The Tampa Bay Rays principal owner Stuart Sternberg stated Monday “The future of Major League Baseball in Tampa Bay depends on finding the optimal site for a new ballpark.” Really? That’s all the Rays need? A new ballpark? And the entire future of MLB in Tampa Bay depends on it? Let’s examine shall we.
When the Rays came to Tampa Bay the officials there and the fans said all it would take was a winning team. That was all. Just winning and fans would come out in droves. The town, the people, everyone would be out in support of the Rays. Last I checked, the Rays were winning. They’ve been winning. They’ve been to the World Series. They have been in first place in the AL East for most of this season. The Rays are winners. Where are the fans? Not at the games. Apparently, they can’t come out without a new stadium now.
Some of the comments or perhaps complaints I have heard about the Rays current venue are that it is in a bad location, lacking in parking, not supported by businesses, the building is bordering on a tent structure of some kind, it’s ugly, the field is dangerous, and on and on and on. Somehow, all these ills will be cured by a new stadium in a new location. And by doing so, people will come…..FOR THE STADIUM…or so people would have you believe.
People say the Yankees and Mets got new stadiums and people came to the games. Sold them out. People please. If the Yankees and Mets played in shacks people would come. They come for the teams. They come to support their teams in good and bad times, wins and losses. They don’t come for the seats or the newest store or the location. Get a grip on yourself. The Rays fans don’t come out to support the team. Plain and simple.
Sure a new stadium might attract some more businesses. Sure a new location might look nicer. Sure a new stadium might bring in a few more people to “look around.” But a new stadium isn’t going to make the people of central Florida support the Rays by coming to games day in and day out. Winning won’t do it. A world series won’t do it. Low ticket prices won’t do it (which by the way would go up if a new stadium is built). Star players like Longoria won’t do it. A new stadium won’t do it either, end of story. If you build it – they will not come, sad to say.
© photo credit: Traveling Fools of America
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I enjoyed reading this. You should see what the nuts that own the Oakland A’s are doing to us about a stadium. Keep up the good work!
Thanks for reading
The Rays appear serious….they want a new place and they don’t want it in St. Pete and they truly believe it will cure all their attendance woes. They are living in a fantasy land.