Rays Stadium Saga: Bud Selig Promises MLB Intervention

While the majority of headlines have been swirling around expanded replay use in Major League Baseball, the Commissioner dropped a bomb that the crowd of journalists wasn't expecting:

The MLB will intervene in the Rays Stadium Saga.

Bud Selig says MLB now plans to intervene in #Rays stadium dispute calling it troubling

— Bob Nightengale (@BNightengale) August 15, 2013

MLB was not specific about exactly how it will intervene in #Rays talks, but what is happening is that Sternberg no longer going at it alone

— Eric Fisher (@EricFisherSBJ) August 15, 2013

This sort of promise has been made before in Oakland, and recently led to the city of San Jose from across the bay to sue the MLB, but the Rays may have a more cooperative environment.

Current St. Petersburg Mayor Bill Foster recently changed direction and is now in favor of finding the Rays a stadium location more conducive to strong attendance, and his main opposition in the upcoming mayoral election, Rick Kriseman, has long held the stance the Rays should be allowed to explore the entire region for a new stadium location.

Sternberg & Co, the city of St. Petersburg, the city of Tampa, and now Bug Selig and Co all seem in line with the priority of finding the Rays a new stadium.

Perhaps measurable progress is finally on its way.

More from DRaysBay:

• DRaysBay Stadium Proposal, Part 1: Location, Location, Location
• DRaysBay Stadium Proposal, Part 2: Design
• DRaysBay Stadium Proposal, Part 3: Funding Solutions
• An Interview with Gabe Kapler
• Wesley Wright and The Rays Way