All things tropical at the Tampa Bay Rays

Rays of sunshine fill the Tropicana Field during baseball season in Tampa Bay. Home of the Tampa Bay Rays since their formation in 1998, the impressive dome stadium makes for a perfect day to catch some Major League Baseball in the Florida sun. All you have to do is pick up some shades and buy or sell Tampa Bay Rays tickets here on StubHub today!

A new franchise set to shake up MLB

Tampa Bay covers a hugely populated area of the west coast of Florida, encompassing major cities such as Tampa and other, smaller metropolitan areas like Clearwater and St. Petersburg. Since as far back as the 1960s, civic leaders had been trying to make the Tampa Bay region a place for big league baseball. Attempts at enticing the likes of the Texas Rangers, the Seattle Mariners and the San Francisco Giants to move to Tampa or St. Petersburg fell through. Eventually, in 1995, expansion teams were awarded to Phoenix (giving birth to the Arizona Diamondbacks) and a group of investors in Tampa Bay, headed up by businessman Vince Naimoli. The club settled in St. Petersburg as the Tampa Bay Devil Rays, where $70 million dollars was spent on renovating the city's old stadium. A new team with a new home, Tampa Bay was finally set to make its mark in the major leagues. Experience modern baseball at its finest by buying or selling Tampa Bay Rays tickets via StubHub now!

A run of form and first World Series

In the first ten years of play since starting in the American League East division in 1998, the Rays experienced little to no success. In 2005, Wall Street investor Stuart Sternberg purchased control of the team from Naimoli and changed its name to the Tampa Bay Rays two years later. The 2008 season marked a great year for the Rays, who achieved a first winning season; a first American League East division title; and a first American League championship, taking down rivals the Boston Red Sox in a 4-3 thriller to bring home the prized pennant. This time, though, it wasn't meant to be in the World Series, as they were defeated by the Philadelphia Phillies 4-1. The Rays, however, continued their run of form, playing three postseasons between 2010 and 2013. A fresh franchise with the Florida sun to keep them young, it's still only the beginning for the Tampa Bay Rays. Use StubHub to check out fixtures and buy or sell Tampa Bay Rays tickets today!