Rumors suggest that driving by Tropicana Field with the windows down significantly increases the chances of tickets to an upcoming Rays game being thrown into the car. Regardless of the validity of those tales, cynics say the strategy would not work.
After all, Tampa Bay has ranked last in the American League in attendance in two of the last three seasons and has not eclipsed two million fans since the expansion franchise’s inaugural campaign in 1998.
Those figures should not incriminate the baseball fans along Florida’s west coast. Constructed in the late 1980s on the premise of “if you build it, they will come,” Tropicana Field was erected by local politicians in an effort to lure a team to St. Petersburg. The White Sox, Mariners and Giants flirted with the idea before Major League Baseball decided it needed some increased cash flow and added expansion teams in Tampa Bay and Arizona. Unfortunately, the Devil Rays moved in eight years after the facility opened, which was outdated before the first pitch was thrown.
Today, the Trop is the only domed field in baseball that is not retractable. More of a barn than a ballpark despite the Rays’ efforts to make their home as inviting as possible to paying customers, Tropicana Field is also the smallest facility in the major leagues. Thanks to the use of tarps, the number of seats has been reduced from 45,369 in 1998 to its current capacity of 31,042, which is what the team attracted this year on Opening Day against the Toronto Blue Jays.
“It was awesome,” said Rays pitcher Chris Archer. “It definitely shows what we’re capable of bringing and having in the stadium, the atmosphere that it creates if we are successful and win games. Hopefully this year is a little bit better than the past as far as the guys who come. But we know that a lot of times the attendance has a direct effect on how good the team is.”
Among those in attendance on Sunday was Commissioner Rob Manfred. It is safe to assume that Manfred didn’t need a ticket since he was making his first visit to the Trop since taking over the game’s highest position in January 2015. His focus during his trip centered on what the future holds for the Rays, who after years of begging and pleading finally have approval from the local powers-that-be to search for sites in the region that could accommodate a new ballpark.
“This is a market that is very important to Major League Baseball,” Manfred said. “We have a great owner and ownership group here in Tampa Bay and we look forward to great success in this market.”
The Rays’ lease at the Trop runs until 2027, although the St. Petersburg City Council finally relented last October to allow the team to begin searching for property to build a new ballpark inside Pinellas and Hillsborough counties. Should the Rays depart Tropicana Field prior to the end of the lease, they would be required to pay a $5 million demolition fee as well as $4 million for each year the team has remaining on the original deal.
For years the team and other observers have suggested that one of the primary reasons the Rays have not drawn well centers on the Trop’s location. The facility resides a few blocks from downtown St. Petersburg, yet the majority of the area’s population lives in Tampa. The area’s growing traffic problems combined with the lack of any appealing qualities of the ballpark has kept many would-be fans from attending games.
(Zuma Press/Icon Sportswire)
“I think the location of a stadium always can make a difference in terms of attendance,” Manfred said. “I think the geography here would suggest that it’s possible to have a stadium that is more centrally located for the overall Tampa Bay metropolitan area.”
Since becoming the Rays’ principal owner in 2005, Stuart Sternberg has worked diligently to garner a better ballpark for his team. Under his leadership, Tampa Bay has done a better job of accomplishing more with less than any other major league club.
Following the 2015 campaign, Sports on Earth ranked the Rays first among the 30 teams in spending per win during Sternberg’s tenure. In 2014, Bloomberg Business named the Rays fifth in the rankings of the “smartest spenders” among the 122 MLB, NFL, NBA and NHL franchises.
Sternberg has been unwavering in his commitment to keeping the Rays in the Tampa Bay area, but has also made it clear that should his options regarding a new ballpark dry up, he would look to sell the team, which might lead to a relocation with new owners.
“I think the most important thing is Stu’s palpable commitment to this market,” Manfred said. “He is a respected owner in the game. I think people believe he is working very, very hard to make this club successful here in Tampa. And as long as he’s committed, I think we—me and baseball—will remain committed to the market.
“I also believe this market has great potential. Obviously Florida is a growing state with great broadcast potential. If we can work through the existing arrangements, get a new deal, I remain hopeful that in Tampa Bay we will find a way to get a facility built that will improve the attendance for the club.”
Manfred said the ballpark difficulties involving the Rays as well as the Oakland A’s remain among his utmost priorities. While he admits that projecting when those situations will be resolved remain uncertain at this point, the clock is ticking for everyone involved.
“I think deadlines in the context of an issue like this are not particularly productive,” Manfred said. “I know people like to get me to talk about deadlines because when you have business situations, every deal seems to get done when you have a deadline. I think that these issues are a little different due to the political process, which makes it more difficult to control the timing. We will remain committed to the process in Tampa Bay as long as Stuart believes it is the best alternative to him. That’s the best I can tell you with regards to the timing.”
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