After about three days of backlash, the owner of the Tampa Bay Rays is apologizing for suggesting the team would use signs during the postseason to promote a possible split-season with Montreal.

According to news partner Tampa Bay Times, principal owner Stuart Sternberg announced the reversal on Tuesday’s Rays radio pre-game show.

He said he made “a big mistake” with the idea to put a sign on the back wall to serve as a sign of the sharing plan.

“I made a big mistake, a real mistake, in trying to promote our sister-city plan with a sign right now in our home ballpark," he said. "I absolutely should have known better. And really, I’m sorry for that. I’m here to tell ... the fans that the sign is not going to go up."

When the sign idea was suggested over the weekend, Rays fans were critical of the idea on social media. Among other reasons, fans feared the move would take attention away from the team's third straight postseason run.

Sternberg acknowledged the reaction.

“There’s been a lot,” he said. “There’s been a lot written about it nationally, locally, in blogs and on sites. I know we have passionate fans who love this team. And I’m forever grateful for that. And that passion shows itself in many ways."