The brand new 12 months will place the Rays in a brand new ballpark, because the crew will play its dwelling video games at George M. Steinbrenner Discipline in 2025.
Positioned in Tampa, Florida, the GMS complicated has been the Yankees’ spring coaching dwelling since 1996, and its primary discipline seats 11,026 individuals. Earlier this offseason, the 2 groups introduced an settlement that can permit the Rays to play there this coming season after Hurricane Milton ravaged Tropicana Discipline, positioned in St. Petersburg, in October.
Yankees proprietor Hal Steinbrenner, who lives in Tampa, known as the settlement “the right thing to do for [the Rays’] fanbase, many of whom are my neighbors and friends.” That stated, The AP reported that the Yankees will get about $15 million in income for internet hosting the Rays.
“It made sense,” Steinbrenner added. “I’m happy to be doing it.”
Whereas this association will let the Rays keep near dwelling, taking part in at GMS, an out of doors stadium, will include some hurdles.
Tropicana’s dome has all the time shielded the Rays from Florida’s excessive warmth and relentless rain, the latter of which may wreak havoc on an MLB schedule that’s already undergone modifications to accommodate the crew’s relocation. Nonetheless, Rays skipper Kevin Money stated that he personally thought the warmth could be an even bigger downside after years of managing in a climate-controlled ballpark.
“It’s going to be a challenge, but it’s going to be a fun, exciting, good challenge,” Money, talking concerning the transfer on the whole phrases, stated on the Winter Conferences. “First of all, appreciative of the Yankees and MLB for being so accommodating, allowing us to go over there.”
Along with potential scheduling nightmares, the Rays’ residency at GMS will include numerous logistical concerns. These have been detailed in full in a press launch final month.
The #Yankees despatched out this data on the #Rays‘ relocation to Steinbrenner Discipline: pic.twitter.com/OV0TWaYUUw
The GMS complicated will stay the Yankees’ spring coaching dwelling in 2025, however they’ll be handled like every other customer as soon as camp ends. Meaning the Yankees will use the guests’ services, such because the batting cages and coaching areas, once they return to GMS for sequence in opposition to the Rays in April and August.
Injured Yankees typically rehab at GMS, however anybody heading to Tampa for restoration might be restricted to the membership’s participant growth complicated throughout the road in 2025.
The Rays will profit from GMS’ dwelling coaching services and clubhouse, which was reworked final 12 months, in the course of the common season. A brand new baseball operations constructing, set to open earlier than spring coaching, will even be on the Rays’ disposal. That constructing will embrace an expanded weight room, coaching room, locker room, gamers’ and household lounges, eating area and places of work for baseball ops. Nonetheless, the Rays gained’t have entry to the Yankees’ proprietary gear and areas, such because the crew’s indoor pitching facility.
The Rays will deal with ticketing for normal season video games, they usually’ll maintain the income for these contests. They’ll additionally promote Rays merch at GMS and decide parking charges as soon as spring coaching is over.
Bills associated to common season gameday operations might be lined by the Rays. The Rays will even be answerable for prices associated to wanted enhancements for “Field 2” on the GMS complicated, which is the place the Tampa Tarpons will play in 2025.
The Tarpons, the Yankees’ Single-A affiliate, usually name GMS’ primary discipline dwelling in the course of the minor league season. “Field 2,” a limited-capacity diamond adjoining to the principle discipline, wants new lights, padding for the outfield partitions, and upgrades for each dugouts. A couple of choose Tarpons video games could also be performed in the principle stadium, together with potential postseason video games.
GMS’ primary discipline additionally wants upgrades to the visiting clubhouse, each dugouts, digicam wells, and press field with the intention to be main league compliant.
The Rays are anticipated to make modifications that can give GMS, lined in Yankees branding and signage, a homier vibe. Nonetheless, the statue of late Yankees proprietor George M. Steinbrenner, positioned on the primary entrance, will stay in place.
Legends Hospitality would be the sole meals, beverage and merch supplier for all GMS occasions, together with Rays video games. Legends Hospitality and Levy Eating places, the Rays’ vendor, will discover employment alternatives for Levy workers who have been impacted by Tropicana Discipline’s closure.
The Rays’ scoreboard and sport presentation staffers will fulfill their regular duties, and the crew will run the GMS field workplace. Nonetheless, Yankees groundskeepers will deal with GMS’ upkeep.
A number of members of the Yankees and Tarpons entrance places of work, together with Hal Steinbrenner, have places of work at GMS. They won’t be displaced.
The Rays, nevertheless, may discover themselves on the transfer as soon as once more in the event that they make the playoffs in 2025. It’s no assure that they might play postseason video games at GMS; the Yankees, Rays and MLB would collectively resolve on that.Whereas the Rays aren’t essentially favored to make the playoffs subsequent season after an 80-82, fourth-place end in 2024, Money is relying on his membership to make the perfect of an unlucky scenario.
“I’m going to bet on our group,” he stated. “I’m going to bet our guys are going to embrace it. We’ll come together and do everything we can to make the most of it.”
