photo4-1024x774
A meager 12,777 fans watched a 9-1 Rays (over a 10-game stretch) beat the Twins by a score of 4-1 on July 9th.

We posted a piece titled In Defense of the Trop back on July 10th. Penned by a relative newcomer to the area, Ryan posits that many pathologically spend more time focusing on the superficial aspects stopping them from attending Rays games on a semi-regular basis, than actually attending the games themselves. In light of recent events, namely news that the City of St. Pete and the Rays are on a path — the right one or otherwise — to dealing with the Stadium Saga, I thought revisiting the topic might be apropos.

Let me start by saying that I am a proponent of a new facility; a fact that longtime X-Rays Spex (and Raysbaseball.co) followers can attest to. My concerns about a new stadium have always been two-fold: A. How would a new ballpark be financed? B. Where would it be built?

As it relates to question A, I am highly doubtful that Sternberg and Co. will be able to put together a wool over the eyes Marlins Ballparklike deal. Miami’s citizenry will be paying between $600 MM and $1 BB over the span of a 30-year mortgage, and that’s — if I may be frank — fucked. Simply put, the Rays organization will have to finance the bulk of a new facility… That is unless all of the forces that be, can put together some sort of package that would take the brunt of culpability away from the taxpayers.

The question then begs: Where would it be built? To be fair to all the fans in the area, there is no right place. Fans from surrounding areas like Pinellas, Manatee, and Sarasota would be disenfranchised if it was built in downtown Tampa. And fans from Hillsborough will continue their petulant whining if it was built on the Trop’s remaining 84-acres, or in the Carillon area. It’s funny, the argument surrounding the building of a new facility is largely predicated on those not willing to make the 30-45 driving sacrifice to support the team in the present tense. Which brings up another point, the attendance in the here and now.

The tired reasons (traffic, parking, I don’t like the color of the stadium, blahblahblah) fans aren’t coming out to games are ridiculous at best. Yes, I get it: The Trop doesn’t have the best sight-lines, the amenities aren’t that of New Yankee Stadium, and the seats aren’t angled toward the playing field in certain spots. However, I’d argue that Wrigley, Fenway, and Dodger stadium (to a lesser extent now) do not have the three attributes mentioned above either, yet you don’t really hear the chirping of fans or figureheads like Dick Vitale.

Chirp chirp, Dickie V.
Chirp chirp, Dickie V.

Fans attend games at Wrigley, Fenway, and Dodger Stadium because they are fans of the Cubs, Sox, and Dodgers first and foremost. They don’t drive 30-45 minutes on a regular basis to get to the ballpark, because their beloved facilities have the most luxurious of amenities. Rather, they attend the games because they are supportive of their team. To implicate a facility as the root cause for the lack of attendance is asinine at best. That fans do not attend games at the Trop on a regular basis, should be a glaring indicator of the fickle and disingenuous nature of the Rays fan base.

Again, I agree that the Rays deserve better. However, if the argument that a new stadium is a cure-all for a lagging attendance in the long-term — *which it isn’t — what is going to be done to fix attendance in the here and now? After all, even if the ball got rolling on a new stadium today, there would still be a window of three or more years between the ground breaking and opening day.

*Drops in attendance (on average) in new(er) facilities

New Yankees Stadium -3,736
Target Field -2,891
Miller Park -3,651
Citi Field -974
Marlins Park -9,587

Leave a comment