Selig Blames Ballpark Troubles for Key Tampa Bay Departures, Rays Owners Ponders Move to Montreal

Commissioner Bud Selig traced the Tampa Bay Rays’ inability to retain key personnel — at least in part — to the inability to secure a new ballpark.  Read more here.  Meanwhile, Rays owners Stuart Sternberg has reportedly had discussions with wealthy Wall Street associates about moving the Rays to Montreal.  Read more here.

Sternberg: MLB No Longer Believer in Market

During a Hillsborough County Commissioner meeting Thursday, Stuart Sternberg, principal owner of the Tampa Bay Rays, said that he would like to keep the team in the Tampa Bay area for the long haul but added that Major League Baseball has lost faith in the market’s ability to get a new ballpark deal done.  Read more here.

Rays’ Concerns Go Beyond New Ballpark

St. Petersburg (FL) Mayor Bill Foster had a two-hour meeting with the Tampa Bay Rays brass on Tuesday to discuss the future of the franchise.  Surprisingly, the biggest takeaway was not the need for a new ballpark, but whether the region can support three professional sports teams.  The Rays will continue to explore all location options for a new stadium, but they want fannies in the seats now.  Read more here.

Back to the Ballpark Table for Rays, St. Pete

We don’t expect any miracles here, but Tampa Bay Rays owner Stuart Sternberg and St. Petersburg (FL) Mayor Bill Foster have a meeting scheduled next Tuesday that could rekindle new ballpark talks.  Read more here and here.