What is going on with the Ray's fan support?

[incubus]

I think Jim noted it was like attending a game in a shed.

Yeah, I've seen a game there. You always know you are indoors. I'd liken it to going to indoor batting cages in a warehouse. Just not the natural feeling I want when I watch a game.

[lormat]

It is not a really bad place to see a game and I don't like domes. I would like to see some of you sit outside in the summer down here for an afternoon game. I don't think many would do it. Also Baltimore has over twice the population St. Pete has. Location is horrbile if it was in Tampa it would be better. I also do not see the economy turning around down here. I do also agree it has the population from up north. I am one. I will not leave the birds for no one. I bleed black and orange.

[Can_of_corn]

It is not a really bad place to see a game and I don't like domes. I would like to see some of you sit outside in the summer down here for an afternoon game. I don't think many would do it. Also Baltimore has over twice the population St. Pete has. Location is horrbile if it was in Tampa it would be better. I also do not see the economy turning around down here. I do also agree it has the population from up north. I am one. I will not leave the birds for no one. I bleed black and orange.

Tampa International Airport has never recorded a 100 degree temperature. Yes the heat down here is draining but summer in MD is no joke either. I remember 104 with 90%+ humidity growing up.

[OrangeJerseys]

Tampa International Airport has never recorded a 100 degree temperature. Yes the heat down here is draining but summer in MD is no joke either. I remember 104 with 90%+ humidity growing up.

I remember school letting out if it was too hot and humid.

[mdbdotcom]

I live in St. Pete, just a couple of miles from the Trop. The biggest problem I see is that the area is home to so many teams for spring training and minor leagues. East of St. Pete, Tampa is Yankees country, and they have a miniature version of Yankee Stadium there. Moving north of St. Pete, the Phillies own Clearwater. During the 2008 World Series, a musician friend of mine was playing a gig at a bar in Clearwater. At one point he said, "Go Rays." During his break, the owner told him to go home, as they were all Phillies fans. Just north of Clearwater is Dunedin, which is heavily Canadian and home of the Blue Jays. Going south from St. Pete, you have the Pirates in Bradenton and the O's in Sarasota.

Spring training is huge down here. People take it seriously, and it means jobs for a lot of people. You can't ask people to root for one team in spring training and another during the regular season. Makes no sense.

IMHO, the Rays should move to Orlando, with a corresponding move of the Braves out of the Disney area.

[Can_of_corn]

I remember school letting out if it was too hot and humid.

Same here, didn't have air conditioning in all the schools growing up.

[weams]

I live in St. Pete, just a couple of miles from the Trop. The biggest problem I see is that the area is home to so many teams for spring training and minor leagues. East of St. Pete, Tampa is Yankees country, and they have a miniature version of Yankee Stadium there. Moving north of St. Pete, the Phillies own Clearwater. During the 2008 World Series, a musician friend of mine was playing a gig at a bar in Clearwater. At one point he said, "Go Rays." During his break, the owner told him to go home, as they were all Phillies fans. Just north of Clearwater is Dunedin, which is heavily Canadian and home of the Blue Jays. Going south from St. Pete, you have the Pirates in Bradenton and the O's in Sarasota.

Spring training is huge down here. People take it seriously, and it means jobs for a lot of people. You can't ask people to root for one team in spring training and another during the regular season. Makes no sense.

IMHO, the Rays should move to Orlando, with a corresponding move of the Braves out of the Disney area.

Very good post.

[ConnO'sFan]

I live in St. Pete, just a couple of miles from the Trop. The biggest problem I see is that the area is home to so many teams for spring training and minor leagues. East of St. Pete, Tampa is Yankees country, and they have a miniature version of Yankee Stadium there. Moving north of St. Pete, the Phillies own Clearwater. During the 2008 World Series, a musician friend of mine was playing a gig at a bar in Clearwater. At one point he said, "Go Rays." During his break, the owner told him to go home, as they were all Phillies fans. Just north of Clearwater is Dunedin, which is heavily Canadian and home of the Blue Jays. Going south from St. Pete, you have the Pirates in Bradenton and the O's in Sarasota.

