Tampa Bay Rays to Play 2025 Season at Spring Training Home of Yankees
George M. Steinbrenner Field has recently undergone renovations
Posted On: November 14, 2024 By :The Tampa Bay Rays will play the 2025 season at George M. Steinbrenner Field in Tampa, the spring training home of the New York Yankees, after Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg was significantly damaged by Hurricane Milton on October 9.
At about 11,000 seats, Steinbrenner Field is the largest of the spring training sites in Florida. The Yankees will play spring training games at the ballpark in 2025 and the Rays will use Charlotte Sports Park in Port Charlotte, Florida, for their spring training workouts and games.
“We deeply appreciate that the Yankees have graciously allowed us to play at Steinbrenner Field for the 2025 season,’’ said Rays Principal Owner Stuart Sternberg. “The hurricane damage to Tropicana Field has forced us to take some extraordinary steps, just as Hurricanes Helene and Milton have forced thousands of families and businesses in our community to adapt to new circumstances as we all recover and rebuild.’’
Steinbrenner Field was already undergoing renovations to improve its clubhouse and playing facilities. The Yankees will receive about $15 million in revenue for hosting the Rays, The Associated Press reported.
“We understand how meaningful it is for Rays players, employees and fans to have their 2025 home games take place within 30 minutes of Tropicana Field,’’ said Yankees Managing General Partner Hal Steinbrenner. “In times like these, rivalry and competition take a back seat to doing what’s right for our community — which is continuing to help families and businesses rebound from the devastation caused by Hurricanes Helene and Milton.’’
The Rays’ home since 1998, the fabric roof over Tropicana Field was ripped to shreds after Hurricane Milton came ashore, bringing wind gusts exceeding 100 mph and flooding parts of Florida. The city of St. Petersburg, which owns the Trop, estimated the cost at $55.7 million for the facility to be ready for the start of the 2026 season.
City council earlier this year voted for a new $1.3 billion, 30,000-seat stadium to replace Tropicana Field beginning in 2028 as part of a much larger urban revitalization project known as the Historic Gas Plant District.
“Given the significant challenges caused by Hurricane Milton, I appreciate the hard work and collaboration between the two teams that allowed the Rays to make the best decision for next season,” said MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred. “This outcome meets Major League Baseball’s goals that Rays’ fans will see their team play next season in their home market and that their players can remain home without disruption to their families.”
It’s not the first time a Major League Baseball team will host regular season games in a spring training stadium. The Toronto Blue Jays played part of the 2021 season at their facility in Dunedin because of Canadian government restrictions during the pandemic.
Posted in: Latest News, Major League Baseball, Sports Organizations