After two decades marred by ballpark woes, the situations for the Oakland Athletics and the Tampa Bay Rays have intensified to a lamentable climax, highlighting the ongoing struggles of these peripatetic Major League Baseball franchises.
Heading into the 2025 season, both teams are set to make do with minor league facilities, albeit under vastly different circumstances. The Athletics have opted to leave their long-time home in Oakland for the burgeoning market of Las Vegas, where a brand-new ballpark remains a distant goal, projected for completion around 2028. In the interim, they plan to host their games at West Sacramento’s Sutter Health Park, which has a modest capacity of 14,014 seats.
The Tampa Bay Rays find themselves at the mercy of both nature and the local government. Following catastrophic damage inflicted by Hurricane Milton last October, which tore the Teflon roof off Tropicana Field, the team has learned that necessary repairs will cost St. Petersburg a staggering $55 million, alongside an additional $6.5 million allocated for earlier fixes. This extensive reconstruction will keep their home ground unplayable until the start of the 2026 baseball season, leaving the Rays currently without a permanent venue.
The City of St. Petersburg, along with baseball commissioner Rob Manfred, has expressed a preference for the Rays to remain within the vicinity, leading to a recent decision for the team to share Steinbrenner Field in Tampa, the famed spring training site of the New York Yankees and home to their minor league affiliate, the Tarpons.
“This outcome not only aligns with Major League Baseball’s aspirations of keeping Rays fans close to their team next season, but also allows players to remain at home, ensuring their families experience minimal disruption,” Manfred stated in a press release.
A new stadium is tentatively scheduled for construction near the Tropicana Field, with hopes for completion by 2028. However, upcoming hearings on November 19 at the Pinellas County Board of County Commissioners could jeopardize the funding via a bond issue earmarked for this crucial project, introducing further uncertainty for the Rays’ future.
With two of the American League’s lower-revenue franchises set to compete for the upcoming season in venues that barely meet Major League standards, there looms a heavy reliance on significant revenue sharing that predominantly comes from wealthier clubs.
Four months ahead of the regular season’s commencement, this precarious arrangement falls short of fulfilling the expectations of players, fans, and the league alike.
“It would have been ideal for all 30 teams to be securely situated in Major League ballparks by yesterday,” remarked Tony Clark, executive director of the MLB Players Association, during a recent World Series event. “Rest assured, wherever the players find themselves in 2025, we will take a firm stance to uphold Big League standards.”
MLB players are poised to express their displeasure regarding the conditions they will experience. Clark and his deputy, Bruce Meyer, are fully aware of the challenges ahead and are preparing to address the numerous complaints that will inevitably arise from players adjusting to these minor league facilities this season.
After observing the infrastructure in West Sacramento, the A’s may need to reconsider their choice after just one season in the limited facility, despite investing millions to enhance conditions and mask its shortcomings.
Similar situations were witnessed when the Coyotes found themselves playing their last two seasons in a 5,000-seat college arena located on the Arizona State campus, prompting significant investments for necessary renovations to meet NHL standards. The excitement of the inaugural year gave way to escalating dissatisfaction as player grievances escalated rapidly in the subsequent season.
While the MLB Players Association holds no sway over the relocation of franchises, their leadership can exert considerable pressure on league officials, much like the NHL Players Association did with Gary Bettman. Last season, Marty Walsh’s candid remarks underscored the pressing need for better business practices in the league.
Ultimately, the realization that the arena situation in Phoenix was untenable prompted Bettman to relocate the team to the Delta Center in Salt Lake City.
On the condition of the West Sacramento facility, the open-air ballpark presently requires upgrades like improved lighting, clubhouses, and dugouts, not to mention enhanced player access amenities. Similarly, the Rays will have to endure the challenging conditions of playing in an open-air venue amidst the sweltering humidity of the Florida summer months.
“It is undoubtedly the best opportunity for our fans to enjoy 81 games of Major League Rays baseball,” Rays owner Stu Sternberg stated regarding the 11,000-seat facility. “Despite the challenges of elevating these venues to Major League standards, this option was the least arduous. Fans can look forward to experiencing Major League Baseball in a more intimate setting.”
The A’s will be sharing the ballpark with the minor league team, the River Cats, and the decision has been finalized to host 156 regular season games on natural grass, steering clear of artificial turf and elaborate cooling systems.
