TAMPA, Fla. — As the Tampa Bay Rays regular season wraps up, talks of a split-city move to Montreal seem to be heating up.
Rays Baseball President Brian Auld spoke at Café Con Tampa on Friday, a weekly community event. He was promoting the idea of a sister city partnership with Montreal.
He spoke about low attendance at Tropicana Field being a major concern in keeping the Rays in Tampa Bay.
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He says the team was hoping a move to Ybor City would help with that, but when that idea fell through, they began looking at other options.
That includes possibly building two small ballparks both here and in Montreal and splitting the season between the two areas.
“It was depressing,” Auld said at the meeting. “I had no idea how we were going to keep the Rays in Tampa Bay, given the many challenges we face. That is until we started thinking seriously about the concept and possibility of a sister city relationship with Montreal.
Auld says the move would lead to a higher payroll and that would make the Rays more competitive and contend for more titles.
Many Rays fans were in attendance and were skeptical of the idea. Auld answered several questions.
Longtime fan Matt Neuhausen says the timing of these talks isn’t ideal with the playoffs starting.
“It really is disheartening because it really should be an exciting time,” Neuhausen said in an interview. “I think a lot of fans are feeling unsure and feeling anxious about this because it isn’t putting the fans first.”
The sign controversy was also addressed. This was idea of having a sign at the Trop promoting the split-city plan during the playoffs.
Auld pointed to Rays owner Stu Sternberg’s public apology for that idea and that the sign will not be put up.
Auld also says he will continue meeting with the community and is asking for an open mind.
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October 01, 2021 at 10:54PM
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Rays' president pushes split-city idea to fans in Tampa - Bay News 9
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