Rays stand by split-season proposal

Although talks have ended between the city of St. Petersburg and the Tampa Bay Rays over a potential “shared season,” the Rays still believe the idea of playing half their games in Montreal is an idea worth exploring.

Stu Sternberg

“We remain steadfast in our belief that the Sister City concept is deserving of serious consideration,” Stu Sternberg, Rays principal owner, said in a statement.

Sternberg issued the statement in response to a memo sent by St. Petersburg Mayor Rick Kriseman earlier Wednesday. In that memo, Kriseman said negotiations between the city and the Rays about a potential split season had ended, and “both parties have agreed that the best path forward is to abide by the existing use agreement, with the understanding that the agreement allows for the Rays Organization to explore post-2027 split or full season opportunities, both in St. Petersburg and elsewhere.”

Sternberg said he generally agreed with Kriseman’s characterization of the months of conversation, but he wanted to clarify a couple of points.

“First, we do not agree that this is the best path forward,” he wrote. “Second, we asked for the opportunity to explore this concept with both St. Petersburg and Montreal, and with Tampa and Montreal.”

The Rays declined an offer from the mayor to renew the Memorandum of Understanding that let the Rays explore full-time stadium locations in Hillsborough and in Tampa, according to Kriseman’s memo.

The Rays have a lease that commits the team to playing at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg through the 2027 season. “We recognize that we must now consider our post-2027 options,” Sternberg said.

The city has been preparing for the possibility that the Rays might leave St. Petersburg, and has developed two master plans for the Trop site — one with a new stadium for the Tampa Bay Rays and one without. Kriseman said the city now will begin to evaluate its next steps in redeveloping at least parts of the site, following additional public engagement.