Why won't they come from Tampa?

[milladrive]

I heard sometime during today's game that not many people like to cross the Sunshine Skyway Bridge to go to Rays games. Why could that be? Do the people in Tampa feel they're better than those in St. Petersburg? Is it too far for them to travel?

I just don't understand why I would hear something like that when, not only are Rays in the race, but I would think the entire greater Tampa Bay area would have no problem going to Rays games. I mean, it's not like fans are being asked to go to Bradenton.

Anyone with some insight on this? Or is it just a fallacy?

[chicagowhitesox1173]

I wonder if they make ya pay a big toll to cross the bridge. I think Florida is really bad with tolls like Chicago.

[milladrive]

I wonder if they make ya pay a big toll to cross the bridge. I think Florida is really bad with tolls like Chicago.

...And New York. But I know plenty of Long Island and New Jersey Yankee and Met fans who pay the exorbitant (virtually extortionist) tolls to go to the Bronx and Queens.

Good question, cws1173, but I'm puzzled.

[raysnbran]

There is no toll to go across the Howard Frankland Bridge to get from Tampa to St. Petersburg. In fact, it's one of the more beautiful and picturesque drives you can possibly have. Beautiful blue skies set off against blue-green water. I've driven across there and seen dolphins jumping. How many bridges can you say that you could possibly see that happen?

The problem is more provincial than anything else. Tampa Bay (the body of water separating the two cities) created competition between the two back in the day. Instead of working together to bring MLB to the area, there was a group on both sides of the bay trying to get a team, and MLB played them off against each other. St. Pete was used as a pawn when the White Sox, Mariners and Giants were looking for new stadiums. People use lame excuses like it's too far to drive. But when the Bucs were good, their demographics of where their crowds were coming from showed Pinellas County was their top drawee of fans (where St Pete is). The Lightning used to play in Tropicana Field (back when it was called the Thunderdome) to packed houses. When they moved to downtown Tampa, those same people refused to go to the games because Tampa "stole" the team. Those are a few of the reasons, but a lot also has to do to the transient nature of the people that live here, and moved from other places, and still root for the teams where they came from. But that's a topic for a different thread...

[RaysFan_98]

I heard sometime during today's game that not many people like to cross the Sunshine Skyway Bridge to go to Rays games. Why could that be? Do the people in Tampa feel they're better than those in St. Petersburg? Is it too far for them to travel?

I just don't understand why I would hear something like that when, not only are Rays in the race, but I would think the entire greater Tampa Bay area would have no problem going to Rays games. I mean, it's not like fans are being asked to go to Bradenton.

Anyone with some insight on this? Or is it just a fallacy?

First off you go over the sunshine skyway to go from the bottom of st.pete down over to Sarasota from Tampa to st.pete you go over the Howard Franklin bridge or 275. I work in Tampa and my kids are in daycare in tampa and i have gotten off work early sometimes and go and get my kids and go to Rays games the traffic is horrendous from my work to the trop it takes about an hour if not more its not even going over the bridge thats bad its once you hit St.pete and are almost to the trop then it gets to be bumper to bumper. And on top of that the trop is not in the safest of places a cop was shot and killed a block or so away from the trop a few months ago. Rays have been around 13 years we need a bit more time to build a fanbase then that its gonna take another solid generation to build up a solid good fanbase. Its also hard when you have all of these folks from other places who already have there home team they root for!

[milladrive]

Yeah, it appears I got the bridge wrong. I was going by what the ignorant announcers said on the Fox broadcast the night they aired the Mets and Rays last month.

As for the traffic and safety, can it really be any worse than that of Greater New York or Greater Los Angeles? As well, I don't mean to quibble, but the Rays have been solid contenders since they shortened their name in 2008. I would think that would help with the fanbase, although I could be mistaken. One thing you said seems to gel with what raysnbran said, in a way. The Greater Tampa Bay residents tend to be relatively transient, so the majority of the fanbase would, I imagine, not stick around long enough to build up a strong loyalty over the years.

I'm also wondering if what raysnbran said makes sense about how the two cities were made pawns back in the mid '90s in a political competition regarding which city would get the team, thereby pitting the two cities against each other rather than having them work together to form an alliance.

All in all, it seems kinda silly, and such a shame. Like I say, the Rays are a good organization that has been fielding a relatively good team for the past five seasons. I'd sure like to see them get more support. ...and a new park.

