Rays, Lightning Score Big in ESPN Rankings Again

In case you missed it, the Rays were once again named pro sports' most affordable team by ESPN.

In the annual "ESPN Ultimate Standings," the Rays ranked 16th overall out of 122 teams (fourth among MLB franchises). They got generally strong ratings across-the-board, but suffered from a poor "stadium experience" rating and lack of long-term success.

The Lightning ranked seventh overall (second in NHL), backed by top-10 performances is the "fan relations," "ownership," and "stadium experience" categories.

ESPN was more generous toward the Lightning than Businessweek was recently when it comes to how the Lightning spend its dollars. ESPN ranked the Bolts 27th in "Bang for the Buck," while Businessweek just ranked the team 76th. Businessweek ranked the Rays first.

The Buccaneers, meanwhile, ranked 97th overall, with the Miami Dolphins Florida's only franchise to fare worse (110th). The Bucs' 2002 title was the only factor preventing the team from suffering below-average ratings in each of ESPN's eight categories, including "stadium experience" and "affordability."

"Filling the Stadium isn't Nearly as Critical for Teams as it Used to Be"

There are two teams in Tampa Bay right now that are only halfway through their stadium contracts, yet they cannot fill the stands if their lives depended on it.

However, while the Tampa Bay Rays are rumored every other month to be jumping to a new city, there has been no such talk (yet) for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Why?

WTSP's Adam Freeman poses that question and arrives at this possible answer:

USF Associate Professor of Sports Management Dr. Mike Mondello says filling the stadium isn't nearly as critical for teams as it used to be.
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"The NFL is in such a great position with their national TV that teams andorganizations, it's almost gravy what they make at the gate," Mondello explained.

And while it's easy to point to the NFL's $9 billion annual revenue figure as evidence, don't forget MLB was turning $7 billion a year before signing a new multi-billion dollar TV deal.

So if the Bucs prove that you don't need to sell tickets to be profitable and MLB is turning record revenues, why are the Rays hinting at relocation while the Bucs aren't?

It's a simple lesson in leverage.

Rays to St. Pete: We Accept Your Offer

The Tampa Bay Rays will accept an offer from St. Pete councilmembers to attend a public presentation of a stadium proposal in Carillon, in the city's Northeast corner.

In a one-paragraph letter to councilmembers Thursday, Rays owner Stuart Sternberg wrote that "I anticipate that members of the Rays organization will attend." No meeting date has been set yet, but it is expected that members of the Pinellas County Commission will attend as well.

"Please understand," Sternberg's letter continues, "that our attendance is a courtesy to you, and it has no bearing on our long-standing position: We will consider any potential ballpark site in Tampa Bay, but only as part of a process that considers every ballpark site in Tampa Bay."

The St. Pete council sent a letter to the team last week following its methodical decision to listen, but not participate, in the stadium presentation.

And while Mayor Bill Foster had indicated the team would need to accept his offer to amend the use agreement to consider a site at Carillon, it may not be the case. Carillon, and much of the "Gateway" region, already fall within St. Petersburg city limits.

Times Editorial Board Hammers Foster....Once Again

The Tampa Bay Times editorial board drills St. Petersburg Mayor Bill Foster again, this time for not being the one to "break the ice" in the most recent Rays discussions:

It comes as no surprise that the person who has broken the ice on the stalled talks over a new stadium is not St. Petersburg Mayor Bill Foster or Tampa Bay Rays owner Stuart Sternberg. Real estate developer Darryl LeClair has been quietly working for months on a stadium proposal for mid Pinellas, and the disclosure of his efforts has finally forced some movement. The St. Petersburg City Council will hear LeClair's pitch after the Republican National Convention, and the Rays should attend as a show of good faith. Perhaps the Pinellas County Commission could drop by as well.

Except the conversation is one that Foster tried to have two years ago and the Rays never accepted.

The Times also urges the Rays to accept the city's invitation, despite Foster's unwillingness to consider Hillsborough options:

[T]he Rays should attend the City Council meeting and listen to LeClair. That does not affect Sternberg's reasonable argument that the franchise should look at potential stadium sites in both Pinellas and Hillsborough counties.
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Boycotting the meeting would only spur Foster and Wolfe to keep floating their speculation that Sternberg wants to move the team away from Tampa Bay. There is no public evidence to suggest that's likely, and it's not Sternberg whose actions are threatening the future of Major League Baseball here.

