The Tampa Bay Rays are finalizing plans for a new ballpark in downtown St. Petersburg, which is a positive development for baseball fans in Florida.
Click here to read the story at ap.com.
Discussion Questions:
- Why have the Rays been lobbying for a new ballpark?
- Why do you think it has taken so long for them to get approval on a new ballpark?
- What is revenue?
- Why is revenue important to a sports team like the Rays?
- How might a new stadium help the franchise to generate more revenue?
- What is expansion as it relates to a professional sports league like Major League Baseball?
- Why might a new stadium deal for the Rays indicate MLB expansion could be in the future?
- Why would MLB want to expand?
- What is an expansion fee?
- According to this story, what cities might be contenders for a MLB expansion franchise?
- Why might those cities want a MLB franchise?