Tampa Bay Rays 2025

Last visit: March 29, 2025

When the roof blew off Tropicana Field courtesy of Hurricane Milton, my first inclination was “Uh oh.” Not for the wanton destruction to a subpar facility; like most stadium chasers, I had relatively little love for The Trop. Rather the destruction of the Rays’ home triggered my worry that Tampa Bay ownership would have a legit excuse to move the team to Nashville or Charlotte. While Nashville is a hoot, and Charlotte is an underrated gem, I really like coming to the Tampa Bay area, especially early in the season when the weather is warmer than home in the Midwest.

Given the circumstances, the Rays have made the best of a lousy situation for 2025. George M. Steinbrenner Field always felt too big for Spring Training, but with 10,000 seats, it feels a little more “big league” than other minor league venues. The Rays are paying the Yankees $15 million to use the facility for a year (or almost enough to pay for Marcus Stroman).

Steinbrenner Field has a few things going for it, and depending on the weather, is not a bad place to watch a game.  In many ways, it’s an improvement on The Trop.  But it’s weird to watch Major League Baseball in such a small facility. As a result, the experience remains at the bottom of the ranking.

STADIUM 28/50

Exterior aesthetics 6/10; Interior & Concourse Aesthetics 8/10; Sightlines 5/5; Seating 5/5; Traffic flow 5/5; Scoreboard 5/10; Amenities & entertainment 1/5; Bars & Restaurants 2/5; Celebrating history 1/5; Grand entrance 2/5; Sense of place 9/25; WOW Factor 7/10. Total 56 points divided by 2 for 28.

It’s difficult to say if the Tampa Bay Rays’ stadium situation is due to ownership greed, local politicians being reticent to spend taxpayer money, the taxpayers themselves, or just general indifference to Major League Baseball in the state of Florida.  One thing is for sure: there were no plans to be playing at a minor league facility this year, but Mother Nature had other plans for the Trop.

On one hand it’s a minor league facility with a capacity of only 10,000 people that opened nearly 30 years ago in 1996. On the other hand, it’s not The Trop.

As a baseball purist, you would think that I would be waxing poetic about how Tampa-area fans will finally be able to enjoy outdoor Major League baseball. And certainly, an early-season game played at night is wonderful. But Florida summers involve frequent late afternoon/early evening thundershowers, high UV indexes, and oppressive humidity. Heck, my March late afternoon game was on a day with a high of 85, and I was eternally grateful for the shade. To account for this, MLB adjusted the Rays’ 2025 schedule so they play 47 of their first 59 games at home, but only 8 home games in both July and August. Will the forced “experiment” work, or will the Rays wilt under the excessive travel and inevitable make up games?

THE GOOD:

• The exterior is nice enough, though you need to make a bit of an effort to see the whole thing, especially if you park in the Raymond James Stadium lots designated for Rays baseball. Coming from the parking lot, you’re going to use an overpass that crosses the Dale Mabry highway, funneling you to the right field gate and into the ballpark. The Rays did a nice job customizing the exterior with team signage. Extra spring training fields are in sight, and the area is lined with some towering palms, reminding Northerners that you’re in the sub-tropics.
• The interior is nice. You can easily circumnavigate the entire stadium; concourses are wide for a minor league park. Unlike Yankee Stadium, you can access almost all parts of the place with your regular old game ticket. There are even a couple of bars in which you can congregate with friends sitting in different parts of the stadium.
• Because “Tampacana Field” only holds 10,046, there aren’t many bad seats. You’re close to the action and sightlines seemed really good from virtually any vantage point.
• The small capacity meant virtually no waits for the restrooms. Concession lines moved quickly. And traffic pre- and post-game was imminently manageable.
• The main parking lot makes use of some of the Bucs’ parking. You park on grass rather than hot asphalt, and can even find a few spaces with shade. This helps mitigate some of the heat.
• While it’s a “new” Major League stadium for regular season, spring training games have been played here for three decades. Staff has game time operations down.
• There’s a “Wow” about seeing big league baseball in a park this small.

