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Morning Edition

December 18, 2024

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A month ago, the Rays were at real risk of losing public funding for their next stadium. After many hours of hearings and a few interventions from MLB commissioner Rob Manfred, it appears the Rays will get their money. However, the way they went about things has frustrated some in the Tampa region—and a county commissioner even called on Stuart Sternberg to sell the team. We explore changed minds, how much the Rays may have to spend, and how they could deal with cost overruns.

— Eric Fisher [[link removed]] and David Rumsey [[link removed]]

Rays $1.3 Billion Stadium Gains Approval With Manfred’s Influence [[link removed]]

Kim Klement-Imagn Images

The long-embattled $1.3 billion new stadium for the Rays received another significant boost Tuesday, with a big assist from MLB commissioner Rob Manfred, as the Pinellas County (Fla.) Commission voted 5–2 to authorize $312.5 million in bonds for the project.

The decision followed two prior moves by the commission to delay approval of bonds that were originally agreed to last summer [[link removed]], including a postponement nearly a month ago [[link removed]]. Since then, the St. Petersburg City Council has approved a separate, $287.5 million set of bonds [[link removed]] for the ballpark, and Manfred traveled to Florida to reiterate the league’s belief in the Tampa market [[link removed]].

The county vote, however, was a more uncertain proposition, as since the original stadium deal in July, the commission saw the arrival of two new members, each with deep concerns about the agreement [[link removed]]—particularly in the wake of catastrophic local damage from Hurricane Milton. Those two new commissioner members, Republicans Chris Scherer and Vince Nowicki, each voted “no,” as expected.

In a notable development, though, county commissioner Chris Latvala flipped his stance from a prior opposition to the stadium project to one of support, and he was a “yes” vote Tuesday. He said that was strictly because of Manfred and a recent meeting with him, and Latvala called for a sale of the team.

“While I do not trust the owner of the Rays [Stu Sternberg], I trust Mr. Manfred,” Latvala said. “He is the reason I am voting yes. MLB is aware of the several instances where the Rays organization has intentionally tried to sabotage the very deal they agreed to. As a result of this vote, it is my hope that the Tampa Bay Rays will finally have an owner that our other wonderful local franchises have.

“I hope our vote today helps set the wheels in motion for a new owner and a new era of Tampa Bay Rays baseball,” Latvala added.

Outstanding Costs

Even with the county and city bond votes now in place, there are still some sizable concerns from the team about their financial contribution to the project—and the club was repeatedly put on notice by the county commissioner Tuesday to honor their obligations in the deal.

The Rays are responsible for the $700 million not covered by taxpayer funds, as well as any cost overruns. It’s the latter component the Rays say is quickly rising, in part because of extended political deliberations.

The new ballpark was originally projected for a 2028 opening, but the team is now seeing 2029 as more likely. That will introduce additional costs that the Rays say they cannot afford. It’s possible that similar to an existing contemplation with the A’s and their planned ballpark in Las Vegas [[link removed]], Sternberg could look to bring in new minority team partners to help with the stadium development costs. Even before that potentially happens, though, the Rays have made it clear there is still a problematic “funding gap” to resolve.

“As we have made clear, the county’s delay has caused the ballpark’s completion to slide into 2029,” said Rays co-president Matt Silverman. “As a result, the cost of the project has increased significantly, and we cannot absorb this increase alone. When the county and city wish to engage, we remain ready to solve this funding gap together.”

Hunter and Sanders Could Cross Paths As NFL (and Brand) Rivals [[link removed]]

Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images

Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter [[link removed]] and Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders will take the field together for the final time as college teammates at the Alamo Bowl on Dec. 28.

It’s the closing of a big chapter for the close friends, who played together the past two seasons in Boulder, and in 2022 at Jackson State. Once they officially turn professional, Hunter and Sanders will be headed in different directions on multiple fronts.

Both players are projected to be top-five picks in the NFL Draft, making it extremely unlikely they’ll play on the same team as rookies.

They’ll also be representing different apparel brands both on and off the field. Last week, Hunter signed an endorsement deal with Adidas. That move came despite Hunter’s strong relationship with Sanders, who became Nike’s first college football NIL (name, image, and likeness) athlete in August. The Swoosh also outfits Colorado’s sports teams.

But despite the division, the agency that represents Hunter and Sanders for off-field business ventures sees opportunities for them to cash in together as pros.

“Absolutely. It doesn’t end here for them,” SMAC Entertainment cofounder and CEO Constance Schwartz-Morini said when asked about the players working together off the field during an interview with Front Office Sports. “This is a real friendship and family dynamic that won’t end when their time at Colorado’s up.”

How Hunter Chose Adidas

Hunter had an opportunity to potentially sign with Nike, but the Three Stripes ultimately won out.

