Five Relocation Options for MLB and the Tampa Bay Rays

The future of the Tampa Bay Rays sits in abeyance, as more signs point to their potential stadium deal to remain in St. Petersburg, Fla. falling apart.

The squad seemed set to remain in the area they’ve played in since 1998, but a cavalcade of moves in the last month and a half may have squashed their plans to stay. Hurricane Milton destroyed pieces of the Tropicana Field roof, displacing the team for at least 2024 and potentially beyond. Meanwhile, the team argues the city council’s decision not to certify bonds for the construction of the new stadium (which had been planned for opening in 2028) has delayed the project significantly, if not doomed it altogether.

Team owner Stuart Sternberg has floated the possibility of relocation in the past, which many saw as an attempt to sway the area into putting more public tax dollars into building a new ballpark. Now though, it seems like there is a legitimate possibility the Tampa Bay Rays could be no more in the near future.

Other cities in the Central, Mountain West, and Pacific time zones could be in play for relocation or expansion, with places like Austin, Salt Lake City, Portland, Ore., and Mexico City being popular targets. However, it’s unlikely MLB will aim to disrupt its current division structure for relocation, making these cities far less likely candidates.

So where could the Rays end up,  and should they choose to move?

Raleigh, N.C.

Raleigh checks off most of the boxes a Major League Baseball team would look for, and services the ability to keep the AL East division in tact without any necessary realignment.

A group called “Bring MLB to Raleigh” began as a community initiative that has gained substantial support within the area. Raleigh has shown it has the infrastructure to support a big league franchise (the NHL’s Carolina Hurricanes), frequently hosts major events like the NCAA Tournament in college basketball, and previously housed several minor league squads for nearly 70 years.

Raleigh is also a top 25 television market, and with its diehard college sports fanbase distributed throughout the Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill triangle, it’s reasonable to suggest an MLB team would do well in the area.

Charlotte, N.C.

Charlotte, N.C., also carries major potential for a relocation spot for the Rays and has demonstrated it has the infrastructure to support professional sports.

Currently, there are NFL, NBA, and MLS franchises in the city, but perhaps more importantly, the Chicago White Sox Triple-A affiliate Charlotte Knights. The Knights are among the best-attended teams in Minor League Baseball, which may give an indication the market could be ready for an upgrade.

There is a Charlotte MLB project in existence that has aimed to bring an expansion team to the area, but relocation for the Rays could prove to be a more fruitful solution. Figuring out where to put a stadium could prove to be troublesome, as the Knights’ ballpark only seats 10,000 fans and is unlikely to be expanded to accommodate an MLB team.

Montreal

Montreal has long been considered a candidate for potential MLB expansion, but could receive an expedited push to land a squad with the Rays seemingly on the move.

The city, of course, famously hosted the Montreal Expos from 1969 through 2004 until they moved to Washington, D.C. to become the Nationals. One of the biggest hurdles for the team remaining there was the status of Olympic Stadium, which was in need of serious renovation 20 years ago. It is currently undergoing a complete overhaul of the structure’s roof, which could, in theory, make it viable to host an MLB team once more upon receiving more improvements. However, the stadium would still be likely short of MLB expectations for a ballpark.

The Rays had previously dangled a potential split-season swap with Montreal, with Tampa and Montreal both building new ballparks that would host the team for half a season each. That didn’t come to fruition, but it showed the Rays have displayed interest in the territory before. A move to Montreal would also keep the AL East intact.

Nashville

Nashville is one of the leaders for MLB expansion, and why wouldn’t it be? It is one of the fastest-growing cities in the country, is building a new stadium for the Tennessee Titans, has a rabid fanbase for the NHL’s Nashville Predators, sports a new MLS facility for the Nashville SC, and hosts the Triple-A Nashville Sounds. There have already been efforts made at getting a baseball stadium constructed for a potential MLB franchise, though getting that approved and in motion has been a bit of a logistical hurdle.

While Nashville seems like a slam dunk for an expansion team, relocation may not be as easy. Nashville is located in the central time zone, which could provide scheduling conflicts to line up with the other AL East squads. MLB could, in theory, move the team to the AL Central, but that could create further divisional imbalance.

It’s almost certain Nashville will one day host Major League Baseball, but the Rays may not be its best option.

Orlando

Orlando would be the easiest logistical option for the Rays to move to, but it carries several potential long-term hurdles that may prevent the franchise from finding much success in the area.

“The City Beautiful” is just a short two-hour drive east on I-4 of St. Pete and has mounted efforts for an MLB team in the past. Orlando Magic founder Pat Williams launched a bid to land an MLB expansion team he called the Dreamers back in 2019, a dream he himself carried until his passing earlier this year. The project even put forth renderings for a potential stadium, though it’s unclear where in Orlando it would sit.

However, it’s unclear how much support the city would have for another professional sports team. Orlando City SC sits in the top half of MLS attendance, as do the Orlando Magic for the NBA. But the city just approved renovations for Camping World Stadium (likely in an effort to lure an NFL expansion team or other major events to the area) as well as the Kia Center, both of which would have priority over a new MLB stadium. There’s also the question as to whether or not Florida itself has much of an appetite for baseball, as both the Rays and Marlins sit near the league cellar in attendance.