ST. PETERSBURG, FLA. --
The Tampa Bay Rays' proposed plan to separate the season between Florida and Montreal has been rejected by Main League Baseball.
Rays principal proprietor Stuart Sternberg introduced the information on Thursday.
"At this time's information is flat-out deflating," Sternberg mentioned.
The thought of taking part in in each the Tampa Bay space and Montreal has been mentioned over the previous a number of years after makes an attempt to construct a brand new full-time ballpark domestically failed.
"Issues had progressed properly and issues had been working properly, after which lately it simply form of took a flip to the south and we do not exactly know why," Sternberg mentioned. "I've little question that what we tried to perform with our sister-city plan will develop into accepted in all of professional sports activities. Main League Baseball merely is not ready to cross that threshold proper now."
When requested if he felt considerably betrayed by his fellow homeowners, Sternberg replied "that is a phrase."
"The sport is peculiar in quite a lot of senses and issues occur for lots of causes," Sternberg mentioned. "Typically for the nice, however at all times with good intentions for the sport itself. We very often have differing opinions on what which may imply."
"Typically individuals do not wish to be first," Sternberg added. "There was a fellow on this name after we went cashless a number of years in the past mentioned to me, 'I get it, I perceive, however why do you need to be first.' It is simply individuals have completely different approaches to issues. We do not thoughts being first on issues."
Montreal had an enormous league group from 1969, when the growth Expos started play, by way of 2004. The Expos moved to Washington and have become the Nationals for the 2005 season.
"They had been as, if no more, devastated than I used to be on the information," Sternberg mentioned.
The Rays' lease at Tropicana Discipline in St. Petersburg, Florida, the place the group has performed since its inaugural season in 1998, expires after the 2027 season.
Since Sternberg took management in October 2005, the once-struggling franchise has been a hit on the sector however not on the field workplace.
Regardless of reaching the World Sequence in 2008 and 2020, the Rays have yearly ranked close to the underside in attendance. The Rays averaged about 9,500 for house video games final season, twenty eighth within the majors and forward of solely Miami and Oakland.
St. Petersburg mayor Ken Welch mentioned he thought a brand new stadium in his metropolis stays a chance. Governmental officers have been engaged on a redevelopment plan for the Tropicana Discipline web site.
"We're working with our county companions and metropolis council to place collectively the very best plan doable, which can work along side my deliberate evolution of the Tropicana Discipline grasp improvement proposals," Welch mentioned in an announcement. "With this collaborative method, I'm assured we will accomplice with the Tampa Bay Rays to create a brand new and iconic full-time house for Main League Baseball in St. Petersburg whereas additionally reaching historic equitable financial development."
The town of Tampa can also be within the combine.
"All alongside our aim has been to maintain the Rays in Tampa Bay," Tampa mayor Jane Castor mentioned in an announcement. "We had been engaged on each sister-city and full-season proposals, and now we will focus all of our vitality on a full season. I'm optimistic the Rays will name Tampa Bay house for a few years to come back."
Sternberg mentioned the group will certainly discover choices within the Tampa Bay space. He has no plans to promote the group or request permission to discover relocation from MLB.
"We'll see how the stands look this yr and the help we get, and that is going to assist inform us as effectively going ahead on our plans," Sternberg mentioned.
This report was first revealed by The Canadian Press on Jan. 20, 2022.
Tampa Bay Rays' Yandy Diaz celebrates his three-run house run off Toronto Blue Jays beginning pitcher Robbie Ray with Kevin Kiermaier (39) throughout the fifth inning of a baseball sport Monday, Sept. 20, 2021, in St. Petersburg, Fla. (AP Picture/Chris O'Meara)
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