In this multi-part series, I take a look at where the Rays could play in 2025 (and beyond). Today, I look at some former MLB stadiums.
Background:
On the evening of October 9th, 2024 a category 3 hurricane named "Milton" hit the state of Florida near the barrier island of Siesta Key. The barrier island is fewer than 50 miles (by the way a crow flies) south of Tampa, and fewer than 35 miles to St. Petersburg. This close proximity put the home of the Tampa Bay Rays- Tropicana Field- as a staging area for lineworkers to stay ahead of the storm.
However, this being near the direct path of the hurricane ultimately led to the stadiums fiberglass roof being shred into pieces. (And the re-staging of lineworkers elsewhere.) This is in addition to extensive damage to the interior of Tropicana Field, which was likely not designed to withstand hurricane conditions after being sheltered under a roof since its opening in the Rays inaugural season of 1998.
At the current moment, it is being reported that the projections just to fix the roof itself would be in the 9 figures. That cost, in addition to how there have already been discussions about the Tampa Bay Rays relocating to a new field after their lease runs out in 2028, has led the Rays, and the MLB, to have to find a new option for a stadium in the near future (2025) and for the next few seasons (2026 and 2027).
So, where could they play?
Option 1: Oakland Coliseum (Oakland, California)
If the goal for the MLB is to find an MLB-ready stadium, without a tenant for the 2025 season, they have one very clear and obvious choice: the Oakland Coliseum. With the Oakland Athletics set to become just "The Athletics" while playing in Sacramento for 2025-2027, they have left their former home stadium without a baseball team.
Now, there are set to be two teams that use the Oakland Coliseum next year, those being the Oakland Roots and Oakland Soul: two soccer franchises. However, we as Yankees fans know that it is very easy to share a ballpark with a soccer team, as the Yankees have done so with NYCFC since 2015 (and likely until, at least 2027 until NYFC has a stadium built in Queens.).
And, while this solves likely one of the biggest problems for the MLB in finding a suitable home for the Rays, it also would make travel a nightmare for the Rays, and every team set to play against them, in 2025. The MLB tries to set features and blocks of the schedules for teams to "travel out west" or "travel to the east" to avoid constant jet-lag and an increase in travel time, and cost, for teams.
Yes, the O.Co is an option. However, there is no large Rays fanbase in Oakland, and to use it temporarily for an east coast team would be a bigger disaster- and likely loss of profit- than hosting the Rays in a minor league ballpark in Florida.
Though, maybe Oakland fans would quickly take them in as their own to showcase their ability to attend an MLB franchise that tries to win in an effort to bring back a team? Who knows?
Option 2: Olympic Stadium (Montreal, Quebec, Canada)
Back in 2019, the Tampa Bay Rays entertained an idea to split home games between two locations: one in Tampa, Florida (Tropicana Field), and the other in Montreal, Quebec (Olympic Stadium). Ultimately, the Rays did submit a proposal to the MLB, however, this proposal was shot down quickly.
There has been no avoiding the constant wishes of baseball fans to see a team reappear in Montreal after the Expos left for Washington, DC (to become the Nationals) in 2005. Much like the situation that Oakland fans now find themselves in, Montreal fans have been clamoring for the MLB to give them another shot at housing an MLB team. This is especially brought on by feelings of nostalgia by fans who grew up watching the Expos as children, and now have jobs and money of their own to spend.
So, of course, the MLB should give Montreal fans a chance to earn some good-will and to have the time to prove they can host an MLB team again. It would be great field research and provide the Rays with a home that they may have already started to plan to play in, had the original two-city proposal been accepted.
However, in one of the most ironic twists of fate, Olympic Stadium is set to undergo renovations of their own, which will render the building unsuitable for use until 2028. The problem? They also need a new roof! (Which is going to cost an estimated $870 Million to fix!)
Option 3: Tropicana Field (Tampa, Florida)
One reason why this process to find a new, temporary, home for the Tampa Bay Rays is so interesting is because plans to build a new stadium are already in the works. And, as proposals have been submitted about this new, expensive project, it makes me wonder.
As of the current moment, nobody knows the extent of damage to, and the cost that it will take, to repair Tropicana Field to be used again. However, if this is a best case scenario and the only big issue is fixing the roof- a likely $100 Million+ job- it could be done. And, maybe, it could be done by early in the 2025 season.
Just imagine the owner, paying out of pocket to jumpstart the revitalization project for the stadium: paying for insurance assessments, paying for workers, and materials, etc., paying to get the Rays in Tropicana Field as quickly as possible.
With an owner likely looking to receive tax benefits, contributions, or other local compensation for a new stadium, it would be an incredible act of good faith for the owner to, himself, pay to fix the current roofing problem to keep the team where the fans are.
Think about this, from the perspective of a person on a committee to approve funding for a new stadium. The owner, who wants to keep the team local, and just had a potential problem which could have had the team be relocated as far away as California, put down their own money to fix the issue (the roof) and keep the team at home. The optics of doing this would- and maybe this is because I like to see the world as a good place- be outstanding in helping to strengthen the relationship and ties to keep the Rays in Tampa Bay. I think this would be a large cost that could (and would) save the owner money in the future by being able to get a larger budget approved for a new stadium.
But, this all rests on this project being pushed, almost immediately, into high gear. And, given the current state of affairs (and how nothing is being done currently), it doesn't seem likely- as smart as I may think this would be for owners and fans alike.
Does Orlando or Jacksonville have a stadium that might work on a short term basis?
What about reconfiguring Raymond James Stadium (Buccaneers home) for baseball for the summer months?
They did that with Joe Robbie Stadium in the Miami area for the Florida Marlins until their Downtown Miami stadium was ready, 8 years later. Granted, it was hot and humid and rainy at Joe Robbie Stadium in the summer, but the Marlins survived there for 8 years until their current stadium opened. The Rays would only have to survive the outdoor elements for 3 years until their new stadium is ready.
It would be a very poor idea for them to do millions of dollars of repairs to Tropicana Field, when, if all goes according to plan, the stadium will soon be demolished as a brand new stadium is built and open in what is now the parking lot of the current stadium. Best to let what Hurricane Milton did be part of the demolition rather than spend a fortune to replace the roof and the severe flooding damage in the interior of the stadium, only to demolish it all about 3 years later. MUCH better idea for them to have a temporary home for 3 years, as the Athletics are currently doing.
It is not fair to the fan base…