Hall of Famer and Cincinnati Reds legend Barry Larkin has joined the Orlando Dreamers, an organization trying to lure a major league franchise to the city, as an MLB ambassador, it was announced earlier this week. The Dreamers were founded by the late Pat Williams, co-founder of the NBA’s Orlando Magic, in 2019.
Here is Larkin’s statement about joining the Dreamers:
“I spent considerable time talking to key people in Major League Baseball, including Commissioner Manfred, before committing to join the Orlando Dreamers’ effort. There were many phone calls to (Dreamers co-founder Jim Schnorf), asking detailed questions concerning the approach, the accomplishments to date, and the strategies moving forward. It became immediately apparent that Orlando has the most compelling market in the country to be the next MLB franchise location. Further, the unmatched proposed stadium location in the heart of the tourist corridor, combined with the dramatic initial domed stadium design and planned adjacent local commuter/high speed rail station, provide a huge competitive advantage compared to other metro areas that might be interested in pursuing a team. The strategies and backgrounds of the key people involved with the Dreamers’ effort gave me full confidence that with appropriate support from the media, the community, and government officials that Orlando will secure a Major League Baseball franchise before the end of this decade. At this stage in my career, nothing could be more exciting than being a key part of this effort in my adopted home of Orlando, Florida.”
The Dreamers are said to have received $450 million in verbal commitments from potential investors. The team’s statement says they have a “planned domed stadium located on the 35.5-acre parcel adjacent to SeaWorld and the Orange County Convention Center.” Per 2024-25 Nielsen rankings, Orlando is the largest media market in the country without an MLB franchise.
Major League Baseball has not been especially successful in Florida. The Florida/Miami Marlins have won two World Series titles (1997 and 2003), and the Tampa Bay Rays have been competitive more often than not since 2008, yet both teams have struggled with attendance throughout their history. Both teams have ranked in the bottom four of attendance every year since 2013.
Schnorf has expressed an interest in luring the Rays to Orlando. He recently noted the Rays have until March 31 to come up with their portion of the funding for the team’s proposed new ballpark in St. Petersburg. The Rays have been locked in a funding dispute with the City of St. Petersburg. If they miss the March 31 deadline, the public financing package becomes null and void.
If nothing else, the Dreamers give the Rays leverage as they seek more public funding for their proposed new stadium. “Give us more taxpayer money, or we’ll relocate” is a tried-and-true strategy. Every so often, a team does relocate (see the Athletics and Las Vegas), though the leverage play has worked more often than not across the four major North American sports leagues.
The Dreamers are one of several groups trying to bring Major League Baseball to a new city. Others include the Portland Diamond Project, Big League Utah (Salt Lake City), and Music City Baseball (Nashville). Commissioner Rob Manfred has expressed an interest in expanding to 32 teams within the next few years, though not necessarily before he retires in Jan. 2029.
MLB last expanded when the Rays and Arizona Diamondbacks joined the league in 1998. The current 27-year expansion “drought” is baseball’s longest since the initial round of expansion in 1961. The expansion fee will be in the billions and two teams will join MLB simultaneously. The 30 owners are unlikely to resist that payday much longer.
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