The Tampa Bay Rays are not having a great start to 2025, as their home stadium went downhill. After the postseason, the franchise lost Tropicana Field to Hurricane Milton. After five years, the team failed to make the playoffs last year.
Tampa’s run has been wild, especially since they need to rebuild the stadium after losing its roof. The hurricane caused significant damage, ripping out the roof panels. Tropicana Field has been home for the team since 1998. Since the organization could not rebuild the stadium, they will play the rest of the season in Steinbrenner Field.
The New York Yankees have permitted their AL East rival to play in their spring training facility. The Tampa Bay Rays will take a while to restore Tropicana Field, which is believed to cost around $55 million. On the other hand, the franchise was supposed to move to a new stadium in 2028. However, they seem to have scrapped the idea, and fans are unhappy with their progress.
The new stadium estimate was around $1.3 billion. Due to crowdfunding issues, they seem to have stopped progress. Things are not looking good for Rays owner Stuart Sternberg, as many have called him out for not doing anything.
Recently, Sternberg was caught in an awkward situation. A fan held a signboard that read “$ell Stu” at Steinbrenner Field. According to Foul Territory, Sternberg subtly acknowledged the fan. Here’s a look at the video.
Awkward moment for Rays owner Stu Sternberg, who subtly acknowledges a fan with a sign that reads “$ELL STU.”
— Foul Territory (@FoulTerritoryTV) March 28, 2025
(Via: @EvanDrellich)pic.twitter.com/s1DmcmpWkK
Stuart Sternberg Sounds Optimistic With The Tampa Bay Rays Stadium
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Several fans do not like the idea of the franchise playing in Steinbrenner Field. Yet, it’s hard to blame Stuart Sternberg alone. Natural disasters are inevitable, and a few MLB insiders support Sternberg. After opening day, Sternberg addressed the issues with the Tampa Bay Rays and their stadium.
MLB commissioner Rob Manfred encouraged fans to offer their support to Sternberg. The franchise’s owner said that they were on the same page.
“This is my 20th season doing this, and that’s been the goal right from the beginning, and it remains the goal. So, yeah, we’re on the same page,” Sternberg said via Yahoo Sports.
Tampa Bay Rays fans must adjust for the rest of the season and watch their team perform at Steinbrenner Field. Meanwhile, MLB fans are calling out the league for supporting the Dodgers.
