Tampa Doesn't Deserve The Rays

Scott Jensen has an article up at Dugout Central which is a variation on the bad attendance theme that's popular lately (hey, at least Tampa's good enough to have negative article written about them, right?)

Anyway, I was hoping to get some thoughts from people who actually know the area to see which of Scott's points actually hold up.

Specifically, how much do the Marlins' and Rays' markets overlap?

10 months ago Sky Kalkman Comment 15 comments 0 recs |

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Thank god the team isn't in Tampa.

"STP is me. He can do everything I can do." - R.J. Anderson

by P Brady on Sep 4, 2008 2:53 PM EDT reply actions 1 recs

Rays and Marlins markets don't overlap at all I would imagine.

by Top Gun Numba 1 on Sep 4, 2008 3:09 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Not gonna happen

by rglass44 on Sep 4, 2008 3:34 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

"The problem is that Tampa is not a baseball town and never has been. It might take decades of good play from the Rays, with a smattering of teams like this year’s, for the Rays to become a baseball town. And it’s not fair to ask Rays’ owner Stuart Sternb

Or it could take two years, but I’m all for hyperbole.

by R.J. Anderson on Sep 4, 2008 3:51 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Correct me if I'm wrong, but Al Lang field was the oldest stadium in FL right?

Something about ball being played here for the last 50 years tells me we are indeed a baseball town. St. Pete that is.

Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter, and those who matter don't mind.

by Sandy Kazmir on Sep 4, 2008 3:58 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

St. Pete has hosted more spring training games than any other U.S. city, the Phillies have been in Clearwater for 54 years, the Blue Jays have known nothing but spring training in Dunedin, Tampa hosted the Reds for 40 years. The statement that this area can’t be a baseball market is complete bullshit, perpetuated by people without a clue as to the intricacies of the situation.

by Patrick L. Kennedy on Sep 4, 2008 6:07 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Tampa didnt deserve the Bucs until they won the Super Bowl

and now there is a bazillion people on the waiting list for the Bucs

in 3 years the thought of an attendance problem will no exist.

by Dbullsfan on Sep 4, 2008 11:50 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

*there are

by Dbullsfan on Sep 4, 2008 11:50 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

*Bucs season tickets

Fail hardcore on that post

by Dbullsfan on Sep 4, 2008 11:51 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

You gotta love a story written without much fact gathering

or objectivity. Same goes for some of the people leaving comments. Some people have an opinion and then they come up with whatever evidence they can to make their opinion seem valid, regardless of the fact that the evidence used is poor or false. Just to touch on a few points…Florida is a football state first. The Marlins have 15 yrs of history. The Rays have 10 yrs. It takes time to build up a fan base. In the Marlins’ case, it takes a covered field, but that’s another subject. Florida has many other options for entertainment besides watching sports, so until the team consistently wins, it will be awhile before the Rays are first on the casual fan’s entertainment preference list. Some people only have enough disposable income to support one sport. They might not have money to attend several Bucs, Lightning, and Rays games throughout the year, so they might choose one over the other two. I chose the Rays over the other two for various reasons. Tampa Bay deserves a team. Scott Jensen doesn’t deserve a column, at least based on this piece of work.

by rayweaver on Sep 5, 2008 1:40 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

The posts are heavily moderated to only support his opinion.

I’ve tried to leave posts. they don’t get through moderation.

by floridaroar on Sep 5, 2008 10:42 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Not to mention attendance is up about 30% over last year

I'm laughing at the superior intellect.

by Orlando Rays on Sep 5, 2008 12:20 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

"None of them are baseball teams" - makes no sense,; this guy is an idiot.

The more relevant question is to where? We’ve talked about areas that are ripe for a team: Portland, Las Vegas and maybe Oklahoma City. But the difficulty all these options present is the same one that has doomed Tampa – none of them are baseball teams. The Rays, or whatever they might be called, would have to go through the same, prolonged fight to woo new fans and build their base.

by davelrogers on Sep 5, 2008 12:42 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs