Port-C Bound.

With pitchers and catchers reporting in less than two weeks, it’s time to recognize the move from St. Pete

to Port Charlotte. The decision to move down the coast may make it harder for Rays fans in the Bay Area to catch the Rays as the home team for a Spring game. But it will most certainly expand our fan base to other parts of the Sunshine State.

Although convenient, the Rays had been the only team in MLB to play spring ball in the same city they play regular season baseball. Moving to Port Charlotte was a no-brainer, especially since they’d be getting a renovated stadium that would be like-new. With $27 million poured into Charlotte Sports Park, it will be state-of-the-art and a gem for our Rays and Charlotte Stone Crabs to play in.

Moving the Rays to PC means seeing less of them in March, but seeing more Rays fans in and around Florida year-round.

The Rays are building off the idea of broadening Florida’s exposure to the Rays. The past two seasons we’ve played a regular season series in Lake Buena Vista at Champions Stadium. That, coupled with the spring move to the south, has more and more people choosing the Rays as their team, even if they don’t live in the Bay Area.

Teams like the Yankees, Red Sox, Cubs and Dodgers have all been around for over 50 years and have generations of fans already under their belt. The Rays are still in their first generation of fans and are still building up the foundation. Expanding to other parts of Florida is key in ensuring that other Floridians are interested and root for Tampa Bay.

Tampa Bay Rays | Spring Training | Port Charlotte