Charlotte Sports Park Proud to Welcome FCSAA Division 1 Baseball
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – April 24, 2025 -- Charlotte Sports Park, the Spring Training home of the Tampa Bay Rays, will serve as the host site for the Florida College System Activities Association's (FCSAA) Division I Baseball Championship Round, Friday, May 9 through Monday, May 12.
Steinbrenner Field in Tampa, Fla., was originally tabbed as the FCSAA's host site in 2025, but Hurricane Milton caused extensive damage to Tropicana Field in October, leaving the Rays searching for an interim home. When the New York Yankees promptly stepped up to the plate and offered to host the Rays at Steinbrenner for the 2025 MLB season, it created a new opportunity for the AL East rivals to collaborate – and the FCSAA was the beneficiary.
"We're proud to welcome the FCSAA Division I Baseball Championship to Charlotte Sports Park," said Tampa Bay Rays President Matt Silverman. "It's a great opportunity to shine a spotlight on the incredible talent developing across Florida's colleges and to celebrate the next generation of players in a setting that reflects the spirit of the game."
Located in Port Charlotte, Fla., the 82-acre facility features a 360-degree fan-friendly pedestrian concourse, children's play area and seating capacity for approximately 7,500. The park is also connected to Tippecanoe Environmental Park which features walking trails, a boardwalk, a canoe/kayak launch, and plenty of birding opportunities.
USA Today recently ranked Charlotte Sports Park No. 2 on the list of Best Spring Training Facilities for 2025 – and the top site among Grapefruit League facilities. The facility won the award in both 2024 and 2014.
"We are thrilled and honored to host the 2025 FCSAA Division I Baseball Championship at Charlotte Sports Park, home of the Tampa Bay Rays Spring Training. This professional facility will provide the athletes and coaches with top-notch amenities and a memorable experience that will last a lifetime. It's always exciting for us to partner with amazing organizations, on behalf of our residents and visitors alike, so they can be exposed to this high-level championship. Our area is known as a relaxing, uncrowded Florida destination that offers all the best of Florida's wonderful outdoor experiences for their athletes and fans. We look forward to welcoming them," said Sean Walter, Sports Business Development Director of the Punta Gorda/Englewood Beach Visitor & Convention Bureau.
The FCSAA Division I Baseball Championship begins with an April 29 play-in game between the Panhandle Conference's third-place team and the sixth-place finisher from the Citrus Conference, with the winner moving into the field of eight teams who will play at four regional sites in a best-of-three series, May 2-5. Each regional champion will advance to Port Charlotte, where the winner of the four-team, double-elimination bracket punches its ticket to the NJCAA Division I World Series in Grand Junction, Colo.
"If we've learned anything in recent years, it's the ability to be flexible and pivot on a moment's notice," said Rob Chaney, FCSAA Associate Director and Athletics Commissioner. "Throughout this process, the New York Yankees continued to be a great partner, and actively pursued options that allows the FCSAA to continue providing a first-class experience for its student-athletes, coaches and fans.
"The Tampa Bay Rays and Charlotte County have already demonstrated tremendous hospitality in welcoming the FCSAA to Port Charlotte, and we're excited to bring our Division I Baseball Championship Round to Florida's Southwest Gulf coast."
General admission tickets (for ages 2 and up) will go on sale at 10 a.m. eastern, Wednesday, April 30 at www.raysbaseball.com/FCSAA.
Tickets are $15 (plus taxes/fees) daily (2 games) and $40 (plus taxes/fees) for a tournament pass (up to 7 games).
For more information on the FCSAA Division I Baseball Championship, visit www.theFCSAAsports.com/championships
ABOUT PUNTA GORDA / ENGLEWOOD BEACH
Punta Gorda/Englewood Beach is Florida’s best-kept secret of a charming natural paradise located on the idyllic Southwest Gulf Coast. This coastal community surrounding the state’s second-largest harbor sits conveniently between Tampa and Naples. Outdoor enthusiasts will find a haven of vibrant experiences in the sun-soaked oasis of the Southwest Florida islands, characterized by almost year-round sunshine and sub-tropical weather. Relaxation and discovery await in miles of waterways and inland exploration trails filled with unspoiled natural beauty. From beaches to boating, hiking to harbor tours, fishing to nature paths; to sun, shelling, and fossilized sharks’ teeth, Punta Gorda/Englewood Beach immerses lively locals and active adventurers in a pure island experience. Most notably known for its 830 miles of pristine unparalleled shoreline, including captivating river passages, a mangrove-edged aquatic preserve, and more than a dozen miles of natural Gulf beaches, the Charlotte Harbor Gulf Island Coast includes the areas of Boca Grande, Don Pedro Island, Englewood-Cape Haze, Little Gasparilla Island, Manasota Key, Knight Island, Placida, Babcock Ranch, Port Charlotte, Charlotte Harbor and Punta Gorda.
To learn more about Punta Gorda /Englewood Beach, visit PureFlorida.com,
call 941.743.1900 or discover the destination on Instagram, X and Facebook @RealPureFlorida.
Punta Gorda/Englewood Beach VCB Media Contacts:
Lois Croft, Public Relations Manager, Punta Gorda/Englewood Beach Visitor & Convention Bureau:
lois.croft@pureflorida.com
Mady Dudley, Public Relations Director Aqua Marketing & Communications: 727.433.2435 /
mady@welcometoaqua.com
