Tampa Rays Players rip Fans for not showing up at games. (Miami: new home, prices)

[craigm1841]

Originally Posted by dnvrsoul

At least you actually go to a game-I've been here almost 2 years and have gone to about 40 games-most people haven't gone at all-
Again, he is right and it's sad how no one supports the teams-

I almost put a deposit on 2011 season tickets the other day, then i thought about having to drive over the bridge. I decided against getting season tickets.

[BucFan]

Originally Posted by kbrkr

So Longoria and Price start ripping the fans for not showing up at games, sort of biting the hand that feeds them.

Do you think it was right or wrong?

Here is the ESPN article about it:
Evan Longoria of Tampa Bay Rays calls out team's fans for not showing up - ESPN

p.s. I've $1,000.00 on games this year and I'm not even a Rays fan. How much more do they want from me?

He didn't rip the fans - he asked the question, "why only 12,000 attendance" - he can't understand the situation and asked the question why our attendance is low. He in no way condemned fans for not going to games.

[BucFan]

Originally Posted by ferret111

Sounds like a pretty alienating move. Get rid of the cowbell ringers and maybe more people will show up.

This is the first complaint I've ever heard about cowbells.

I've heard -
1. Stadium stinks (I don't have a problem with it, personally).
2. Stadium doesn't have good access for handicapped
3. Tickets too expensive (my ticket last night was $6
4. Parking too expensive (I never pay for parking, btw).
5. Beer/food is too expensive (I eat before going).
6. Team has no longevity (like the Yankees, Reds, Pirates, Dodgers)
7. Takes too long to get to the stadium from Tampa (try driving the Yankee stadium or Fenway Park from the suburbs).
8. Lineup stinks - using Durham Bulls players (the same players who brought this team league leading wins).
9. Nothing for the kids to do at the game (very wrong - things all throughout the stadium including facepainting, pet real live rays, run the bases, play with the mascot, throw the baseball, proactice being an announcer, etc etc etc).
10. Can't afford to go ($6 tickets are readily available)


Clearly Tampa isn't a market for three pro franchises that compete for the public's dollar. We should never have been awarded a MLB franchise, imo.

[BucFan]

Originally Posted by Mike Peterson

I have an idea. How about all the Rays players take a 10% salary cut and the team can use that money and cut ticket costs.

PolitiFact Florida | Tampa Bay Rays owner says team is most affordable in sports


The Rays were judged recently has having the most affordable ticket in sports. I paid x3 as much to see the Mets play a couple of weeks ago at their stadium - and had miserable nosebleed seats. You rarely find a bad seat at the Trop and the prices are a third what you pay elsewhere.

[BucFan]

Originally Posted by oldfart1947

I read the article........I don't think he was "ripping" the fans and I think he is correct.
I live near Philly. The fans here are great. The Phils have sold out every game this year and have sold standing room only tickets. There is nothing like 40,000 fans waving white towels to get excited. If I was a player, I would like to see that type of support for a winning team. If you suck, you shouldn't expect anyone to show.

Last night, the Phils clinched the NL EAST in Washington. 95% of the fans at Washington were Philly fans. It was actually kind of funny watching all the Philly fans at another teams park.

Absolutely correct. People are reading into his comment.

[craigm1841]

Originally Posted by BucFan

This is the first complaint I've ever heard about cowbells.

I've heard -
1. Stadium stinks (I don't have a problem with it, personally).
2. Stadium doesn't have good access for handicapped
3. Tickets too expensive (my ticket last night was $6
4. Parking too expensive (I never pay for parking, btw).
5. Beer/food is too expensive (I eat before going).
6. Team has no longevity (like the Yankees, Reds, Pirates, Dodgers)
7. Takes too long to get to the stadium from Tampa (try driving the Yankee stadium or Fenway Park from the suburbs).
8. Lineup stinks - using Durham Bulls players (the same players who brought this team league leading wins).
9. Nothing for the kids to do at the game (very wrong - things all throughout the stadium including facepainting, pet real live rays, run the bases, play with the mascot, throw the baseball, proactice being an announcer, etc etc etc).
10. Can't afford to go ($6 tickets are readily available)


Clearly Tampa isn't a market for three pro franchises that compete for the public's dollar. We should never have been awarded a MLB franchise, imo.

