Is "driving across the bridge on a week night" a good excuse? (Miami: layoffs, living)

[Kevin from Tampa]

This thread completely misses the problem.

Given any one game, no, it's not a problem to get to St Pete.

The issue is...what location in the area has the biggest population within a 30 minute drive?

That location is downtown Tampa. And it's the location that will allow the Rays to draw the most fans.

[gumbyfly]

Look at the Bucs...
Their stadium is right outside of downtown Tampa; and they still can't sell out a game.

The issue isn't a bridge, or that people are transplants from out of state. The issue is that Tampa continually puts a low-budget, no-name team on the field that struggles to barely make the playoffs every couple of years. Of course, the Bucs charge an arm and a leg to sit in the blazing hot sun to watch them lose (and who wants to watch the Lions, Panthers, and Jags every year anyway?).

Good thing Tampa has a decent hockey team!

[thethinktank]

No, it certainly isn't the drive. I was raised in the Detroit area, and our Pistons play in Auburn Hills-- which is an hour from much of the metro area. While the wins of the last decade certainly helped, the Palace of Auburn Hills leads the NBA in consecutive sell-outs.

I'm not a fan of baseball and so I don't know how the fanhood translates (I doubt its any different), but I don't think the commute has much of a negative impact on attendance. We're largely a region of transplants, and our fan loyalties remain with the teams we grew up with (or in some cases, with the teams our parents grew up with).

[chi_tino]

Originally Posted by thethinktank

We're largely a region of transplants

We're mostly a region of whiners. Read the SPT some time and see what the unwashed masses have to say on the topic. It's incredible. $10 is apparently too much to charge for a sports event. All parking should be free, as well as food and drink. There should be a state-of-the-art stadium, but one built without tax dollars OR a rise in ticket prices. And it should be located within 10 minutes of EVERYONE's house.

[Kevin from Tampa]

The Bucs are a completely different issue...no one trusts the owners.

The issue with the Rays is 100% location. Google "Rays ABC Coalition study" and see the results for yourself. The best stadium location is DT Tampa, and there's no way to argue against that.

Heck, I don't want to have to foot the bill for a new stadium in Hillsborough...I wish St Pete was able to draw more fans...but they don't. A stadium in DT Tampa is necessary, and there's no two ways about it.

[BradS1]

Originally Posted by Kevin from Tampa

The Bucs are a completely different issue...no one trusts the owners.

The issue with the Rays is 100% location. Google "Rays ABC Coalition study" and see the results for yourself. The best stadium location is DT Tampa, and there's no way to argue against that.

Heck, I don't want to have to foot the bill for a new stadium in Hillsborough...I wish St Pete was able to draw more fans...but they don't. A stadium in DT Tampa is necessary, and there's no two ways about it.

You talk with such conviction, but you don't really say anything other than "downtown Tampa". What facts are you bringing to this discussion? I think everyone with half a brain understands that Tampa would be a central location for everyone, but what makes you think those people are actually going to suddenly flood into the stadium? Why are they gonna go all of a sudden, I don't understand the argument so please bring some facts. And nobody trusts the owners is your Raymond James defense? Get real man.

Have you ever considered the alternative if your bridge theory is valid- that being that the St. Pete/sothern crowd who attends games now may not go? Or how about this one, NY fans drive in BUMPER TO BUMPER traffic to go to every game, which is obviously a lot bigger headache than a nice peaceful cruise across a bridge. Stop spewing location as the #1 problem.

[Not_liking_FL]

Originally Posted by BucFan

The area is filled w/ transplants from all over the United States who don't want to support their new home team (you call this apathy). The commute time (the bridge) is probably the least likely reason why people don't go the game. The biggest reason is the economy.

The reasons I hear most often for not attending games is either the long ride to St. Pete or the stadium sucks. I've never heard anyone say they can't afford a ticket, though I'm sure there are a lot of people in the area who can't. I doubt that the economy is the #1 reason. I also think moving the team to Tampa is a bad idea. We'll pay to have a stadium built and attendance will be slightly better then the Rays will leave the area and we will have two empty stadiums.

[Kevin from Tampa]

Originally Posted by BradS1

You talk with such conviction, but you don't really say anything other than "downtown Tampa". What facts are you bringing to this discussion? I think everyone with half a brain understands that Tampa would be a central location for everyone, but what makes you think those people are actually going to suddenly flood into the stadium? Why are they gonna go all of a sudden, I don't understand the argument so please bring some facts. And nobody trusts the owners is your Raymond James defense? Get real man.

Have you ever considered the alternative if your bridge theory is valid- that being that the St. Pete/sothern crowd who attends games now may not go? Or how about this one, NY fans drive in BUMPER TO BUMPER traffic to go to every game, which is obviously a lot bigger headache than a nice peaceful cruise across a bridge. Stop spewing location as the #1 problem.

Here are my facts, taken from the ABC Coalition Study, which looked at 5 potential sites for a new Rays stadium....the info taken from this article....

ABC Coalition identifies 5 Pinellas, Hillsborough locations for new Rays stadium - St. Petersburg Times

A look at five proposed sites for the baseball stadium
GATEWAY AREA
Population within 30-minute drive: 1,645,107 in 2013; 2,186,612 in 2035
Households with income greater than $75,000: 182,304
Dollars spent on entertainment: $2.21 billion
Attended Rays game in last 12 months: 275,068
Firms with more than 10 employees within 30 minutes: 16,274
WEST SHORE AREA
Population within 30-minute drive: 1,727,070 in 2013; 2,795,898 in 2035
Households with income greater than $75,000: 191,849
Dollars spent on entertainment: $2.23 billion
Attended Rays game in last 12 months: 250,820
Firms with more than 10 employees within 30 minutes: 17,707
DOWNTOWN TAMPA AREA
Population within 30-minute drive: 1,810,376 in 2013; 2,265,168 in 2035
Households with income greater than $75,000: 200,206
Dollars spent on entertainment: $2.32 billion
Attended Rays game in last 12 months: 247,237
Firms with more than 10 employees within 30 minutes: 16,100
FLORIDA STATE FAIRGROUNDS AREA
Population within 30-minute drive: 1,619,725 in 2013; 2,197,280 in 2035
Households with income greater than $75,000: 174,880
Dollars spent on entertainment: $1.99 billion
Attended Rays game in last 12 months: 173,606
Firms with more than 10 employees within 30 minutes: 12,577
TROPICANA FIELD
Population within 30-minute drive: 1,181,714 in 2013; 1,543,047 in 2035
Households with income greater than $75,000: 123,032
Dollars spent on entertainment: $1.55 billion
Attended Rays game in last 12 months: 217,756
Firms with more than 10 employees within 30 minutes: 12,747

[Sgt. Buzzcut]

I can remember when the Devil (Rays) first started, went to the second game ever played at the Trop, it was a spring training game vs. the Marlins. I lived about 16 blocks away up on 9th st and 9th Ave N and the city posted signs that the residents would have to give up their parking places if a Rays ticket holder wanted that spot. It was never a problem as the Trop's parking lot was 70% empty all the time.

MLB and St. Pete greatly overestimated the popularity of baseball in the bay area. Moving the team to Tampa won't help either. 1 in 3 people in FL is native born which = Southern and neckish so NASCAR, Noles, Canes, and Gators are all that matter. You can't always Yankify the South.....hey Buffalo,NY, want an MLB team?

[Kevin from Tampa]

Baseball is northern? Most of the best baseball in the country is played in the south.