RANT SPORTS: What began last week as a brief delay in the new stadium deal between the Rays and Pinellas County now appears to be unraveling due to petty politics among some new county commission members who were against the Ray deal from the start. It seems to stem from the Rays and Major League Baseball’s decision not to play in Clearwater or Dunedin while Tropicana Field undergoes the necessary $55 million repairs to become playable after its roof was damaged by Hurricane Milton something that would mean the team would have to play in a minor league park for the 2025 regular season,
Rant Sports reported last week Thursday afternoon, it was announced by the Tampa Bay Rays, the New York Yankees, and Major League Baseball that the Rays will play their 2025 regular season at Steinbrenner Field in Tampa. This arrangement, facilitated by Major League Baseball with the Yankees’ assistance, ensures that the Rays have a home park near their fanbase while Tropicana Field,
It was Major League Baseball’s call when deciding where to play in 2025
While the Pinellas County Commission has expressed disappointment that the Rays will not be playing in the county, the decision ultimately rested with Major League Baseball. Commissioner Rob Manfred emphasized the need to select a location by Christmas to prepare for the 2025 season. He insisted that the Rays’ temporary home be in the Tampa-St. Petersburg area to allow fans to continue supporting their team. The stadium must meet MLB standards, including the quality of the playing field, television lighting, locker rooms, and press facilities. Steinbrenner Field, with its location and capacity of 11,000 seats, was the only venue that met all these criteria.
Commissioner Manfred collaborated with the Rays and Hal Steinbrenner of the Yankees to finalize the deal, which included the Rays paying $15 million in rent to New York. This agreement also provided Major League Baseball with the necessary time to make additional adjustments to the park before the opening day of 2025.
When is a deal not a deal? When it done in Florida
The elections on November 5th changed the makeup of the Pinellas County Commission and the St. Petersburg City Council, creating doubts about the July agreement to finance a new Rays Stadium as part of the $6.5 billion Gas Light district renovation. Once hailed as a top attraction for fans and businesses, the project is now experiencing challenges. The meeting set for November 18th, which was expected to be procedural, has been deferred. Additionally, the election of two commissioners opposed to the deal has altered the county’s position from a 5-2 supportive vote in July to a possible 4-3 vote against moving forward. Moreover, the commission has not yet made a decision on the $55 million needed to fix Tropicana Field for the 2026 season, potentially causing further delays for the Rays’ comeback to St. Petersburg.
The sudden move to tank the agreed upon deal has Rays not ruling out relocating to another city
Stuart Sternberg, the Rays’ owner, shot back Saturday in the Tampa Bay Times. Moving the Rays out of town entirely, he said, “is not an unlikely conclusion.”
“Last month, the County Commission upended our ballpark agreement by not approving their bonds, as they promised to do,” Sternberg said. “That action sent a clear message that we had lost the county as a partner.
“The future of baseball in Tampa Bay became less certain after that vote.”
That could put Nashville, Montreal, and other cities back in the picture if the blows totally up.
Sports Business 101- The County is using the hurricane victims in a powerplay to get a new deal
It’s important to understand that some members of the county commission may be leveraging the bond money as a ploy to negotiate a better deal with the Rays, possibly urging them to contribute more money to the project. However, the funds designated for the new Rays stadium in Pinellas County are not transferable for other uses such as aiding the victims of Hurricane Milton. These funds originate from a Tourism Tax revenue specifically allocated for capital improvement projects, including sports stadiums, museums, and beaches, and legally cannot be repurposed for hurricane relief efforts.
Is it possible for Tampa to become the new home of the Rays if the Pinellas deal falls through?
With the Rays set to play at Steinbrenner Field in 2025, Tampa lawmakers will have the chance to observe the team’s integration into the community and the potential advantages it offers. The favorable response from fans and the positive impact on the local economy might sway the decision to retain the Rays in Tampa for the long term, should Pinellas County fail to secure the deal.
Tampa Mayor Jane Castor has conveyed her excitement for the Rays to play at Steinbrenner Field in 2024. She stated that the city is dedicated to retaining the Rays in the Tampa Bay region and is hopeful for the team’s prospects there in either Tampa or St. Petersburg.
Playing in a smaller park that offers fans the opportunity to watch a game in a more intimate setting could demonstrate to the Rays that a 25,000-seat stadium in Tampa might be a better fit. Additionally, considering the rain issues, they might manage with an outdoor stadium
FILE – Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce (87) waves after the NFL Super Bowl 58 football game against the San Francisco 49ers Sunday, Feb. 11, 2024, in Las Vegas. Kelce will bring his highly successful music festival called Kelce Jam back to Kansas City. The second annual one-day event held on May 18 will be hosted by the superstar tight end of the Chiefs and headlined by Lil Wayne, 2 Chainz, Diplo and local legend Tech N9ne. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II, File)
RANT SPORTS – As Super Bowl LIX Beckons, Football Fans Gravitate to Key Stats and Storylines
On February 9, 2025, the NFC and AFC Conference Champions will meet at Caesars Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana, for Super Bowl LIX. Football fans have been piling into the action all season to make their picks and predictions for the winner.
As Super Bowl Sunday beckons, there will be a tsunami of interest in the many different forms of football betting. Last year, the Super Bowl set records for American wagering, with some $23 billion bet. This year, seeing the popularity of the big game, platforms are going all out to appeal to this mass of betting interest.
So, there are plenty of offers bouncing around and unique ways to bet on the outcomes of Super Bowl LIX. Keep reading to explore these novel options and discover some stats to keep in mind for the potential Super Bowl contenders this year.
