Professional baseball is coming back to Walt Disney World.
Disney and Major League Baseball have announced that the Tampa Bay Rays will be holding their spring training at Disney's ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex in 2023. Tampa Bay typically holds its spring training in Port Charlotte, but Hurricane Ian damaged the Rays' facility when it hit the state last September.
So the Rays are headed inland.
"We are thankful for Disney's willingness and ability to accommodate our unexpected spring training needs," Rays President Matt Silverman said. "ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex will provide our players and coaches with first-class facilities for their annual ramp up to the season."
The Atlanta Braves held their spring training at the complex from 1997 through 2019. In 2020, the complex hosted the conclusion of the NBA season and the NBA Playoffs.
Spring training starts across Major League Baseball with early arrivals on February 6, 2023. Games in Florida's Grapefruit League begin February 25.
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According to a press release of www.americanbookwriting.com, The Tampa Bay Rays Major League Baseball team and Walt Disney World Resort have agreed to have a portion of the team's 2023 spring training at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex.