October 17, 2024

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Hurricane Milton destroyed the Tropicana Field roof, making it unlikely the Rays will open the 2025 season there. Their new ballpark is approved, but it won’t be ready until 2028. We look at their timeline and evaluate four temporary options where they could bide their time.

— Eric Fisher [[link removed]] and Colin Salao [[link removed]]

Where Could Rays Play in 2025? Here’s What We Know About Options [[link removed]]

USA TODAY

Just when the Rays finally settled their long-term facility issues, a natural disaster raised new, short-term questions about where the team will play.

Hurricane Milton last week rendered significant damage on Tropicana Field, the Rays’ home ballpark, most notably tearing the roof off the 34-year-old facility [[link removed]]. A week later, damage assessment is still being conducted, and there has been little in the way of official statements from either the club or MLB. But at least two things are certain, significantly complicating the situation:

Extensive rehabilitation will be required, including replacement panels on the metal frame of the roof, as well as other structural components and lesser issues such as signage. The ballpark is not designed for outdoor use. There is no drainage system underneath the artificial turf field, and many areas now exposed to the elements were not weatherproofed.

Last week, the Rays said that “over the coming days and weeks, we expect to be able to assess the true condition of Tropicana Field.” As that process continues, though, the Tampa Bay Times reported it’s already a foregone conclusion the Rays’ scheduled 2025 home opener on March 27 will need to be played elsewhere [[link removed]].

Looking Into the Future

This past summer, the Rays completed agreements with local jurisdictions to build a new $1.3 billion ballpark [[link removed]], also in St. Petersburg, Fla., and that facility is set to open in 2028. But that, of course, still leaves the question of the start of next season unresolved. Much like the often-fraught situation with the A’s playing for the next three years in Sacramento [[link removed]], any consideration of another venue for the Rays will involve numerous factors, including obtaining union approval, staff-oriented considerations such as relocation, and being somewhere accessible to fans.

Among the potential temporary options in the local area:

Charlotte Sports Park (Port Charlotte, Fla.): This is the Rays’ spring training complex, located about 90 minutes south of the Tampa area. It’s an open-air ballpark, bringing in the normal challenges of Florida weather, and obviously not of MLB regular-season caliber. But there is obvious team and fan familiarity with the facility. ESPN Wide World of Sports (Orlando): The Rays began their 2023 spring training here while Port Charlotte recovered from damage levied by Hurricane Ian. The club also played a total of six regular-season games there in 2007 and 2008. But the Disney-owned complex is highly sought-after by youth teams, and finding the needed available dates could prove a challenge. TD Ballpark (Dunedin, Fla.): This is the spring training home of the Blue Jays, and it hosted some of that team’s games in 2021 during the COVID-19 pandemic. But this facility, like the Tampa area’s other spring training ballparks, presents the same issues around diminished seating capacity and the lack of a roof, and it would also require further upgrades to meet MLB standards for regular-season play. LoanDepot Park (Miami): This is the closest MLB facility to Tropicana Field. This option carries many complications, however, including relocating team staff and the extensive number of overlapping home dates between the Rays and Marlins in the 2025 schedule.

MLB’s forthcoming offseason storylines already included the A’s saga, the ongoing bankruptcy of Diamond Sports Group [[link removed]], and the free agency of Yankees outfielder Juan Soto [[link removed]], but the difficult situation surrounding the Rays—including how the club and league respond—now ranks very high on that list.

FRONT OFFICE SPORTS TODAY What Happens When a Stadium Is Badly Damaged?

FOS illustration

Tropicana Field, home of the Rays, likely won’t be ready for Opening Day of 2025, and the team faces tough questions about where they will play and how much they are willing to invest in repairing a stadium they ultimately plan to leave.

Plus, WNBA players are expected to opt out of their collective bargaining agreement by the Nov. 1 deadline, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones attempted to explain the threats he made to media members, and we hear from former NFL players Jamaal Charles and Anthony “Spice” Adams on the league and which positions have the best quality of life.

Watch, listen, and subscribe on Apple [[link removed]], Spotify [[link removed]], and YouTube [[link removed]].

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Adam Silver Stands By Sports Betting Legalization Despite Challenges [[link removed]]

Alexis Reau/Imagn Images

NBA commissioner Adam Silver has long advocated for the legalization and regulation of sports betting.

In 2014, Silver wrote an op-ed in The New York Times headlined “Legalize and Regulate Sports Betting.” He explained the growing appetite for sports betting—as well as the importance of regulation in an industry already seeing a massive volume of illegal bets.

Despite dealing with a major issue last season that ended in the lifetime ban of former Raptor Jontay Porter [[link removed]], Silver told the Associated Press that, for the most part, he maintains his stance [[link removed]].

“I’d say when it comes to sports betting, I certainly don’t regret writing that op-ed piece and being in favor of legalized sports betting,” Silver said. “I still think you can’t turn the clock back. I think, as I said at the time, with the advent of the internet, widely available sports betting online … that we had to deal directly with technology and recognize that if we don’t legalize sports betting, people are going to find ways to do it illegally.”

In May 2018, less than four years after Silver’s op-ed, the U.S. Supreme Court struck down the federal rule that banned sports betting across most states.

Sports betting has become the norm across most of the country as nearly 40 U.S. states can bet on sports in some capacity [[link removed]]. In 2023, sportsbook revenues were at $10.9 billion [[link removed].], a 44.5% increase from the prior year, according to the American Gaming Association.

