20 years of baseball for the Tampa Bay Rays

If you’re interested in experiencing some live American sports whilst in Florida, don’t miss seeing the Tampa Bay Rays. They are a Major League Baseball team based in St. Petersburg Florida, and play between March and September.

20 years of baseball

This year the team are celebrating 20 years of playing Major League Baseball in Tampa. Their first game was in 1998 when they were originally named the Tampa Bay Devil Rays.

In celebration of their 20th anniversary the Tampa Bay Rays have designed a special logo that will appear as a patch on the left sleeve of all Rays 2018 regular-season jerseys and caps.

Rays Touch Tank

To link in with the name, the Tampa Bay Rays’ stadium also has its own stingrays! This unique fan experience is the first of its kind at a professional American sports venue, and also creates awareness for the Florida Aquarium, who care for the rays.

Tropicana Field Stadium Tours

Tropicana Field has been home to the Tampa Bay Rays since 1998 and includes some unique features for a ballpark. With 20 years of history, it is a great time to visit and enjoy a memorable stadium tour. Get a behind-the-scenes look at this wonderful baseball team and their home. Public or group tours are available.

Tropicana Field fun facts:

• This stadium is the only non-retractable dome stadium in baseball. It was the last stadium to be built with a dome too.
• The roof is slanted which protects the stadium from hurricanes.
• The Tampa Bay Devil Rays played their first match here on 31st March 1998.
• Tropicana Field has a seating capacity of 42,000.
• It first opened in 1990 and there have been 14 other sports and competitive events held here.
• The roof is illuminated with orange lights after a Rays victory.

Baseball Tip: Get to the stadium early if you would also like to catch some batting practice - Rays batting practice takes place 2.5 hours before first pitch. The visiting team's batting practice takes place ninety minutes before game time and lasts approximately one hour. Batting practice is taken at the discretion of the team and is subject to change.

Tampa Bay Rays 2018 Home Games

29th March - 1st April: Red Sox

13th - 15th April: Phillies

16th - 18th April: Rangers

20th - 22nd April: Twins

4th - 6th May: Blue Jays

8th - 9th May: Braves

22nd - 24th May: Red Sox

25th - 27th May: Orioles

7th - 10th June: Mariners

11th - 13th June: Blue Jays

22nd - 24th June: Yankees

24th - 26th June: Nationals

28th June - 1st July: Astros

9th - 11th July: Tigers

20th - 22nd July: Marlins

23rd - 25th July: Yankees

31st July - 2nd August: Angels

3rd - 5th August: White Sox

7th - 9th August: Orioles

20th - 23rd August: Royals

24th - 26th August: Red Sox

7th - 9th September: Orioles

10th - 12th September: Indians

14th - 16th September: Athletics

24th - 27th September: Yankees

28th - 30th September: Blue Jays

Location Tropicana Field, 1 Tropicana Drive, St. Petersburg, FL 33705

Booking tickets for the Tampa Bay Rays

Tickets are available to book through the Tampa Bay Rays' website.

Tickets can also be purchased through the MLB Ballpark app, which has lots of exciting features including digital ticketing so you don’t have to print your tickets, a clear seating guide, mobile check-in, rewards and exclusive content.

Buy before you go to get the best prices!

Tropicana Field image credit: CC by Bryce Edwards