The Tampa Yankees relocate to Orlando?

The Tampa Yankees may be relocating in the very near future.

The Yankees, the High-A affiliate of Major League Baseball’s New York Yankees, may be moving up the interstate to Orlando, if they can secure land for a new stadium.  Armando Gutierrez Jr., who is the head of the investment group looking to move the club, said that he and Yankees ownership are looking to find a site so as to secure a move within the next three years.

The move would have no effect on the New York Yankees, which would still use Tampa’s Steinbrenner field as their spring training location.  The move would, however, mark the return

of baseball to the Orlando area; the AA Orlando Rays left the area for Montgomery, Alabama, in 2003.

It’s not Gutierrez’s first attempt to move baseball back into the city of Orlando.  He created an exploratory committee back in January, which sought to look at the possibility of a Major League Baseball team in Orlando.  Since the idea of an MLB team has apparently fizzled out, enabling a Yankees move to Orlando might be the next best option.

The state of Florida isn’t exactly known for their support of baseball teams…at the major league level or otherwise.

The Tampa Bay Rays fill roughly 52% of the seats for their home games, even though they’re in a hotly contested pennant race.  The Marlins only fill roughly 52% of their seats for home games as well, and the Tampa Yankees themselves draw less than 1,600 fans a game.

Steinbrenner Field has a seating capacity of 10,386.

The common belief amongst Gutierrez and other investors is that a team in Orlando would garner enough support due to their affiliation with the Yankees.

If the Gutierrez-led group can obtain the land, and purchase a stadium…I guess we’ll find out.

Tags: New York Yankees, Orlando, relocation, Tampa Yankees

Category: Baseball