Anybody keep in mind the NBA bubble at Walt Disney World? We’re all a bit hazy on that terrible and bizarre window, so it was a wild time when skilled basketball groups performed out the rest of their season on the ESPN Huge World of Sports activities, whereas dwelling within the resort inns.
Properly, there’s the imprecise risk that historical past will repeat itself. Sorta. Properly, barely–if in any respect. As you’re undoubtedly conscious, Hurricane Milton hit Florida final week, making landfall as a traditionally harmful Class 3 storm close to Siesta Key on Florida’s central west coast. The hurricane precipitated irreparable harm to the roof of Tropicana Discipline in St. Petersburg, the place the Tampa Bay Rays play.
The fiberglass roof was torn to shreds, leaving virtually the whole lot of the constructing uncovered. The Rays have mentioned they may take the subsequent few weeks to evaluate the harm, however varied Main League Baseball insiders are already reporting that it can’t conceivably be prepared by opening day and that the prices to repair the roof shall be prohibitively costly.
MLB Insider Jim Bowden stories that it will value “9 figures” to exchange the roof and doesn’t make monetary sense to take action in consequence. Furthermore, he factors out that the Rays can’t play on the Trop with no roof as a result of there’s no draining system for rain.
Truthfully, once I first learn this tweet, I believed it was insane. I imply, it’s one shredded roof, Michael. What may it value, ten {dollars}?
How on earth do a bunch of tarps value $100,000,000? Possibly he was together with the decimal level, and 9 figures truly meant $1,000,000.00? That actually appears extra believable. Then I noticed I do know nothing about engineering or roofing or drainage or the structural integrity of the stadium, particularly on condition that my preliminary thought was simply “tear off the shredded roof and play as-is.” An excellent concept if I’ve ever had one, however complete non-starter because of the lack of drainage.
The Minnesota Twins spent $18 million to restore the outdated Metrodome after it was broken by snow in 2010. I assume inflation now simply means “add a bunch of zeros to stuff.” Extra to the purpose, the harm occurred in December and wasn’t absolutely mounted till July. Inflation of the financial selection isn’t the one change since then–development tasks additionally typically take longer. The fee and timeline aren’t essentially the identical, however the Rays are pushing their potential to make it again to Tropicana Discipline by Opening Day subsequent season.
Which brings us to the operative query: the place will the Rays play in 2025?
Marc Topkin of TampaBay.com takes this a step additional and writes that there are questions on whether or not the Tampa Bay Rays can ever return to Tropicana Discipline.
The rationale spending $100+ million to restore the roof and no matter else is unsuitable with Tropicana Discipline could not make sense within the first place is as a result of it’s solely going to be round for just a few extra years. The Rays are planning on enjoying in a brand new stadium in 2028, which is slated to have its groundbreaking in January 2025. (Or was–we don’t know whether or not that’s impacted by Hurricane Milton or if development assets shall be unfold skinny attributable to different tasks as a consequence of the storm, leading to an extended timeline.)
As soon as that’s constructed, Tropicana Discipline shall be demolished. And it’s not as if the present stadium is sweet within the first place–there’s a motive it’s being changed–so spending $100+ million to repair it appears like placing very costly lipstick on a pig…that you simply plan on turning into bacon. For Walt Disney World followers, it will’ve been the equal of Dino-Rama getting a dear reimagining themed to “The Good Dinosaur” just a few years in the past solely to be demolished for Tropical Americas. Similar concept.
As soon as I acquired previous my preliminary knuckleheaded concept about tearing off the prevailing roof and realized a substitute venue was going to be essential, my head instantly went to at least one place. And also you’ve in all probability already guessed it given the title of this submit. The Stadium on the ESPN Huge World of Sports activities in Walt Disney World.
Topkin’s article in TampaBay.com runs by way of all the doable choices, and assesses the chance of every. This contains the opportunity of the Rays enjoying video games at their spring coaching facility in Port Charlotte, however that’s solely a 7,500 capability park. One other risk is Durham at their Triple-A facility, however that may require evicting the Durham Bulls and, I assume, Kevin Costner.
A number of different Spring Coaching amenities will seemingly be thought-about attributable to their proximity to Tampa and capability, together with St. Petersburg’s Al Lang Stadium, Clearwater’s BayCare Ballpark (Phillies), Dunedin’s TD Ballpark (Blue Jays) and Tampa’s Steinbrenner Discipline (Yankees). There’s precedent for utilizing Spring Coaching amenities–the Blue Jays did it throughout the COVID period.
Though I really like baseball, I don’t actually care about any of these venues. I’m not a large enough fan to know something about these venues. What I needed to know is whether or not Topkin thought the ESPN Huge World of Sports activities at Walt Disney World was even a possible choice. And guess what? He did.
That was all I wanted to see–affirmation that The Stadium on the ESPN Huge World of Sports activities is, certainly, considered as viable.
