Tampa Bay Rays Exploring Splitting Season Between Tampa and Montreal

[KevFu]

I don't think there's any chance of a Montreal-Tampa joint team. It just makes zero sense.

If Montreal builds a stadium, they will get a team. Period.
If a new Rays stadium in the Tampa Bay region is builgt, they'll keep the Rays and Montreal will get an expansion team with either Nashville or Portland (whomever can get their stadium deal done)
If Montreal builds a stadium and Tampa does not, then Montreal gets the Rays.

Under no circumstances would a city build a stadium for a half-season, and under no circumstances would a team play half their games in a market of 6 million and half in a market of 2 million. Because that's sheer lunacy for every party.

 

[one2gamble]

I don't think there's any chance of a Montreal-Tampa joint team. It just makes zero sense.

If Montreal builds a stadium, they will get a team. Period.
If a new Rays stadium in the Tampa Bay region is builgt, they'll keep the Rays and Montreal will get an expansion team with either Nashville or Portland (whomever can get their stadium deal done)
If Montreal builds a stadium and Tampa does not, then Montreal gets the Rays.

Under no circumstances would a city build a stadium for a half-season, and under no circumstances would a team play half their games in a market of 6 million and half in a market of 2 million. Because that's sheer lunacy for every party.

Baseball isn't gate driven. They could potentially have two metros supporting and watching them, buying their gear etc. It makes some sense, maybe not complete sense but some sense from their point of view

 

[KevFu]

Baseball isn't gate driven. They could potentially have two metros supporting and watching them, buying their gear etc. It makes some sense, maybe not complete sense but some sense from their point of view

You could... in Tropicana and Olympic Stadium in 2028, in theory. But whomever builds a new stadium is getting full ownership.
Two cities aren't going to build two stadiums for a half-season each. That's madness.

Even if they moved their Triple A affiliate to Montreal/Tampa, so they filled the other dates of the stadium, it's still lunacy.


What's funny is that in the Arizona Coyotes thread, I suggested the Suns and Coyotes build identical arenas at two strategic points to maximize the amount of fans in the metroplex who could get to an East Side arena or a West Side arena and then TRADE every three years to keep Season Tickets fresh and increase the number of people who say "Oh, they're close this year, I'll go." And THAT was met with swift mockery as implausible.

Yet, building a $750 million stadium for a HALF SEASON when neither city has successfully gotten a deal done for stadium for a FULL season is going to work?

 

[BKIslandersFan]

You could... in Tropicana and Olympic Stadium in 2028, in theory. But whomever builds a new stadium is getting full ownership.
Two cities aren't going to build two stadiums for a half-season each. That's madness.

Even if they moved their Triple A affiliate to Montreal/Tampa, so they filled the other dates of the stadium, it's still lunacy.


What's funny is that in the Arizona Coyotes thread, I suggested the Suns and Coyotes build identical arenas at two strategic points to maximize the amount of fans in the metroplex who could get to an East Side arena or a West Side arena and then TRADE every three years to keep Season Tickets fresh and increase the number of people who say "Oh, they're close this year, I'll go." And THAT was met with swift mockery as implausible.

Yet, building a $750 million stadium for a HALF SEASON when neither city has successfully gotten a deal done for stadium for a FULL season is going to work?

Maybe Montreal builds a minor league ballpark and house minor league team along with Rays and when they go back to Tampa, Rays play at Steinbrenner Field?

 

[AdmiralsFan24]

Baseball isn't gate driven. They could potentially have two metros supporting and watching them, buying their gear etc. It makes some sense, maybe not complete sense but some sense from their point of view

It makes no sense. No city is building a new stadium (which MLB wants) to house a team for half the season. Players are against it. Fans are against it. The entire idea is so f***ing stupid I can't believe it was floated around.

 

[Bucky_Hoyt]

It makes no sense. No city is building a new stadium (which MLB wants) to house a team for half the season. Players are against it. Fans are against it. The entire idea is so ****ing stupid I can't believe it was floated around.

No way this was ever meant to work. It's a shot across the bow from Rays ownership.

Either the Rays sort out their stadium malarky, or they're gone when that lease is up.