“He received interest from all the majors,” Schwartz-Morini said of the brands that courted Hunter. “[Adidas] was just who he connected with, and they leaned in to the values that he has and what was important to him and just really understood him.”

Signing Hunter would have given Nike a Colorado trifecta along with Sanders and his father, Deion, who reunited with the brand in 2023 [[link removed]] after a stint with Under Armour.

“Travis has had a very clear point of view,” Schwartz-Morini said. “And we really respect what was important to him, and his fiancé, and everybody that they were embracing with the deal.”

Dealmakers

Hunter is ending his collegiate career with a beefy roster of NIL deals:

JLab headphones NerdWallet United Airlines Celsius Overtime Buffalo Wild Wings EA Sports (a College Football 25 cover athlete)

Schwartz-Morini hopes to transition as many of those NIL deals into professional endorsement pacts as possible but said those conversations won’t begin until January.

While none of Hunter’s NIL deals had any financial escalators for winning the Heisman, his representatives at SMAC were already meeting on Sunday to discuss how they could use the award to maximize his future value, Schwartz-Morini said.

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Soto Sells: Mets Signing Spurs Record Ticket Sales, Surge in Fan Demand [[link removed]]

Brad Penner-Imagn Images

The record-setting, $765 million free-agent signing of outfielder Juan Soto [[link removed]] by the Mets is seen by the club as a “seminal moment,” both on and off the field. It’s obviously too soon to measure the on-field, competitive returns, but already, the Mets are seeing a windfall from the acquisition.

In the nine days since Soto’s signing first became public, the club has seen across-the-board boosts in both single-game and season-ticket sales. Among the key results:

A club record for the opening day of single-game ticket sales on Dec. 9. The revenue total, though not disclosed, surpassed the comparable day last year within the first 45 minutes of availability and ultimately tripled the 2023 figure A doubling in single-game ticket sales for the 2025 regular season for the Dec. 9–15 period compared to the opening week of single-game sales for 2024 A doubling in 2025 spring training ticket sales for the Dec. 9–15 period compared to the prior week A sellout of Delta Sky360° Club at Citi Field, with the club moving in recent days to create a waiting list [[link removed]] The Mets have not disclosed the boost in season-ticket sales for next season, but the year-over-year increase is poised to rank among the top-performing clubs in MLB Single-game tickets for the 2025 home opener, April 4 against the Blue Jays, are now limited to partial-view and standing-room access

“The demand has been impressive thus far during the offseason, and we expect to see the positive response continue into the new year as we introduce fan-focused programming for the upcoming season,” said Jake Bye, Mets SVP of ticketing.

A Broader Groundswell

The results follow owner Steve Cohen’s comment over the weekend on social media that ticket sales had “exploded” [[link removed]] as a result of the Soto signing. The uptick will no doubt provide a meaningful boost, as the Mets last year ranked 18th in total attendance with a draw of 2.3 million, below far smaller markets such as Milwaukee, St. Louis, and San Diego.

Even before the Soto signing, though, there had been a rise in optimism surrounding the Mets following a surprise run to the National League Championship Series [[link removed]] in October and a much more joyful vibe for the club following several meaningful intersections with pop-culture touchstones [[link removed]]. Following that rebirth and the Soto signing, the Mets are now challenging the Yankees’ local dominance [[link removed]] like perhaps never before.

Mets officials are now working through merchandise sales figures, and similar boosts are anticipated there—particularly in the wake of the Soto signing.

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Conversation Starters The NBA has unveiled yet another revamped format for its All-Star Game, set to debut in 2025. Check it out [[link removed]]. The Winnipeg Jets’ 2024 fourth-round draft pick, Kevin He, has made history by becoming the first China-born player to sign an NHL contract. Take a look [[link removed]] at his journey. NBA television ratings are down so far this season. Do you have a theory why? Tell us your thoughts [[link removed]]. Editors’ Picks Red Bull Gives Youth a Chance, Promotes Lawson As Pérez Replacement [[link removed]]by Colin Salao [[link removed]]Sergio Pérez finished eighth in the drivers’ championship. How Can Schools Afford to Pay Players? Cutting Coach Pay Is One Answer [[link removed]]by Margaret Fleming [[link removed]]At least three major coaches are feeling the hit. Ex-NFL Player’s Family Sues James Harden’s Restaurant in Drunk Driving Death [[link removed]]by Alex Schiffer [[link removed]]D.J. Hayden was killed in a November 2023 car wreck. Question of the Day

Have you bought season tickets for a team specifically because of a free-agent signing?

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

Tuesday’s result: 22% of respondents said they planned to watch the Emirates NBA Cup final between the Bucks and Thunder.

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