But will the editorial board hold the team to the same standard as Foster? In 2011, they suggested Sternberg should "make a reasonable (financial) offer to St. Petersburg after the season" to be able to explore new stadium sites. The board also said Sternberg "should open the Rays' financial books to confirm that the franchise is not making mountains of money."

He didn't - and the Times' issued him a free pass.

Odds & Ends: Rays Attendance, Marlins on Groupon

The Rays keep slipping further into the cellar in the MLB attendance standings, and this afternoon's home game against the Royals won't help. Neither will a giant security wall going up around the park this week ahead of the GOP Convention.

However, the Rays would post huge attendance numbers this weekend if they'd only use that security barrier to prevent fans from leaving the Trop....

In the meantime, don't hold your breath waiting for the Rays to respond to the City of St. Pete's offer to chat relocation.

Things aren't much rosier in Miami, where the Marlins' attendance is slipping and the team just resorted to offering half-priced tickets on Groupon. Their less-than-stellar numbers are only going to make the Rays' efforts to build another Florida stadium even tougher.

Finally, if you need proof that even losing teams with mediocre attendance are huge profit-makers, look no further than the San Diego Padres. A group, including Phil Mickelson, paid $800 million for the team and affiliated investments like television rights.

According to Forbes, the Padres used to make $12 million/year on television until they renegotiated this year. Now, they rake in $50/million year in TV rights, a windfall the Rays could potentially surpass when their current contract expires in 2016.

Foster, St. Pete Challenge Rays

They criticized the Tampa Bay Times, the Tampa Bay Rays, and Tampa Bay sports critics. But in the end, St. Petersburg city councilmembers voted to invite a developer to pitch his Gateway stadium concept at a future meeting.

The board, along with Mayor Bill Foster, also issued a challenge to the Rays to accept a 2010 offer that would allow consideration of possible stadium sites across Pinellas County, not just in the City of St. Pete.

The resolution, said St. Pete city attorney John Wolfe, would "protect the integrity of our use agreement."

Wolfe also criticized the Tampa Bay Times for pushing St. Petersburg to let the Rays break their contract. He said giving up leverage would "open the door for Rays to leave the region."

"We would love to have these discussions with our Major-Leauge partners," Foster said, "but that just hasn't been possible."

Continue reading here.

Rays Sink to 30th in Attendance

It's all the Red Sox' fault.

With four games against Boston and four strong showings at the turnstiles this weekend, the Cleveland Indians have climbed past the Tampa Bay Rays in the MLB attendance rankings.

The Rays fall to 30th out of 30 teams, despite averaging 20,572 fans per game this year, a 9% jump from last year's 18,872 per-game average.

Tampa Bay still sits just 76 fans per game behind last year's worst-draw, Oakland. The A's are enjoying a 13% increase in fans from last year's 18,232 average.

The good news for the Rays - besides their increased attendance and big jumps in TV viewership from last year - is of their seven remaining home series, three come on the weekend and two of their mid-week series come against the Red Sox and Yankees.

Times Editorial Forecasts Possible Doomsday

In a column designed to remind voters that elections matter, Tampa Bay Times Editor of Editorials Tim Nickens writes that a "worst-case" scenario could involve the Rays leaving Tampa Bay by 2015:

Tropicana Field is closed as well. (Mayor Bill) Foster refused to let the Tampa Bay Rays look for new stadium sites in both Pinellas and Hillsborough, so frustrated franchise owner Stuart Sternberg sold the Rays in 2014 and bought the New York Mets. The new Rays owner moved the team to Charlotte, and the resulting lawsuits are winding their way through the courts. So much for that lease requiring the Rays to play in the Trop until 2027.

First of all, there's no way Charlotte could possibly lure a team like the Rays by 2015...not to mention Charlotte has no money and the Rays are stuck in a seemingly-ironclad contract.

Second of all, everyone should know by now that Stu Sternberg doesn't want to buy the Mets. He's waiting for the Steinbrenners to sell the Yankees, of course!

