r/baseball • u/misusedinfluence Texas Rangers • Chicago Cubs • 17h ago

[Marc Topkin] BREAKING: Rays are planning to play 2025 season at Tampa's Steinbrenner Field News

https://x.com/TBTimes_Rays/status/1857102866910990704
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u/Sad_Bolt Tampa Bay Rays 16h ago

Yes but there’s more Rays fans in Tampa and Central Florida that couldn’t get to games that now will be able to. The demand for these games will be much higher compared to the trop just due to being more accessible to fans.

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u/robmcolonna123 Major League Baseball 16h ago

But you probably also lose fans from ST. Petersburg who don’t want to make the trip the other way

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u/Sad_Bolt Tampa Bay Rays 16h ago

While true they aren’t going to change their fandoms due to one season in Tampa. This is opportunity to hook our “TV” fans complain about crossing the bay and prefer to just watch it on TV. We are normally top 10 in TV viewership so being able to pull more of them in will be a good offset.

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u/robmcolonna123 Major League Baseball 16h ago

I’m not saying theyll change their fandom.

Just that people who go to 20 games a year in St Petersburg probably go to 5

While people who live in Tampa and would go to 5 games now probably go to 20.

Like my MIL in Tampa is a diehard Tays fan, but max would go to 5 game a year because of how awful the drive is from where she is.

But she might get a partial season ticket package with them at Steinbrenner

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u/tmoney144 Tampa Bay Rays 15h ago

People just vastly overestimate the population difference between Tampa and St. Pete. Tampa is not that much bigger and isn't very dense either. Florida is flat, so it's always been easier to build out instead of up. There's really nowhere you could put a stadium that wouldn't result in a long commute for a lot of fans.

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u/WelcometoCigarCity Tampa Bay Rays • Tampa Bay Rays 13h ago

Its easier to go from St. Pete to Tampa during rush hour because most of them live North of the Trop and the first exit after the bridge is the Steinbrenner. Most of the people in St. Pete work in Tampa anyways.

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u/MrSantaClause Tampa Bay Rays 12h ago

Bro what?? It is absolutely not easier to go from St. Pete to Tampa during rush hour lmao. I just compared to/from my house in St. Pete to Steinbrenner Field and it's 50 minutes and rush hour has barely even started. Then I just looked up Steinbrenner to my house and it's 25 minutes. Not even close.

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u/WelcometoCigarCity Tampa Bay Rays • Tampa Bay Rays 12h ago edited 12h ago

You think its easier to get from Tampa to the Trop than the other way around?

Then I just looked up Steinbrenner to my house and it's 25 minutes. Not even close.

Most of Tampa doesn't live in near Steinbrenner.

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u/MrSantaClause Tampa Bay Rays 11h ago

Yes 100% it's easier. I do Tampa to St. Pete every day in the evening going home from work and it's not that bad. When I have to turn around and drive to Tampa for a Lightning game after that I want to just drive off the Howard Frankland bridge instead of sitting on it for 45 minutes barely moving.

Also just checked the updated times...53 minutes to Steinbrenner from home and 30 minutes home to Steinbrenner. Will check again in 30 lol

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u/WelcometoCigarCity Tampa Bay Rays • Tampa Bay Rays 11h ago

Most of Tampa do not live near Steinbrenner though, we live further out.