Time for a New Stadium ? (Tampa: subsidized, live, prices)

[Soup Not See]

Rays Fans - is it time for a new stadium ?

Under media attention, Trop comes off in bad light | TBO.com

[gumbyfly]

When the Rays can't even pack the current stadium during an important series against a rival they trail in the standings - even with the thousands of Yankees fans - it is difficult to justify a new stadium. The place is probably completely empty when they play Detroit or Toronto.
Not to say they don't NEED a new stadium (at least a new roof). The low dome is horrible.

[ferret111]

They can build a new stadium every five years if they want. As long as it's with their own money and not being subsidized by the taxpayers.

[Kevin from Tampa]

Yes, it's time, and it needs to be built in Tampa.

Pinellas people, that is not a slam on Pinellas. It just makes more sense, in terms of how many people can easily get to the stadium, to build it more centrally to where the population lives.

Bill Foster acts like he owns the Rays and his attitude makes me crazy. The Rays belong to this area, NOT St Pete. If he wants to drive the Rays to move to Charlotte or Las Vegas, he's doing a great job of it.

He needs to shut up and provide solutions, not roadblocks.

[user8]

i personally wouldn't want a stadium in tampa. then again they don't come close to selling the games out so the traffic would be minimal.

[chi_tino]

The next Rays stadium will be in another state.

The general consensus (if you read the St Pete Times editorials, etc) is that, even at $9 a ticket, prices are "too damn high". Our $9 tickets will cost you $20-$50 at other stadiums, but the typical Floridian is so cheap that he would rather complain about it than go to a game.

Every new city that has built a new stadium has raised prices to pay for the additional amenities. If people are outraged at $9 tickets, they will go nuts when all of the prices double.

I am going to as many games as I can because I know that the team will not be here within 5 years.

[FloridaKash]

I concur.... the Rays will leaving Tampa Bay sooner than later... which is sad.

[jp01358]

I went to a game at the Trop earlier this year. I won't be going back. It's a shame that the stadium is so crappy, because I like the Rays. I just can't bring myself to get excited about going to a game in that stadium. I didn't feel like I was at a real baseball game. Part of the reason the Rays don't sell out is because the stadium is crap. I guess the other part is that the Tampa area doesn't support its teams too well anyway (maybe because everybody here is from somewhere else).

[user8]

it's kind of like going to a nats game when they were still at rfk stadium, minus the history that building has.

[BucFan]

Originally Posted by leftee

Rays Fans - is it time for a new stadium ?

Under media attention, Trop comes off in bad light | TBO.com

Nope. Not time. Couple of freak things like a broken lightbulb or a direct hit lightning strike isn't enough for our taxpayers having to shell out $500 million for a new stadium.

Lets face it, the Sternbergs bought the Rays on the cheap and are trying to flip the team for a profit. Why should the taxpayers subsidize their profit-making plan?

I've gone to about 30-40 games over the last three seasons, have traveled "over the bridge", have attended games in other stadiums and find absolutely nothing wrong w/ the stadium, the price per ticket, the availability of parking, the ability to bring food into the park.

I definitely won't go to any more games if they build a new stadium and jack up the price per ticket 300-1000%.