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SPORTS Wednesday 26 June 2019

Rays owner says shared season with Montreal is best option

By MARK DIDTLER after the 2004 season for
Associated Press Washington and became
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — the Nationals. The Rays
The principal owner of the had looked into building
Rays says it’s unrealistic for a stadium for years, but in
his team to play full time in December abandoned a
the Tampa Bay area, and plan for one across the bay
a shared season with Mon- in Tampa’s Ybor City area.
treal is the best option. Private equity mogul Ste-
“I don’t see it happen- phen Bronfman, whose fa-
ing in St. Petersburg and ther Charles was the origi-
would be hard-pressed to nal owner of the Expos, is
see it working in Tampa part of a group spearhead-
from what I know,” Stu ing effort to return baseball
Sternberg said at a news to Montreal.
conference Tuesday. “This Sternberg said it’s possible
is not a staged exit. This is the Bronfman group could
about Tampa Bay keeping join the current Rays’ own-
its hometown team and ership if the sister-city plans
Montreal having one, too. I succeeds, but he will keep
believe strongly in the sister- controlling interest.
city concept. We’re asking Sternberg reiterated that
for open minds.” the Rays will remain in St.
Commissioner Rob Man- Petersburg through 2027
fred said last week the Rays but doesn’t know what
have “broad permission to Tampa Bay Rays Principal Owner Stuart Sternberg greets people before a press conference at the would happen after that if
explore what’s available.” Dali Museum in St. Petersburg, Fla., Tuesday, June 25, 2019. the plan fails.
Tampa Bay is averaging Associated Press A possible site for a new St.
14,546 fans a game, lowest seum in St. Petersburg. Mayor Rick Kriseman said. said an ideal target date Petersburg ballpark would
in the American League An agreement between “We remain receptive to would have everything in be Al Lang Stadium, a long-
and well below the MLB av- the Rays and St. Peters- partnering with the Tampa place for the 2024 season. time spring training facility
erage of 27,360. Only the burg for Tropicana Field Bay Rays to redevelop the The Rays have played at now used by a pro soccer
Miami Marlins draw worse runs through 2027. St. Pe- Tropicana Field site and Tropicana Field since their team owned by the Rays.
at 9,378. tersburg’s mayor has shot build a new stadium for a inception in 1998 and drew Also under consideration:
“We are at or near the bot- down the two-city possibil- full-time team.” their lowest home crowd shifting the spring training
tom in every economic ity. “The City of St. Peters- Sternberg envisions open- of 5,786 against Toronto season from Port Charlotte,
category in Major League burg will not participate in air stadiums in both cities last month. Montreal has Florida, to Tampa Bay to
Baseball,” Sternberg said in the funding of a new sta- but noted there are no been without a big-league provide two more months
his remarks at the Dali Mu- dium for a part-time team,” plans to pay for them. He team since the Expos left of baseball in the area.q

Breakdancing takes step closer to Olympic debut in Paris

By GRAHAM DUNBAR “Paris 2024 will choose a
AP Sports Writer venue offering natural
LAUSANNE, Switzerland waves, as France boasts
(AP) — Breakdancing a number of well-known
moved a step closer to the surfing spots on its Atlantic
2024 Olympics on Tuesday, coast and in its overseas
and now organizers can territories,” the organizing
look to book a street venue committee said in a state-
in Paris. ment.
Called breaking in Olym- French Polynesia, the Ca-
pic circles, its medal debut ribbean and Indian Ocean
was last October at the could all be proposed,
Buenos Aires Youth Summer International Surfing Asso-
Games. ciation President Fernando
The street dance competi- Aguerre noted.
tions will have 16 athletes International Olympic Committee, IOC, President Thomas Bach from Germany speaks during the “There’s a lot of options. A
in each of the men’s and 134th Session of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), at the SwissTech Convention Centre, lot of them seem to be very,
women’s medal events in in Lausanne, Switzerland, Tuesday, June 25, 2019. very positive,” Aguerre said,
Paris. Associated Press adding a decision was ex-
IOC members formally en- though the other three — president. The sports program for L.A. pected later this year.
dorsed requests from Paris skateboarding, sport climb- Estanguet said the search should be agreed in 2021, All four sports must still prove
officials in February and ing, and surfing — will make for a venue will only start IOC sports director Kit Mc- themselves to Olympic ob-
their own executive board Summer Games debuts in Wednesday now his fel- Connell said. servers, and could yet be
in March to provisionally Tokyo next year. low International Olympic Surfing will spread the Paris removed from the Paris
add breakdancing to the “It’s important for us in our Committee members have Olympics out of the capi- program ahead of final ap-
program, pending a final concept to put sports out added their approval. tal, potentially in the south- proval by the IOC board.
decision in December 2020. of the stadiums and in the Breaking will likely also be west French city of Biarritz, It is too late to add a re-
Paris wants to add four heart of the city,” said Tony attractive to 2028 Los An- with sailing races already placement should any fall
sports to its program, Estanguet, the Paris 2024 geles Olympics organizers. set for Marseille. short, Estanguet said.q