Did the Rays Sell Out Their Biggest Series of the Year?

[Lamond]

Good point about park sizes. The Rays would sell out more often if they had a smaller stadium. And maybe less seats would highten interest?

Don't know, just supposin'.

[ufojoe]

IMO, theres nothing wrong if the Rays draw 30k.  Thats the number I would consistently want.  Lets remember, the sox only squeeze 36k into that wasteland up in boston, and I've gotta imagine the metro population in Boston is a good size bigger than TB.  The 32k crowd was very respectable.  The rays need to maintain that.  Postseason will be a sellout reguardless, even if they played the games in Alaska

And I kept hearing, "The RS series will be a sell out regardless..."

I'm skeptical about playoff sellouts if the games are during the week. Although, you might
have a lot of fans from the visiting team show up and get the sell out.

[Lamond]

Rays fans are on the edge of their seats waiting for a collapse. I'm rooting for them, don't get me wrong.

For some reason, could be limited income, could be that without any past success fans are nervous about losing it now, could be high humidity, people don't feel it's worth their $$.

I'm not a big baseball fan. Probably because I've been in Florida all my life and for sooooo long we didn't have a single team. Just couldn't be bothered to pay attention until the post season. If the Rays hold on I would expect the Trop to be sold out for playoff games.

Fingers crossed for the Rays though.

ROTL,

Give me a break. 1 of 162?

If you don't see the difference between this series and others then you must not follow baseball
very closely. This series is HUGE.

A ticket for this RS series should be the toughest ticket to get all year for them. And the only reason
they have 30K fans in there is because of the RS fans showing up in large numbers.

[InChuckyITrust]

ROTL,

Give me a break. 1 of 162?

If you don't see the difference between this series and others then you must not follow baseball
very closely. This series is HUGE.

A ticket for this RS series should be the toughest ticket to get all year for them. And the only reason
they have 30K fans in there is because of the RS fans showing up in large numbers.

I'm with you all the way.  Its nobody's fault, Tampa just doesnt need a baseball team.  I would love one here in Hartford but with the Yanks Mets Sox Phils O's Nat's all in the mid atlantic/northeast theres no room at all here.

Oklahoma city seems like a sports town thats on the verge of a break out... I think the support they showed The Hornets was impressive.  Omaha is a good sports town, i've heard portland but I dont know very much about the PNW.  I would love to see Vegas get a team but it wont happen, Indianapolis, Nashville, Richmond, Raleigh... somewhere can support these guys

[InChuckyITrust]

Joe,

Best believe if the Rays fans dont sell out the park to their fans, the other teams fans will eat them up.  You're talking about Los Angeles, Boston, and Chicago.  3 of the biggest most die hard sports markets in the US... there will be butts in those seats... they just may not be Rays butts

Also consider the vacation factor in TB... those seats will be full

[olafberserker]

 is PATHETIC.

not as PATHETIC as fans of other teams being so upset with the Rays success that they're consumed by the Rays attendance numbers.


Face it joe.  You've been blown up here.  The Yankees after a decade of putrid baseball couldn't draw more than around 50% capactiy during a World Series run.  The Brewers took 3 years to see significant change in attendance figures.  The Bucs didn't start filling the stadium until there was some sign of consistent winning and a new stadium.


The Rays are not the exception.  There is plenty of precedence here.  Most importantly, true fnas could care less they're just enjoying the run whether it's from the Trop or the sprots bars or they're living room is irrelevent.  You just go ahead and enjoy another CHOKE JOB by you massively overpriced players in NYC.

[MrFreakinMiyagi]

Not really sure why any non-Rays fan would care?

Jealousy, perhaps?

[InChuckyITrust]

Not really sure why any non-Rays fan would care?

Jealousy, perhaps?

I might buy it but for the most part its coming from all angles including those of boston who obviously has nothing to be jealous over.  They'll have a shot to defend their title whether or not they win the div... and if rays fans dont show up then the Sox are gonna have a home game 1300 miles away and im gonna puke.

[olafberserker]

Olaf, theres a couple different factors.  Baseball attendance has gone thru the roof the last 6 years or so.  Yankee stadium is filled to capactiy almost every night now, and they will again draw the biggest number of fans in a year, breaking the record from last year... but the pt is attendance is up all across baseball

In 1996, despite the NYY winning the WC the previous year, I dont remember many viewing them as they view the Yankees now (that might be a bad analogy).  Remember baseball was 2 years removed from the worst year in its HISTORY, and when you consider that in 96 the yanks drew about 27k fans per night (after almost 2 decades of terrible baseball), while Boston drew 28K per night and the mets were drawing a paltry 19k per night, the yanks attendance figures arent putrid.  They certainly took off in 98.

Hogwash.  The metro area of NYC is vastly larger than the Tampa Bay area.  The Yankee fan base wasbeing built for what 90 years and plenty of WS and playoff runs compared to the Rays' 10 years of 100 loss and near 100 loss seasons.  Virtually no season ticket base or corporate support to speak of for the Rays.  We're not even going into the current state of the economy.


Rays attendance is up 37%, merchandise and TV numbers are way up.  Interest is there.  Attendance will increase even more and if it doesn't most of us could care less.  The fans of opposing teams are far more concerned than we are.

[hoodsbucs]

I think the best part of this thread is, Tampa is a football town.

Have you been to a football game?  The bucs cant even sell out their home opener.  That place was a pathetic sight this past weekend.

BTW, the Mets suck....and yes I am a Mets fan.  They have heart only when they feel like it, which is about every 3 games or so.  Its unfortunate for a team like the Rays who play with heart everyday, only to see 8000 people come out and support them...pitiful.   Tampa is not a sports town at all.

[MrFreakinMiyagi]

I love Mets/Bucs fans and Yankees/Bucs fans coming on a Bucs MB, and ripping Rays/Bucs fans for their attendance.

[olafberserker]

Not really sure why any non-Rays fan would care?

Jealousy, perhaps?

I might buy it but for the most part its coming from all angles including those of boston who obviously has nothing to be jealous over. They'll have a shot to defend their title whether or not they win the div... and if rays fans dont show up then the Sox are gonna have a home game 1300 miles away and im gonna puke.

They're jealous that a team with a 45 million dollar pay roll is at least taking their 150 million pay roll team to the wire.  And don't kid yourself most of those Red sucks fans live within an hour or so of the Trop not 1300 miles away.

[olafberserker]

only to see 8000 people come out and support them

Yawn.  You're right though the Mets do suck.

[MrFreakinMiyagi]

Not really sure why any non-Rays fan would care?

Jealousy, perhaps?

I might buy it but for the most part its coming from all angles including those of boston who obviously has nothing to be jealous over. They'll have a shot to defend their title whether or not they win the div... and if rays fans dont show up then the Sox are gonna have a home game 1300 miles away and im gonna puke.

Should we kick Boston fans out of the area? It's not like they are making the trip from up north. They all live in this area.

[Magnaccia]

Don't tons of RS fans show up in the Bronx? Don't tons of Yankee fans make the trip to Fenway?

It's not just the Rays that attract opposing team fans to add to attendance lol