I've heard -
1. Stadium stinks (I don't have a problem with it, personally).
Haven't notcied that

2. Stadium doesn't have good access for handicapped
Doesn't bother me

3. Tickets too expensive (my ticket last night was $6
That is awesome, I might go tonight!

4. Parking too expensive (I never pay for parking, btw).
I pay for parking, but I like to tailgate and not walk far

5. Beer/food is too expensive (I eat before going).
It isnt worse then any concert/sports venue

6. Team has no longevity (like the Yankees, Reds, Pirates, Dodgers)
Not like yankee stadium is filled with 115 year old fans

7. Takes too long to get to the stadium from Tampa (try driving the Yankee stadium or Fenway Park from the suburbs).
I have done it. it is MISERABLE. grew up on long island. That said, i HARDLY ever went to games, but the stadium filled up because of the high population within a reasonable distance. there are also GREAT public transportation options for both Yankee and Shea Statium in NY

8. Lineup stinks - using Durham Bulls players (the same players who brought this team league leading wins).
Line-Up stinks? we have the best damn team in the MLB!

9. Nothing for the kids to do at the game (very wrong - things all throughout the stadium including facepainting, pet real live rays, run the bases, play with the mascot, throw the baseball, proactice being an announcer, etc etc etc).
When I was a kid, I went to baseball games to watch the game...

10. Can't afford to go ($6 tickets are readily available)
Are you for real with the $6 tickets???


It really only goes back to the driving thing for me. I would go a few days a week if i didnt have to drive 20-30 minutes from westshore. When i lived in brandon it was over an hour!

[StreetSmarts]

Most dont care in Tampa b/c they're all from NY and Boston and couldnt fathom pulling for their new "home team."

[BucFan]

Tampa Bay Rays vs Baltimore Orioles [9/29/2010] at StubHub!

[BucFan]

Originally Posted by ComSense

Most dont care in Tampa b/c they're all from NY and Boston and couldnt fathom pulling for their new "home team."

If you really like baseball, you'd go to any teams stadium. I did it in Seattle and Atlanta. Didn't really care for their teams, but enjoyed professional baseball. To tell the truth, the other night I went to the game just to see Ichiro, future Hall of Famer. Even got rightfield seats just to get a closer view.

These transplants ought to go to games just to see major league baseball, regardless if their fav team is playing that night.

[craigm1841]

Originally Posted by BucFan

If you really like baseball, you'd go to any teams stadium. I did it in Seattle and Atlanta. Didn't really care for their teams, but enjoyed professional baseball. To tell the truth, the other night I went to the game just to see Ichiro, future Hall of Famer. Even got rightfield seats just to get a closer view.

These transplants ought to go to games just to see major league baseball, regardless if their fav team is playing that night.

eh... IMO baseball is actually pretty boring to me, unless i can get into the team that is playing. I became a rays fan when I was living in savannah GA considering a move to tampa. I came down apartment hunting i stayed downtown by myslef and went out to bars for dinner. The rays were in the AL championship at the time and everyone in the bars were going nuts.

When I got back to savannah after putting a deposit on an apartment, I found myself going out and rooting for the rays as they made their way through the AL championship and into the world series. The rays, at that time, were a way for me to identify myself as a Tampan. I was super excited about moving to tampa and becomming a rays fan at that time was easy and a made me more and more excited to get through next six weeks and make my way to tampa. Luckily the company i took a job with got season tickets to the rays! I grew up in NY as a yankees fan and stopped following them in highschool (graduated in 2001). I didnt identify myself as a new yorker any longer as i had lived in TX, SC, GA for 7 years, all towns with no pro sports.

Now that I live in Tampa, I once again proudly identify myself as a native new yorker, but I am also a Rays fan, nothing else. I'll go to a rays game and root against the yankees without thinking twice. I am also a bucs fan first and foremost, but I am also a Jets fan.

I am by no means a huge sports junkie. I dont know all the stats of everyone in a league. Hell i dont know the stats of everyone on the team. I can tell you the rays line-up and positions, but that is about where it stops. I can tell you the records of the rays and the teams that threaten them. Sports for me has become more of a way to identify myself as a member of the local community. I love living in Tampa.