Relocate the Rays?

[Francoeurstein]

There never should've been teams in either Tampa or Miami. It was a huge mistake by MLB to place franchises in toxic sports towns. Even Atlanta isn't a very good pro sports town.

I disagree. As a resident, I would say Atlanta is decent when it comes to numbers, but we have a very traditional, loyal fanbase.

[RaysFan_98]

I disagree. As a resident, I would say Atlanta is decent when it comes to numbers, but we have a very traditional, loyal fanbase.

Tampa is far from a toxic sports town i find that unbelievable at best. Even before the Bucs were good and won a SB They always had a good 55k-60k in the seats at RayJay and always had one of the best attendance records. As a Bucs fan we started to get irritated with ownership and us not going to games is our way to show them that until they put a winning product back out on the field we wouldn't line there pockets. The lightning also have some of the best attendance. Please check your stats before you mouth off.

[KurtDman24]

I disagree. As a resident, I would say Atlanta is decent when it comes to numbers, but we have a very traditional, loyal fanbase.

The Braves drew pretty well last season, about 30,000 a game. The interesting thing is that they draw their biggest crowds in September.

[KurtDman24]

Tampa is far from a toxic sports town i find that unbelievable at best. Even before the Bucs were good and won a SB They always had a good 55k-60k in the seats at RayJay and always had one of the best attendance records. As a Bucs fan we started to get irritated with ownership and us not going to games is our way to show them that until they put a winning product back out on the field we wouldn't line there pockets. The lightning also have some of the best attendance. Please check your stats before you mouth off.

Not trying to be insulting, but why do you suppose the Rays draw so poorly? I've read that the location of the Trop is one thing, but it can't be just that. I'm curious why that is, they're a good team and as good a deal as any in baseball. Heck of a lot cheaper for a family of four than anything Disney or Universal.

[RaysFan_98]

Not trying to be insulting, but why do you suppose the Rays draw so poorly? I've read that the location of the Trop is one thing, but it can't be just that. I'm curious why that is, they're a good team and as good a deal as any in baseball. Heck of a lot cheaper for a family of four than anything Disney or Universal.

Honestly? I don't know. The weekend games are always packed and then attendance falls during the weekday. I think a lot of people want to go to the games but because school is still in and such its just not doable right now i am not sure. Trop is just so far out of the way and out of the population center.

[raysnbran]

For those of you that know the Tampa Bay area, I live in New Port Richey and work in East Tampa out near the casino. That's almost 40 miles one way, and in the opposite direction of St Pete and Tropicana Field. I'll be damned if I am going to be up since 5:45AM, work till 5 PM then drive through Tampa's rush hour AND St. Petersburg's rush hour on a weeknight to go to a game, get home after 11PM and get up again in 6 hours and go to work again. Not when every home game is on my TV for free, and the couch and cold beer is free as well. I'll go to a weekend game now and then. But maybe if the stadium was already in Tampa, either downtown or near the fairgrounds where I work, I would go to many more games. But by the time that ever happens I would probably be retired

[RaysFan_98]

For those of you that know the Tampa Bay area, I live in New Port Richey and work in East Tampa out near the casino. That's almost 40 miles one way, and in the opposite direction of St Pete and Tropicana Field. I'll be damned if I am going to be up since 5:45AM, work till 5 PM then drive through Tampa's rush hour AND St. Petersburg's rush hour on a weeknight to go to a game, get home after 11PM and get up again in 6 hours and go to work again. Not when every home game is on my TV for free, and the couch and cold beer is free as well. I'll go to a weekend game now and then. But maybe if the stadium was already in Tampa, either downtown or near the fairgrounds where I work, I would go to many more games. But by the time that ever happens I would probably be retired

I have season tickets

[KurtDman24]