“Grass can be replaced,” Manfred noted. “Investing relatively modest sums will ensure that this venue remains the best environment for play.”
Nevertheless, skepticism remains at an all-time high as MLB only needs to glance at the ongoing issues arising from natural grass at Snapdragon Stadium in San Diego. In fact, the conditions have deteriorated to the point where one match involved relocating due to serious concerns regarding player safety.
Baseball players represent the sport’s prime asset, even though the league’s decision-makers often overlook this fact. The thought of exposing high-value players, such as Shohei Ohtani and his $700 million contract or Aaron Judge with $360 million, to potential injuries in substandard facilities remains unfathomable.
The A’s and Rays face the daunting challenge of playing 81 home games at minor league venues. Both teams’ predicaments should have been effectively resolved years ago to prevent such turmoil.
These franchises have long been cited among MLB’s most pressing issues, a dilemma that dates back to Bud Selig’s tenure as commissioner, a burden that Rob Manfred inherited. Selig’s controversial decision in 2005 to appoint his associate Lew Wolff as the A’s owner alongside John Fisher has had consequences that echo to this day.
The ballpark dilemmas have been shuffled around as political challenges among various team owners and government officials in California and Florida, their situation representing a considerable problem that many anticipated would result in disaster.
The A’s had a golden opportunity to relocate to San Jose in 2011, only to be blocked by the San Francisco Giants due to territorial rights agreements over Santa Clara County. Selig’s inability to negotiate effectively with the Giants led to San Jose’s unsuccessful antitrust litigation.
Now that they are aiming for a future in Las Vegas, owner Fisher is attempting to offload a portion of his stake in the team in a desperate bid to finance his share of a proposed $1.5 billion ballpark, valuing the franchise at an ambitious $2 billion despite a recent valuation of only $1.37 billion.
In 2018, the Rays had been close to announcing a groundbreaking deal for a $900 million stadium project in Ybor City, infused with 50% public funding, but in a last-minute twist, Sternberg opted against the plan.
Recent agreements between Pinellas County and St. Petersburg resulted in an arrangement to co-finance a $1.3 billion domed stadium with Sternberg, providing an apparent resolution until Hurricane Milton wreaked havoc, inflicting approximately $75 million in damages to Tropicana Field and surrounding areas.
The recent elections saw the ascension of two commissioners opposed to the ballpark project, creating significant barriers to the bond issuance necessary for its realization.
“We are entering a new era here,” stated Chris Scherer, one of the newly elected commissioners, indicating a shift in focus towards renegotiating prior agreements during a conversation with the Tampa Bay Times. “Every prior agreement must be reevaluated through a different lens now.”
Without a feasible ballpark project and lingering uncertainties regarding renovations to Tropicana Field, the prospect of the Rays needing to relocate becomes increasingly plausible.
Manfred recognizes the urgency to tackle these growing issues before his impending retirement on January 25, 2029, as the clock ticks down on resolving this pressing crisis for both franchises.
How are the A’s and Rays addressing their challenges in securing a suitable venue for their games amidst financial uncertainties?
Agreement to sharing a new stadium in Montreal, but the deal fell apart amid other financial uncertainties and ownership challenges. This left the franchise to grapple with its own set of difficulties, primarily centered on securing a reliable and suitable venue for their games in the Tampa Bay area.
Compounding the issue, both organizations face mounting pressure as local fan engagement and attendance wane. The A’s and Rays are thus forced into an uncharted territory where they must navigate the complexities of the league’s structural inequities while desperately trying to please their dwindling fan bases.
As leagues explore innovative business models, the necessity for franchises like the A’s and Rays to project competitive viability becomes paramount—not only for their survival but for the overall health of Major League Baseball. Players and management alike look toward a future where modern, city-integrated stadiums can revitalize a franchise’s standing and reconnect them with communities they once thrived in.
In the upcoming season, the focus will be on how both teams adapt to their challenging environments while trying to foster excitement among their loyal fan bases. As the pressure mounts and scrutiny intensifies, the expectations from ownership and the league will shape the narrative for the years ahead.
Until meaningful resolutions unfold, the A’s and Rays remain at a crossroads—forced to prove their value in venues that challenge their identity as Major League franchises, while the clock ticks down on securing the futures that both teams and their communities deserve.