Montreal might end up being what Quebec City is to the NHL: a boogeyman. Used merely to force cities to pony up cash or risk losing their teams.

 

[BKIslandersFan]

No way this was ever meant to work. It's a shot across the bow from Rays ownership.

Either the Rays sort out their stadium malarky, or they're gone when that lease is up.

Montreal might end up being what Quebec City is to the NHL: a boogeyman. Used merely to force cities to pony up cash or risk losing their teams.

When did NHL ever use QC as a bogeyman?

 

[Bucky_Hoyt]

When did NHL ever use QC as a bogeyman?

Florida
Carolina
NY Islanders

 

[KevFu]

"The NHL" didn't use QC. Having an open market like Montreal for baseball, Quebec for hockey is just going to simply leave a lot of rumors open.

The Islanders ownership said "we want to stay here, but without a new arena, we cannot." They never said "We'll go to Quebec." Or spoke with Quebec. Or spoke about Quebec.
They actually DID talk with Kansas City in a "leverage" ploy. Not Quebec.

The teams themselves frequently have to shoot down speculation that they'll move to Quebec. Florida has done it multiple times (2014, 2018): “Despite media speculation to the contrary, we have no plans or intentions to move this franchise.” Carolina as well (and in 2016, it was "Canes to Vegas, no expansion!" not even Quebec).

All the "every team is rumored to go to Quebec" is wishful thinking by the media, not actual leverage moves by franchises.


And THAT is what makes this Rays/Montreal thing so different. It actually is a team specifically mentioning another city because they're nearing the end of their stadium efforts rope.

 

[superstar436]

Yes, bring on another project where a Bronfman leaves us another hot potatoe to burn our hands with after 10 years or so.
No thanks
Baseball is done in MTL even in a new stadium in DT Montreal. Young ppl in here like hockey or soccer. I only know 1 person who still follows baseball. I honestly hope it never comes back. Spend public money elsewhere, better return.

 

[DowntownBooster]

Yes, bring on another project where a Bronfman leaves us another hot potatoe to burn our hands with after 10 years or so.
No thanks
Baseball is done in MTL even in a new stadium in DT Montreal. Young ppl in here like hockey or soccer. I only know 1 person who still follows baseball. I honestly hope it never comes back. Spend public money elsewhere, better return.

Why is it that when the Blue Jays play a few games in Montreal that the crowds are pretty decent in size? The best way to show MLB that there's no interest for baseball in Montreal is for the fans to stay away instead of going to the games.

 

[BKIslandersFan]

Yes, bring on another project where a Bronfman leaves us another hot potatoe to burn our hands with after 10 years or so.
No thanks
Baseball is done in MTL even in a new stadium in DT Montreal. Young ppl in here like hockey or soccer. I only know 1 person who still follows baseball. I honestly hope it never comes back. Spend public money elsewhere, better return.

You do realize why the left Montreal first time around was mostly stadium issues right?

They are not getting a team without a stadium.

 

[crobro]

Florida
Carolina
NY Islanders

Actually when the Philadelphia spectrum roof collapsed they played in Quebec City for a season And a half

 

[royals119]

Actually when the Philadelphia spectrum roof collapsed they played in Quebec City for a season And a half

A couple articles I just read said the building was closed due to the roof damage March 1, 1968, and the Flyers returned on April 4, 1968 to open their playoff series, so just over one month. They played games in NYC and Toronto before taking over the QC arena of their AHL team for a few weeks. Still an interesting story, but not a season and a half, and the roof didn't collapse.

 

[garnetpalmetto]

A couple articles I just read said the building was closed due to the roof damage March 1, 1968, and the Flyers returned on April 4, 1968 to open their playoff series, so just over one month. They played games in NYC and Toronto before taking over the QC arena of their AHL team for a few weeks. Still an interesting story, but not a season and a half, and the roof didn't collapse.

I think @crobro is also conflating Philly's roof damage (which was caused by wind blowing some of the covering away) with the Hartford Civic Center's roof collapsing in January 1978 due to heavy snow accumulation and the Whaler's subsequent playing of the remainder of the 1978-1979 WHA season and a portion of their inaugural 1979-1980 NHL season in the Springfield Civic Center in Springfield, MA.