The market of illegal sports betting is still prevalent, however, and a 2023 AGA study [[link removed]] showed sports betting revenue for illegal bookies and unregulated sportsbooks at about a third of legal avenues.

The Downsides

There are still several drawbacks that have come with sports betting becoming easily accessible, as Silver witnessed last year with Porter betting on games and disclosing information that influenced his player prop bets—which the commissioner called a “cardinal sin.”

However, the normalization of sports betting has also had negative effects among college and professional players, who have reported abusive attacks from fans [[link removed]] both online and in person.

“I think that on the downsides of sports betting, they certainly exist, and I think we have to pay a lot of attention to that,” Silver said.

Despite all the risks that come with sports betting, Silver justified it as an avenue to keep fans more entertained and engaged with the league—and he reiterates that better regulation is the way to cause as little negative impact as possible.

“As I said sort of Day 1, it’s not a huge business for us in terms of a revenue stream into the league, but it makes a big difference in engagement. … I’d put it in the category of other things in society that I wouldn’t criminalize them, but on the other hand that you have to heavily regulate them because if there’s not guardrails, people will run afoul and create issues, problems for themselves, potentially for their families, or for operations like us,” Silver said.

Caitlin Clark Makes WNBA History Again—and a Payday to Match [[link removed]]

Paul Rutherford-Imagn Images

Caitlin Clark’s historic rookie WNBA season is over, but she keeps setting records—and getting paid.

The 2024 Rookie of the Year was named to the All-WNBA First Team, the first rookie since Candace Parker in 2008—who was also the league MVP that year—to make the squad. Clark received 52 votes for the first team and 14 votes for the second team for a total of 302 points, fourth most behind A’ja Wilson, Napheesa Collier, and Breanna Stewart, and ahead of Alyssa Thomas.

Clark was also the only guard to make the squad, as voting for All-WNBA teams is positionless.

The second team consisted of Sabrina Ionescu, Kahleah Copper, Nneka Ogwumike, Arike Ogunbowale, and Jonquel Jones.

Members of the first team receive $10,300, while the second team receives $5,150 each. It’s a small prize relative to the millions of dollars in incentives tied to awards within some NBA contracts—but it is in line with the often-criticized salaries across the WNBA.

Clark, the first pick in the 2024 draft, is making under $80,000 this season, while Wilson, a three-time MVP, has a salary of $200,000 per year.

WNBA players are expected to opt out of the current CBA [[link removed]] before the Nov. 1 deadline. Even if the players opt out, the CBA will be in effect until at least next season. An opt-out would open the door to a more favorable salary structure and increased incentives for awards starting in 2026, the same year the new $2.2 billion media-rights deal kicks in.

LOUD AND CLEAR A Hard Pass

St. Bonaventure

“Congratulations, but I don’t give a s***.”

—Adrian Wojnarowski, speaking on the Eye on College Basketball podcast, detailed his response to a basketball exec [[link removed]] who attempted to give him a scoop following his retirement from ESPN [[link removed]]. He added he wasn’t even “remotely tempted” to break the news.

However, Wojnarowski said the relationships he’s built in the basketball industry will translate to his next career as the GM of the St. Bonaventure men’s basketball team [[link removed]]. “I’m going to continue to be talking with these guys; the conversations are different,” Wojnarowski said.

FRONT OFFICE SPORTS AWARDS

2024’s Best College Athletic Departments

Congratulations to the Front Office Sports Best College Athletic Departments: Clemson University, University of South Florida, University of Oregon, University of Oklahoma, Fairfield University, Old Dominion University, and Wake Forest University.

This year’s winners [[link removed]] were determined by Sports Innovation Lab through their data-driven methodology. Athletic departments submitted applications and responded to questions about their facilities, NIL (name, image, and likeness), college-athlete mental health support, financial literacy training, career mentorship, career transitions, and more.

Learn more about the winners here [[link removed]].

Conversation Starters Atlanta, which on Tuesday, was named the host of Super Bowl LXII in 2028, has become a destination for major sporting events. The city is already set to host six major sporting events over the next decade. Check out the list [[link removed]]. Nike released an ad for its “Winning Isn’t Comfortable” campaign following the 2024 Chicago Marathon on Sunday. Take a look [[link removed]]. FOS newsletter writer David Rumsey spoke on Front Office Sports Today about Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford’s guest appearance on Fox’s NFL pregame show—and what it might mean for the future of the 16-year veteran. Watch it here [[link removed]]. Editors’ Picks New NWSL Boston Team Scrambles to Erase ‘Too Many Balls’ Campaign [[link removed]]by Margaret Fleming [[link removed]]The club apologized to trans fans Wednesday. Unrivaled, New Women’s Basketball League, Strikes Multiyear Deal With TNT [[link removed]]by Margaret Fleming [[link removed]]Unrivaled will run during the NBA season from January to March. Breanna Stewart Is Making a LeBron-Style Bet on the WNBA [[link removed]]by Alex Schiffer [[link removed]]Stewart won’t commit to a long-term deal yet. Question of the Day

Will another NBA player receive a lifetime ban for betting in the next two years?

YES [[link removed]] NO [[link removed]]

Wednesday’s result: 71% of respondents think Tom Brady will not still be a Fox analyst during the 2027 NFL season.

Advertise [[link removed]] Awards [[link removed]] Learning [[link removed]] Events [[link removed]] Video [[link removed]] Podcast [[link removed]] Written by Eric Fisher [[link removed]], Colin Salao [[link removed]] Edited by Matthew Tabeek [[link removed]], Or Moyal [[link removed]], Catherine Chen [[link removed]]

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