Tropicana Field Overview
Well, if you were one of those fans who had been meaning to see Tropicana Field, but perhaps had kept pushing it off, it’s possible that you may not have that chance. With the stadium being badly damaged by Hurricane Milton in 2024, the future of the ballpark is very much up in the air. Maybe they’ll repair it so the Rays can keep playing there while a new stadium is built. Or maybe the new stadium deal that was seemingly done will officially fall apart, and the team could be playing … who knows where in 2026.
And that really stinks, because despite all of the grumbling about the Trop over the years, it was a ballpark with a certain charm, and the team had done a ton of work to make it a good experience for fans. And downtown St. Pete also was a compelling destination.
But for the moment, home for the Tampa Bay Rays is now Steinbrenner Field, the Spring Training ballpark for the New York Yankees. And pardon our pun, but it’s a whole new ballgame. It’s a new location that may or may not be a plus depending on your needs, but has higher ticket prices and less availability and, of course, no more air-conditioned comfort. While we are big fans of watching baseball outside, there’s a reason it’s played inside in Florida, where the summers, and even the springs and falls, can be hot, muggy and rainy.
That being said, it will be a novelty watching regular-season games in such a small, intimate venue, and the Rays have said they intend to do everything they can to make Steinbrenner Field their own while they call it home, so there is a certain kind of excitement for the 2025 season.
So while you have that chance, come to Tampa and check it out! But bring your sunblock and raincoat, because Steinbrenner Field is going to be a very different experience from the dome.
Our five-part guide to Steinbrenner Field will help you plan the perfect trip to see baseball in Tampa. We’ll cover:
- Travel: Getting to Tampa
- Lodging: Where you should stay
- Local Transit: How you should get around
- Ticketing/Seating/Premium: Where to sit, how to buy, and whether to opt for premium seating
- Gameday: What to do before/during/after the game
We hope you enjoy our Steinbrenner Field Insider guide. Please be sure to sign up for our free newsletter to keep informed about events, schedules, onsales, ticket deals, and everything else you need to know to plan the best fan experiences.
Why you should visit Steinbrenner Field
It’s Small and Intimate
Seeing a regular season game in a Spring Training ballpark is pretty rare.
Exciting Baseball
The Rays are a perennial playoff team, so you’ll usually see some solid baseball.
Rays on the Clock?
The Rays’ future in Tampa is highly questionable. This could be your last chance to see them here.
Florida
Palm trees, beaches, and endless sunshine. A trip to Tampa is a ticket to paradise.
How many games should you see?
Honestly, given the size of the ballpark, the limited seating products, and the lack of a true exterior gameday environment, we think you can pretty much cover this building in one game. Of course, there’s nothing wrong with hanging around for two or three, but that will be more about you seeing baseball than exploring the stadium.
The good news with that is you’ll be left with more time for experiencing Tampa/St. Pete, whether that’s beaches, or amusement parks, or whatever else you have planned. Plus, if you’re a true baseball fanatic, Florida is home to the Grapefruit League, so you might want to spend a day to check out a Florida State League game for one of the five local teams: the Bradenton Marauders (Pirates), Clearwater Thrashers (Phillies), Dunedin Blue Jays (Toronto), Lakeland Flying Tigers (Tigers), or the Tampa Tarpons (Yankees), who usually play at Steinbrenner Field, but will now play at a smaller field next door to the facility while the Rays are its main tenant.
When should you go to Tropicana Field?
Well, it used to be that the dome on Tropicana Field made the frequent rainstorms irrelevant. But now? Ugh … the rain is going to be a real challenge for baseball at Steinbrenner Field. March, April, and May will be the best weather months to go, as they have an average of eight or fewer rain days per month. But June through September is a different story, with 19-24 days of rain per month. Which means you have a really good chance of getting rained on if you visit anytime during those four months. So be prepared, and it may be a good idea to have a backup day available for seeing a game.
(But note: MLB has taken the weather issues into account, and has disproportionately loaded the Rays schedule with more games in April and May, and fewer games in July and August).
As for opponents, of course the Yankees and Red Sox are huge draws, and everyone wants to see the Dodgers these days (they’ll be here in August this year). And because the stadium only holds about 11,000 fans, high-demand opponents may become a difficult ticket. So we would suggest buying your tickets early and not having to deal with any capacity problems.
Where is Steinbrenner Field located?
The ballpark is located just down the street from Raymond James Stadium (home of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers), and is literally in the shadows of Tampa International Airport (a four-mile ride away, but that’s because you have to go around the airport to arrive at the stadium). And it’s also just six miles from downtown Tampa, so given how close all of these things are, you could very likely get away without renting a car if you’re just limiting your stay to the ballpark and downtown. We’ll discuss this at greater length in our Transit chapter.
About your Steinbrenner Field Insider
Baseball fanatic? Guilty as charged! I’m Scott, and as a native of Ohio, I grew up a Reds fan during the Big Red Machine era, never missing an episode of Johnny Bench’s “The Baseball Bunch.” But when I traded shoveling snow for sand between my toes in 2001, I adopted the Tampa Bay Rays as my new team. I was in the Trop for the thrilling Game 7 ALCS win over the Red Sox in 2008, and Game 1 of the World Series a few days later. But now we’re at Steinbrenner, so I’m learning this ballpark in better depth, as are all Rays fans.
In 2016, I completed a quest to see every MLB ballpark that started as a kid on vacation walking into Dodger Stadium. For me, there’s nothing better than a hot dog in one hand and a beer in the other at a ballpark, and I’m excited to be your tour guide to seeing baseball in Tampa.
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We hope you enjoy this insider look at Tropicana Field.
