14000 in Tampa tonight

[TMan92]

The perfect team for us to lose to in the World Series. If that were to happen, I truly will stop watching baseball.

[Ball And Glove]

Can't say I can blame Tampa fans...I wouldn't go see the '27 Yankees play at Tropicana Field, and the school year has already started down there. It makes you wonder how they'd do if they had a decent stadium to attract fans, but no one's going to approve those stadium plans until people start showing up at the Trop. It's a sucky situation all around.

 

You'd hope that they'd sell out for playoff games, but the Marlins have had problems in the past even selling out those games, so who knows. If you're a Cubs fan, I guess a Rays/Cubs World Series would be good in that every game would virtually be a home game for Chicago, right?

[CubmanPi]

The attendance at Tampa is the only reason I'm pulling for a Cubs-Rays series. Seems like chances of getting tix down there are better than anywhere else.

[Cynosure]

I thought they said 12,000 but 14,000 is still terrid.

[loukycub]

they don't deserve a franchise. we in louisville had two of our local sports teams play in dumps (coincidentally, the same facility). when our teams were good, the place sold out.

 

let me repeat that in case you missed that.

 

when our teams were good, the place sold out.

 

tampa devil ray fan has no excuse not to see their team play. i hope they don't get to the series. they might luck their way into winning 4 games and their "fans" don't deserve them.

[Guest]

It's a joke that the team is leading the AL East and they still can't draw fans. They're like the 2003 Marlins in that aspect.

[BCVM22]

It's a joke that the team is leading the AL East and they still can't draw fans. They're like the 2003 Marlins in that aspect.

 

Let us out loud that they aren't like the '03 Marlins in any other aspects. :-#

[Clem Fandango]

Whenever they make the playoffs, the locals will come out in the thousands and pack that stadium and pretend like they've been Rays fans their whole lives. Theyu did the same thing when the Bucs suddenly got competitive.

 

I grew up there my whole life, and I can honestly say one of the Top 3 reasons I really hate the state of Florida is fairweather fans.

 

No one went to go see Bucs games when they sucked. No one went to see Magic games when they sucked. No one saw Heat games when they sucked. No one saw Marlins games when they sucked (or when they're good for that matter). I don't think anyone even knew the Lightning were in the playoffs until they made it to the Stanley Cup. I don't follow Jacksonville Jags so I don't know about their fans. Pretty much the only professional team in Florida that draws a reasonable crowd and has consistently drawn a reasonable crowd is the Miami Dolphins. Though I don't follow football as much as I used to so I don't know what they attendance is like lately.

 

Florida is a collegiate sport state. Those are the only sports that get 100% support from their fans week in and week out

[Jehrico]

It's a joke that the team is leading the AL East and they still can't draw fans. They're like the 2003 Marlins in that aspect.

 

Let us out loud that they aren't like the '03 Marlins in any other aspects. :-#

They didn't fire their manager mid-season.

[TruffleShuffle]

what a complete waste. people in portland would support a team. everyone in florida is 100 years old and used to root for another team before they moved to florida. i don't know that we need ONE team in florida, let alone two.

[anabiono]

keep going guys...bash those rays...you make me happy

 

:wave:

[17 Seconds]

it said, i live near tampa and i NEVER hear anybody talking about the rays. not even the fair-weathered fans who "root" for the Bucs and Lightning. People just don't care about the Rays. i'm sure they'll be all loud and chesty when the playoffs start though

[Derwood]

I think we can all agree: Florida is terrible

[kujay]

Embarassing for both the Rays and for baseball. Hopefully Selig is paying attention.

[Soul]

Their stadium is an abomination. An affront to everyone who loves the game of baseball. It's like playing in a cafeteria or something.

[BaseballBob]

Their stadium is an abomination. An affront to everyone who loves the game of baseball. It's like playing in a cafeteria or something.

They're getting a new stadium.

[Derwood]

Their stadium is an abomination. An affront to everyone who loves the game of baseball. It's like playing in a cafeteria or something.

They're getting a new stadium.

 

they proposed it. is it officially happening?

[BaseballBob]

Their stadium is an abomination. An affront to everyone who loves the game of baseball. It's like playing in a cafeteria or something.

They're getting a new stadium.

 

they proposed it. is it officially happening?

I'm under the impression it is. But I'm up here in Chicago. Maybe one of the locals in Tampa knows for sure.

 

I don't know if I would want to be a baseball player in an outdoor stadium in Tampa. The humidity in July and August would be brutal. I hear it rains a lot there, too.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wait a minute......did I say there are circumstances where I would not want to be a MLB player???? Am I nuts????

[Ball And Glove]

The last I heard, they had a slew of meetings in June to decide whether or not to include a referendum on the stadium in November. This article says that right now, plans have been suspended/postponed/abandoned. Apparently, the residents of St. Pete were afraid things were moving too quickly considering the large amount of public dollars that would be spent on the project: http://suncoastpinellas.tbo.com/content/2008/jun/25/251935/rays-may-postpone-public-vote-waterfront-stadium/.

 

By CARLOS MONCADA | The Tampa Tribune

Published: June 25, 2008

Updated: 06/25/2008 07:35 pm

 

ST. PETERSBURG — The Tampa Bay Rays announced this afternoon that they will abandon their ambitious plans to build a $450 million stadium on the downtown waterfront by 2012.

