This is the team that's going to win the division?

[yeszir]

http://www.tampabay.com/sports/baseball/rays/tampa-bay-rays-will-give-away-20000-free-tickets/1124684

 

Seriously? The Rays are giving away 20,000 free tickets to create a "full house atmosphere." The problem isnt that tickets are expensive. The problem is that their fans suck.

[a700hitter]

http://www.tampabay.com/sports/baseball/rays/tampa-bay-rays-will-give-away-20000-free-tickets/1124684

 

Seriously? The Rays are giving away 20,000 free tickets to create a "full house atmosphere." The problem isnt that tickets are expensive. The problem is that their fans suck.

They don't have fans. That's the problem.

[RedSoxfanforlife305]

http://www.tampabay.com/sports/baseball/rays/tampa-bay-rays-will-give-away-20000-free-tickets/1124684

 

Seriously? The Rays are giving away 20,000 free tickets to create a "full house atmosphere." The problem isnt that tickets are expensive. The problem is that their fans suck.

 

The Rays have fans

[Spudboy]

This reminds me of the ABA (for younger members, that's the American Basketball Association).

 

They tried every trick in the book to promote the fledgling league. Alas, if a team is located in a market without the proper demographics, survival is difficult and doom is inevitable. Too bad, That has been an exciting team to watch for many years. Loads of young talent. And they've been very competitive for three years.

 

Some say that building a stadium across the causeway would increase interest. Getting to a Ray's game is a bitch. And there is greater population base and higher expendable income on "the mainland".

That is true, but the Rays are locked into a long term lease at the Trop, and the St. Pete area is no prize when it comes to marketing baseball either.

 

A move to another market is needed. The lease is a problem.

[Spudboy]

And by the way, they were sold out against the Yankees recently. Maybe there are more Yankee fans there?

[RedSoxfanforlife305]

And by the way' date=' they were sold out against the Yankees recently. Maybe there are more Yankee fans there?[/quote']

 

Most likely. Rays don't have more than 100 fans.

[Spudboy]

Most likely. Rays don't have more than 100 fans.

 

Ha ha ha.

 

You live in Florida. The economy there has really tanked. The Rays play in an area where the economy is weakest.

[Keeper]

Embarrassing. Marlins fans aren't very good, either. Leads me to believe the state of Florida doesn't deserve one baseball team, let alone two.

 

My dad observed at The Cell that a lot more black people used to go to games. Tickets are too expensive now, I guess.

[RedSoxfanforlife305]

Embarrassing. Marlins fans aren't very good, either. Leads me to believe the state of Florida doesn't deserve one baseball team, let alone two.

 

My dad observed at The Cell that a lot more black people used to go to games. Tickets are too expensive now, I guess.

 

Marlins had fans in 2003 than vanished. Damn bandwagons.

[msubulldogs21]

My dad observed at The Cell that a lot more black people used to go to games.

 

You never see black people at baseball games anymore. It's like trying to play "Where's Waldo", only in real life.

[RedSoxfanforlife305]

You never see black people at baseball games anymore. It's like trying to play "Where's Waldo"' date=' only in real life.[/quote']

 

Seriously though when I go to baseball games I'm the only black one there.

[Spudboy]

As Keeper said, maybe Florida can not sustain a MLB team.

 

The state has one industry. Tourism.

[Spudboy]

And, a large part of Florida's population is Hispanic. Where were they?

 

The issue is economic. Not racial.

[a700hitter]

Seriously though when I go to baseball games I'm the only black one there.

Only 13.5% of the population is black (including those of more than one race). I don't think this is limited to African Americans. The African American population is more heavily skewed to the southern state. The percentage in Mass is around only 8%, so even if representative percentages show up at the ballpark it would still be like Where's Waldo.

 

http://www.infoplease.com/spot/bhmcensus1.html

[Northern Star]

Hold on a moment. Does anyone really want to criticize the citizenry of south Florida for not showing up to Marlins games (in a far from ideal location) while their TERRIBLE, CRIMINAL owner refuses to spend money on the team, and any good player is shipped out of town before they cost too much? They spent about $50mil on payroll in 2008 and 2009 COMBINED. I am pretty sure they were shopping Josh Johnson until MLB stepped in and forced them to up their payroll.

 

Attendance was boosted in 1997 when they spent their way to a World Series title. Until the new stadium is open and Loria is forced out, and/or the payroll is stabilized, it's not clear cut to say they don't have the fan base. They do such a great job of drafting that they arguably only need to add a decent FA or two to seriously challenge for the playoffs.