What the Orlando Dreamers could mean for the Tampa Bay Rays

Major League Baseball has been contemplating a division realignment and expansion of two teams for years, with an eventual (and hopeful) plan to make 32 teams into eight divisions with four teams each. One city is already dreaming big to bring MLB to their city.

Orlando, Fla., is the largest media market without a Major League Baseball team. Additionally, with only one of the big four sports having a team in the City Beautiful, it could be a prime market for a big league team.

Pat Williams of the Orlando Magic announced in 2019 his intention to bring Major League Baseball to Orlando. Today, that dream is becoming more of a reality.

Williams presented an ownership group and proposal for a $1.7 billion stadium in Orange County, Fla. With $975 million of the cost being covered by Orange County’s tourist tax and the remainder covered by the team ownership group, it looks to be a potentially fantastic revenue generator for Orlando.

Could the Orlando Dreamers be the next MLB franchise, and what does that mean for the Tampa Bay Rays?

The design for the proposed stadium is magnificent, a 45,000-seat glass domed plaza-style stadium. In addition to the stadium, the complex would include retail shops, restaurants, office space, and 1,000 hotel rooms. The stadium would be located directly in the heart of Orlando and designed to be a tourist destination ballpark.

Rob Manfred has planned the expansion for a while but has postponed it until the Oakland A’s and Tampa Bay Rays stadium situations are handled. Oakland announced its plan to move to Las Vegas last month, and Rays owner Stuart Sternberg has given Tampa Bay notice, stating if they don’t have a new stadium proposal by the end of this season, “Then there’s not a deal to be done.”

Williams has made it clear that the Rays are welcome to Orlando, saying, “Mr. Sternberg needs to know that he can slide over here to Orlando, and we’ll help him build a stadium. The Rays have been trying for two decades to get a new ballpark in Tampa, and they simply haven’t been able to do it.”

He spoke at a media event on Tuesday at Dubsdread Golf Club and reiterated, “If it doesn’t work out, it makes great sense. It makes wonderful sense.” Williams said of the Rays stadium dilemma in Tampa, “We’re here for them if they need us.”

Tampa and Orlando are rapidly expanding as cities and appear to be growing into each other. With that in mind, a move wouldn’t be a massive loss to the residents of Tampa, who rarely attend games at Tropicana Field anyway. The Rays have one of the worst attendance figures of any Major League team. However, a new ballpark less than 75 miles away and merging two major media markets could be a huge win for baseball and the state of Florida.

Central Florida would need a mass transportation plan to accommodate this, but a high-speed rail system connecting Daytona Beach through Orlando to Tampa could open up the entire state. Then, adding a Major League Baseball team in the middle of it would be a dream come true.

Imagine watching the sunrise on the east coast, catching an Orlando Dreamers game, a trip to Disney’s Magic Kingdom, and then watch the same sun setting on the west coast. For now, that’s still just a dream, but Williams any many in Orlando are saying to bring on the Orlando Dreamers.