Rays fans make most of home field during Spring Training

Author: Zach Oliveri
Published: Updated:

The Tampa Bay Rays are a team without a home after Hurricane Milton damaged Tropicana Field. So, the only chance Rays fans have to see their team in their own ballpark, is at Charlotte Sports Park during Spring Training.

The excitement for Opening Day got Rich and Kristina Duran from St. Petersburg up early Saturday morning.

“We could barely wait,” Kristina said. “We were up at 4:30. We were ready to go. We fell back asleep for a little bit but we were ready to hit the road and get down here.”

Spring Training has been a tradition for the couple for a decade.

Kristina explained, “we plan our vacation around Spring Training.”

For them and other fans, it’s always fun coming out to Charlotte Sports Park, the Rays’ Spring Training home.

“We don’t have to worry about covering up signs of other teams,” Rich said. “This is the Port Charlotte Rays right now.”

As the Rays fans filed in for Saturday’s home opener against the Boston Red Sox, it was hard not to think about the team’s home ballpark in St. Petersburg.

Neil MacDonald made a sign that read “Tampa Bay Strong” out of a piece of the Tropicana Field’s roof.

MacDonald recalled, “My son got this the morning after the hurricane. He was in a canoe with his girlfriend and my grandson and they were helping people get to high ground. There was two feet of water no electric rescuing animals. They were giving out water. And they found this near the bridge near the Tropicana field where he lives. And they put it in the canoe and brought it home for me.”

For now, fans are just enjoying seeing the Rays in a place that they call home.

“This is a home to me because every Spring Training, this is where me and my wife dated 13 years ago,” MacDonald said.

Kristina said, “Home is where the Rays are so we’re here. We’re home for now.”

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