[ThirdOfFive]

Happy that the Milwaukee Brewers triumphed in the just-concluded World Series. Happy of course for the team, but even more so for their fans. As a former Minnesotan there is always a friendly rivalry with the fans east of the St. Croix, be it Twins-Brewers or Vikings-Packers. Fun times and fun games, regardless of the turf the game is played on. They're good people, and I'm glad their support over the years for their Brewers has finally been rewarded.

But...

There was more than one observation during the games that it was like Milwaukee was playing at home when in Tampa. All three Tampa games were sellouts according to the stats, but I was sort of taken aback to learn that of the 40,000-odd tickets that went to selling out 4 (haven't checked Games 3 and 5 but I imagine it is similar) fully 33,000 of those tickets went to Milwaukee fans! So it seems as if there is a good reason for that observation. All in all, they pretty much were, at least as fan support was concerned.

I'm not sure of the mechanics, but isn't it reasonable to think that the Tampa fans got first dibs in a certain time-frame on the tickets available at Tropicana field, with the rest going to fans of the opposition? 33,000 tickets going to Brewers fans means that Tampa fans purchased only 7,000 tickets for Game 4 (and assumedly for games 3 and 5 as well). The word "sellout" is great, but when over 80% of the fans in the stands are there to support the opposition--well, "fan support" for the Rays looks to be pretty tepid.

There are those who point to the distance people have to travel from Tampa to St. Petersburg (site of Tropicana Field) is the reason for the chronically low attendance at Rays games, but that is tepid as well. I'm not buying it. Those 33,000 Milwaukee fans covered nearly 1,300 miles to watch their team, the assumption being that only 7,000 Rays fans thought that driving--what?--30 miles to watch their hometowners play in the World Series was worth the effort?

Happy for Milwaukee, Disgusted with Tampa.

[justjim]

OP, I too thought it was very strange that Brewer fans dominated the games in St. Petersburg. In addition I was wondering how many Ray fans might have sold their tickets for profit. Supposedly the Rays have a new stadium coming in a couple of years. Football fans seem to back their team a bit better than Baseball fans in the Tampa Bay Area. Orlando was making some noise about getting the Rays to move. That deal seem to fizzle.

[Aces4]

Congratulations to the Wisconsin/Milwaukee Brewers! (The whole state paid for that ballpark and continues to due so..). It was a hard fought contest but the guys did it.
About the Rays, I feel the pain of their hard work and so little support from the area and state. It had to be demoralizing to watch the stands pack with Brewer fans because the Rays couldn't drum up enough fans to cheer them on. I wonder if a "younger" state would be more supportive and build the Ray's fan base. When the state population has an age factor that 60 and older is over 25% of the population, it makes a big difference.

[Methos]

Not all teams have a great fan base.

[Jim 9922]

And a great celebration too. No reports of riots, looting, civic damage, shootings. Just a happy day of fun and fellowship.

[Rollie]

Same thing when the Packers play the Buc's Wisconsin fans seem to travel well. I did hear that ticket prices were way cheaper here.

Rollie