One other potential Rays purchaser has thrown a hat within the ring.
Journey Miller, the founding father of a Memphis hedge fund, is the newest to affix the billionaire race to personal the Rays as he created a bunch that made an all-cash provide to Rays proprietor Stu Sternberg, based on The Athletic.
“We made an offer last week,” Miller mentioned, per The Athletic. “We now have had contact with the membership over the previous month, particularly about our provide.
“If there is an exclusivity period that expires soon, and I don’t know when it expires, we would welcome the opportunity to have a deeper discussion with the Rays about our offer.”
It was reported Wednesday that Sternberg was in “advanced talks” to promote the franchise with a bunch led by Jacksonville homebuilder Patrick Zalupski having executed a letter of intent to buy the membership.
Zalupski’s group’s provide was reported to be $1.7 billion, based on Sportico.
As for Miller’s provide, he didn’t reveal the quantity however included that he and his group are prepared to lift the quantity if obligatory.
The Rays are at present in want of a brand new stadium as they’ll’t play at Tropicana Discipline after the stadium sustained harm from Hurricane Milton in October 2024.
Tampa Bay has as a substitute performed at George M. Steinbrenner Discipline in Tampa — house to the Yankees’ spring coaching and Low-A staff.
The stadium challenge is one thing that MLB is hoping a brand new proprietor would clear up, as Sternberg had a deal in place to start constructing a brand new 30,000-capacity stadium in downtown St. Petersburg earlier than the plans ended due to financing delays.
“The league, that’s what they’re looking for — someone who can not only buy the club but solves the stadium problem,” Miller mentioned.
Whereas discovering a brand new stadium is a precedence, relocating out of Central Florida is seemingly not an possibility.
“This is not a relocation play to another state,” Miller mentioned. “You won’t see the Rays relocating out of Central Florida, whether it was our group or another group.”
Miller mentioned that Orlando is just not out of the realm of prospects for relocation and that, all in all, the entire funding for the staff and a brand new stadium will probably be greater than $3 billion.