12 Acres in Gateway

So in a week where none of the Stadium Saga news was really new, we saw the Mayor of St. Pete indicate he'd meet with both Pinellas County commissioners and a private developer who wants to build a stadium on the Pinellas side of the Howard Frankland Bridge (otherwise known as the "Gateway" region).

But haven't we heard this all before?

Aug '12: Tampa Bay Times editorial board rips Mayor Foster for not doing enough to negotiate with the Rays, while giving the team a free pass
Sep '11: Tampa Bay Times editorial board rips Mayor Foster while giving Rays owner Stu Sternberg a free pass

Aug '12: Plot of land made available in Gateway for baseball stadium, but officials admit financing it would be difficult
July '12: Plot of land made available in Downtown Tampa for baseball stadium, but officials admit financing it would be difficult
Feb '10: Plot of land made available in Downtown Tampa for baseball stadium, but officials admit financing it would be difficult
Feb' 10: Plot of land made available at state fairgrounds for baseball stadium, but officials admit financing it would be difficult
Feb' 10: Plot of land made available in Gateway for baseball stadium, but officials admit financing it would be difficult

Aug '12: Local TV stations interview fans (and bartenders) who love the idea of a stadium closer to them
June '11: Local TV stations interview fans who love the idea of a stadium closer to them

Aug '12: St. Pete councilwoman rips Mayor Foster for his handling of the situation
Aug '11: St. Pete councilwoman rips Mayor Foster for his handling of the situation


Sound familiar? It should. Even the Rays said, "Over the years, we've heard and read about many developers who would like to include a baseball stadium in their plans."

But also familiar is the silence when it comes to how a new stadium would be financed, since nobody wants to talk about the real issue right now, and that's how to pay for it.

Pinellas Jumps Into Stadium Saga

Pinellas County commissioners voted Tuesday to invite the Tampa Bay Rays, St. Petersburg Mayor Bill Foster, and the St. Petersburg City Council to a future meeting to discuss the ballclub's future plans. While not a party to the current use agreement between St. Pete and the Rays, Pinellas County is a stakeholder, paying off a portion of the stadium's bonds through tourist taxes.

Pinellas County - like Hillsborough County - had been respecting Foster's threat of legal action if any parties tried to interfere with the binding contract between St. Petersburg and the Rays. But just like Hillsborough commissioners decided, Pinellas commissioners figured the risk of legal action was low...especially if St. Petersburg is in on the discussion.

Read more from WTSP here.

You can also catch up on recent comments made by Rays' owner Stu Sternberg, including his encouragement over the Hillsborough developments and a call to local leaders to "step up to the plate" (my pun, not his).

Hillsborough Commissioners Shift on Rays

After Hillsborough Co. Commissioners voted 5-2 to invite the Rays to come discuss their future this fall, it appears several commissioners may have drifted from the stances they took during the 2010 campaign.

Victor Crist cast a vote to meet with the Rays despite saying in 2010 that trying to lure a resource from one Tampa Bay community to another is like "competing against yourself." He also said then that Hillsborough commissioners should strive to help keep the Rays in Pinellas Co.

Read more here.

Coverage of Hillsborough/Rays Discussions

Thursday brought the expected "invitation to talk" from Hillsborough Co., but the real news of the day was the Rays' indication they'd accept it, despite the threat of legal action from St. Petersburg.

While much of the Tampa Bay broadcast media covered the predictable, WTSP's Adam Freeman did a nice job explaining St. Pete's reaction and advancing the story to "what next?"

"Hopefully this will alow us to start to break the log jam that has not moved in over three years," Hillsborough County Commissioner Ken Hagan told Freeman, who also questioned Hagan how St. Pete's contract could be bought out when he said the Rays a "200- to 300-million dollar economic engine." Hagan said he only expected a buyout to cost in the "tens of millions," but didn't elaborate.

Hagan, who had previously told the Tampa Bay Times that he was willing to cause the "divorce" between the Rays and St. Petersburg, has now advanced the Stadium Saga to the regional conversation the Rays have so desperately longed for. But he has also given the team the leverage it needs to potentially pit one side of Tampa Bay against the other. The Times editorial board applauded the move as a "smart decision."

