MLB The Show takes center stage for the Rays esports initiative.
via team press release —
The Tampa Bay Rays have announced plans for the third season of Rays Gaming and the Sunburst Invitational. The tournament will continue to allow gamers from across the US and Canada to compete against each other in “MLB The Show 25” for a cash prize and a trip to St. Petersburg, Florida for the in-person championship.
This year’s format will once again feature four qualifier tournaments online, allowing fans to compete using the Tampa Bay Rays live roster.
MLB The Show Creator Showdown
New for 2025, Rays Gaming will host an inaugural “Sunburst Invitational – Creator Showdown,” featuring eight of the top “MLB The Show” Twitch, TikTok and YouTube content creators who will face off in a one-night, single-elimination tournament to take place on Tuesday, March 25 at 7 p.m. ET.
“As we enter season three of Rays Gaming, we’re excited to expand our connection with the gaming community and ‘MLB The Show’ players,” said Rays Vice President, Marketing Pat Abts. “The addition of the Creator Showdown brings a new level of competition and excitement to the season, and with the return of the Sunburst Invitational, our goal remains to provide fans with unique and engaging ways to experience Rays baseball beyond the ballpark. We can’t wait to see the competition unfold this season.”
Players 13 and over in the U.S. and Canada are eligible to join for free. All participants are required to compete with the Rays live roster throughout the qualifiers and in-person championship. Registration for the Sunburst Invitational qualifiers opens on Tuesday, March 25 and is open to the first 500 registrations per qualifier.
Rays Gaming Sunburst Invitational events
- Monday, April 7 at 7 p.m. ET – Finals of the Sunburst Invitational Qualifier #1
- Monday, April 28 at 7 p.m. ET – Finals of the Sunburst Invitational Qualifier #2
- Monday, May 12 at 7 p.m. ET – Finals of the Sunburst Invitational Qualifier #3
- Monday, June 23 at 7 p.m. ET – Finals of the Sunburst Invitational Qualifier #4
The qualifiers above will be broadcast on the Rays Twitch, TikTok and YouTube channels.
The four winners of the qualifier events will be flown to St. Petersburg, Florida, for the in-person Sunburst Invitational Championship on Thursday, July 17 at 12 p.m. ET, followed by the finals at 7 p.m. ET.
Both the semifinals and finals will take place at Coastal Creative in St. Petersburg. Each of the final events, as well as the championship, will be broadcast live across the Rays Twitch, TikTok and YouTube channels.
The finalists of the Sunburst Invitational Championship will split a $12,000 prize pool, with $8,000 going to the winner, $2,500 to the runner-up, $1,000 for third place, and $500 for fourth. Popular “MLB The Show” streamers Rich Veit (@ScuffyMcGee) and Tyler Dimmu (@DaddyDimmu) will again broadcast live-stream commentary for all final events.
A valid subscription to PlayStation Plus or Xbox Live Gold on the PlayStation 5, Xbox One or Xbox Series X | S is necessary to connect and compete. The Rays have partnered with Rare Drop and Esports Foundry for all tournament-related production. For all registration windows, full tournament schedule and tournament rules, visit RaysBaseball.com/Gaming.
You can join the Rays Discord here.
About Rare Drop
Rare Drop is a local Tampa Bay company that helps their partners gain a unique advantage through talent management, live events, marketing, creative & production services, live shows, and everything in between.
About Coastal Creative
Coastal Creative is a full service digital media studio and creative agency. They specialize in virtual production (LED walls), digital marketing, video production, photography, graphic design, podcasts and more. They are also a creative event space that hosts concerts, comedy shows, private events and so much more. Through meaningful relationships with their clients and the community, Coastal Creative has become a valuable resource for local creatives, small business and large organizations. Helping at every level to provide the space and team to deliver amazing events, high quality digital content, and future forward access to the latest video production technologies.
2025 Sunburst Invitational Qualifier Dates
Qualifier #1
- Day 1: Thursday, April 3: 7-11 PM ET
- Day 2: Saturday, April 5: 7-11 PM ET
- Day 3: Sunday, April 6: 2-6 PM ET
- Qualifier Finals: Monday, April 7: 7-10 PM ET
Qualifier #2
- Day 1: Thursday, April 24: 7-11 PM ET
- Day 2: Saturday, April 26: 7-11 PM ET
- Day 3: Sunday, April 27: 2-6 PM ET
- Qualifier Finals: Monday, April 28: 7-11 PM ET
Qualifier #3
- Day 1: Thursday, May 8: 7-11 PM ET
- Day 2: Saturday, May 10: 7-11 PM ET
- Day 3: Sunday, May 11: 7-11 PM ET
- Qualifier Finals: Monday, May 12: 7-10 PM ET
Qualifier #4
- Day 1: Thursday, June 19: 7-11 PM ET
- Day 2: Saturday, June 21: 7-11 PM ET
- Day 3: Sunday, June 22: 7-11 PM ET
- Qualifier Finals: Monday, June 23: 7-10 PM ET
Registrations open on Tuesday, March 25 at 12 PM.
Game settings and competition details available at RaysBaseball.com/Gaming.