Rays attendance

[Sotnos]

Read this today and it really makes me wonder:

Pennant fever? Not around here

So, if you're sitting in the owner's box, how do you not look at a stadium more than two-thirds empty, while the team is in first place, and wonder if this is as good as it gets?

I know many of you are faithful Rays followers, so what do you make of the poor attendance? Is it going to take a year or two of winning to get people to go? Is the location that bad? Do they need to blackout home games?

Does Romano (and others) just need more patience?

[Maverick9911]

I doesn't surprise me that Romano wrote that. He and Walrus Shelton are fountains of negativity. That being said, its a valid problem.

Duemig went off on it yesterday cause some jackass called into Romey, said it was an hour and a half drive over the bridge and that 90% of the area's sports fans are in Hillsborough. I think the drive is a problem for some, especially during rush hour, but its manageable. I went to a couple of games when the Yankees were in town and getting on the bridge at 5:30 got me stuck in considerable traffic, however once it cleared I was able to get to the Trop by 7pm.

In May people said to wait for school to end, that the crowds would pick up. They have but not enough. I think there are a variety of legitimate problems but with this town's poor track record when it comes to support, you really wonder. Should the Rays win the division and go on to more this will all be moot because then you'll be inundated with "day one fans".

I've already heard the calls from some already "Who needs the Bucs or Lightning - we have the Rays!" Not sure if relocation would do more harm than good - Pinellas already has a complex when it comes to teams that play in Hillsborough.

[Donnie D]

With a few exceptions, it is too expensive for individual baseball fans to purchase season tickets. And you aren't going to get a huge walk up crowd on a weeknight during the school week for a stadium that, if you are in Brandon or Plant City is an hour drive away.

For Baseball, you need a level of corporate backers who will buy season tickets and distribute them to clients and employees. They give you that base attendence that carries you through the weekdays. But that is only going to happen if the recipient views the tickets as a reward. Until this year, that hasn't been the case with the Rays. If you are a company, you want to give away Bucs tickets, up until this year, Lightning tickets....but Rays tickets wouldn't be a big deal.

Season ticket renewals were way down with the Lightning this year according to my rep. The drop wasn't coming from the individual fans who bought the season tickets, they were from the companies who were both cutting back on expenses in these down times and who weren't viewing the Lightning tickets as the reward that they were when they were winning.

That's my thoughts .... they may be BS like the rest of my opinions....but I'm sticking with it.

[Maverick9911]

Actually not BS at all...never considered that angle but its very valid.

I think they just need more LL Cool J and Hammer. Those guys pack the house

[RSchmitz]

Number one reason, there are close to a half dozen teams with fan bases larger than the Rays here, way too many transplants. It would seem that the Lightning and Bucs control the market on the entertainment dollar of the true locals. Number two, they should never have built the stadium in St. Pete, and they shouldn't consider building the new stadium there. Too few people, too far out of the way. Number three, the stadium itself sucks; from the parking, to the seating. It isn't the worst stadium, but its among the bottom tier. Domes in general...we need a safeco field.

[Matt]

It's a joke no matter the excuses. 12,000 for the best team in the AL? That's awful. It makes me mad because the numbers show the Rays play better in front of the big crowds. People bellyached on the radio about not going until they win, well those whiners need to put their money where their mouth is. Kazmir was on Rome saying the players aren't happy about it because they need the support especially in a pennant race. I know it's not a big market and the location isn't the greatest, but it's not much to ask to get at least 20,000 a night. The area is deservedly getting ripped for not supporting the team. I just hate seeing this team doing so well and people in the area not going out to the ball park to give them the support they need. I imagine things will get a boost next year, but they need it now.

I do think a stadium in Tampa would help things tremendously. The St. Pete traffic control is awful and there are just more people who work/live in Tampa.

[jaydeedub]

Originally Posted by Matt

I do think a stadium in Tampa would help things tremendously. The St. Pete traffic control is awful and there are just more people who work/live in Tampa.

Completely agree. My Dad is a HUGE ball fan, but lives up in Pasco county off of 52 and the Sun Coast, but dreads the drive down to the Trop. I can't blame him. If their stadium was in Tampa it'd take him no time to get to it from the Sun Coast. It'd be even worse if they put it on the water next to the Pier. Just imagine the traffic then getting deeper into StP? Yuck.

[RSchmitz]

Originally Posted by Matt

It's a joke no matter the excuses. 12,000 for the best team in the AL? That's awful. It makes me mad because the numbers show the Rays play better in front of the big crowds. People bellyached on the radio about not going until they win, well those whiners need to put their money where their mouth is. Kazmir was on Rome saying the players aren't happy about it because they need the support especially in a pennant race. I know it's not a big market and the location isn't the greatest, but it's not much to ask to get at least 20,000 a night. The area is deservedly getting ripped for not supporting the team. I just hate seeing this team doing so well and people in the area not going out to the ball park to give them the support they need. I imagine things will get a boost next year, but they need it now.

I do think a stadium in Tampa would help things tremendously. The St. Pete traffic control is awful and there are just more people who work/live in Tampa.

I've been to 8 games so far this season. The bullshit to get to the game isn't worth it, I have a much better time going to my local sports bar and cheering with 20 other fans.

[Hoek]

Fennelly also had a critical column in the Trib.

I think everyone's already brought up the best points.

Speaking as more of an outsider/casual/curious fan of the sport (which means I might never get off my butt to go to the Trop even this year I'll admit, and feel free to castigate me), baseball just has waaaay too many games. Why make it out to a relatively inconvenient midweek game when I know there will be plenty on the weekend? It's asking a lot of this diverse populace that has lots of other entertainment options and other pressures on their wallet to make it out there every night. They're doing a great job of filling the place on the most favorable dates though, from what I understand. It's taken too much for granted that people will just eat up baseball because it's "America's pastime" or because this is spring training central. Maybe we just are inherently less of a baseball town than a football or even a hockey town!

I still believe a lot of it is only a matter of time and typical fairweather/bandwagoning though, and I totally understand the frustration. 20,000 would be a reasonable target indeed and it's a bit of a headscratcher they're not reaching it.