But nobody is willing to yet address the issue of how to pay for a $600 million stadium (St. Pete's mayor once said, "Am I worried about people assembling land in Hillsborough and Tampa?...no. I've seen their budgets."). The ABC Coalition already summarized years ago that the Rays would be better off playing near the Howard Frankland Bridge or Downtown Tampa.

Still, this could be an important step toward addressing the elephant in the room: that any new stadium in Tampa would likely have to be financed by some sort of a multi-county tax. Pinellas County, by comparison, has more funding available for a stadium, which is why Gateway remains very much in the mix.

Hillsborough County and the Rays are taking cautious steps toward a fall public meeting (with guidance from all of their attorneys), but as Field of Schemes' Neil deMause best summarizes, "is just looking OK?"

Hillsborough Ready to Talk Rays...and Media Mistakes

With Hillsborough County commissioners due to take up the Rays' Stadium Saga today, it's worth taking a look back at some media misfires the last few days:

The Tampa Bay Times editorial board chimed in again, commenting that the Hillsborough developments were long overdue.

But in-between some valid points, the editorial assumes that "The Rays want to talk." Yet, St. Pete Mayor Bill Foster has contended that if the team doesn't like it's contract, they should suggest a fix to him....and they haven't jumped at that opportunity. So aren't both parties just as much to blame?

Plus, am I the only one who realizes the Rays are still bound by the iron-clad contract and won't be able to accept Hillsborough's invitation to talk?

UPDATE: A day later, the Trib editorial board echoed the Times and blamed Foster for inaction. It's certainly not the first time the Tampa-based paper has lobbied for a move across the bay. But suggesting the Rays could be contracted or that the team doesn't owe it to the region to actually prove financial struggles is irresponsible.

The Trib even cites White Sox owner Jerry Reinsdorf as an influential leader who wants to contract teams - the same Jerry Reinsdorf who made St. Pete look foolish before admitting "a savvy negotiator creates leverage. People had to think we were going to leave Chicago."

Contraction ain't happening. Period.

Also worth pointing out: WTVT in Tampa took Hillsborough Commissioner Ken Hagan on his word that the Rays are "a $200 to $300 million a year economic engine."

Aside from the number being rather arbitrary, and aside from the fact that you'd never find a reputable economist to back up those numbers....I don't even think the Rays would agree with those numbers. If they did, and they one day broke their contract with St. Pete, the buyout and/or damages to the city would be in the billions.

Ken Hagan and the rest of the Hillsborough Co. commission will discuss the Rays Thursday morning at 10:30.

Attorney: Hillsborough Can Talk to Rays About a Tampa Stadium

Attorneys for Hillsborough County have given commissioners permission to talk to the Tampa Bay Rays about future stadium plans, despite the threat of legal action from the City of St. Petersburg.

The attorney reasoned the risk of lawsuit was low since Hillsborough Co. isn't a party to the Rays' use agreement. But since the franchise obviously is, there's no indication yet if they'll be willing to speak to outside municipalities about breaking the contract.

Also, none of the news addresses the single-biggest issue in the Stadium Saga, which is funding, but it does open the door for more dialogue between elected leaders and the franchise.

Read the opinion from the county attorney here, or continue reading more about the implications of the decision on WTSP.com.

Odds & Ends: Dollars & Cents

It's belated, but a tip of the hat to the Glazer family for embracing the NFL's new 85% blackout threshhold. As I wrote before, it was hardly a concession to the fans from the league, but the Glazers made the right choice in making it as easy as possible for their games to be televised, instead of opting for a higher threshhold that might have encouraged a few more fans to buy tickets.

Meanwhile, the family's other team, Manchester United, remains the world's most valuable franchise at $2.23 billion, according to Forbes. Ho-hum. It makes the Bucs' sinking value (now $981 million) an easy pill to swallow.

As for the $12 million Hillsborough County wants back from the Bucs, you won't find any Glazer sympathizers in Daniel Ruth's family.

In baseball-land, the Yankees are the sport's most valuable team ($1.85 billion) and Derek Jeter is one of its richest stars. Which produces little surprise when his new Tampa home is valued at $12.3 million, nearly twice as much as any other home in the city.

Finally, one addition to the Stadium Subsidy post from Tuesday: the Cubbies are getting closer and closer to a little action too. Here's an update, free of opinion (well, my opinion at least).

