Tampa Bay Rays Exploring Splitting Season Between Tampa and Montreal

[DowntownBooster]

Bronfman and his Dev group will build the stadium which will be part of a multibilion development project in the area. No direct taxpayer money is expected but some sort support is anticipated. Whole plan is yet to be revealed but we know Bronfman already wants an upcoming public rail project to include a station in the area.

That would be great. Looking forward to seeing Montreal back in MLB.

 

[LadyStanley]

Paywall

Lightning owner wants them to stay


Edit

Spoiler

Vinik wants Rays to stay in TB, but has no plans to buy franchise. Now, his real estate company might get involved in a new arena deal.....

 

[Mightygoose]

Vinik or some local group buying the Rays with more capital to put into a stadium just may be the only chance the team has.

The question is, does any group want to be stuck with an 8 year ironclad lease right now, where they can't eve discuss plans for a new stadium elsewhere?

Sternberg is already burning his bridges (some would say literally) with the fans, corporate community and politicians.

 

[LeHab]

That would be great. Looking forward to seeing Montreal back in MLB.

Sounds like Stu might be looking at a similar strategy. Use Stadium as a loss leader of a much bigger development opportunity.

Forget attendance, this is what the Rays really want in a new stadium

 

[madhi19]

Vinik or some local group buying the Rays with more capital to put into a stadium just may be the only chance the team has.

The question is, does any group want to be stuck with an 8 year ironclad lease right now, where they can't eve discuss plans for a new stadium elsewhere?

Sternberg is already burning his bridges (some would say literally) with the fans, corporate community and politicians.

If a group is interested in owning a team maybe they would be better off just getting a brand new expansion free of all existing lease, and bad blood.

 

[Look Up]

Today the mayor of St Pete issued statement that split season proposal is dead at least through 2027.

City of St. Petersburg: The Rays will not split their season with Montreal

 

[Fenway]

 

[Mightygoose]

The split city plan was never realistic to begin with. The Rays won't do split city in 2028, the team will be moved completely by this time baring a local solution.

Use agreement still locked through the 2027 season. Rays denied an offer to look within Pinellas and Hillsborough Counties along the lines of what expired last year.

MLB will have to have a next plan. 8 years is a long time to wait. Perhaps they'll wait out until the next election in 2021 and try with the new mayor?

 

[Fenway]

The split city plan was never realistic to begin with. The Rays won't do split city in 2028, the team will be moved completely by this time baring a local solution.

Use agreement still locked through the 2027 season. Rays denied an offer to look within Pinellas and Hillsborough Counties along the lines of what expired last year.

MLB will have to have a next plan. 8 years is a long time to wait. Perhaps they'll wait out until the next election in 2021 and try with the new mayor?

MLB/Rays at worst could try and buy out the lease.

MLB has only had one true lame duck team and that was the Milwaukee Braves in 1965. Other teams that have moved waited until late in the season to sy they were gone. The Boston Braves and Seattle Pilots moved during spring training.

 

[Mightygoose]

MLB/Rays at worst could try and buy out the lease.

MLB has only had one true lame duck team and that was the Milwaukee Braves in 1965. Other teams that have moved waited until late in the season to sy they were gone. The Boston Braves and Seattle Pilots moved during spring training.

I would put the Expos as a 3 year lame duck team too. Once the stadium deal died, they just needed a place to move them too.

Not even sure if the city will be receptive to getting the lease bought out. Wouldn't be surprised to see status quo until the next election....fun times ahead either way.

 

[Fenway]

 

[Centrum Hockey]

MLB/Rays at worst could try and buy out the lease.

MLB has only had one true lame duck team and that was the Milwaukee Braves in 1965. Other teams that have moved waited until late in the season to sy they were gone. The Boston Braves and Seattle Pilots moved during spring training.

You said in a another thread that mlb could take over ownership of the rays at some point like they did the expos. The Mets situation looks to be solved but maybe stuart steinberg could take over Baltimore.

 

[CHRDANHUTCH]

You said in a another thread that mlb could take over ownership of the rays at some point like they did the expos. The Mets situation looks to be solved but maybe stuart steinberg could take over Baltimore.

why would Baseball take over the Rays, when there's a committed ownership there, that's the primary difference between St. Petersburg and Montreal, where has there ever been a proposal floated to replace Stade Olympique, AS THE French Canadians call it, similar to what Quebec City was forced to do with the Colisee in favor of Centre Videotron, there's no way you'll see the Orioles change ownership.

 

[PCSPounder]

The split city plan was never realistic to begin with. The Rays won't do split city in 2028, the team will be moved completely by this time baring a local solution.