 

[Randy Marsh]

From what I understand from people who live down there: St. Pete gave the Rays a 4 year window to negotiate a stadium deal with Hillsborough County (ie Tampa). There was a framework in place to make it all work and the Rays were going to get a great location in Tampa on the water.

The Rays came up with a stadium plan that cost around $1B and offered to pay about 1/4 of it. The city laughed in their face and told them to get lost.

Like every owner, Sternberg wants a publicly funded stadium that he can privately bilk.

 

[madhi19]

I figure it a setup and both city will get screwed in the deal. Tampa attendance will go down even more and the owner will fully bail. Montreal fans will be lukewarm in renting a baseball team for half a season, that's going to be the excuse to not expand or fully relocate there.

 

[Hooby Dooby Doo]

I was there over the weekend and the place would have been a ghost town if it wasn't for all the Yankee fans

 

[Anisimovs AK]

Those are pretty damn smooth

 

[Anisimovs AK]

Florida
Carolina
NY Islanders

When has Carolina been close to losing their team?

 

[BergyMeister]

From what I understand from people who live down there: St. Pete gave the Rays a 4 year window to negotiate a stadium deal with Hillsborough County (ie Tampa). There was a framework in place to make it all work and the Rays were going to get a great location in Tampa on the water.

The Rays came up with a stadium plan that cost around $1B and offered to pay about 1/4 of it. The city laughed in their face and told them to get lost.

Like every owner, Sternberg wants a publicly funded stadium that he can privately bilk.

You're pretty close but just to clarify some points. St Pete gave Sternberg 3 years. Stadium not on the water. It was to be in Ybor a few blocks away. I don't believe the city/ county ever got a financing plan even close to being in place as far as I remember. Sternberg only offered about 150 million towards the stadium although he might have put in more if financing had ever actually been close to happening.

Edit: On your last point, I agree 100% . The problem is Pinellas county/St. Pete has the $$ to help build (foot most of the bill) but not the proper demographic density. Hillsborough is best geographically/demographically but doesn't have the same tourist tax $$ that Pinellas has and at this point it has no political/taxpayer will to pony up the type of cash needed to appease Stu.

I support the Rays because I live in Tampa and enjoy MLB but am a long time Red Sox fan so if they go they go. I honestly think the Rays will leave when their lease is up after 2027 (or maybe even before that) unless there is some sort of major shift regarding tax payer funding for a stadium in Hillsborough. At THIS point that doesn't seem likely.

 

[Bucky_Hoyt]

When has Carolina been close to losing their team?

No one knew what was happening for certain until end of 2017/early 2018.

 

[KevFu]

I figure it a setup and both city will get screwed in the deal. Tampa attendance will go down even more and the owner will fully bail. Montreal fans will be lukewarm in renting a baseball team for half a season, that's going to be the excuse to not expand or fully relocate there.

Nah, MLB really wants to expand to 32 teams after they get the Oakland/Tampa stadium issues resolved. There will be a total of three teams for Tampa, Montreal, Portland, Nashville (or I suppose like, Las Vegas, Charlotte, elsewhere) by around 2035 or so.

No one knew what was happening for certain until end of 2017/early 2018.

But that's why the overall point was silly: Carolina wasn't holding press conferences saying "Step up, Raleigh, or we're off to Quebec!" It was the other way around, the press was saying "Carolina could be off to Quebec!" and Carolina saying "Uh, no."

 

[justafan22]

Nah, MLB really wants to expand to 32 teams after they get the Oakland/Tampa stadium issues resolved. There will be a total of three teams for Tampa, Montreal, Portland, Nashville (or I suppose like, Las Vegas, Charlotte, elsewhere) by around 2035 or so.




But that's why the overall point was silly: Carolina wasn't holding press conferences saying "Step up, Raleigh, or we're off to Quebec!" It was the other way around, the press was saying "Carolina could be off to Quebec!" and Carolina saying "Uh, no."

Montreal isn't building a stadium unless it's being financed by Bell

 

[LeHab]

Montreal isn't building a stadium unless it's being financed by Bell

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.