Rays Owner: MLB No Longer Believes in Tampa

[doublem23]

Originally Posted by Oblong

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.

Yeah, not to mention didn't the former mayor of Miami get voted out of office because he pushed through the financing for the Marlins new stadium against the wishes of most of his constituents?

[HomeFish]

Originally Posted by chicagowhitesox1

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.

The Nationals do not care about their Montreal history: they have retired numbers from a few Expos players, and their TV play-by-play guy is a former Expo, but apart from this they very much shy away from it. You can't get on the jumbotron at Nationals Park if you are wearing Expos gear.

On the other hand, they already make a lot of use of the Senators history: they wear Senators jerseys from time to time and sell them in their gift shop.

[LITTLE NELL]

Originally Posted by 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.

I think that the Rays would do much better in a stadium near downtown Tampa. As you stated, the Lightning is doing very well and I know their fans are very loyal as I've been to a few games at the Forum and check out their Facebook page once in awhile. They broke their TV viewership ratings the other night and are drawing very well at the Forum. I'm still a Blackhawk fan but the Lightning is a very close second as I never miss one of their televised games which just about all of them. I also watch most of the Rays games unless the Sox are on the tube.

I've been to quite a few Sox-Rays games at the Trop and last year I was surrounded by season ticket holders who knew the game and all thought that the Rays would draw better in downtown Tampa.

As for St Pete, I think it's a great little city, the key word is little and there are just not enough people in St. Pete and not enough from Tampa who are willing to make the trip south to support the team.

[SCCWS]

Originally Posted by Viva Medias B's

Stuart Sternberg, the owner of the Tampa Bay Rays, said today the Major League Baseball no longer believes in the viability of having a franchise there. I have always said that the Rays should be in Orlando. I think that's a better market for sports, and the Rays would draw better there.

Link

Why Orlando??? Greater Orlando has a population of about 1/2 greater Tampa.

[chicagowhitesox1]

Originally Posted by HomeFish

The Nationals do not care about their Montreal history: they have retired numbers from a few Expos players, and their TV play-by-play guy is a former Expo, but apart from this they very much shy away from it. You can't get on the jumbotron at Nationals Park if you are wearing Expos gear.

On the other hand, they already make a lot of use of the Senators history: they wear Senators jerseys from time to time and sell them in their gift shop.

The Nationals at least have a few retired numbers of the Expos, the Twins have no retired numbers from the old Washington Senators. I didn't know the Nats could sell Senators merchandise but its's nice the Twins don't mind.

[SCCWS]

Originally Posted by Brian26

Pretty much this. We heard the same story in Miami. They built a multi-million dollar facility in the "better location", and they still couldn't draw. Shut the state down after Spring Training and move these two teams to cities that will appreciate them.

Huh???? Miami averaged 27,000 per game last year. That is better than the White Sox did.

[WhiteSox5187]

Originally Posted by SCCWS

Huh???? Miami averaged 27,000 per game last year. That is better than the White Sox did.

In a brand new billion dollar stadium with a bunch of new stars, that isn't good enough. They played .700 ball in May and still couldn't draw flies.

[LITTLE NELL]

Originally Posted by SCCWS

Huh???? Miami averaged 27,000 per game last year. That is better than the White Sox did.

The only problem is that they were hoping for 3,000,000 and came up about 800,000 short.
They have the same problem that the Rays have, they built the new park too far south, it should have been near the Broward and Dade county line.

[doublem23]

Originally Posted by SCCWS

Huh???? Miami averaged 27,000 per game last year. That is better than the White Sox did.

That's also with the traditional "New Stadium" attendance bump. Let's see how they draw over the next couple of years. I'm guessing it's going to be in the mid to high 10,000's.

Oh, and by the way, the cost of that park is going to be in the billions before Miami pays it off!

http://deadspin.com/5978964/the-real...n-the-billions

[TDog]

Originally Posted by RKMeibalane

A team in Brooklyn or Manhattan would work. ....

Baseball fans in Brooklyn and Manhattan already have a local baseball team to follow. This isn't 1950. It isn't even 1960.

It is an irrelevant question, though. Most of the Yankees local fanbase comes from outside of the Bronx. Most of the Mets local fanbase comes from outside of Queens. And there is no way the Yankees or Mets would allow an American or National League team to be relocated to Brooklyn or Manhattan.

[Mr. Jinx]

Originally Posted by TDog

Baseball fans in Brooklyn and Manhattan already have a local baseball team to follow. This isn't 1950. It isn't even 1960.

It is an irrelevant question, though. Most of the Yankees local fanbase comes from outside of the Bronx. Most of the Mets local fanbase comes from outside of Queens. And there is no way the Yankees or Mets would allow an American or National League team to be relocated to Brooklyn or Manhattan.

Yeah, I would much rather spread the wealth of having a pro team to a city without one than give a third to New York. Sure, you could make more money locally with a third NY team, but if you want to go that route might as well pack up about half the teams in the league (Sox included) and move them all to the northeastern seaboard.

[Noir]

Next stop, Montreal!

[Lip Man 1]

Unless the state of Florida is willing to allow them to break a long term lease and go somewhere else, the Rays aren't going anyplace, regardless of what they draw.

And by all accounts the state is not willing to do this.

Lip

[Deadguy]

Montreal is the best fit in terms of population and corporate presence (to lease those expensive suites). The problem is that they would have to build a baseball only stadium before MLB would even entertain the idea.

http://www.bizjournals.com/bizjournals/on-numbers/scott-thomas/2011/08/baseball-has-few-options-for-expansion.html?appSession=391087404391082&RecordID =&2&PrevPageID=&cpipagePageID==1&CPISortType=&CPIorderBy=

The New York MSA obviously has the population and Corporate presence to support a third team (Northern NJ, Brooklyn, or Long Island), but there is no way that the Yankees or the Mets would allow it to happen

[TheVulture]

Originally Posted by Lip Man 1

Unless the state of Florida is willing to allow them to break a long term lease and go somewhere else, the Rays aren't going anyplace, regardless of what they draw.

And by all accounts the state is not willing to do this.

Lip

The lease is actually with the city of St Petersburg, but from what I've read you are otherwise absolutely correct.