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Nobody goes to see the Rays

41Forever Jan 05 2019 09:27 AM

The Rays are planning to close the upper Deck at Tropicana Field, reducing capacity to about 25,000 seats — by far the smallest in the majors. [url]http://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/25683771/tampa-bay-rays-eliminate-upper-deck-seating-reduce-capacity-25000

Fman99 Jan 05 2019 10:42 AM Re: Nobody goes to see the Rays

It's not like they draw 25k either. They should close everything past the first 9 rows.

A Boy Named Seo Jan 05 2019 10:58 AM Re: Nobody goes to see the Rays

I think the Rays should close up those first 9 rows, too, then close up the rest of the stadium, then play their games in Portland and not call themselves the Rays anymore. I fixed the Rays!

Willets Point Jan 05 2019 12:16 PM Re: Nobody goes to see the Rays

Not true. When I watch Red Sox games, the stands at Tropicana are packed with Red Sox fans.

Frayed Knot Jan 05 2019 01:37 PM Re: Nobody goes to see the Rays

Willets Point wrote: Not true. When I watch Red Sox games, the stands at Tropicana are packed with Red Sox fans. Yeah, that's the thing, they sell real well for Sawx and Yanx games. Not only do they get visiting snowbirds for April games, plus all those northeast transplants, but both those two AL East opponents have a long history with their ST sites on Florida's west coast so there are native Floridians who were fans of BOS & NYY prior to the history of the Rays themselves.

Mex17 Jan 05 2019 04:20 PM Re: Nobody goes to see the Rays

The location of the park apparently has something to do with it. They say that it is hard to get to St. Pete from a lot of areas where they want to draw fans. Ybor City, they have determined, would be a lot better for them.

Johnny Lunchbucket Jan 06 2019 06:00 PM Re: Nobody goes to see the Rays

the ybor city plan they floated a few months back apparently won't happen. I could see them taking off for Portland. Perhaps they take over Miami and the Marlins go back to Montreal. That would be sweet

smg58 Jan 06 2019 07:26 PM Re: Nobody goes to see the Rays

They and the Marlins have a similar problem in that most of the baseball fans in their market grew up rooting for somebody else. You have to build up your fan base slowly and carefully -- i.e., not jerking your fans around by holding fire sales more often than you put contending teams together. And even then it's going to take time. But I think they'd be better served charging something like $5 for the upper deck seats. Make it real easy to come to the game. If nobody is buying them anyway, why not? (And the vendors will love them too.) No attention-getting promotion is too ridiculous to be considered, outside of dropping turkeys from a helicopter.

Mex17 Jan 06 2019 07:42 PM Re: Nobody goes to see the Rays

If they moved to North Carolina and became the "Charlotte Rays", they would have the perfect 7th Inning Stretch sing along song ready made for them. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gGS56qJ0xIw

Mex17 Jan 06 2019 07:45 PM Re: Nobody goes to see the Rays

Johnny Lunchbucket wrote: the ybor city plan they floated a few months back apparently won't happen. Link?

Mex17 Jan 06 2019 07:52 PM Re: Nobody goes to see the Rays

Why does the well run team have no fans, while the team with a rabid fanbase have The Three Stooges in charge?

seawolf17 Jan 07 2019 09:41 AM Re: Nobody goes to see the Rays

If they moved to North Carolina and became the "Charlotte Rays", they would have the perfect 7th Inning Stretch sing along song ready made for them. That would be amazing.