The Rays made two moves yesterday that will greatly impact the business aspect of the franchise, first rejecting the counter offer from the city of St. Petersburg to allow the Rays to leave Tropicana Field. The second was to finally add to the c-suite level of the front office.
After two key departures last year, the Rays offered a job to the successful CEO of the Nashville Predators Jeff Cogen yesterday afternoon.
These moves may be related.
The Art of Rejecting a Deal
The city of St. Petersburg controls what has been described as an "iron-clad lease" for Tropicana Field*, which retains the Rays through 2027 with language preventing the team from even considering a new stadium site outside the city limits.