THE BAD:

• While the Rays spruced it up a bit, it’s clearly someone else’s home. It’s named after the most famous owner in Yankees’ history. The frieze was replicated here, and so it clearly get Yankee Stadium vibes. There are Yankee logos on the aisle seats, a Jeter #2 in center field, and some plaques and monuments honoring the past of North America’s most storied sports franchise. It’s just odd to see a big league team couch surf for a season.
• It can get hot, especially down the first base line or in premier seats. While there was plenty of shade for my 4pm game, I would have burned in the sun. What’s it going to be like in August?
• You can’t watch the game from the concourse; it’s closed off to the field.
• While the scoreboard is impressive by minor league standards, it’s below average by major league standards. While it may actually be larger than the main scoreboard at the Trop, it was difficult to read at times from my seating behind the plate.
• The “grand entrance” is minor league.
• There’s no real view looking into the outfield. The Yankees use that space for a split squad Spring Training practice field. The park doesn’t face downtown Tampa, in part to prevent more patrons from getting the wrath of the Florida sun. There’s no real sense of place.
• There’s relatively little in way of amenities for a big league park.
• And of course, there’s virtually no sense of Rays’ history given it’s a sublet.

It doesn’t seem fair to judge this park against criteria that it was never really using when they were building. I keep saying it feels minor league, because it IS minor league. In some ways, it really does beat the Trop, but the small size just limits the thrills. Even though my nearly full crowd of 10,046 was larger than some of the crowds I experienced at the dome, it still lacked the big league feel.

FOOD 5/10:

One of the downsides of having a smaller place is there are fewer concessions. There wasn’t a cuban sandwich, or a short rib grill cheese, or Korean corn dog, or some of the other yummy delights from The Trop. Most of the fare was standard ballpark fare at MLB prices.

Two items did stand out. And I suppose, that’s all you really need. The thin-crust pizza from local chain Colony Grill was very good, and not just by stadium pizza standards. But my personal fave was the hand-carved smoked pastrami sandwich from the BBQ concession on the third base side. It was a little smokier than classic NYC deli style, but still fantastic.

BEER 6/10:

Tampa has an amazing craft beer scene that seems to be largely ignored by the nation. Sure Cigar City’s Jai Alai has received some much-earned national acclaim, but there’s more. Alas, not much has made it to the ballpark.

You can still get brews from Coppertail, but mainly in the expensive bat glass. The aforementioned Cigar City can be found in the park, along with 3 Daughters and a fairly decent range of macrobrews. But frankly, it was underwhelming by current standards. The seltzer selection, on the other hand, seemed vast. Maybe macro tastes have changed and old hop heads like me had their glory days already. Still, a little disappointing.

NEIGHBORHOOD 4/10:

Locals have pined for a park to be on the Tampa side. I’m sure the location of GMS Field will save a few regular fans a long drive every game. But because its a whole complex nestled between the football stadium (and all its parking) and (essentially) the airport, there’s very little within walking distance. The closest bar of note may well be an indoor/outdoor off leash dog park.

One of the things I did really like about The Trop was that with a little walk, you were in one of the most fun little downtowns in America with craft breweries, and some good Floribbean restaurants. You don’t have that here. In fairness, there are some decent options 1.5-to-2 miles south of the park. You’re not far from the airport with all their chains. And Ybor City, near downtown Tampa, is worthy of a visit and is only a 15-20 minute 5-6 mile drive east. But you need wheels. Which means, it’s not really a “neighborhood”; if you want to party pre or post game, you’re in transit.

COST 2/5:

This metric took a big hit with the move to Tampa. The Trop used be among the more affordable MLB experiences. But with only 10,000 seats, ticket prices are high with a median 2025 price of $146. Parking was nearly $35 after tax which feels like gouging given there aren’t many other options unless you’re willing to hike from the closest working-class neighborhood. It’s as if they took advice from the Yankees when they rented the place. So, whatever money was saved on gas for the drive to and from St Pete evaporates quickly.

Fortunately, concession, beverages and souvenirs are priced at par with MLB. And you may be able to score a decent ticket deal on the secondary market. But all in all, this went from a strength to a weakness.

ACCESSIBILITY 3/5:

It’s better than hauling ass down to St. Pete, but you’re likely driving or taking an Uber. The Rays don’t even have a public transit option on their own website. In fairness, it’s relatively easy to get to given its proximity to highways and major arteries. And it’s close to key landmarks like downtown Tampa and the airport. But you’re coming by car.

WEATHER 3/5:

I debated long and hard about this score. If I find out there were 6 rescheduled games and 10 more rain delays once the heart of summer hits, I may adjust downward. But given how many games are scheduled early in the season, this feels right.

Certainly, I’ll take consistent warm, sunny days in March and April over anything the Midwest or East Coast serves up during those months. The humidity in August is no worse than what you may find in KC, St Louis or even Atlanta. And the Marlins did play outside for 18 years, and only lost something like 4 fans to melting, so this isn’t like they’re playing in hell. But if you’re going, it’s likely best to allow a buffer in case of rain, and buy in the shade.

