Rays’ 2023 spring camp to open at Disney
ST. PETERSBURG — Unable to make use of the Charlotte Sports Park advanced attributable to injury attributable to Hurricane Ian, the Rays will maintain the primary part of their Major League Spring Training camp at Disney’s ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex earlier than internet hosting most of their Grapefruit League video games at Tropicana Field.
The Rays’ Major League spring exercises, plus a Feb. 28 house sport, will happen on the Disney advanced in Lake Buena Vista. Tampa Bay’s Major League operations will transfer from the Walt Disney World Resort to Tropicana Field in the beginning of March, and the Rays will play the rest of their spring house video games on the Trop.
Ticket data for the Rays’ Spring Training video games shall be launched in January. With the Rays relocating, there have been minor adjustments made to the Grapefruit League schedule, which MLB introduced on Wednesday:
Pitchers and catchers are scheduled to report back to Spring Training on Feb. 14, with early arrivals slated for Feb. 6. The Rays will function their massive league camp on the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex from then till March 1. It shall be a short lived return of types for Spring Training in downtown St. Petersburg — the Rays performed their spring house video games at Al Lang Field from 1998-2008 earlier than shifting south to Port Charlotte.
The Rays’ Minor League camp shall be primarily based out of the Disney advanced all through Spring Training.
“We are thankful for Disney’s willingness and ability to accommodate our unexpected Spring Training needs,” Rays president Matt Silverman mentioned in a press release. “ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex will provide our players and coaches with first-class facilities for their annual ramp-up to the season.”
The Rays and Charlotte County introduced on Dec. 1 that the membership wouldn’t be capable to maintain Spring Training at Charlotte Sports Park. The amenities in Port Charlotte sustained heavy injury attributable to Hurricane Ian, so officers from the staff and county agreed to relocate the Rays’ Spring Training base whereas they clear up and restore the advanced with plans to return in 2024.
The Braves used the Disney facility for 22 years, most not too long ago in 2019, earlier than shifting their Spring Training operations to CoolToday Park in North Port. The multifield advanced will give the Rays the area they want for his or her Spring Training exercises.
The Rays even have historical past at “The Stadium,” previously referred to as Champion Stadium. Tampa Bay beforehand hosted six regular-season video games on the Disney ballpark, sweeping a collection in opposition to the Rangers in May 2007 then successful three video games in opposition to the Blue Jays in April 2008.
“We are thrilled to be bringing Major League Baseball back to Walt Disney World Resort,” Faron Kelley, vp of Disney Sports, mentioned in a press release. “We’re always looking for top-tier events, like the Rays’ Spring Training, for our guests to enjoy at ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex.”