 

Rays President Matt Silverman said at a news conference that the team will no longer seek a November referendum on the open-air, 34,000-seat ballpark the team proposed at the site of Progress Energy Park, home of Al Lang Field.

 

"While we still believe in the vision we put forth seven months ago, and of its transformational value, we are withdrawing that proposal and we are no longer seeking a November referendum on the waterfront ballpark," Silverman said.

 

Several St. Petersburg and Pinellas County leaders had complained that the city and county were being rushed to commit millions of public dollars for the controversial project. Silverman suggested that was a factor in the team's decision.

 

Obviously, it's a few months old...maybe someone down in that area has an update?

 

To me, it seems like a chicken/egg debate. The Rays want a new stadium to draw more fans, but the city won't build it until more fans show up. At least the Marlins managed to get their stadium plans for the Orange Bowl approved...not forcing fans to drive 45 minutes out to Dolphins Stadium 81 times a year should benefit attendance a bit.

[Post Count Padder]

So disappointing. I want to see that stadium go up soon.

[anabiono]

The last I heard, they had a slew of meetings in June to decide whether or not to include a referendum on the stadium in November. This article says that right now, plans have been suspended/postponed/abandoned. Apparently, the residents of St. Pete were afraid things were moving too quickly considering the large amount of public dollars that would be spent on the project: http://suncoastpinellas.tbo.com/content/2008/jun/25/251935/rays-may-postpone-public-vote-waterfront-stadium/.

 

By CARLOS MONCADA | The Tampa Tribune

Published: June 25, 2008

Updated: 06/25/2008 07:35 pm

 

ST. PETERSBURG — The Tampa Bay Rays announced this afternoon that they will abandon their ambitious plans to build a $450 million stadium on the downtown waterfront by 2012.

 

Rays President Matt Silverman said at a news conference that the team will no longer seek a November referendum on the open-air, 34,000-seat ballpark the team proposed at the site of Progress Energy Park, home of Al Lang Field.

 

"While we still believe in the vision we put forth seven months ago, and of its transformational value, we are withdrawing that proposal and we are no longer seeking a November referendum on the waterfront ballpark," Silverman said.

 

Several St. Petersburg and Pinellas County leaders had complained that the city and county were being rushed to commit millions of public dollars for the controversial project. Silverman suggested that was a factor in the team's decision.

 

Obviously, it's a few months old...maybe someone down in that area has an update?

 

To me, it seems like a chicken/egg debate. The Rays want a new stadium to draw more fans, but the city won't build it until more fans show up. At least the Marlins managed to get their stadium plans for the Orange Bowl approved...not forcing fans to drive 45 minutes out to Dolphins Stadium 81 times a year should benefit attendance a bit.

 

 

i live in clearwater...no updates that i have heard from this one...people here apparently love tropicana field though...i have absolutely no idea why, but there you have it...

 

oh...and i will say that i hear people talking about the rays and everyone, locally, is buying the merchandise...pretty funny because this is really the first time ever that i have seen anyone wearing rays stuff...

[Guest]

That town definitely doesn't deserve a new stadium.

 

The team does, though not in Tampa but pretty much anywhere else outside of Florida.

[BaseballBob]

oh...and i will say that i hear people talking about the rays and everyone, locally, is buying the merchandise...pretty funny because this is really the first time ever that i have seen anyone wearing rays stuff...

I hope they don't think that this will enable the Rays to sign high priced free agents. Merchandise sales of MLB licensed stuff is shared with all 30 teams. This means when all those Yankee and Red Sox fans buy up all that Yankee and Red Sox gear, they're helping out everyone in MLB.

[UK1679666180]

oh...and i will say that i hear people talking about the rays and everyone, locally, is buying the merchandise...pretty funny because this is really the first time ever that i have seen anyone wearing rays stuff...

I hope they don't think that this will enable the Rays to sign high priced free agents. Merchandise sales of MLB licensed stuff is shared with all 30 teams. This means when all those Yankee and Red Sox fans buy up all that Yankee and Red Sox gear, they're helping out everyone in MLB.

 

They don't have to, they have to lock up their current roster (BJ, CC, Kazmir) and a 97 win team, the youngest team in the playoffs, with the best farm system in the game will only get better.

[BaseballBob]

oh...and i will say that i hear people talking about the rays and everyone, locally, is buying the merchandise...pretty funny because this is really the first time ever that i have seen anyone wearing rays stuff...

I hope they don't think that this will enable the Rays to sign high priced free agents. Merchandise sales of MLB licensed stuff is shared with all 30 teams. This means when all those Yankee and Red Sox fans buy up all that Yankee and Red Sox gear, they're helping out everyone in MLB.

 

They don't have to, they have to lock up their current roster (BJ, CC, Kazmir) and a 97 win team, the youngest team in the playoffs, with the best farm system in the game will only get better.

Actually, their farm system is very good because of all the high draft picks they've had during the crap years. This is how the Tigers got to the World Series in 2006. With this good season behind them, the Rays will have a low pick next year.

 

A little known fact about the MLB draft is that, unlike the NFL and NBA, teams cannot trade their pick positions. This means the Rays cannot offer, say, Carl Crawford and Rocco Baldelli to the team with the first pick next year for that pick.