A Diverse Landscape for Super Bowl Fans
Every year, betting lines light up with a whole range of quirky selections. For the Super Bowl, prop markets are always a point of interest – and not just for the player lines. The length of the national anthem, style of the halftime performer’s attire, and the color of the winning team’s Gatorade douse are all in the odds.
In daily fantasy sports betting, the lines can also see a bit more variation. With some platforms, you’ll be able to bundle in these once-a-year kind of props. Many will also offer boosts on certain players hitting or missing their under-over lines. Others are adapting the formula entirely for the big game.
At Sleeper, the emphasis is on collaborating with your squad to make top fantasy picks. You’ll all get to select the DFS player lines that you think will happen, bundle them into a picks list, and watch the stats move in real time. With the Super Bowl fast approaching, savvy DFS teams will be claiming a Sleeper promo for NFL betting like this.
With the offer, each player will get a $55 bonus cash offer after playing $5. So, naturally, many teams will open an account, make the $10 deposit, play $5 on an upcoming game of the NFL, NBA, or anything else, and then get their 11 $5 bonus wagers to use on the big game.
What to Keep in Mind for the Super Bowl
On the NFC side, coming into the Conference Championships, Jayden Daniels absolutely had the upper hand on the Eagles’ QB, who’d suffered a concussion and then a leg injury. However, the Philadelphia defense ranked as the best in the NFL by quite some margin, only allowing 278.4 yards on average. It was Philadelphia that romped to an easy 55-23 victory.
Over in AFC territory, the Super Bowl machine that are the Kansas City Chiefs might have a shot at history with the unheard-of three-peat, after their 32-29 win over the Bills. There’s also Travis Kelce’s shot at unseating one of Jerry Rice’s long-standing records. With just three receptions in the big game, Kelce would overtake Rice’s haul of 33 takes at the Super Bowl.
Super Bowl LIX promises to be a fascinating game, with a second matchup of these two teams in three years. That contest came down to the final seconds, but who will win this one?
The bigger question here is, where will fans be placing their bets for the colossal event?
William Byron (24) and Kyle Busch (18) race into turn one during the NASCAR Cup series auto race in Richmond, Va., Saturday, Sept. 11, 2021. (AP Photo/Steve Helber)
RANT SPORTS – NASCAR likes to open with a short track exhibition
A week before heading to Daytona for the 2025 NASCAR season, they will kick off the year with an exhibition race on Saturday night under the lights. The event, known as The Cookout will take place at Bowman Gray Stadium, a NASCAR-sanctioned quarter-mile asphalt flat oval short track and a historic football stadium in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.
The race, also known as The Clash, will mark the debut for several new drivers. Two of the top young talents making their NASCAR Cup Series debuts are Tim Brown for Rick Racing and Burt Myers for Team Amerivet.
This race also features the Front Row Motorsports debut for Noah Gragson and the return of Zane Smith that team. Additionally, Todd Gilliland will be driving the flagship No. 38 after three seasons in the No. 34. Furthermore, Josh Berry iin the iconic Wood Brothers No. 21 Ford.
Some familiar names with new and full season rides
AJ Allmendinger has returned to Kaulig Racing full-time, while Riley Herbst has joined 23XI Racing. Cole Custer is back now full time at the Haas Factory Team. Cody Ware is also time in the family-owned No. 51.
Ryan Preece is debuting for RFK Racing and Michael McDowell has moved to Spire Motorsports. Shane Van Gisbergen is racing full-time in Cup for Trackhouse Racing
Here is the full list of cars the teams
1 | Ross Chastain | Phil Surgen | Trackhouse Racing | Chevrolet
2 | Austin Cindric | Brian Wilson | Team Penske | Ford
3 | Austin Dillon | Richard Boswell | Richard Childress Racing | Chevrolet
4 | Noah Gragson | Drew Blickensderfer | Front Row Motorsports | Ford
24 | William Byron | Rudy Fugle | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet
34 | Todd Gilliland | Chris Lawson | Front Row Motorsports | Ford
35 | Riley Herbst | Davin Restivo | 23XI Racing | Toyota
38 | Zane Smith | Ryan Bergentry | Front Row Motorsports | Ford
41 | Cole Custer | Aaron Kramer | Haas Factory Team | Ford
42| John Hunter Nemechek | Travis Mack | Legacy Motor Club | Toyota
43| Erik Jones | Ben Beshore | Legacy Motor Club | Toyot
45 | Tyler Reddick | Billy Scott | 23XI Racing | Toyota
47| Ricky Stenhouse Jr. | Mike Kelley | HYAK Racing | Ford
48| Alex Bowman | Blake Harris | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet
50 | Burt Myers | Tony Eury Jr. | Team Amerivet | Chevrolet
51 | Justin Haley | Billy Plourde |Rick Ware Racing | Ford
54 | Ty Gibbs | Tyler Allen | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota
60 | Ryan Preece | Derrick Finley | RFK Racing | Ford
66 | Garrett Smithley | Carl Long | Garage 66 | Ford
71 | Michael McDowell | Travis Peterson | Spire Motorsports | Chevrolet
77 | Carson Hocevar | Luke Lambert | Spire Motorsports | Chevrolet
88 | Shane Van Gisbergen | Stephen Doran | Trackhouse Racing | Chevrolet
99 | Daniel Suarez | Matt Swiderski | Trackhouse Racing | Chevrolet
Where to watch and listen to the race
Practice and qualifying is set for 6:10 on FS1 and heat races are set for 8:30 on FS1. The last chance race is set for 6 p.m. on Sunday on FOX and the main event is scheduled for 8 on FOX.
