The frustration still remains over the fan base after the Rays owner Stuart Sternberg had attracted an agreement of 1.3 billion US dollars to build a new baseball stadium in St. Pete.
Tampa, Florida – The Tampa Bay Rays went on Friday evening with a victory, a storybook degree of a unique opening day for the franchise and its fans. For many, however, it was a bitter -sweet experience, since the Ball Club was still exposed to an unsafe future.
Relatives: Ray's opening day: The fans flooded for a sold -out game in the renaming of Steinbrenner Field
After the strong wind of the hurricane Milton torn down the roof and had significantly damaged her long -time house in Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, team employees worked around the clock in the past few days to transform George Steinbrenner Field in Tampa, the New York Yanke Spring Home.
The venue offered a unique experience that many long -time fans had longed – or were completely curious to see: their favorite team, which played under the sun and on the other side of the bay.
“In recent years, [we’ve made] The hike across the bridge, but now that they are closer, we will take advantage of them, ”said Alex Hernandez, a resident of RiverView, who bought season tickets this year.
“The sun today shines perfect weather for the game,” said Eric Miller, who recorded a fourth rays in a row with his son Caleb.
Relatives: Tampa Bay Rays say
Although concerns and frustration about the fan base still remain, an agreement of 1.3 billion US dollars has withdrawn weeks after the Rays owner Stuart Sternberg on the construction of a new baseball stadium in St. Petersburg. The deal was agreed by the city and Pinellas County, which spends more than $ 600 million for the project.
Sternberg's withdrawal has brought setbacks and tense relationships with executives on the Pinellas side who lived little interest in working with Sternberg's group of owners.
Athletic has reported that the MLB has pressure on Sternberg to sell the team, with several local groups interested in taking over.
Relationships: Reports: MLB under pressure, Sternberg for sale, beams to sell potential buyers
During the conversation with reporters on Friday, Sternberg was a little reserved to discuss the team's distant future and his plans to find a new home in the region.
“We get up, dust. Obviously it was not our first attempt, it was not our second or third, we tried it,” said Sternberg, noticing that the stadium contract only officially ended after this month if these could begin.
Fans also expressed disappointment. Some stopped signs and broke out in chants of “Sell the Team” throughout the game.
While you have sold out the first game with a capacity of less than 10,000+, the 2025 season could also offer important insights into the support of fan in the Tampa region, as the rays have to struggle in the past with participation in the trop in St. Petersburg.
Sternberg's comments came one day after the MLB commissioner Rob Manfred had confirmed his commitment to the baseball in the Tampa Bay Area. The leaders in Tampa and Hillsborough County recently expressed interest in having discussions about building a new baseball stadium.
Relatives: St. Pete leaders delay the vote on roof repairs for Tropicana Field
This season will currently be the only one that the team plays on the Steinbrenner Field, as they hope to be back in a repaired Tropicana field to start the 2026 campaign.
Next week, the city council of St. Petersburg will vote on whether millions of dollars will be assigned to replace the roof of the field, which is part of an ongoing usage agreement to ensure the Rays in the 2028 season.