Rays Sale Rumors Cloud Future at the Trop

Tampa Bay Rays owner Stu Sternberg has reportedly been in talks to sell the franchise for $1.7 billion. The move comes as a potential buyer group is led by Patrick Zalupski, a Jacksonville developer and CEO of Dream Finders Homes. While no deal has been finalized and the Rays have not released a comment on the matter, it certainly raises questions about the possibility of the Rays staying in St. Petersburg.

As for their current stadium situation, the Rays’ lease at Tropicana Field expires after 2028, which is a central component of the potential sale of the team. No long-term ballpark solution has been secured at this time.

Major League Baseball and Commissioner Rob Manfred reportedly support an ownership change to resolve the stadium stalemate. Manfred has previously stressed the need to settle the ballpark's future, similar to the situation that led to the Athletics leaving the city of Oakland in 2023 due to failed ballpark negotiations.

A $1.3 billion project to build a new ballpark in St. Petersburg’s Historic Gas Plant District was unveiled in 2023.

This potential sale could mean two things for the Rays and their future:

If no resolution is reached, it could either unblock the progress on the stadium project for the Gas Plant District or likely lead to relocation fears.