(image courtesy of TheRinger.com)
It's no secret that the Rays do not have a very committed fanbase, to put it mildly. They broke their franchise record low in attendance about a month ago with only a paltry 5,786 fans showing up to watch them beat the Blue Jays. And that number is the official announced attendance, so in reality the number was probably far lower. The only poorer attended game in the last 40 years was the famous Camden Yards game played in an empty stadium in 2015 due to riots in Baltimore. With years of attendance struggles and yet another recently failed ballpark proposal, Rays ownership proposed a very unique solution: playing the first half of the season in Tampa and the second half in Montreal. The team's stance is that it allows the Rays to stay in Tampa while also becoming financially viable, and it reduces the stadium costs since neither city would require a dome based on when their games are played.
It's no secret that the Rays do not have a very committed fanbase, to put it mildly. They broke their franchise record low in attendance about a month ago with only a paltry 5,786 fans showing up to watch them beat the Blue Jays. And that number is the official announced attendance, so in reality the number was probably far lower. The only poorer attended game in the last 40 years was the famous Camden Yards game played in an empty stadium in 2015 due to riots in Baltimore. With years of attendance struggles and yet another recently failed ballpark proposal, Rays ownership proposed a very unique solution: playing the first half of the season in Tampa and the second half in Montreal. The team's stance is that it allows the Rays to stay in Tampa while also becoming financially viable, and it reduces the stadium costs since neither city would require a dome based on when their games are played.
While creative on its surface, this proposal has many logistical hurdles to clear before it would ever be approved. First, both cities would have to commit to building new ballparks. In a market that can't even get a ballpark approved for 81 games let alone 40, this would be a tough sell in Tampa/St. Pete. Given the tension between the owner and players right now, this would likely have to be approved by the players as well. Even for the very wealthy, maintaining an extra home is not an insignificant challenge. There is also the reality that St. Petersburg has been very adamant about not letting the Rays out of their lease before 2027 - which stipulates all 81 home games must be played there, not just half. The Rays had a 3-year window to explore a ballpark in Tampa and it ended this past December without a realistic solution or an extension.
For all of these reasons, to me the Montreal solution seems to be a backdoor way of allowing the team to honor their lease while simultaneously pursuing another market. Stuart Sternberg knows that Montreal is chomping at the bit for another crack at an MLB team, he knows they are the largest market in North America without a major league team, and he knows that there is an organized group committed to moving a team there; in fact, recently a site called Peel Basin was selected for a new stadium study. Sternberg also knows that the Rays' forward-thinking front office strategy combined with even just a small influx of money would push the team from being good to great very quickly. It's very smart for Sternberg and the Rays to propose this solution knowing that, at the very least, it will force Tampa/St. Pete's hand. This proposal is only one of the possible outcomes from this, and despite it being super awkward it would still make more money that the Rays make currently. Worst-case, is it makes St. Petersburg aware that the Rays are willing to move no matter the cost and legal ramifications, and perhaps Montreal is that partner. This is too ridiculous to ever happen in its intended form, but I could see a scenario emerge where some form of this deal gets approved with a contingency that both cities need to have a new ballpark built by a certain date, and that Tampa would not live up to their end and the team would move permanently.
Whatever happens from this, if history has taught us anything, there is no imminent solution here. Expect many more years of poor attendance at a shitty stadium in front of fans who do not appreciate the great team that they have. I am the last guy in the world who would ever advocate for the stadium blackmail that goes on with cities and it seems like St. Petersburg is not willing to bite on that juicy apple.
STANDINGS AND UPCOMING SERIES AS OF 7/1/19:
Brewers 45-39, --; 4 @ Reds, 3 @ Pirates
Twins 53-30, +8.0; 3 @ Athletics, 3 v. Rangers
2019 GAMES ATTENDED:
Erik - 2
Peter - 9
touch with baseball when his childhood heroes Robin Yount, Paul Molitor, and Jim Gantner retired but the Great Home Run Chase of 1998 reignited his passion. As a student at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Erik became involved with the campus chapter of Habitat for Humanity. With this group Erik traveled to Portland, OR and Baltimore, MD to work on construction projects and help the group raise $25,000 to partially sponsor a house in Milwaukee. Also at UWM, Erik met Peter Nagel. The two attended their first Brewers game together during Opening Weekend 2003. Despite their failure to ignite the coals at their first tailgate, the two had a blast and were soon making weekly trips to the ballpark. Erik has gone on to several colleges and changed careers several times, and has moved all the way out to New Hampshire, but has always stayed true to his baseball roots by holding part-time stadium usher jobs. To this day he looks back fondly on his incredible cross-country journey.
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