Thoughts on the Rays ballpark plans

by joe.lalley1@gmail.com on Apr 11, 2008 5:22 PM EDT Comment 8 comments

As a huge Rays fan I have 2 different points of view to the stadium issues. One being I love the cool air conditioning at the Trop I personally have never thought the Trop was a bad place to play and was very fan friendly , it rains in Florida its also feels like a blast furnace hits you at times in the scolding heat in the summer so it makes sense to have a dome stadium here it really does, I sadly must say the fans do not attend the games. How do the Rays think if we get a new ballpark that the fans will come. I say its simple "WIN" and they will come the Bucs and the Lightning proved that it has nothing to do with where they play. Florida is loaded with old folks and I mean that respectfully but I cannot imagine my grandparents sitting in the stands in 100 degree heat on an August Sunday afternoon watching a ball game that's not going to happen. I know they say they have innovative ways to help cool the stadium but if your a developer from up north what do you know about Florida heat. I do understand thats it takes money to pay for the players to help us win but just like when you buy a product you want it to work and get your moneys worth for what you pay for it. If the Rays develop a good team you won't be able to buy a ticket. I do believe without being bias as a fan we are heading in the right direction. I do believe that if we don't get the stadium that the Rays will be gone, it kills me to say that but that's my belief, my reasoning why the owners want to make money not getting the ballpark will limit their income and first and foremost with them its a business they have the money vested in and they do deserve to profit no doubt but, I think knowing what I know that they are stubborn people that will bolt if they don't get their way. So on that note losing my team would hurt me as a fan so I would accept a new ball park over losing the Rays. You heard it 1st NO STADIUM WILL eventually mean NO RAYS !!

[Note by joe.lalley1@gmail.com, 04/11/08 2:23 PM PDT ]

0 recs | Comment 8 comments

Story-email Email Printer Print

Comments

Well....

Ownership has put in millions of their precious dollars into the Trop last year and this year.

Mound Visit

by Mound Visit on Apr 11, 2008 5:36 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I respectfully disagree

The team has stated multiple times that they will continue to play in the Trop even if the stadium plan is rejected, and I believe them. Their track record of commitment to the community has earned them that trust on my part. Obviously they want a new stadium and will look elsewhere if the deal falls through, but they've stated repeatedly that they will never demand a new stadium. I don't think they're "stubborn" at all. All of their actions to this point have been very measured and they've shown the ability to be open-minded.

And Joe, I just wanted to say that it's great that your on the site and I like you expressing your opinions, but you can get your point across without emboldening your entire statement.

by Patrick L. Kennedy on Apr 11, 2008 5:40 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

yeah man, easy on the bold

gives me a headache to read that...

by davidsmarch on Apr 11, 2008 5:56 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

MY EYES BURN!

"Baseball fans are junkies, and their heroin is the statistic." - Robert S. Weider

by R.J. Anderson on Apr 11, 2008 5:58 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Relocation threats are silly. Believe it or not, there is not a better market sitting out there waiting to grab the Rays. The dorks running the Marlins would have bolted long ago if that were the case.

by RATW on Apr 11, 2008 6:26 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Oh come on. We all know in 20 years they'll be the Brooklyn Rays.

"Baseball fans are junkies, and their heroin is the statistic." - Robert S. Weider

by R.J. Anderson on Apr 11, 2008 6:29 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

There are only two legit US markets left

Portland and Las Vegas. Vancouver and Montreal (who could succeed with a new stadium) if you include Canada. I think that within another decade, we will see one more round of expansion taking two of those markets. More expansion will have to wait years.

Why would the Rays move to any of those markets, none of them have viable ballparks. And, as much as I desperately want Portland to get a team, this isn't the way I would want it.

Of course, its a moot point, no current teams are going anywhere.

--Dave
Addicted to Quack, SBN's Oregon Ducks blog

by Addicted to Quack on Apr 13, 2008 10:25 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Agreed

There is no reason for the Rays to vacate the 12th largest media market in the country for any of those locations, no offense. I'd love to see baseball return to Montreal in a decent stadium, since Les Expos were screwed. I don't think Vancouver will get a team, being so close to Seattle, and the Mariners will likely try and block Portland getting one as well since that is a valuable part of their TV territory. But I think that Portland can prevail as a solid baseball market.

I don't really think that Vegas can support a team though. Maybe if it keeps growing, but right now wealth is too concentrated into the hands of a few proprietors, and too many people work in the service industry for ballpark attendance to be consistently decent, IMO.

And even though I was never around for the process of getting a major league team, I agree with you on how the approach should go. I want my own expansion team. I don't want to piggyback on some team's identity elsewhere, I want my own team. And despite the Rays' struggles over the last ten years, I'm glad we aren't the Tampa Bay White Sox, Tampa Bay Mariners, Tampa Bay Giants, Tampa Bay Twins, or Tampa Bay Rangers.

by Patrick L. Kennedy on Apr 14, 2008 1:54 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs