Rays Owner: MLB No Longer Believes in Tampa

[chicagowhitesox1]

The Brooklyn Cyclones would be a pretty cool name. I just have to wonder what the uniforms would look like. Maybe they could go back to Brooklyns roots and call themselves either the Trolleys, Bridesgrooms, Superbas or the Robins.

After reading about this subject in a different forum I'm thinking Sacramento might have a good shot at a team too. Although I think the A's would be better suited there. The A's are already used to moving alot.

[WhiteSox5187]

If Tampa moves I think the best city for them to move to would be Montreal. I think they are in the top ten TV markets in North America and because the Rays are in the AL East they have two big markets coming to Montreal to make road trips in New York and Boston and a natural rival in Toronto. There is also a major league stadium (granted, a crappy one) already in the city that can be used while a new one is constructed. I am not sure what the financial situation is in Montreal or Quebec province but it is possible that they might have enough money to contribute some money for a new stadium as well. I would just hope that Bud does right and gives the Rays the naming rights and history to the Expos.

[chicagowhitesox1]

Originally Posted by WhiteSox5187

If Tampa moves I think the best city for them to move to would be Montreal. I think they are in the top ten TV markets in North America and because the Rays are in the AL East they have two big markets coming to Montreal to make road trips in New York and Boston and a natural rival in Toronto. There is also a major league stadium (granted, a crappy one) already in the city that can be used while a new one is constructed. I am not sure what the financial situation is in Montreal or Quebec province but it is possible that they might have enough money to contribute some money for a new stadium as well. I would just hope that Bud does right and gives the Rays the naming rights and history to the Expos.

I would like to see Montreal get a team back and your right it does make sense with the rivalrys. The idea I really like is that the Expos get back their franchise history from the Nationals. Then you could give the city of Washington their team history from the Twins. I don't think the Twins even care about their history in Washington, nor should they care. I doubt too many Arizona Cardinals fans care about the old Chicago Cardinals so why would a Twin fan care about the old Senators.

[soxfanatlanta]

Originally Posted by LoveYourSuit

Would the Orlando tourist factor help make up for the population difference?

No.

(I did nothing for Miami)

[johnnyg83]

Originally Posted by soxfanatlanta

No.

(I did nothing for Miami)

So definitive.

I'd argue miami and Orlando get very different types of tourists ... Euro trash, posers and seniors vs. families.

[soxfanatlanta]

Originally Posted by johnnyg83

So definitive.

I'd argue miami and Orlando get very different types of tourists ... Euro trash, posers and seniors vs. families.

Fair enough, but think about it this way: would you, after spending all day in the Orlando heat and humidity at the various theme parks, want to spend another three hours at a ballgame?

Nope, not gonna happen.

[LITTLE NELL]

Originally Posted by LoveYourSuit

Would the Orlando tourist factor help make up for the population difference?

Not that much, too many things going on at all the parks even at night.

[SI1020]

Originally Posted by kittle42

They should let the state float away.

I like Florida. A lot as a matter of fact. I prefer Sarasota and the Keys. I wish the Sox still did spring training in Sarasota. On the matter at hand yes it does appear that for a variety of reasons baseball does not work in Florida outside of spring training.

[johnnyg83]

Originally Posted by johnnyg83

So definitive.

I'd argue miami and Orlando get very different types of tourists ... Euro trash, posers and seniors vs. families.

Agreed.

But as a dad, I may carve one day out of a week to do non-theme park activities... That include baseball.

[Red Barchetta]

We moved to the Sarasota area in 2005 and love it however I have to agree that the Tampa/St. Pete/Clearwater area (largest combined metropolitan area in Florida) can't seem to support MLB and are also having serious problems with the NFL as well. Ironically, the NHL is doing well (Lightning).

I tend to watch the Bears game at a local watering hole and the past few seasons there have been many Bucs fans watching the games because of the local home game blackouts. I remember one Bucs fans sharing his displeasure about how so many people still remain fans of the teams they rooted for before moving to Florida. I asked him why so many Bucs "fans" don't attend the games since there are so many available seats? Bears, Packers, Giants, Steelers, etc. sell out when it's 5 degrees and the Bucs can't sell out when it's 70 degrees?!

The same thing with the Rays. When the SOX played them in the ALDS a few years ago, I went to all the games at the Trop and suffered through the cowbell rage. I actually saw some Rays fans wearing team jerseys with the price tags still attached! I also had a nice spirited discussion with one lady who's mouth was as loud as her cowbell and was laughing when she couldn't answer my question by naming five other Rays players besides Evan Longoria.

I don't think Tampa Bay area deserves the Rays. I know the owners are trying to move the team to a downtown Tampa site directly across from the St. Pete Times where the Lightning play. The bonds to pay off Tropicana Dome expire in 2016 even though their lease does not expire until 2024. Since the dome is going to be paid off soon, the Rays lawyers are already working to get them out of their lease which MLB will support.

[doublem23]

Originally Posted by kittle42

They should let the state float away.

Originally Posted by johnnyg83

So definitive.

I'd argue miami and Orlando get very different types of tourists ... Euro trash, posers and seniors vs. families.

It still has to be a losing proposition to move a team that has some of the worst attendance issues in the league to a city that's 35% smaller and bank on a bunch of old people and kids with no regional allegiance to make up that difference.

Florida is a nice place to catch some rays at the beach, do some sport fishing, go to some overpriced theme parks and ride some overrated roller coasters, float to on a box from Cuba, and sit around and wait to die in, but it just does not seem to work as a pro sports market, especially outside of Miami, which seems to have the only two pro teams in the state that ever get any kind of real support; the Dolphins and Heat, though they only seem to really be popular when the former is headed by arguably the greatest QB of all time and when the latter has two of the Top 10 NBA players on its roster, one of whom may be one of the 3-5 greatest players ever.

[SI1020]

I like Bugs Bunny too.

[Golden Sox]

We use to vacation in Florida. First of all , the stadium in St. Pete is easily the worse stadium I have ever been to. Secondly, I always caught the vibe that Tampa looks at St. Pete the same way the Northsiders of Chicago look at the Southside of Chicago. As a matter of fact I remember the Tampa newspapers stating in their editorial pages that the stadium in St. Pete should not be built there. They felt most people from Tampa would not go there. If the city of Tampa builds a stadium somewhere in downtown Tampa, I would think the Rays will stay there. I don't think they will move anywhere. If the new stadium is not built in Tampa, I would think MLB will eliminate the franchise.

[moochpuppy]

Maybe Disney wants to get back into baseball, buy the Rays, move them into the Orlando area and build a state-of-the-art stadium on property (near the ESPN Wide World of Sports complex). The facility is easy to get to (right off I4) and they could incorporate game tickets into their theme park ticket plans. All kind of options open up.

Just spit balling here.

[Oblong]

Originally Posted by LITTLE NELL

Because maybe he would not like being remembered as the guy who was responsible for the loss of the Rays for the area. He needs to do the right thing.

would anybody notice? Seems to me like the people there don't want one so I don't understand why the mayor letting them go would be a bad thing.