[RaysFan_98]

The way the team has been playing as of late i wouldn't blame folks for not going out :/ But thats no excuse we need to support this team so we can keep our stars around like longo.

[chicagowhitesox1173]

I heard somebody shot a bullet in the air outside the stadium and it came down and hit a fan. No wonder the Whitesox wanted to move there once, It woulda reminded em of being back home.

I heard the fan was ok just a minor bruise.

[RaysFan_98]

I heard somebody shot a bullet in the air outside the stadium and it came down and hit a fan. No wonder the Whitesox wanted to move there once, It woulda reminded em of being back home.

I heard the fan was ok just a minor bruise.

Bad area...... Like i said

[Richard]

I don't want to hear about Rays attendance anymore. They just need a new stadium in a good location. Will they draw like the Cubs, Phillies and Dodgers? No. Maybe some day. But they'll be able to keep more good players with added revenue.

[WolfSpear]

I don't want to hear about Rays attendance anymore. They just need a new stadium in a good location. Will they draw like the Cubs, Phillies and Dodgers? No. Maybe some day. But they'll be able to keep more good players with added revenue.

Wow, this forum is quite deadish ... but I'll provide input.

St. Pete isn't the safest place to be around and the fanbase seems to be from everywhere except for St. Pete ...

One of the places where their new ballpark should go would be near the Florida State Fairgrounds. I live about a mile from it, but the location is much more accessible and it's immediately after you get off the interstate. I seem to remember running around in circles trying to get into the Trop ... Also, another good place is near Raymond James. It's a nice location out there as well and the Bucs are next door. Wherever they decide to put it, I just hope it'll be a retractable roof so we can enjoy the days where it doesn't rain or where it isn't hot.

[Yaz]

Most ballparks are in unsafe areas. When they're not the unsafe people make the commute there anyway. See: every other pro soprts stadium on planet.

The Tropicana Field lease doesn't expire for 15 more years. Picking out which area in Hillsborough County to build the new stadium is premature. The first order of business is MLB getting behind the Rays and challenging the city of St Pete to a legal battle over breaking the lease. Once that long expensive battle is won then they can see what parts of the Bay area are still vacant.

I do agree with the Fairgrounds area if they demolish the ampitheater and actual fairgrounds. (Right now there isn't enough parking for a Dixie Chicks concert, much less a baseball game.) Tampa residents will still complain though as their 20 minute drive to the stadium will only be cut down by 6 or 7 minutes.

[NJYankeeFan]

Most ballparks are in unsafe areas. When they're not the unsafe people make the commute there anyway. See: every other pro soprts stadium on planet.

The Tropicana Field lease doesn't expire for 15 more years. Picking out which area in Hillsborough County to build the new stadium is premature. The first order of business is MLB getting behind the Rays and challenging the city of St Pete to a legal battle over breaking the lease. Once that long expensive battle is won then they can see what parts of the Bay area are still vacant.

I do agree with the Fairgrounds area if they demolish the ampitheater and actual fairgrounds. (Right now there isn't enough parking for a Dixie Chicks concert, much less a baseball game.) Tampa residents will still complain though as their 20 minute drive to the stadium will only be cut down by 6 or 7 minutes.

The Yanks minor league field is in a far better location.

As for the Dixie Chicks, they draw more than the Rays.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I997 using Tapatalk 2

[RaysFan_98]

The Yanks minor league field is in a far better location.

As for the Dixie Chicks, they draw more than the Rays.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I997 using Tapatalk 2

And Justin Beiber Draws more in his concerts then the yanks what is your point?

[raysnbran]

Maybe the better question is, why won't the fans come from ST.PETE??

http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20130129&content_id=41245366&vkey=news_mlb&c_id=mlb

The Rays ranked 26th in attendance in 2008, 23rd in '09, 22nd in '10, 29th in '11 and 30th in '12, which the club attributes to Tropicana Field being too far from the demographic and business center of Tampa, Fla. Coming to light during the organization's presentation was that just 300 season-ticket accounts originate in St. Petersburg.

Ridiculous, Mayor Foster. Either relent and let the Rays talk to any group in the Tampa Bay area about a better stadium location or be forever damned as the one in charge when MLB moved our only chance for professional baseball in the area.