[tkret]

While some members faced off this evening on the Michael Vick thread, two phenomenal baseball games were broadcast on television. The Rays handed the Yankees another loss and the Red Sox barely squeaked by against Baltimore. With one game remaining in the regular season, both teams have identical records and only one of them can make it into the post season.
How much longer will Tampa's ownership put up with poor attendance? I think that only Oakland averages fewer fans in the seats than the Rays, and the A's finished 22 games behind their division leader.

[tpop1]

Boy, it just got interesting!!!!

If you love baseball, you have to love this!

As to Ray's attendance: IMHO Don't know that it's a fixable issue.

1) As with Marlins, much of the population is from elsewhere, coming with their team preferences set. I go to Yankee games at Trop when I am there (Sox and Angles-good bb teams - sometimes when I was in Sarasota) but not other games

2) Previous ownership turned off fan base with ill advised moves on field and off - like charging high school bands there for Star Spanbled banner - for seats if they wanted to stay an watch game. Hard to overcome that negative publicity!

3) The Stadium itself and it's location are problems that will never be overcome.

4) Marketing is NON-existant. I spent 9 winter / spring seasons in Sarasota and would never have known they existed.

[2BNTV]

Rays and Red-Sox.

I don't remember when and if ever two teams were fighting for the wild card on the last day of the season. Wouldn't it be interesting if both division needed a playoff game. Games are on ESPN and ESPN2.

The Rays have been an interesting franchise in spite of the owner's refusal to spend money and they manage to field a playoff contending team. Hopefully, they will get a new stadium and that might solve some attendance problems.

I sometimes wonder if the weather being so nice all year long that people opt to do something else than go to a baseball game.

Just sayin.........

[tpop1]

Originally Posted by 2BNTV

Rays and Red-Sox.

I sometimes wonder if the weather being so nice all year long that people opt to do something else than go to a baseball game.

That could be right, too.

I've often said they should play there games at their old Spring Training field - right on the water in St. Pete . Beautiful place.

Add a few thousand more seats(but don't block the water view) and fill the house!