The more I take note of the small attendance figures at Tampa Bay Rays games, the more I wonder why Major League Baseball commissioner Bud Selig put a team in Tampa in the first place.
The Rays sold out Game 3 of their playoff series with the Texas Rangers, but fell short of that in Game 4. A professional sports team not selling out in a playoff game? Are you serious???
The Rays have experienced attendance woes most of the time since coming into the league as an expansion team. The only time the Rays are guaranteed sellouts are when my New York Yankees and those damned Boston Red Sox come to town.
It’s so bad, even Rays ownership crowed publicly about it. And last year stars like Evan Longoria beefed about it in the media.
This further lends to the notion that placing a baseball team in Tampa was a bad idea. First of all, the team doesn’t even play home game in Tampa, but in St. Petersburg. The locals will tell you that folks from Tampa hate folks from St. Pete – and vice versa.
Second, the ballpark, Tropicana Field, is a dump. Ownership tried to attract more folks by adding a nightclub to the ballpark! That’s when you know a team is desperate.
All of this spells the end of the Rays in Tampa. It’s a shame because the Rays are one of the best run franchises in baseball – if not the best. Their front office drafts well, the team has young stars in Longoria, B.J. Upton, and David Price, and they have one of the best managers in the game in Joe Maddon.
Tampa should be grateful for having such a well-run organization in town. It may not be there for much longer…
Categories: baseball, MLB, sports story
It was a political move. In ’92 the owner of the SF Giants was ready to sell to a group that was going to move the team to Tampa Bay. Baseball owners rejected the move and a local SF buyer was found.
Even though it wasn’t explicitly stated, I’m sure that in return for backing off, the Tampa Bay group was promised the next expansion franchise. They got it three years later.
I agree. They need to move or contract. The players union will be against a contraction so I’ll bet they move.
Yeah, I remember that. Then Barry Bonds came along and “saved the day”, i.e. got the Giants a new stadium.
But still, why Tampa (actually St. Petersburg) and moreso, why Tropicana Field? That place is a dump!
I don’t understand why the place is a dump. It was just built in 1990. How crazy is it to build a stadium in hopes of attracting a team? Well, give ’em credit. It worked. Too bad a team actually moved in there. 5 or 6 teams threatened to move there in order to get additional concessions from their home municipalities. LOL
Baseball just wasn’t meant to be played indoors. This is the only domed stadium left but St. Petersburg has no choice due to the humidity and frequent summer rainfall.
The Charlotte Rays?????? Hmmm. How does that grab ya? People are talkin’!
It’s funny you said that. That was the talk on the local sports talk show on the way home from work. I do not think it’s going to work because I do not believe that Charlotte can support 3 teams…