From my perspective, and I say this as somebody who’s completely unbiased, Walt Disney World is the one logical alternative. Okay okay, essentially the most logical alternative. (Is that extra truthful and balanced?!) It is smart that Walt Disney World is within the operating. The Stadium has 9,500 seats, together with 4 luxurious sky bins, open-air suites, and patios. It’s a comparatively trendy and well-maintained venue, having been in-built 1997 and saved as much as Walt Disney World requirements. (It’s actually nicer than the Trop, if reminiscence serves me.)
Numerous baseball writers level out the issues with all outside venues in Florida. The insane warmth and the chance of rain delays, which may make it extraordinarily troublesome to play in and draw followers to the ballpark. The primary a part of that is undoubtedly true. Summers in Central Florida aren’t any picnic.
However the second half is just not. To paraphrase one thing Kevin Costner as soon as heard, if Main League Baseball relocates the Rays to Walt Disney World, they (followers) will come.
Frankly, the Rays is likely to be an even bigger draw at Walt Disney World than they’re in Tampa! Even when the workforce has been good, attendance hasn’t precisely been stellar. There are a variety of causes for this, however one of many largest is likely to be demographics–the variety of transplants within the Sunshine State, particularly older ones.
Once we lived in Central Florida, the Rays performed in (and misplaced) the World Collection, and there nonetheless have been far fewer Rays followers in our neighborhood than Yankees, Braves, Crimson Sox, and so on. Baseball followers skew older, and plenty of who relocate to Florida have already got groups. I’m not that outdated (by baseball fan requirements), and I by no means turned a Rays fan.
The beauty of enjoying at Walt Disney World is that it doesn’t want to cater to Tampa Bay Rays followers. It’s shut sufficient that they will attend–positive, no matter. However that’s not the purpose. Walt Disney World has a gentle stream of Yankees, Braves, Crimson Sox, Cubs, Tigers, and so on., followers. Simply suppose what number of workforce hats/shirts/jerseys/and so on. you’ve seen within the parks. I can inform you with full confidence that, on any given day, essentially the most represented groups in visitor attire at Walt Disney World are not from Florida. (With doable exceptions for the Warmth, Lightning, and Panthers on weekends throughout the playoffs.)
It is a lesson that different leagues have already realized with Las Vegas and Los Angeles.
For those who watch a Raiders recreation (I’m sorry) and the digital camera pans to the stands, you’ll discover the overwhelming majority of followers in attendance are for the away workforce. Ditto the Rams and Chargers, and that’s regardless of each having extra historical past in Southern California (the place extra soccer followers are, mockingly, Raiders followers).
The purpose is that the leagues have realized Las Vegas and Los Angeles are vacation spot cities, they usually don’t want a passionate native fanbase to maintain the groups. On the contrary, that having these function ‘hubs’ of kinds for the leagues is sweet for the well being of the sports activities, even when it’s not nice for the person franchises.
As you’re undoubtedly conscious given that you simply’re studying a web site about Disney tourism, Walt Disney World can also be a trip vacation spot. And one which brings households with younger youngsters as a substitute of, effectively, I’ll chew my tongue about Las Vegas customer demographics. (They do host conventions–however so too does Walt Disney World.) It’s not like I’m even the primary one to have this concept–completely relocating the Rays to Orlando is likely to be a good suggestion, interval.
As famous above, the common age of Main League Baseball followers skews older. Though Shohei Ohtani and up to date rule adjustments have helped baseball to some extent and attendance is stabilizing, the MLB nonetheless has long-term issues and an unsure future. There should not sufficient new followers changing the older ones who’re dying off. (Not a joke.)
Think about having Mickey Mouse throw out the primary pitch, Elsa sing the nationwide anthem, and Slinky Canine sprint across the stadium throughout the seventh inning stretch. Have you learnt what that may do to reinvigorate the sport?! Simply have a look at what Grimace has completed for the Mets. GRIMACE! He’s not even an actual factor–identical to a purple blob of congealed grape milkshake or one thing.
I’m not saying having a workforce at Walt Disney World would magically clear up all of MLB’s woes, however it will actually assist–and do much more good than having a workforce in Tampa, even with a brand-new stadium. Signed, somebody who turned a lifelong baseball fan after watching the Braves play Spring Coaching video games at Walt Disney World within the Nineteen Nineties and whose favourite restaurant as a child was All Star Cafe (carry that again whereas we’re at it).
Oh, and if this concept is unreasonable for no matter motive, the one different logical alternative is Montreal. That metropolis deserves Main League Baseball once more. (Sorry, Oakland followers, you don’t deserve the destiny that befell you, however that metropolis additionally doesn’t deserve a workforce proper now–and this one makes extra sense in Canada, anyway.)
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Your Ideas
Would you wish to see the Rays relocate to Walt Disney World? If the workforce did, would your loved ones attend a recreation whereas on trip? Are you a fan of Main League Baseball, or are you underneath 80 years outdated? Ideas on any of the opposite choices, roof substitute value, or the rest mentioned right here? Do you agree or disagree with our evaluation? Any questions we may also help you reply? Listening to your suggestions—even if you disagree with us—is each attention-grabbing to us and useful to different readers, so please share your ideas under within the feedback!
