Although the comments on this blog are entertaining, it's worth pointing out a few letters to the editors of the local papers that made print this weekend.
In the Tampa Tribune, a Rays fan from Sebring indicated the team's eventual departure was a foregone conclusion and "everybody, go to a game if you can, whether you're a Rays fan or not. It's a great joy." Don't disagree with his last point, for sure. (Ironically, another letter from a Rays fan in the tiny town of Sebring came to the Trib last week too.)
Also in Saturday's Trib was a letter from Pasco County Rays fan who made an interesting suggestion or two, including the Rays possibly playing some games across the bay at Steinbrenner Field, home of the Tampa Yankees. The team could sell 11,026 seats at probably double the normal price...all while drumming up even more leverage for a move to Tampa!
And over in the pages of the Tampa Bay Times, a St. Petersburg fan says, "Hey, Bud, the Rays are doing all right." He's absolutely right to blame the lack of transit for some of the team's troubles, but his other claims are up for debate: that expensive parking is a problem and a new stadium next to the Trop one could solve the team's problems.
I mean, a new stadium anywhere in Tampa Bay would be welcome news for Bud Selig & Rays fans alike...if we could just find someone else to pay for it...
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Moving games to a Single-A stadium would be a disaster from a PR standpoint. Playing MLB games in front of 11k people is a bad look, even if they're technically "sold out." I wouldn't even put it past these games FAILING to sell out if they're playing the Mariners and the Royals of the league there.
ReplyDeleteIf Sternberg and co. decide this is somehow a good idea, then the next thing said by the Bud Selig's and Buster Olney's of the baseball world will be, "Well, this must be the true barometer of support for baseball in Tampa Bay. This must be the Rays' lot in that market..."
Attendance doesn't matter. T.V. revenue is what matters. MLB doesn't want you to know that though. Even though MLB rakes in billions, they want you to think they can't afford a stadium. Did you know MLB does not have to legally "open it's books?" Would your bank loan you money without a researching your finances? Of course not. Yet MLB doesn't have to worry about anyone critiquing their finances.
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