ST. PETERSBURG -- The Rays will return to Disney's Wide World of Sports Complex in Lake Buena Vista, Fla., to play the Blue Jays from April 22-24.
In 2007, the Rays swept a three-game series from the Rangers at the Disney Sports Complex from May 15-17 in the first regular-season Major League games played in the Orlando area.
"We had a great experience last year at Disney in Central Florida, capped off, obviously, by a three-game sweep over the Rangers," said Rays team president Matt Silverman.
The feelings the Rays have toward Disney seem to be mutual.
"We are thrilled to have the Rays back once again and look forward to another successful and entertaining series," said Ken Potrock, senior vice president of Disney Sports Enterprises. "Having regular-season Major League Baseball return adds to the number of unique experiences that our guests can enjoy at Disney's Wide World of Sports."
The idea to move the games was hatched during the 2006 season, when the Rays were searching for a new Spring Training home. Tampa Bay had scouted the Disney fields as a potential spot, but it had to look elsewhere, because the Braves play there each spring. The Rays announced in September 2006 they will relocate their Spring Training to Port Charlotte, Fla., beginning with the 2009 season, but the thought of bringing big league baseball to Central Florida remained an opportunity the club decided was too good to pass up. The Rays felt it afforded them an opportunity to expand their fan base in the central part of the state. And it has.
""We continue to make significant progress throughout Central Florida and Orlando in turning that area into Rays territory," Silverman said. "We saw increases in TV ratings and we saw fans making the trip across the state west to Tropicana Field. And we believe that Orlando and Central Florida can be a very big part of our regional efforts.
"These three games are the centerpiece of our efforts and we hopefully get to come back still undefeated in Central Florida and still undefeated in outdoor home games. So that's the goal and we look forward to another great time this year at Disney."
Disney's Wide World of Sports Complex is a 220-acre facility that plays host to more than 170 amateur and professional events each year. It is located adjacent to Disney's resorts and theme parks in Lake Buena Vista -- about 90 miles northeast of St. Petersburg, 70 miles northeast of Tampa and 20 miles southwest of downtown Orlando.
Individual tickets for the three-game set will go on sale Saturday and can be purchased at the Rays' official Web site at
www.raysbaseball.com. Tickets can also be purchased via an Internet-only special on Friday. All fans attending the games in Orlando will also receive a voucher for a ticket to a designated weekend game at Tropicana Field this season. The Rays are also offering a special three-game package. Luxury entertainment suites and group ticket specials are available by logging on to
raysbaseball.com.