The Tampa Bay Rays have long eyed for a new stadium, and after Hurricane Milton rendered Tropicana Field inoperable for 2025, the desire for a new ballpark is higher than ever.
However, the ballclub has been unable to reach a deal with the state on the costs to build a new ballpark, and if talks eventually fall through the Rays have a new destination in mind for their ballclub: the Lone Star State.
According to KVUE, the Austin Baseball Commission was founded in July by Derrik Fox, an Austin sales executive, and Matt Mackowiak, an Austin public relations and political consultant, with the hopes of building "the largest, broadest community effort" in the city's history to bring professional baseball to Texas' capital.
Austin is the largest city in America without a team of the "big four" American sports leagues, the NHL, NHL, NBA, and the MLB. Austin received its first professional sports franchise only in 2021, when Austin FC of Major League Soccer was founded.
Mackowiak dismissed any notion that the Houston Astros or the Texas Rangers would be upset at a third professional baseball franchise setting up shop in Texas.
"This idea that we have to ask Dallas's permission if we can have nice things is ridiculous," he said.
MLB commissioner Rob Manfred has repeatedly stated MLB's desire to expand by 2029, with the number of teams increasing from 30 to 32. Salt Lake City, Portland, and Nashville are also being considered for a new franchise.
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