ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Tampa Bay Rays owner Stu Sternberg is facing growing pressure from Major League Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred and some other owners to sell the team, according to a report from The Athletic.
Sternberg has been under the microscope as the team continues on an on-again, off-again deal to build a new stadium in St. Petersburg. The Rays agreed to build a stadium, but since then questions have arisen about the Rays' intentions.
According to The Athletic's report, Sternberg was reached for comment on the report and said, "I'm interested to read about what industry partners have told you about our franchise and its future."
Previous Coverage:
- Rays fans ready to call Steinbrenner Field home
- Rays fans react to uncertainty around Tropicana repairs
- Rays say they expect St. Petersburg to rebuild Tropicana Field
- After weeks of uncertainty, Pinellas County approves Rays deal funding
- Stadium prices skyrocketing as Rays wait for new ballpark
The Rays have had stadium issues for years, but Hurricane Milton exacerbated them. The storm tore the roof off Tropicana Field, forcing the team to move its regular-season games to Steinbrenner Field in Tampa.
Several key dates for the Rays and the stadium deal are rapidly approaching, including one that is just three weeks away as of Monday.
Sternberg and the Rays must meet financial payments by March 31 for the stadium deal with St. Petersburg and Pinellas County. To this point, the Rays have not given any signal about what the team will do.
From the team's perspective, a temporarily delayed vote on bonds extended the stadium construction, which added extra costs to the deal.
The Rays have said that money is the county/city responsibility, though the municipal governments disagree.
Major League Baseball could step in to give the Rays a reason to sell by changing how much money they get from different sources, including revenue sharing (though that would have to wait until a new collective bargaining agreement in late 2026).
According to The Athletic, the DeBartolo family with Joe Molloy, and Dan Doyle, Jr. have all expressed interest in the team.
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