Following the assessment that the roof to Tropicana Field would take a full year and $56 million to repair, MLB announced today that the Tampa Bay Rays would play the 2025 season at Steinbrenner Field, the New York Yankees’ spring training home in Tampa.
The announcement wasn’t a big surprise, as the list of alternatives seemed thin and unlikely.
Original rumors suggested that the team might play in another city. Durham, home to the Rays’ Triple-A Durham Bulls, was mentioned as an option, but was quickly dismissed due to scheduling conflicts (at least that’s the reason that was reported). Montreal, where the Rays suggested building a stadium during their various relocation discussions, was also rumored, but never seemed to gain any real traction.
And then there was the possibility of playing in Miami at loanDepot Park, home of the Marlins, an option which couldn’t have been more puzzling, as the local community there barely supports the team they already have.
Even crazier rumors were that they could play at the Oakland Coliseum, now abandoned by the Athletics.
But in the end, there really wasn’t a better option than staying in the local market. Moving the team to another city for one (or more) years would have had a devastating effect on the local fan base. And it would have also made selling season tickets for the already planned new Rays ballpark incredibly difficult.
By staying in Tampa, MLB prioritized keeping the local fan base engaged, which is obviously important. But moving to Steinbrenner Field comes with two clear challenges: capacity and weather.
On the weather front, the concern is obvious: the rain. Tampa in the summer is just a muggy, rainy mess, which is exactly why the Rays have spent the last 27 years playing in a dome. But with no better options, the Rays will rely on luck and prayer that not too many games are delayed or disrupted by the weather. But, realistically, it would be safe to assume a number of games get rained out and postponed.
On the capacity front, The Trop seats 43,000, whereas Steinbrenner Field seats only 11,000.
But how much does that actually matter? The Rays per game average attendance was 16,515 in 2024, the third lowest attendance in the league, ahead of only Miami and Oakland.
But that number doesn’t tell the entire story. Of the 81 home games played in 2024, 18 had an attendance of less than 13,000. And after their opening day attendance of 25,000, they didn’t hit that mark again for the rest of the season.
So what will all of this mean for fans?
Well, through the worst of circumstances, we may be about to see a “right-sizing” of the home ballpark for the Tampa Bay Rays. With just 11,000 seats available at their new temporary home, a ticket that was once easy to come by may suddenly be very difficult. When you add the reduced capacity to the change in location – Steinbrenner Field is in Tampa, next door to Raymond James Stadium and Tampa International Airport – you may end up with a ticket that is in high demand. Fans who may not have wanted to trek from Tampa to St. Petersburg may suddenly have an interest in attending games, which might make tickets scarce … and drive up the prices.
And what will this mean for traveling fans?
Well, the chance of rainouts will be very real, so you’ll have to be willing to assume the risk that you may not get to see the games you were planning on during a trip.
On the other hand, rescheduled games may create doubleheader opportunities, as well as additional game dates that could also create opportunities for traveling fans to see games.
But for the moment, at least the previously announced 2025 Rays schedule is still valid. And seeing an MLB game in an intimate, minor league ballpark is a rare oddity, so we predict that plenty of fans will want to make the trip.
If you’ve already made plans to go to Tampa for baseball, you may want to take a look at your hotel reservations and make any necessary adjustments, as you may no longer want to stay someplace like St. Pete or Clearwater.
For more information, check out the Rays’ press release here. And stay tuned for our insider guide to Steinbrenner Field this spring!
