...Dino, my friend - whaddup wit dat?
I've done my part by attending a few games. I pay for the cheapest seats available, then mosey down to the lower levels where I can enjoy the games from up close. Most times, there's plenty of elbow room.
Before the season even started, the owners submitted plans to build a new ball park along the waterfront that would set taxpayers back a hundred million dollars or so. That turned off a lot of folks. Even die hard fans were taken aback by the sheer audacity of such a proposal. And the plans called for an open aired venue, in sweltering conditions where the chances of thunder storms at any given moment are greater than drier conditions.
Besides that, it takes time for a winning team to build momentum in this market. It's not a baseball town to begin with. The Rays have been in the cellar in standings since their inception. It's going to take a while longer, maybe one or two more winning seasons, before fans jump on the bandwagon. And don't forget the Rays have been playing here for only a decade, so they don't have a storied past to fall back upon to draw fans from earlier, more productive seasons.
I saw the same thing unfold a few years ago in this area with the Lightening hockey franchise. It took the team a couple of playoff appearances before folks took them seriously enough to sell out their games the year they won the Cup.
By the way, the Rays play in Saint Petersburg, Florida. Just thought I'd mention that since some sports announcers beyond this area seem to think "Tampa Bay" means the city of Tampa. It doesn't and refers merely to a region, not an actual city.
, for another hottie, Carlos Quentin
