A Winning Lineup: Rays’ Stadium Seats Bring Ballpark Nostalgia to The Florida Aquarium’s Stingray Beach

Tampa, FL (April 12, 2025) – Visitors at The Florida Aquarium now have a unique opportunity to experience the magic of the ballpark—while getting up-close with stingrays. Thanks to the more than two-decades long partnership with the Tampa Bay Rays and The Florida Aquarium, four Tropicana Field stadium seats have been installed at the popular Stingray Beach habitat, giving guests a fun, immersive way to connect with both the ocean and the game.

The addition of the iconic navy-blue seats adds a nostalgic nod to the team’s home of 25+ seasons. With updates underway at Tropicana Field, the repurposed seats are getting a second life in a setting where Rays pride and environmental education meet.

Stingrays have been a fan favorite since 2006, when the team first introduced the Aquarium’s touch tank at Tropicana Field. The seven cownose stingrays that weathered Hurricane Milton at the Trop returned to the Aquarium and are all doing well. Now, while the team plays at a temporary home, fans can still enjoy one of the most beloved Rays traditions—interacting with stingrays—while sitting in real stadium seats at The Florida Aquarium. It’s a nostalgic experience that brings the spirit of the home game to the heart of downtown Tampa.

Located on the second floor of the Aquarium, Stingray Beach—sponsored by the Rays since 2024— offers hands-on encounters with cownose stingrays and celebrates the beloved bond between the team and stingrays that have long been a part of the Rays’ identity. With the arrival of the special seats, fans can sit back, reminisce, and watch stingrays glide by in a habitat that connects sports and sea life in a uniquely Tampa Bay way.

To celebrate, The Florida Aquarium welcomed several VIP guests including the Rays’ Raymond and DJ Kitty, along with the Aquarium’s Tango the Loggerhead Sea Turtle and Rocky the African Penguin to try out the new seats in Stingray Beach.

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Courtesy: The Florida Aquarium

“This one-of-its kind experience is truly a homerun for our guests and allows Rays baseball fans and aquarium stingray enthusiasts to recreate the stadium experience in unique and fun way,” said Roger Germann, president & CEO of The Florida Aquarium. “Like the Aquarium, Rays baseball is engrained in our region’s identity, and we’re excited to enhance our partnership by replicating an in-game experience Rays fans have come to love.”

The continued partnership between the team and the Aquarium highlights both organizations’ commitment to creating engaging, educational, and family-friendly fun throughout Tampa Bay.

As part of the Rays’ presenting sponsorship of Stingray Beach:

• Aquarium guests may scan a QR code on-site to receive 10% off any regular-season Rays home game.
• Rays Rookies Kids Club MVP members receive free Aquarium admission with the purchase of a full-price adult ticket. Please show your Rays Rookies Kids Club MVP card at the ticketing counter for the offer.

To purchase tickets, including the limited-time $30 Thursday admission offer celebrating the Aquarium’s 30th Anniversary, and to reserve your arrival timeframe in advance, visit The Florida Aquarium’s website. 

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Contact The Florida Aquarium communications@flaquarium.org