Use agreement still locked through the 2027 season. Rays denied an offer to look within Pinellas and Hillsborough Counties along the lines of what expired last year.

MLB will have to have a next plan. 8 years is a long time to wait. Perhaps they'll wait out until the next election in 2021 and try with the new mayor?

I don't believe the "split city" plan was ever really that.

We in Portland know "passive-aggressive." This was just like the contraction threat... and ended up with the same result. This was a passive-aggressive attempt to get someone to commit to funding for a new stadium. THERE WAS NO WAY that said stadium was going to be a half-time facility.

Have any stadium proposals truly advanced? It doesn't look like this method helped. They're better off trying to commit to a faux expansion...

...or they're even better off with what I'd call the Bournemouth solution. If MLB wants to play the stadium game, it's going to have to go sub-20,000 to do it. By this, I mean some existing AAA facilities. Maybe, in the process, they can even try promotion and relegation. (ducks from anticipating thrown objects)

 

[Centrum Hockey]

why would Baseball take over the Rays, when there's a committed ownership there, that's the primary difference between St. Petersburg and Montreal, where has there ever been a proposal floated to replace Stade Olympique, AS THE French Canadians call it, similar to what Quebec City was forced to do with the Colisee in favor of Centre Videotron, there's no way you'll see the Orioles change ownership.

Who's in control of the Orioles? MLB wants answer as owner Peter Angelos ails
The Baltimore Orioles Might Be For Sale. Are They A Flight Risk To Nashville?

 

[Look Up]

Rays ownership says split season plan still on, as far as they are concerned.

Rays not giving up on 'incredible' sister-city plan

 

[No Fun Shogun]

Keep alienating the locals, Rays. I'm sure that'll pay off.

 

[Voight]

It's still not going to work.

Players are supposed to leave their families mid season and move to an entirely different country and culture? Its something to split between say Tampa and Toronto but Montreal is vastly different from the rest of the country. Many things are done differently there and it would be incredibly tough for any non-Canadian player to adjust.

 

[SavageSteve]

It's still not going to work.

Players are supposed to leave their families mid season and move to an entirely different country and culture? Its something to split between say Tampa and Toronto but Montreal is vastly different from the rest of the country. Many things are done differently there and it would be incredibly tough for any non-Canadian player to adjust.

I agree. There is no way that this situation will ever be very attractive to free agents and player retention. It's a ploy to get exposure for Montreal as an expansion market and a new accessible stadium in Tampa.

If not, I'm guessing Nashville will be ready to move on making a pitch with this group to bring them here on the East Bank: History. Opportunity. Vision. The population on the Nashville MSO is expected to increase over half a million by 2040. That would put Nashville at 2.5 million people which should have enough disposable income and corporate support to be able to support an MLB team along with the NHL, NFL, and MLS teams.

 

[BKIslandersFan]

Rays ownership says split season plan still on, as far as they are concerned.

Rays not giving up on 'incredible' sister-city plan

So let me get this straight, they still need tax payers funded stadiums, but instead of one city, its two.

how does any of this make sense?

 

[PCSPounder]

It's still not going to work.

Players are supposed to leave their families mid season and move to an entirely different country and culture? Its something to split between say Tampa and Toronto but Montreal is vastly different from the rest of the country. Many things are done differently there and it would be incredibly tough for any non-Canadian player to adjust.

I suggest that you stop thinking about this as an honest attempt to split locations and more a dishonest attempt to get Montreal to commit to a stadium to the liking of MLB, meaning the whole shwaggin thing gets moved.

 

[Voight]

I suggest that you stop thinking about this as an honest attempt to split locations and more a dishonest attempt to get Montreal to commit to a stadium to the liking of MLB, meaning the whole shwaggin thing gets moved.

Really? No way, I had no idea !

 

[GindyDraws]

So, when does ownership decide to campaign to get Kriseman out of office in 2021? Seems like if they eliminate him, then that's one less obstacle they'll have in their plan to get out of the Tropicana Dump lease sooner than 2027.

 

[Centrum Hockey]

So, when does ownership decide to campaign to get Kriseman out of office in 2021? Seems like if they eliminate him, then that's one less obstacle they'll have in their plan to get out of the Tropicana Dump lease sooner than 2027.

They could try to force the issue by saying we are gone as soon as the lease is up instead of acting like they actually want to split the season. Even if staying in tampa is a possibility It could force the politicians to act on a new stadium or let them buy out the lease after being a lame duck for a couple seasons.

 

[Mightygoose]

As former WWE play by play guy Jim Ross used to say...

...Business is about to to pick up....

Report: Montreal group close to becoming Rays minority shareholder - Sportsnet.ca

.... literally