There is another storm brewing in Tampa Bay—and this time, it’s not the weather! While the winds may have died down after Hurricane Milton blew the roof off Tropicana Field, the future of the Rays is now swirling with uncertainty for sure. Now, news just broke a few days earlier, that the team owner, Stu Sternberg, is in ”exclusive discussions’‘ to sell the franchise to Jacksonville billionaire Patrick Zalupski.

This news has rocked the fans across Tampa Bay because—will the team move somewhere else? Sure, MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred has made it extremely clear—he wants the Rays to stay put in Tampa Bay. But there is a problem—words are not exclusive contracts, and exclusivity doesn’t always mean stability, right?

Zalupski, along with Ken Babby, who also owns the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp, certainly has ties to Jacksonville. That also has locals wondering if the Rays are packing up to head for the River City. For now, it’s all speculation. The Rays, after all, have not been sold as of yet. And the current bid isn’t the only one on the table.

Because, as per Yahoo Sports reports, “Memphis hedge fund manager Trip Miller told the Tampa Bay Times his group has made an ‘undisclosed cash offer for the team’ and that they are ‘financially prepared if needed to bid more.‘” He has prepared the cash and is ready to outbid any other bids, too. What is also interesting is the fact that Miller had told The Athletic recently that if his group gets the team, he wouldn’t move the Rays from Central Florida. However, he did mention that he is not ruling out other Orlando locations.

But the bigger question is, why is this even happening? Well, Sternberg bought the team in 2004, but even after years, the stands have stayed silent and empty. The Tampa Bay Rays have ranked near the bottom when it comes to attendance. Plus, they have been unable to lock down star players over the years. And the disaster in Tropicana Field, which destroyed the stadium roof last October, was maybe the final blow.

It delayed any new stadium plans indefinitely, and now the Rays are playing in a spring training facility. All this while, the ownership and what’s going to happen in the future are major if’s bothering the fans. Manfred sure wants them to stay put, but really, that decision is not in his jurisdiction. But if you are wondering—if the Rays do pack their bags, where are they headed? Well, while nothing is set in stone, the list of possibilities is… long, and they are intriguing.

Where Could the Tampa Bay Rays Go?

Starting pretty close to home—Tampa, not St. Pete- just across the bridge, the city feels like the unofficial heart and could be the Tampa Bay Rays’ new address. If you recall the Ybor City stadium project that occurred in 2016, it certainly fizzled out—but with the new ownership, the city could get the game back. They definitely seem like a stable option now, but not the only one.

There is Jacksonville, and it’s the name mostly floating around, given that Zalupski and Ken Babby, who owns minor league teams, are tied too. However, even Orlando has been making quite a noise. The Orlando Dreamers group has been working behind the scenes to land an MLB team for years now. Plus, with Hall of Famer Barry Larkin involved, it doesn’t seem like it’s simply wishful thinking.

Talks of private money, a domed stadium, and a spot near SeaWorld are doing the rounds. So not bad, right? Then there is also Nashville in the picture. Now, it has been long mentioned as an expansion favorite, and if the stars align or if the Rays are acquired by someone with ties in Tennessee, anything can happen. Even Charlotte is a place that pops up now and then, even though this buzz has cooled off a little bit already.

For now, the Rays might stay put or may surprise every fan of theirs. The story somehow feels like it’s only getting started. Do you think they are moving? Let us know in the comments.