Buckhorn Creating Leverage for Rays

It usually takes a well-timed trip to a rival city. Just ask the Chicago White Sox. Or San Francisco Giants. Or Mario Lemeiux and the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Pro teams in search of new stadiums typically "explore" a few rival cities to drum up leverage in their current market...something I predicted the Rays would do eventually. But while owner Stu Sternberg has indicated there may be "at least five" baseball-less markets better-equipped for the Rays than Tampa Bay, he hasn't started naming any of the cities he might consider down the road.

He hasn't had to.

Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn, who has been the region's most vocal stadium supporter since taking office, has - on several occasions - named potential threat cities.

"We're not going to let that team go to Charlotte or go to Las Vegas or go anywhere else," he told the Tampa Tribune Friday. "That is our team, and we intend to keep it our team, and however that works out, wherever it works out has yet to be determined."

Forget the fact that Charlotte is having trouble supporting its basketball team and nobody has suggested a baseball team in a region that lacks disposable income.

Forget the fact that baseball has made zero indication its interested in a move to Las Vegas, a metro even more driven by tourism than Tampa Bay. And that the city draws just 4,400 fans a game to its AAA stadium and cannot put an arena/stadium deal together to save its life.

And forget the fact that even Hall-of-Famer Peter Gammons admitted that Major League Baseball has run out of new cities to "blackmail" current cities.

Preparing for a next generation baseball stadium in Tampa Bay is responsible; but pulling competitor cities out of thin air may be counterproductive.

Odds & Ends: Stadium Subsidies

Dissapear for a week, miss a lot of headlines. I've actually been in Seattle observing the city's push for a new arena; the similarities between Seattle's stadium saga and Tampa Bay's are striking. There's been a lot of coverage about how much of the $490M bill the public will be footing, as well as the lack of new economic development it is expected to create.

Meanwhile, back on the ranch...

The Tampa Tribune stirs up more talk of a Downtown Tampa stadium with a possible land swap near Channelside, even though "no one mentioned baseball" during a meeting between the property owners and the city. While the idea would certainly help assemble land for a downtown stadium, the article neglects the fact that land isn't the problem in the stadium saga; funding is.

And, for those of you keeping score at home, the Rays' average attendance continues to hang around the same disappointing numbers (20,812). Fortunately, their TV numbers remain very strong and they'll be rewarded for it in the next few years.

Buckhorn: "We Need to Start Looking at Other Options"

In one of his most direct comments on the Rays' Stadium Saga since taking office, Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn told WTVT today that "we need to start looking at other options" after Commissioner Bud Selig once again criticized Tampa Bay's attendance.

"If the business model doesn't work in St. Petersburg, if the fans are not attending, if the corporations are not buying tickets, if the stadium is outdated, then something needs to change and something will change, whether we like it or not," Buckhorn told the station.

However, as I've said countless times, we still have no evidence that "the business model doesn't work." As WTSP's Adam Freeman reported today, the Rays are one of the league's most profitable teams and the franchise is worth double what it was when Stu Sternberg purchased it.

"Nowhere in our agreement with the Rays has the city accepted responsibility for attendance at the Trop," St. Pete Mayor Bill Foster told WTVT. "Per our agreement that runs through 2027, we build the house. We pay for the house and you play baseball."

Buckhorn acknowledged that he's "got to be careful because they have a contract," but added that "I can't see the Rays continuing to play in that environment with that type of fan support."

Bud Don't Wanna Work, He Just Wants to Bang on the Drum All Day

It may be the All-Star Break, but MLB Commissioner Bud Selig keeps banging the Rays' attendance drum at every opportunity, calling their 29th-ranked average "inexcusable" and "disappointing."

But the good folks at DRays Bay put the situation in a bit of perspective and fire right back at the commissioner:

It bears repeating that the team is one of 17 teams in baseball whose 2012 attendance figures are ahead of the 2011 pace. When you consider the fact the team has been without its marquee player since the end of April and has limped through the games since with more injuries and usage of players that were picked up off scrap heaps, it is rather amazing the team has seen an increase of 1,314 per game over last season.