Spring training is huge down here. People take it seriously, and it means jobs for a lot of people. You can't ask people to root for one team in spring training and another during the regular season. Makes no sense.

IMHO, the Rays should move to Orlando, with a corresponding move of the Braves out of the Disney area.

Very well said. I'm not so sure that Tampa/St Pete really can support a MLB team. Maybe not even Florida can. What about New Orleans though? That's for another post.

[brianod]

I live in St. Pete, just a couple of miles from the Trop. The biggest problem I see is that the area is home to so many teams for spring training and minor leagues. East of St. Pete, Tampa is Yankees country, and they have a miniature version of Yankee Stadium there. Moving north of St. Pete, the Phillies own Clearwater. During the 2008 World Series, a musician friend of mine was playing a gig at a bar in Clearwater. At one point he said, "Go Rays." During his break, the owner told him to go home, as they were all Phillies fans. Just north of Clearwater is Dunedin, which is heavily Canadian and home of the Blue Jays. Going south from St. Pete, you have the Pirates in Bradenton and the O's in Sarasota.

Spring training is huge down here. People take it seriously, and it means jobs for a lot of people. You can't ask people to root for one team in spring training and another during the regular season. Makes no sense.

IMHO, the Rays should move to Orlando, with a corresponding move of the Braves out of the Disney area.

I've been to spring training the last three years in Sarasota. I think the Tampa area down to Fort Myers is pretty awesome. Bottom line is that major league teams spend 6 weeks in their spring training home. Why someone from Sarasota would root for the O's over the Rays befuddles me. You get six weeks of the O's and 45 minutes away, you get 6-7 months of the Rays. Now, I understand the stadium sucks and is hard to get in and out of. (FedEx comes to mind) But, I'm glad things are as they are because if you gave those guys 150 million payroll, things would get ugly.

[St. Mikes]

This is my first time posting. I was born and raised in St. Michaels MD, living there until I joined the military in 1986. I'm a lifelong Orioles fan. I've lived in Tampa since 2005 and go to several Ray's games a year, mostly when they play the Orioles. Besides the reasons that have been mentioned before, which are all true, I think another major reason is that ALL the Ray's games are televised on the FOX Sports/SUN Sports network. Don't get me wrong, I love being able to watch every Ray's game, but it definitely influences fans when they have to decide whether to fight the traffic jams to get to the stadium or just watch the game from the comfort of their living room. I don't know what the long term solution is going to be to boost attendance, but I do know that it will be a shame if the Tampa Bay area ends up losing the Ray's. They are a great organization, with a classy manager (Joe Maddon), players who are fun to watch, and a positive contribution to the community.

Here's to a fantastic 2013 season. Go O's!!!

[Fla_O'sfan]

The White Sox had a smaller crowd today. The Pirates, and A's had considerably smaller crowds today, and the Blue Jays and Braves had similar crowds to the Rays. While they have had attendance problems, not sure that was the case today.

[BohBalmer]

All Orioles games are on MASN HD

[lormat]

Tampa International Airport has never recorded a 100 degree temperature. Yes the heat down here is draining but summer in MD is no joke either. I remember 104 with 90%+ humidity growing up.

I am not going to get in a pi$$ing match but Tampa airport is 20 miles away from the staduim. It is also closer to the coast which means coller temps. St Pete has recorded 100 degree temps. As stated elsewhere TV is hugh here. They get alot of veiwers on there but not on the staduim for some dumb reason. I agree it probably would have been better in Orlando.

[Grt 2BA FL Gator]

In the early '90s they had tickets advertised on grocery bags at Kash n' Karry. Even the football only draws when they are actively winning.

Indeed Florida's pro sports fans are pretty fair weather. I guess what I was trying to say is that sustained winning brought the fans for the Bucs. The Rays have a fan base, people just don't show up to the games..

[Shabadoo25]

Yesterday was my first visit to The Trop and I liked the experience. People rag the stadium, but it has an intimate feeling and you are close to the action on the field.

I was sitting not far from the O's bullpen, which was nice.

As for the need for the dome, The Rays would lead MLB in rainouts without it.