Time for a New Stadium ? (Miami, Tampa: layoffs, food, rich)

[Soup Not See]

Originally Posted by Kevin from Tampa

Interesting article from the Times...on why downtown Tampa seems to be the place that the Rays would like to build...it ain't about the fans (surprise), it's about the corporate dollars...

Debate over a new Tampa Bay Rays stadium pits business interests vs. emotional attachment to Tropicana Field - St. Petersburg Times

Exactly the reason they should think outside the box and look at Disney ?
Not enough corporate sponsors in the Bay area, go to the next closest area ...

[Kevin from Tampa]

Originally Posted by leftee

Exactly the reason they should think outside the box and look at Disney ?
Not enough corporate sponsors in the Bay area, go to the next closest area ...

If you're suggesting Lakeland again, that's just not realistic. It's just not. No one is going to drive that far to go to a game. If you're suggesting putting a stadium in Orlando...that's just not a big enough area to have two major league sports teams. I think we're somewhat stretching 3 in Tampa/St Pete, but it's doable.

No one, and I mean no one, would ever seriously consider putting a stadium anywhere outside of Hillsborough or Pinellas counties. Again, I know what you're thinking, but Orlando and Tampa Bay are just too far apart.

If you put the stadium in downtown Tampa, you'd see an increase in Orlando people coming over for games...maybe a thousand or so more a game...that would help.

[Soup Not See]

Originally Posted by Kevin from Tampa

If you're suggesting Lakeland again, that's just not realistic. It's just not. No one is going to drive that far to go to a game. If you're suggesting putting a stadium in Orlando...that's just not a big enough area to have two major league sports teams. I think we're somewhat stretching 3 in Tampa/St Pete, but it's doable.

No one, and I mean no one, would ever seriously consider putting a stadium anywhere outside of Hillsborough or Pinellas counties. Again, I know what you're thinking, but Orlando and Tampa Bay are just too far apart.

If you put the stadium in downtown Tampa, you'd see an increase in Orlando people coming over for games...maybe a thousand or so more a game...that would help.

Actually I'm not thinking of Lakeland again, just another possible corporate source of income. Do Disney Cruises go in and out of Tampa ?

[FloridaKash]

Successful teams have lots of corporate season ticket holders or corporations who own VIP boxes, it's just the way it works. I think one of the reasons why the Rays do not have high attendance is the fact that they are not near many corporate head quarters. It's not just a 10 minute walk/bus/taxi ride from the office to the game. Not sure if you want to take out of town clients to Tropicana Field so they can laugh about how lame the stadium is either. Nobody really knows the solution on how to fill up the stadium.

One thing that may be hurting the Rays is that they don't have any stars that have been on their team for 10+ years. They change out players all the time, so fans have a hard time building a bond with the team. All successful (in attendance wise) teams have a few players that have been around a long time. Not so much the Rays. Like Tampa, the Rays are transient.

Basketball games have an Arena that is much smaller than baseball stadiums. They also have a lot less games. Seattle has a successful baseball and football team, but nobody went to the Supersonics so they moved. Maybe, the sad but true fact here is that Tampa is a Football/Hockey town... not a baseball town.

Keep the Spring Training alive here, get your fix that way. It's great that we have the opportunity to watch so many teams come and play during the spring when the weather is comfortable and perfect to watch baseball.

[crazynip]

Next year will be interesting. The Florida Marlins move into their new stadium which was publicly funded. They have just about the WORST attendance in the league and in a MUCH larger metro are than Tampa or most other MLB towns. If they dont draw with their new stadium, there is ZERO chance of the Rays getting one. Zero.

It's a joke they got any public money in this economy.

[BBI]

Originally Posted by Kevin from Tampa

I just can't drive home, get my kids, drive to St Pete, and drive all the way back home, and feel like I'm treating my kids well.

It is NOT 20 minutes downtown to downtown. I have no idea where you are getting that. Heck, I just mapquested the directions from the ice palace to the dome, and that's more than 23 miles. Factor in traffic, etc...if you can make that in 20 minutes, more power to you. I can't.

On the first point, I completely get that. Going from work (in Tampa?) to WC to St. Pete, all at rush hour, would suck. It's much more convenient for folks east of the bay to get to games if they're played east of the bay.

On the second point, I'm talking about highway time between exits on 275, not the time it takes to drive from one stadium to another (why drive from one stadium to another?). It's 20 miles between exits, and, at 10pm, that's not more than 20 minutes, even with a game just letting out. Of course, you've also got to get from your seats to the car and get from your car to the highway -- and just doing that can take a heck of a lot longer than 20 minutes, depending on where you park, whether your kids are with you, the size of the crowd, what else is going that night, etc. But I don't see any reason to think getting from your seats to the highway would be better at some other location.

[Pookie]

Originally Posted by 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.

You got that right!!!

[Kevin from Tampa]

Originally Posted by crazynip

Next year will be interesting. The Florida Marlins move into their new stadium which was publicly funded. They have just about the WORST attendance in the league and in a MUCH larger metro are than Tampa or most other MLB towns. If they dont draw with their new stadium, there is ZERO chance of the Rays getting one. Zero.

It's a joke they got any public money in this economy.

This is a good point. I will say that the location of the Marlins stadium was a poor one. It would have been better to have placed it somewhere in south Broward county. In it's current location, it makes it really tough for Palm Beach county people to make it to games, and it ain't easy for Broward people, and I honestly think that's where most of your attendance comes from.

But you're right....if that stadium fails...it will really make it hard for the Rays to convince Hillsborough to build one.

[Ga Jerk]

I took my family to a game at the Trop during the first homestand this season (we were on vacation). I was planning on returning the next day to catch the day game by myself.

I was shocked when we got to the stadium. The place was not up to par IMHO. Needless to say I did not return the next day.

Why the dome? Does it rain often down there?

As far as drive times to stadium go, folks drive from all over to see the Braves. You can't get anywhere around the ATL in under an hour anyway.

The Braves fan base in Metro Atlanta is spread far and wide. Athens is 65-70 miles from the the TED and that doesn't stop anyone from going to the games.

The North ATL suburbs are 40+ miles from the TED. That is where the majority of the fans hail from.

Instead of a new stadium, build the Rays a new 25,000 seat ballpark(with PRIVATE money). It may drive ticket demand up and they would have a smaller nut to cover.

[BucFan]

Originally Posted by Ga Jerk

Why the dome? Does it rain often down there?

I don't know....the summers are just so cool and it rarely rains down here.