioner Rob Manfred said the Tampa Bay Rays and Oakland Athletics need to reach new ballpark deals soon and left open the possibility of considering relocation if agreements are not struck.

"There is urgency with respect to Tampa," Manfred said Thursday during a news conference following an owners meeting. "There needs to be a resolution in the Tampa Bay region for the Rays."

Tampa Bay's lease at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida, where the team has played since its inaugural season in 1998, expires after the 2027 season. The Rays said in January that MLB had rejected the team's plan to split its season between Florida and Montreal.
 
 
The only way those teams get new stadiums is if it’s privately funded. The communities aren’t going to pay for something nobody goes to. They could both realistically build 20,000 seat stadiums and still have plenty of open seats.

Agree LV and Nashville are both attractive for whenever teams end up moving.
 
One issue is new places don't just want a stadium, they want a whole entertainment district with it....at tax papers expense
 
The Braves (though they somewhat control their “neighborhood“ around the stadium) averaged out to about $6M in revenue per home game. So yes, teams want stadiums built in areas that draw crowds and additional entertainment options. So do the communities so they can make revenue off of taxes and have a bright spot for the city to show
 
I can’t understand how the A’s aren’t announced for Vegas already. It’s clear the city of Oakland and the team can’t see eye to eye about anything … not surprising given California politics. The coliseum is a dump with nothing around it. Howard Terminal would be a perfect place for the new stadium, but it seems like it’ll never happen.

As for the Rays, move them to Charlotte or Nashville. Either city would be fine.

It’s true, it’s true. Trust me …
 
Well Oakland gets about 17 fans a game. Maybe moving them to Vegas increases fans and same with Tampa.

Look at what made the ASG successful and copy. But then the old fans complain about players being mic’d
 
Manfred needs to focus on why fans are leaving baseball in droves, not **** like this.
I think MiLB is still strong with fans but that has more to do with "something to do" than actually baseball...and it's affordable and fan friendly.


I don't know....the game is slow. Slow. Slow. K and HR rule.

I'll be 100 percent honest. I stopped liking the game and I believe it stems from these youth baseball. For 5 straight summers there has been 6-8 straight weekends, starting on wed or Thurs through sat/sun, that is dedicated to travelling all over.

It's exhausting and expensive. I used to love baseball. Wouldn't be a reds game that I would not watch or listen to....or very least get the box score. I couldn't name 5 reds and prolly not even 20 major leaguers.

I have soured on the game as a whole.
 
I think MiLB is still strong with fans but that has more to do with "something to do" than actually baseball...and it's affordable and fan friendly.


I don't know....the game is slow. Slow. Slow. K and HR rule.

I'll be 100 percent honest. I stopped liking the game and I believe it stems from these youth baseball. For 5 straight summers there has been 6-8 straight weekends, starting on wed or Thurs through sat/sun, that is dedicated to travelling all over.

It's exhausting and expensive. I used to love baseball. Wouldn't be a reds game that I would not watch or listen to....or very least get the box score. I couldn't name 5 reds and prolly not even 20 major leaguers.

I have soured on the game as a whole.
Me too. One of my primary reasons is the payroll disparity between the teams. Big markets like NY and LA get the huge TV contracts and are able to use the money to make the small market teams their farm teams.
 
Well Oakland gets about 17 fans a game. Maybe moving them to Vegas increases fans and same with Tampa.

Look at what made the ASG successful and copy. But then the old fans complain about players being mic’d
Im convinced a lot of the old guard would rather baseball die out as it is now vs. adapting to appeal to anyone under 40.
 
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