2020 Tampa Bay Rays! (Miami, Webster, Paxton: sale, hotel, home)

[Bumby88]

Spring training has started and the 2020 Rays roster is as strong as ever! They had a terrific offseason regarding trades and signings. The offense has improved and the pitching looks to be dominant once again. Unlike last year, the team will have an actual 5 man starting rotation which will include three studs in Glasnow, Morton, and Snell.

The Yankees look strong too but just like every year it will come down to how many injuries they have. They will be without Paxton and German to start the season already. More injuries to star players are guaranteed to follow.

Meanwhile, the Red Sox traded away one of the game's best players (Betts) along with starting pitcher Price.

Highlights in the Rays 2020 schedule include 7 games against the Astros in the first month, home inter-league games against Pittsburgh, Milwaukee, St Louis, and road games against the Cubs and Reds.

Tickets will go on sale soon folks. Get some friends and family together and see some games!

[beach43ofus]

Originally Posted by Bumby88

Spring training has started and the 2020 Rays roster is as strong as ever! They had a terrific offseason regarding trades and signings. The offense has improved and the pitching looks to be dominant once again. Unlike last year, the team will have an actual 5 man starting rotation which will include three studs in Glasnow, Morton, and Snell.

The Yankees look strong too but just like every year it will come down to how many injuries they have. They will be without Paxton and German to start the season already. More injuries to star players are guaranteed to follow.

Meanwhile, the Red Sox traded away one of the game's best players (Betts) along with starting pitcher Price.

Highlights in the Rays 2020 schedule include 7 games against the Astros in the first month, home inter-league games against Pittsburgh, Milwaukee, St Louis, and road games against the Cubs and Reds.

Tickets will go on sale soon folks. Get some friends and family together and see some games!

We went to 2 games last year, and stayed at a historic hotel 2 miles from the stadium, and they offered free shuttle to/from the stadium property perimeter. We loved the stadium as its an air-conditioned dome. Lots to see and do in Downtown St. Pete, so we made a little getaway out of it.

The Rays have the best off-field organization in MLB. They consistently put a good team on the field at minimal payroll costs. The Rays usually have the lowest payroll in MLB, but can beat any of the top teams that pay 5x as much in salary. THAT is strong management, and as a business owner, and MBA grad, I admire that. In a smal market like Tampa Bay, we need to be smarter to compete.

[MortonR]

Originally Posted by beach43ofus

We went to 2 games last year, and stayed at a historic hotel 2 miles from the stadium, and they offered free shuttle to/from the stadium property perimeter. We loved the stadium as its an air-conditioned dome. Lots to see and do in Downtown St. Pete, so we made a little getaway out of it.

The Rays have the best off-field organization in MLB. They consistently put a good team on the field at minimal payroll costs. The Rays usually have the lowest payroll in MLB, but can beat any of the top teams that pay 5x as much in salary. THAT is strong management, and as a business owner, and MBA grad, I admire that. In a smal market like Tampa Bay, we need to be smarter to compete.

No, they need to be smarter to draw a crowd. They're not currently viable as a franchise and probably never will be. Tampa is a lousy market for MLB as is any major city in Florida.

Why?

No fan base.

Think about it. The majority of the populace is from outside the area, and when they come here, they've already got a "home team" if there was an MLB franchise where they came from - look at the turnout the Yankees get here as an example. Look at a Bucs game when someone like Green Bay plays.

There's no real commitment or ownership for a team here, just as there isn't for the Marlins, which is one of the reasons their attendance is always in the basement like the Rays.

The venue stinks and is not a place I would want to see a baseball game. I grew up in the Midwest and watched farm teams play on a weekly basis for years in outdoor ballparks. The Reds, the Cardinals, the Brewers, I've seen them all numerous times and a huge part of the experience is the environment. That doesn't exist in the air conditioned "dome" the Rays play in. Even the players dislike the venue. Worse yet, the location is lousy. I live in Tampa and it would be an hour's drive both ways on a good day to get there. If it was in Tampa, maybe, but the logistics for most people other than those living in Pinellas County are lousy.

Don't get me wrong, I totally agree with your comments about the business side of the franchise, but the cold hard reality is that it's simply not a viable business under the current circumstances, and is unlikely to ever be.

I lived in the Milwaukee area when the Brewers built their current stadium. I, like the majority of the taxpayers, vehemently fought against my tax dollars paying for any part of that stadium. We lost. But - every one of the county commissioners who voted for the tax to fund the stadium was out of office the next election. Same thing if Tampa tries this - I'll fight tooth and nail against it. Thank goodness Mike Merrill is very much aware of the voter's feelings about subsidizing the Rays and he deep sixed the last effort to do something in Tampa.

I think the franchise should go to another market where it will do better. I don't ever see it being a viable enterprise in this area.

