Tampa Bay Rays and Legends Global Announce Long-Term Partnership for New Rays Forever Home Ballpark
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla.—The Tampa Bay Rays and Legends Global today announced a new long-term partnership in which Legends Global will serve as owner’s representative and lead sponsorships, premium seating, and suite sales for the Rays new Forever Home ballpark in Tampa, set to open in 2029.
The Forever Home of the Tampa Bay Rays will be located on approximately 120 acres near Tampa’s Westshore District on Hillsborough College’s Dale Mabry campus. With an estimated capacity of 31,000, the ballpark is set to be the most intimate in Major League Baseball and introduce an unmatched, world-class fan experience. Easy ingress and egress points ensure seamless navigation through the venue, offering diverse seating, celebration areas, and year-round event spaces. For more information regarding the new Forever Home ballpark and district, and to place a deposit, please visit NewBallpark.RaysBaseball.com.
"The Rays Forever Home is about much more than baseball," said Rays Chief Executive Officer Ken Babby. "It's all about creating a world-class destination that our fans and the entire Tampa Bay region can live, work, learn, and play in for generations to come. It is a project that requires the expertise, leadership, and reputation for quality that only Legends Global can provide. Our future is more promising and brighter than ever with today's announcement, and we look forward to all our partnership with Legends Global will deliver for everyone."
“We are proud to partner with the Tampa Bay Rays on this transformational project to bring their Forever Home to life for their fans and the Tampa Bay region,” said Executive Vice President and Chief Revenue Officer at Legends Global Chad Estis. “We share a vision to deliver a world-class fan experience and impactful partnerships that will define this ballpark for generations to come. From supporting design and construction to building a best-in-class sales and partnership program, our team will help maximize the value of the new ballpark for the Rays, their partners, and the entire Tampa Bay community.”
As part of the new partnership, Legends Global's owner's representation team will serve as an independent third party representing the Rays from pre-design through closeout, protecting the team’s interests in budgeting, construction schedules, quality, and risk control, while also serving as a liaison to contractors and architects. The Legends Global sales and partnerships team will provide go-to-market analysis, product design and development, data and analytics strategy, and sales execution to support naming rights, founding partners, premium seating, and suite sales in the new ballpark.
A dedicated team, built in collaboration between Legends Global and the Rays, will be based in Tampa to help deliver on all key revenue streams for the new ballpark. Legends Global has appointed Todd Fleming as Senior Vice President & Project Lead. Fleming is an accomplished sports industry executive who worked for Legends Global on the sales team for nearly 14 years, rising to Senior Vice President before his most recent role as Vice President & Executive Director of the Cognizant Classic in The Palm Beaches for the PGA Tour. Throughout his career, he has also worked at the Dallas Cowboys, Brooklyn Sports & Entertainment (then Nets Sports & Entertainment), and the Miami Heat.
Click here for a graphic of the Forever Home sales timeline.
About Legends Global
Legends Global is the premier partner to the world's greatest live events, venues, and brands. We deliver a fully integrated solution of premium services, including feasibility & consulting, owner’s rep, sales, partnerships, venue management, hospitality, merchandise, and content & booking. Through our white-label approach, we keep our partners front and center while leveraging the power of our global network: over 450 venues, 20,000 events, and 165 million guests annually. To learn more, visit us at www.LegendsGlobal.com and follow us on LinkedIn and Instagram.
Legends Global Media Contact:
Stacey Escudero, Legends Global, sescudero@legendsglobal.com