From Robert Trigaux's Sunday column, "
For 2014, 10 predictions for the new No. 3 state in the country" {
link to Times' site}:
The wishful idea of eventually relocating the Tampa Bay Rays to the Channelside area as a hip, urban sports stadium and catalyst to downtown development will suffer major setbacks as more critics point out the area's poor road access and parking infrastructure. If seriously boosting home game attendance is the goal, a Channelside destination will be hard-pressed to deliver a surge in ticket buyers. And that may spark new debate on alternate locations.
All good points. For more on each topic, visit previous
Shadow of the Stadium coverage:
It's ONLY "good point(s)" because it's the same digressive belief of YOU. How come we don't hear the same about the attendance of the 6 month sport across the street? (waiting for another old excuse!)
ReplyDeleteVinik has done a great job making his games seem "cool." The Rays have not:
Deletehttp://shadowofthestadium.blogspot.com/2010/07/rays-attendance-how-trop-is-like.html
People drive 30+ minutes to Lightning games for that reason, even though traffic in South/Downtown Tampa can be a disaster. Folks won't drive 30 minutes to the Trop from South Tampa though because its not the cool thing to do.
Maybe you don't understand, but most Lightning fans don't have to drive 30+ min. to get to the Forum because of it's location to where most people that go to the Trop have to. Besides, people are more willing to travel 25 mi. to get from places like Wesley Chapel to Channelside then they are to go from Tampa, and across the bay bridge to get to St.Pete!
DeleteLOL, and do your self a favor, and please don't try to rely on that weak theory that one game seems "cool(er)" then the other, because you know it's all about location, you just don't want to admit what we all know is the truth!
By the way, LOTS of Lightning fans drive 30+ minutes. The backup on the bridges is exponentially worse on nights of Bolts games: https://twitter.com/noahpransky/status/411272500090126336/photo/1
DeleteNice try, but I'm not as "naive"! If you look at your twit pic, the color turns green going toward downtown on 275 just after Dale Mabry, and you posted it @ 3:12pm! 4 hours before the start of the game that night, and 2 hours before rush hour! Again, I go to Lightning games, and never have to fight traffic til' I get down around the Forum (which is before Mondays opening of the connection between the Expressway & i4, and the widening of i275). Again, nice try, but I'm not one of your digressive parrots... lol
DeleteIt was 3:12pm PT; 6:12pm ET.
DeleteThe bottlenecks on the East end of the Howard Frankland Bridge and at Gandy/Westshore easily back up an extra 30+ minutes on Lightning nights. I drive it every evening. (clearly you don't)
Hillsborough Co. population: 1,100,000
Pinellas Co. population: 900,000
No local team can thrive without strong draws from both counties.
Mr. Dufala: The Ice Palace only seats 19,000 or so. If that's what you're settling for, why leave the Trop?
ReplyDeleteThe most important stat is 95.6% of capacity this season at the Forum... So what's your point? What if they drew 95.6% of 35k at a venue across the street? Would you "leave the Trop" then?
DeleteCapacity is a meaningless number. Capacity doesn't sell tickets or pay bills.
DeleteCapacity ISN'T a meaningless number, you can only basically sell what you can hold. Again, what if they drew 95.6% of 35k or so at a sports venue across the street from the Forum? And to the old argument about "downtown traffic", I'm guessing the opening of the Expressway & i4 helps debunk that theory, not including the expansion of i275!
DeleteBottom line is that the Rays are going moving to Channelside for good reason, and yinz digressives are running out of excuses to try to back up the idea that it's the wrong move. I mean, if you (NO'ah) owned the Rays you would be trying to do the same for the same reasons. I think they call that "hypocrital"...
I'm no digressive, but I'm a realist. I've never said Channelside would be the wrong move for the Rays...I've said it may not be the right move for Tampa.
DeleteIt all depends on the money, and the only "excuse" for why a deal hasn't been done yet is money.
And yes, if I owned the Rays, I would likely be doing the exact same thing.
Well, nothing will be perfect, and I know "pros & cons" gives sports a ever debate in all aspects of sports, but as far as the Tampa Bay area in 10+ years, why would the Rays want to move anywhere but the future entertainment hub of West Central Florida?
Delete