After three consecutive seasons of declining attendance, the team is seeing an improvement at the turnstiles this season. At the current pace, 138,035 more fans will have taken in a game at Tropicana Field in 2012 than they did last season.
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Mr. Selig, it is rather inexcusable that the teams currently in first and second place in the A.L. Central are down in their attendance figures this season than last season. The Chicago White Sox are seeing 1,285 less fans per game this season despite the fact they are leading the division while Cleveland is seeing 1,851 less fans despite being just one game out of the wildcard at 44-41. How about the Angels, who are 48-38 and leading the wildcard standings and yet are seeing 1,755 less fans per game?

It is inexcusable to keep beating this dead horse unless the master wants to help fix the situation by facilitating a move to the more populated side of the bay. Over the last 18 months, the Tampa side of the bay has seen their population grow by more than three percent while the St. Petersburg side of the bay has grown just one-tenth of a percent. It should be more inexcusable that the Twins have a gorgeous new stadium and are seeing 4,313 less fans per game this season in a market where they are they have at least two generations of fans. It should be more inexcusable that your players can be arrested for drunk driving and not be suspended. It should be inexcusable that you let your personal bias about instant replay take over the national discussion despite the fact the majority of fans do want replay (Rasmussen 2009, mlb.com 2011).

Mr. Olney - if we all could make choices so easily. Those choices can be influenced by a still higher than national average unemployment rate, or the unpopular surcharges implemented by the Rays when purchasing tickets within 5 hours of first pitch, or even the tiered-pricing model that they and other teams around the league use as a pricing model. I want to take my son to the game on Sunday for his 7th birthday but I would be lying if the $48.90 pricetag for two seats in the upper deck of the left field area did not give me great pause while staring at a higher electric bill due to the blistering summer heat in central Florida in these summer months. It could also be the fact the stadium is poorly located and there are only so many people that can make an hour-long commute in bay-area rush hour traffic to make a game during the week.

The choice that should be made here is to stop pointing fingers and start talking and writing about solutions to the issues, in the best interest of the sport. If bloggers from their proverbial basements can do it, certainly it can be done at the national level.

By no means do I think the Rays' attendance situation is a "good" one, but the more you remind fans of it, the more likely it is to become a self-fulfilling prophecy.

UPDATE: Rays Index writes, "Hey Bud Selig, Shut The Hell Up"

Attendance Talk and the Stadium Stalemate

You know it's a slow news day at the Tampa Tribune when they crank out another "attendance watch" story (hey, I do it too!).

Michael Sasso writes:

With the season reaching its midpoint this week, an average of 20,583 fans have turned out for the Rays' 43 games at Tropicana Field. That's up a bit more than 1,300 fans a game, for a 7 percent increase over this time last year, according to the baseball data website Baseball-Reference.com.

More eyeballs also are tuning in to Rays broadcasts on Fox's Sun Sports. Viewership is up 62 percent over this time last year, according to Nielsen figures. The average broadcast is being viewed in about 99,000 homes.

The better turnout at the Trop is encouraging news for fans who want to see the Rays stick around the Tampa area long-term. However, it probably won't quiet the critics who are pushing for a new stadium.

You might have to multiply the 1,300-fan increase by 10 to do that, said one prominent observer.

"Now 13,000, then you've got an article," said St. Petersburg Mayor Bill Foster, who has demanded that the Rays fulfill their contract to play in St. Petersburg.

What we're seeing at Tropicana Field mimics the trend league-wide: more fans taking in games. And while the Rays are still 29th in the league and unlikely to move very much, there could be a little bump at The Trop with more Red Sox and Yankees games on the horizon and only four real weak mid-week series left on the calendar.

But perhaps an even bigger takeaway from the attendance article is that it's been two years since Stu Sternberg issued his ultimatum to St. Petersburg and Tampa Bay, and we still have no real news in the Rays' Stadium Saga.

It may continue that way until the caucus commissioned by the Greater Tampa and St. Pete chambers of commerce releases its inevitable findings. But the effort, initially launched in December 2010, was expected to produce a report in early 2012. That was delayed to June 2012, but has since been delayed again. It's unclear if the delay is related to the complexity of the research or the political climate, still unfriendly to the multi-county tax that may be necessary to get a stadium built.