St. Pete Catalyst Interview w/ Rays President Brian Auld

A plan to split the Tampa Bay Rays’ season with Montreal is the best and quite possibly the only way to keep Major League Baseball in Tampa Bay, according to Brian Auld, Rays president.

An opportunity to play baseball out of doors in optimal weather conditions in each city in new stadiums built at lower cost than domed structures is one reason the “sister city” concept is worth exploring, Auld said in an interview with St. Pete Catalyst Publisher Joe Hamilton. The prospect of the team doubling its fan base and doubling its corporate support is another reason to consider a split season, he said.

The Rays have a lease that commits the team to playing through the 2027 season at Tropicana Field, owned by the city of St. Petersburg. The team was negotiating with Mayor Rick Kriseman over a possible shared season with Montreal until last month, when Kriseman issued a memo saying those talks were over.

If the Rays want to continue exploring the idea of splitting the team’s season between St. Petersburg and Montreal, it would have to be for the 2028 season and beyond, said Kriseman, adding that he continues to believe that the Rays will decide to stay in St. Pete full-time.

 
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