Former Devils Rays Owner Who Brought Team to Tampa Bay Passes Away at 81
By Mark Powell
The Tampa Bay community has lost a sports icon.
Former then-Devil Rays owner Vince Naimoli has passed away at the age of 81. Naimoli is best known for bringing the Rays to Tampa Bay as an expansion team in 1998.
BREAKING: Vince Naimoli, who led effort that brought MLB expansion team to Tampa Bay and was first owner of Devil #Rays team, has died. More soon on https://t.co/Vy8xnjpbqP
— Marc Topkin (@TBTimes_Rays) August 26, 2019
Naimoli's ownership style was controversial and confrontational, which is why he was the perfect person to fight for an expansion team in the first place. His decision-making and up-close-and-personal personality eventually was his downfall as Rays owner, however, and he was largely criticized.
Eventually, Naimoli sold the team to Stuart Sternberg in 2004 after a series of missteps and his inability to put a contending team on the field. By 2005, he had stepped down as chairman entirely. Still, many recall Naimoli's fiery perspective as one of the main reasons the Rays came into existence in the first place.
REST IN PEACE: Vince Naimoli, the original @RaysBaseball franchise owner has died. He was 81. https://t.co/pm50hqGKBo
— Kelsey Sunderland (@WFLAKelsey) August 26, 2019
“I recall him with great fondness," former MLB commissioner Bud Selig told the Tampa Bay Times. “He was so proud and so happy. He was trying to do the right thing and he brought Tampa (Bay) that franchise. People should always remember, and I hope they will always remember, that he brought them a big- league franchise."
Our thoughts go out to the Naimoli family during this difficult time.