Rays/MLB 2019-20

[Derek28]

Here is something to put in perspective. The Lightning had their highest rated season on FS-SUN ever this year. That highest rating is still lower than where the Rays have been the past few years when they were a non-playoff team and traded all their bigger name players. If you hypothetically put a baseball stadium where Amalie Arena is, the Rays would be drawing 20,000 a game IMO.

[Bolthed]

I suspect not, but I’m extremely curious to see the average attendance (AFTER Year One) at a stadium in downtown Tampa or thereabouts. Have to think it’d be at least a few thousand more, which would pull us out of the embarrassment category. Could they draw 15-16k for 81 mostly summertime dates? If they can’t even draw that when the team is good, then there’s not much hope for Major League Baseball in Tampa Bay.

[Puckhead]

I've gotta believe that you get 5,000 extra patrons from north Tampa, and east of town thru Brandon out to Lakeland. And you get Tampa businesses supporting with suites and after work walk ups. Maybe even some from ORL for weekend games. This has all been analyzed ten ways to Sunday. But, we may never know the true outcomes, if they are stuck forever at the Trop.

[Derek28]

I suspect not, but I’m extremely curious to see the average attendance (AFTER Year One) at a stadium in downtown Tampa or thereabouts. Have to think it’d be at least a few thousand more, which would pull us out of the embarrassment category. Could they draw 15-16k for 81 mostly summertime dates? If they can’t even draw that when the team is good, then there’s not much hope for Major League Baseball in Tampa Bay.

During their best run (2008-2010) they were averaging over 20,000/game. The last few years it's been 14-16,000/game. I would imagine the Rays would need to think they can get 20,000/game for them to build a new stadium anywhere.

[Hoek]

Re: TV ratings what sports do the Rays have to worry about for most of the season? The Lightning are competing against football and basketball most of the time.

[Derek28]

Re: TV ratings what sports do the Rays have to worry about for most of the season? The Lightning are competing against football and basketball most of the time.

How many times are football games on at the same time as Lightning games? Maybe college games on Saturday night, but the bolts don't play many Sunday afternoon games to directly compete with the Bucs/NFL. As far as basketball, I'm not sure there is a huge cross over between NHL and NBA fans. Especially in Tampa.

[RSchmitz]

I don’t. It’s nonsensical to complain about the atmosphere inside the dome while refusing (even with a free ticket) to walk a couple hundred yards to, yknow, DO something about it.

My nonsensical complaint was actually just an explanation to the discrepancy between gate sales and television ratings.

How many games did you attend last year, and did the baseball atmosphere suddenly appear when you entered the stadium? Do you expect your average fan to want to use their hard earned cash with the expectation that they'll have to do all of the work to make their environment baseball friendly, when they could just stay home and watch it on television?

[Bolthed]

I went to several games, which I hope someday you’ll have the joy of understanding is pretty good when you have two kids under 4. My point is simply that you can’t begin to address the problems with fan atmosphere from your couch. The nonsensical thing is saying that you’d rather drive down there and go to Fergs than walk 300 yards further with a free ticket. It’s always something. If it’s not the drive then it’s the shitty stadium. If it’s not that, it’s the quiet fans. I personally don’t give a shit. I just like live sports. I’m not judging anyone’s fandom. I just wish there were more of a crowd. This team definitely deserves it.

[RSchmitz]

I went to several games, which I hope someday you’ll have the joy of understanding is pretty good when you have two kids under 4. My point is simply that you can’t begin to address the problems with fan atmosphere from your couch. The nonsensical thing is saying that you’d rather drive down there and go to Fergs than walk 300 yards further with a free ticket. It’s always something. If it’s not the drive then it’s the shitty stadium. If it’s not that, it’s the quiet fans. I personally don’t give a shit. I just like live sports. I’m not judging anyone’s fandom. I just wish there were more of a crowd. This team definitely deserves it.

I've gone to 5-20 games every season since I attended their inaugural game when I was in the 7th grade. That's a 2 hour one way drive I make to go, I'm not speaking from my couch when I say the baseball atmosphere sucks, I'm speaking from experience.

I've had ushers tell my group that we were being too loud when we were going into the top of the 9th during Garza's no hitter. I've been in a packed Tropicana Field with 90% Yankee fans. I've been to stadiums that could be completely empty yet feel more conducive to baseball than a packed Trop, which feels more like a restroom than anything else.

It's not just one thing thing in particular that keeps people away, it's a long list. I agree that I wish the crowd were bigger, it's embarrassing how small it is with a team that is this good.

[gphockey]

Looks like MLB attendance is down.

IMO, perhaps a real salary cap system which like hockey, has created some parody in the league.

The teams would save $ on salarys, and one would hope they would make the live experience better.
For instance, cheap, and I mean cheap food an drinks.
Early start times for weeknight games so kids could attend.
More weekend doubleheaders....see above.

https://www.yahoo.com/sports/mlb-attendance-is-down-again-and-rebuilding-teams-are-getting-hit-hard-014951998.html

[Hoek]

Jeez. Typically see more people at minor league soccer games, or even Panthers games!

Not sure how more doubleheaders would help. Baseball takes too long. Speed the game up and increase offense. I know that's sacrilege for the purists but it's what works for every sport.

[BurnTHalO]

Looks like MLB attendance is down.

IMO, perhaps a real salary cap system which like hockey, has created some parody in the league.

The teams would save $ on salarys, and one would hope they would make the live experience better.
For instance, cheap, and I mean cheap food an drinks.
Early start times for weeknight games so kids could attend.
More weekend doubleheaders....see above.

https://www.yahoo.com/sports/mlb-att...014951998.html

I actually heard a few years back that baseball has more parody than any other sport. Basically that they have more teams make their conference finals (maybe championship) than any other sport over so many years. I think baseball's issue is that a single game really doesn't matter, the games are long, and maybe most important, you dont know how long. In a culture where we are constantly having to get to the next thing/always having something to do, it's tough to say "come to a game, should be about 3 hours, but maybe 4.5 or 5, depending on what happens."

[BurnTHalO]

Jeez. Typically see more people at minor league soccer games, or even Panthers games!

Not sure how more doubleheaders would help. Baseball takes too long. Speed the game up and increase offense. I know that's sacrilege for the purists but it's what works for every sport.

But how do you do both? More offense means more at bats, which means the game goes much longer.

[RSchmitz]

I actually heard a few years back that baseball has more parody than any other sport. Basically that they have more teams make their conference finals (maybe championship) than any other sport over so many years. I think baseball's issue is that a single game really doesn't matter, the games are long, and maybe most important, you dont know how long. In a culture where we are constantly having to get to the next thing/always having something to do, it's tough to say "come to a game, should be about 3 hours, but maybe 4.5 or 5, depending on what happens."

Fewer teams make the playoffs in MLB.

[dannybolt]

Fewer teams make the playoffs in MLB.

While fewer make it each year, Burnt's quote says that over time more will make their conference finals, in other words, there is more turnover year over year amongst the teams that make their conference finals than in other sports. I couldn't say one way or the other, of the major sports, I only follow the NHL.