For those of you that know the Tampa Bay area, I live in New Port Richey and work in East Tampa out near the casino. That's almost 40 miles one way, and in the opposite direction of St Pete and Tropicana Field. I'll be damned if I am going to be up since 5:45AM, work till 5 PM then drive through Tampa's rush hour AND St. Petersburg's rush hour on a weeknight to go to a game, get home after 11PM and get up again in 6 hours and go to work again. Not when every home game is on my TV for free, and the couch and cold beer is free as well. I'll go to a weekend game now and then. But maybe if the stadium was already in Tampa, either downtown or near the fairgrounds where I work, I would go to many more games. But by the time that ever happens I would probably be retired

I don't doubt that there are a lot of people like you raysnbran; so my next question would be, whose idea was it to put the baseball stadium in st. petersburg, and why don't the rays have some sort of Tampa shuttle or something? I know there's the No Excuses Tour, but I don't think the Rays run that.

Curious. I like the Rays even though I'm an O's fan.

[colocolo]

Leave the Rays alone....You CANNOT have ALL the Fans Happy....Ever. That is impossible. The Tpa Bay is HUGE and if they were in East Tampa those nearby would be thrilled, but those in Pinellas, Bradenton or Sarasota would hate it... The Stadium would have to be on a frikken Island in the MIDDLE of the Bay with Pinellas to the West and Hillsboro to the East. Just South of the Howard Frankland Bridge.

Lets get the people from Hong Kong down here, they can build anything, anywhere !!!!!

[JohnMcD348]

I'll chime in on this one ans start by saying I still think that the Tampa Bay area doesn't deserve a team. Does anyone remember when Uberoth(sp?) first announced they were going to be putting out 2 new franchises to the league? Nearly the next words out of his mouth were: "We don't want people building stadiums thinking it will guarantee them one of these franchises." So what do the people in power in the bay area do? Go out and build a stadium and then cry foul and try to wage legal actions after they aren't given one of the franchises. They did absolutely everything the MLB organization said not to do and then had the gall to whine that they were cheated and treated unfairly?

They built the stadium over a highly toxic area. The initial phases of construction were constantly being delayed due to new findings in the soil. The are they built it in was squeezed into. It's difficult at best to get in and out of that area and parking is a pain. I will say that I haven't been there since the Ray's franchise was finally brought in. The Last time I was there was for a Jimmy Buffet concert, maybe 20 years ago. My Inlaws just took my son there last week for a Ray's game and to hear my FIL talk about the area, it really hasn't changed.

There is a lot of empty space and easy access in the entire Hillsborough, Pasco, Polk and Pinellas areas. The St Pete area will hold the organization to their contract until they bankrupt them and they cease to exist. It's just plainly too inconvenient for people to be bothered with going to a game unless they schedule a majority of them as weekenders. Weekday games, will never get a decent showing while they are , where they are.

[RaysFan_98]

I'll chime in on this one ans start by saying I still think that the Tampa Bay area doesn't deserve a team. Does anyone remember when Uberoth(sp?) first announced they were going to be putting out 2 new franchises to the league? Nearly the next words out of his mouth were: "We don't want people building stadiums thinking it will guarantee them one of these franchises." So what do the people in power in the bay area do? Go out and build a stadium and then cry foul and try to wage legal actions after they aren't given one of the franchises. They did absolutely everything the MLB organization said not to do and then had the gall to whine that they were cheated and treated unfairly?

They built the stadium over a highly toxic area. The initial phases of construction were constantly being delayed due to new findings in the soil. The are they built it in was squeezed into. It's difficult at best to get in and out of that area and parking is a pain. I will say that I haven't been there since the Ray's franchise was finally brought in. The Last time I was there was for a Jimmy Buffet concert, maybe 20 years ago. My Inlaws just took my son there last week for a Ray's game and to hear my FIL talk about the area, it really hasn't changed.

There is a lot of empty space and easy access in the entire Hillsborough, Pasco, Polk and Pinellas areas. The St Pete area will hold the organization to their contract until they bankrupt them and they cease to exist. It's just plainly too inconvenient for people to be bothered with going to a game unless they schedule a majority of them as weekenders. Weekday games, will never get a decent showing while they are , where they are.

Well we have it and we aren't letting go yes we know you all are scared and thus coming up with the they don't deserve a team they have bad attendance and anything else lol.