From Front Office Sports <[email protected]>
Subject FOS PM: Are The Rays Up For Sale?
Date May 22, 2023 8:06 PM
  Links have been removed from this email. Learn more in the FAQ.
  Links have been removed from this email. Learn more in the FAQ.
May 22, 2023

Read in Browser [[link removed]]

POWERED BY

NHL sideline reporter Emily Kaplan joins Front Office Sports Today to discuss what it’s like working the sidelines of an NHL game, being a female in a male-dominated industry, high-pressure reporting situations, and her pick to take home the Stanley Cup.

Listen and subscribe on Apple [[link removed]], Google [[link removed]], and Spotify [[link removed]].

Rays Reportedly Drawing Interest From Potential Buyers [[link removed]]

Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports

Major League Baseball’s best team in 2023 is being pursued by potential new owners — even though its current owner says the club is not for sale.

The Athletic reports [[link removed]] the Tampa Bay Rays are drawing unsolicited interest from Dan Doyle Jr., chief executive of Tampa-based DEX Imaging, as well as other prospective ownership groups looking to relocate the franchise.

As they have for nearly 20 years, the Rays seek a new facility to replace the outdated Tropicana Field. The club remains in negotiations with St. Petersburg on developing a new ballpark that could cost $1.2 billion, with Orlando recently posited [[link removed]] as another option.

The latest interest in the Rays feeds in on increasing discussion [[link removed]] within MLB about possible expansion, but team owner Stu Sternberg told [[link removed]] the Tampa Bay Times there’s no movement to surrender control.

“I expect we will build a ballpark in Tampa Bay that will keep the Rays here for generations to come,” Sternberg said. “I also plan on remaining the Rays owner.”

While Sternberg denied interest in selling a majority interest in the club, it remains possible he could opt to bring in additional minority partners like Doyle to help fund a new facility.

The Rays’ current Tropicana Field lease expires after the 2027 season, in turn raising the urgency around the club’s ballpark situation. The Rays’ status, however, contrasts significantly from that of the Oakland A’s, who have been given league permission [[link removed]] to pursue relocation.

Connecticut Governor Wants Coyotes To Move To Hartford [[link removed]]

Matt Kartozian-USA TODAY Sports

One former NHL market is hoping to capitalize on the increasingly murky future of the Arizona Coyotes.

Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont is trying to meet with NHL commissioner Gary Bettman this week about the potential of relocating the troubled franchise to Hartford, which was home to the Whalers from 1972-1997 before the team moved to Raleigh and became the Carolina Hurricanes.

“This is a great hockey state and a great hockey town,” Lamont said [[link removed]]. “It’s evidenced by the passion we have for the Whalers going back years, still one of the best-selling jerseys. I think we can guarantee them a very strong market right here, and a government that’s ready to come and be their partner.”

Tempe voters last week rejected [[link removed]] a proposal for a privately financed $2.1 billion arena project that would have kept the Coyotes in Arizona long-term.

The biggest arena in Hartford is the XL Center, which has a capacity of 14,750 for hockey. The NHL would likely want a deal in place for a new arena before greenlighting a Hartford franchise.

Lamont’s desired meeting with Bettman, for which he’s already contacted the NHL, would mark a major step in Connecticut’s hope for a return to the top tier of pro hockey.

SPONSORED BY DOVE MEN+CARE

Forgettable Underarms, Unforgettable You

[[link removed]]

Whether you’re playing in a pick-up game, heading into a big interview, or hugging someone you care about, new and improved Dove Men+Care [[link removed]] 72 hour antiperspirant helps prevent underarm distractions like sweat and odor so you can forget about your underarms and focus on being unforgettable.

New Dove Men+Care antiperspirants are reformulated with 72 hours [[link removed]] of sweat and odor protection, one-quarter moisturizing cream, and long-lasting fragrance.

You can purchase Dove Men+Care antiperspirant sticks, aluminum-free deodorant sticks, or dry sprays wherever personal care products are sold. Learn more [[link removed]].

Glazers Delay Manchester United Sale Again As Club Finishes Season [[link removed]]

MUFC

Disgruntled Manchester United fans hoping for a conclusion to the club’s ongoing sale saga may have to wait a little bit longer for more concrete news.

ESPN reported [[link removed]] that the Glazer family is considering delaying a decision on whether to sell the club until the end of the season. The news is just the latest twist in the convoluted process [[link removed]] by which the storied English soccer club is potentially changing hands.

British billionaire Jim Ratcliffe was once seen as a near-lock to take over with an offer of more than $6 billion, but Qatar’s Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad Al Thani continues to hang around in the bidding process.

The Glazers initially asked for $7 billion, but even $6 billion would make the sale the largest in history for a sports franchise.

Aside from a high price tag, it’s unclear exactly what the Glazers want from a sale. Ratcliffe appeared to be open to letting the family retain a minority ownership stake, while Sheikh Jassim offered to buy 100% of the club.

Currently fourth in the Premier League, Manchester United will play its final league game on Sunday and the FA Cup final against Manchester City on June 3. That means it could be several weeks until a preferred bidder is chosen — if the Glazers even follow through with their intentions to sell the club.

For now, Manchester United will focus on finishing the season as high as third or as low as fifth. If it’s the latter, the Red Devils would be out of automatic Champions League qualification, potentially costing the club millions.

Conversation Starters Carmelo Anthony called it a career [[link removed]] on Monday. Some highlights over 19 NBA seasons: 8 teams, 10 All-Star appearances, a scoring title, three Olympic gold medals, and $262.5M in contract earnings — plus his own media company and a Social Justice Champion Award. With a top-15 finish [[link removed]] at the PGA Championship, 46-year-old club pro Michael Block qualified next year’s edition — in addition to taking home about $300,000. Mercedes-Benz has unveiled plans [[link removed]] for a “Silicon Valley-style” Formula 1 campus — part of an $87M investment in Brackley, England. The development, set to be completed by 2025, will be able to accommodate 1,250 people, feature restaurants and gyms, and use 100% renewable energy.

FRONT OFFICE SPORTS LEARNING

Professional Education at the Speed of Culture

Brush up on your skills and supercharge your career.

Try one of our interactive courses on Front Office Sports Learning [[link removed]], designed to help professionals stay on top of today’s ever-changing sports landscape.

Manage lessons at your own pace and gain a deeper understanding from top brands and experts in various subject matters. Each course consists of a series of video lesson modules, followed by a brief quiz. Upon completion of each course, you’ll earn a verified digital badge to share on your social platforms.

From modern ticketing solutions [[link removed]] and the rise of cryptocurrencies [[link removed]] to the new world of NIL [[link removed]] and the metaverse [[link removed]], FOS Learning courses explore it all.

Find the right course for you.

What to Watch

The Denver Nuggets meet the Los Angeles Lakers Monday in Game 4 of the NBA Western Conference Finals at Crypto.com Arena.

How to watch: 8:30 p.m., ET, ESPN

Gambling odds: Nuggets +3 || ML Nuggets +130 || O/U 224.5

Advertise [[link removed]] Awards [[link removed]] Learning [[link removed]] Video [[link removed]] Podcast [[link removed]] Pro [[link removed]] Written by Eric Fisher [[link removed]], David Rumsey [[link removed]] Edited by Matthew Tabeek [[link removed]], Brian Krikorian [[link removed]]

If this email was forwarded to you, you can subscribe here [[link removed]].

Update your preferences [link removed] / Unsubscribe [link removed]

Copyright © 2023 Front Office Sports. All rights reserved.

80 Pine Street Suite 3202 New York, NY 10005
Screenshot of the email generated on import

Message Analysis