This has ploy written all over it.
They want a new stadium BEFORE 2028 because the Trop was old when they moved in -- the Rays started in 1998, but the Stadium was designed in the early 80s, and they broke ground in 1986. It's like "a slightly newer Metrodome" which the Twins moved out of 8 years ago.
When the politicians won't budge because you're locked into a lease, the only way to get any traction is threaten to leave.
MLB lost a ton of money with the pandemic, and we have another thread here on the form talking about leagues expanding to get that expansion fee $$$ to offset their pandemic losses.
Why is Tampa ownership saying something EIGHT YEARS OUT? Because MLB can't expand until one of Tampa/Oakland resolve their stadium issues and get a shovel in the ground on a new stadium.
There are three cities making efforts to get an MLB team right now: Montreal, Portland and Nashville.
With those three and 30 MLB teams, Tampa makes a threat and if they don't get a stadium, they're 100% capable of going to Montreal (or Nashville).
With those three and 30 MLB teams, Oakland makes a threat and if they don't get a stadium, they're 100% capable of going to Portland, or Nashville (where they have a relationship from having their PCL team there for a few years).
But if MLB finalizes a deal with Montreal and Nashville for expansion, Tampa and Oakland are lobbying politicians to a new stadium and have only a 50% chance they can follow through on it, because if Oakland moves, there's no where for Tampa to bolt to.
So Tampa is making noise NOW so the second they get a stadium deal approved, MLB can award expansion franchises and they can get those $$$ fees.
I would bet that in 2028, there will be a baseball team playing in Montreal, but it will be the Expos 2.0 expansion team with the Rays' stadium issue being addressed.