VIBE 13/25:

This is another hard score. Overall, the vibe is slightly better than at The Trop despite it being a more modest facility. Unless the 2025 Rays completely poop the bed, and/or Stuart Sternberg announces he’s moving the team during the season, the place will likely be full or near full for all but the games in which the weather is punishing. And a full park always makes things more fun. Even if “full” is only 10,000 people.

Like when they were further south, the mascots, Raymond and DJ Kitty, engage in some fun antics. Concessions are well run. And Game Day staff do their best to make the place feel inviting and you welcomed.

The crowds, while small, older and often split for the visiting team, can get pretty loud, especially when the cowbells come out. And there’s something to be said about watching a big league in such an intimate facility. You get Big League ball without the crazy large crowds, traffic, and wait times you get at say, Dodger Stadium.

Perhaps best of all, a day at the beach followed by a Major League ballgame is a dang fine day, regardless of venue.

But it’s still a Minor League experience. It lacks the grandeur and spectacle of big league baseball. And it feels like it’s someone else’s home. It begs the question of whether a full 10,000 seat stadium has better mojo than a half-full 40,000 stadium. At the end of the day, I don’t think it does. Hence the relatively low score despite the positives.

GALLERY

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OTHER THINGS TO DO

Three fun Tampa Bay restaurants:

• Columbia (Ybor City. A Tampa classic. White tablecloth Cuban restaurant in business since 1905.)
• La Segunda Bakery (Ybor City. Best Cuban sandwiches in town.)
• Gaspar’s Grotto (Ybor City. A Pirate Bar and Restaurant with decent Latin grub and a Florida vibe.)

Three places to imbibe before the game:

If the weather is OK, you can tailgate in the parking lot like a football fan. But there are decent options close by.

• Riveter’s Tampa (Classic American bar/restaurant a short drive or long walk from the ballpark for much-better-than-average pub grub, and a good taplist.)
• Cigar City Brewing (Acclaimed craft brewery in business since 2007 just a 2-mile drive from the park.
• Whiskey Joe’s (Waterside, 6 miles west of the ballpark. A mini vacation at this huge beach bar where you can enjoy a meal and a drink with sand in your toes, and/or a beautiful view of the bay.)

One bar in the area worth hitting:

Tampa Bay Brewing (A good day-drinking haunt that can serve as a good starting or end point for an Ybor City bar hop to include Zydeco Breweries, Bad Monkey and 7th & Grove.)

Three craft breweries in the area worthy of your time:

• Angry Chair (Seminole Heights, Tampa. Arguably, the best brewer in town. You can couple it with a stop at nearby 7venth Sun Brewery which was also excellent.
• Woven Water (Tampa Heights. Nice space and great variety of brews including a few top notch hazy IPAs. Not far from two other worthy stops: Hidden Springs, and Ulele Spring.)
• Green Bench Brewing Co/Webb City (Downtown St. Pete. Two really good brewers beside each other that used to be my stand-bys for my visits to the Trop. Green Bench is among the most successful craft brewers in the area and Webb City has all sort of interesting sours if that’s your bag. While down there, check out Cycle Brewing and St Pete Brewing Company, and keep supporting businesses that are surely hurting from the team’s move to Tampa.)

Three fun tourist attractions in the area:

• Busch Gardens (Temple Terrace, Tampa. The amusement park that’s also a zoo.)
• The Florida Aquarium (Downtown Tampa. One of the best aquariums in the country.)
• St Pete Beach (Beach Bumming before a ballgame is pretty sweet. I prefer St Pete, but Clearwater Beach and Madeira Beach are also great.)

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SUMMARY

The Tampa area is a great place for visitors; I always seem to have a good time here. The temporary stadium is a little closer to more stuff, and despite its size, it earned an overall score very similar to Tropicana Field. Alas, this makes it the lowest scoring stadium in Major League Baseball, but that should come with a huge asterisk because you’ll likely still have fun.

While I appreciate the inconvenience of the Tropicana Field location for most Tampa Bay area fans, I got to really like downtown St. Petersburg and missed some of my usual visits with the 2025 trip. I’ll strangely look forward to the team’s return. But with all of the upheaval and uncertainty about the next ballpark, there’s no guarantee that the area is going to be home to MLB for long. So it may be wise to see this team sooner than later. While the open air stadium means there’s no guarantee you’ll get the game in, I’m sure you’ll have a good time in the area.