RM

[LKJ1988]

I say move em out of state.

[lluvia]

Geaux Montreal Rays!

[Bumby88]

There's only one reason the business isn't viable in Tampa Bay, and it has nothing to do with the owners or how the team is run. The problem is residents of Tampa not attending games. Any rebuttal against that is just an excuse. The tickets are cheap, the parking is plentiful, and most years there is a winning product on the field. The gorgeous drive from Tampa to St Pete is well within the average commute that every MLB fan must "endure" to see their favorite team.

The Trop is not a dump, it's the Webster's Dictionary definition of an OASIS on a hot summer day. I saw a Rays game in Baltimore last year in 97 degree heat with no clouds. Easily the most miserable day of my adult life. Simply put, I will never attend another outdoor summertime 1-4pm game again. At the Trop, we even get to enjoy games during a thunderstorm.

When the stadium is full, the Rays absolutely dominate their opponents. During postseason games the Trop is among the loudest stadiums in the league. It's such a shame that with the owners/front office accomplishing the unthinkable by keeping up with NY/BOS, the "fans" can't do their part and watch.

If you want the team to stay in Florida past 2027, buy a ticket to a game this year. Don't wait for the postseason or for Saturday games against the Yankees. Go to a Tuesday game against Toronto or a Wednesday game against Baltimore. Their fans show up to see the Rays with higher ticket prices, worse weather, more expensive parking, and losing records. If attendance grows a little for each of the next 4 or 5 years, then maybe an investment in a Florida stadium will be made. Otherwise, Tampa residents will get the amount of MLB teams they deserve.

[sinatras]

They are still in Florida? I thought they left to Canada.

[jambo101]

Originally Posted by sinatras

They are still in Florida? I thought they left to Canada.

We dont want them either.

[City Guy997S]

Originally Posted by Bumby88

There's only one reason the business isn't viable in Tampa Bay, and it has nothing to do with the owners or how the team is run. The problem is residents of Tampa not attending games. Any rebuttal against that is just an excuse. The tickets are cheap, the parking is plentiful, and most years there is a winning product on the field. The gorgeous drive from Tampa to St Pete is well within the average commute that every MLB fan must "endure" to see their favorite team.

The Trop is not a dump, it's the Webster's Dictionary definition of an OASIS on a hot summer day. I saw a Rays game in Baltimore last year in 97 degree heat with no clouds. Easily the most miserable day of my adult life. Simply put, I will never attend another outdoor summertime 1-4pm game again. At the Trop, we even get to enjoy games during a thunderstorm.

When the stadium is full, the Rays absolutely dominate their opponents. During postseason games the Trop is among the loudest stadiums in the league. It's such a shame that with the owners/front office accomplishing the unthinkable by keeping up with NY/BOS, the "fans" can't do their part and watch.

If you want the team to stay in Florida past 2027, buy a ticket to a game this year. Don't wait for the postseason or for Saturday games against the Yankees. Go to a Tuesday game against Toronto or a Wednesday game against Baltimore. Their fans show up to see the Rays with higher ticket prices, worse weather, more expensive parking, and losing records. If attendance grows a little for each of the next 4 or 5 years, then maybe an investment in a Florida stadium will be made. Otherwise, Tampa residents will get the amount of MLB teams they deserve.

Tropicana field isn't the latest and greatest and does have a circus tent feel on the inside but its adequate. I'd rather see the team stay and be a contender than move but don't think the tax payers should build them a 500 million dollar stadium like the city of Miami did for the Marlins.

I have been there for many Red Sox games, even a few playoff games and it can be loud. At most Marlins games it is rarely loud for anything. I did see that place go crazy once when Big Papi made an appearance and sat with Jeter in the front row. 4 innings later it went crazy when Ortiz left.

[MortonR]

Originally Posted by City Guy997S

I'd rather see the team stay and be a contender than move but don't think the tax payers should build them a 500 million dollar stadium like the city of Miami did for the Marlins.

^^^^^
This.

If the Rays ownership wants to build a new stadium, let them foot the bulk of the bill. I thought it was pretty ballsy for them to suggest that they would pay for less than half of the cost in this last go-around. That was pretty bold and I believe cost them a lot of what might have otherwise been some decent goodwill with the community.

If you do a little research (and I'm speaking to the collective audience, not the previous poster I quoted) you'll find that every publicly funded stadium project has ended up costing the taxpayers stupid amounts of money, sometimes even putting significant stress on the community, while the owners continue to turn a profit and reap the benefits of the venue.

Hardly a fair deal. I'm not contributing to some owner getting fat, dumb and happy on my tax dollars. I'm not unrealistic in that I would expect to put something towards the cost, as it would benefit the local businesses and economy. However, I think it's only fair that as a business they bear far more than half of the cost/risk.

RM