TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) – Spring training is underway in Florida and that means an economic uptick for the Sunshine State.
Florida hosts half of the 30 teams that make up Major League Baseball. The 15 MLB teams in 12 Sunshine State cities, collectively named the Grapefruit League, bring a $680 million impact to Florida.
Here’s a look at the spring training stadiums in the Tampa Bay area.
According to a report from the Florida Sports Foundation, 7,152 jobs were created from Major League Baseball’s spring training games. That’s a 36 percent increase in jobs supported by spring training from 2009.
The teams also generated $253.5 million in wages for Florida-based spring training employees.
Arguably the most profitable team in baseball, the New York Yankees, have trained right across from Raymond James Stadium in Tampa since 1993.
Steinbrenner Field’s first spring training game was held in 1996 against the Cleveland Indians. The Indians used to hold spring training at Chain of Lakes Park in Winter Haven.
Find more information on this year’s spring training, including ticket information and schedules, at WFLA’s spring training guide.
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