The Tampa Bay Rays will exchange Tropicana Field for Steinbrenner Field as their training ground next year after Hurricane Milton caused serious damage. The hurricane destroyed the Tropicana Field roof in October, disabling the stadium from being used in the subsequent season of MLB.
Rays owner Stuart Sternberg confirmed that they have reached an agreement with the New York Yankees which will enable them to share Steinbrenner Field in Tampa as their spring training home." He thanked the Yankees for their gracious support to the team.
Temporary Relocation to a Smaller Venue
Steinbrenner Field, being basically an advanced spring training facility for the Yankees, and home to their low-A affiliate Tampa Tarpons, has to host the Rays during the regular MLB season. According to TMZ, the stadium can only seat up to 11,000 people, which is not quite consistent with the average attendance of 16,500 that the Rays had at Tropicana Field during the 2024 season.
The Tarpons are going to play their games somewhere else in fields within the complex because the Rays are temporarily staying there.
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Massive Rehabilitation Expected for Tropicana Field
The amount of damage incurred to Tropicana Field is estimated at around $55 million in repairs. Although the Rays are hoping to return to their motherland by the 2026 season of the MLB, it can be quite overwhelming what needs to be done to get the stadium back in shape.
The Rays have played at Tropicana Field since their debut year in 1998, so their move to Steinbrenner Field was a major departure for the team and its fans.
"This outcome meets Major League Baseball's goals that Rays fans will see their team play next season in their home market and that their players can remain home without disruption to their families," MLB commissioner Rob Manfred told the Associated Press.
He added that the Rays-Yankees deal will benefit the Tampa Bay region and the sport.
Rays Still Hope to Come Back to Their Original Turf Two Years From Now
Tampa Bay Rays fans clutch on to the hope that the team will be back in its repaired Tropicana Field by 2026, and it's going to be a transitional year. The team itself would wish things to remain competitive, even without something special to say to the fanbase.
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