Other Sports Tampa Bay Rays owner says current business model untenable - Page 4

Deberg_1990 · 10-05-2011, 09:41 AM

The Rangers sent the Rays home Tuesday afternoon -- not that many Tampa Bay area fans were in attendance to see it.

After selling out Game 3 to the tune of 32,828 fans, only 28,299 showed up for what turned out to be Texas' ALDS-clinching 4-3 victory.

"We replicated last year and our numbers were down," Tampa Bay owner Stuart Sternberg said. "The (television) ratings were down. The rubber has got to hit the road at some point. We're four years into winning. We're getting to the point where we don't control our own destiny. This is untenable as a model."

Tampa Bay has reached the playoffs three times in the past four years, including two AL East titles and a World Series appearance in 2008. But despite the success, declining attendance has become an ongoing trend at the domed Tropicana Field, where the Rays play their home games.

"When I came in here in '05 and '06, I saw the stars, and I was confident that we could put a winning product on the field -- and I was told by you guys and others that all we needed was a winning team," said Sternberg, who assumed principle control of the franchise in 2005. "Well, we won. We won. We won. And we won. And it didn't do it."

Last September, Rays star third baseman Evan Longoria pleaded with fans to raise attendance and support the team.

"We've been playing great baseball all year. Since I've been here in (2006), the fans have wanted a good baseball team. They've wanted to watch a contender," Longoria told reporters at the time. "And for us to play good baseball for three years now, and for us to be in a spot to clinch again and go to the playoffs, we're all confused as to why it's only 15,000 to 20,000 in the building."

Sternberg's criticism comes after the Rays reached the postseason despite an epic offseason purge that chopped the team's 2010 payroll of $71.9 million to $ 41.9 on Opening Day this season, the second-lowest in baseball.

Local civic leaders are currently exploring options for a new stadium, but the effort is in the preliminary phases.

"You can look at us and potentially Oakland as the only teams in that respect," Sternberg said, referring to the only team who drew fewer fans than Tampa this season, the Oakland A's. "And Oakland by hook and crook will have a situation clearer well before we will, and we will be the last man standing. Or in this case, lying down."

http://espn.go.com/mlb/story/_/id/70...odel-untenable

Sannyasi · 10-05-2011, 05:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FringeNC

When I was in Tampa airport this summer, I saw more Red Sox caps than Rays caps, in fact, almost 2-1, and the Red Sox were not in town. Terrible fans.

Cmon, counting hats at an airport? You've got to be more scientific than that.

Count the hats at Disney World, then get back to me.

**CosmicPal** · 10-05-2011, 06:11 PM

Geezit, most of you are ignorant tools. Seriously.

The Rays had a tough time selling tickets for a number of reasons:

1. Most people didn't realize they were actually in the playoff race until the last minute.

2. The location of the Trop is just plain awful. It's nearly an hour drive for anyone who actually lives in Tampa. Imagine if the Royals put an ugly domed stadium in Topeka and you can picture what the Trop is like for those who live in Tampa.

3. The game itself was changed to a Tuesday afternoon game at the very last minute so most everyone had to change plans on the fly. Not a good thing to do on a Tuesday.

4. The economy stinks in Florida, and most particularly in Tampa where the unemployment rate is still in the double digits.

5. Sunshine, beaches, golf, fishing, boating, warm, tropical weather, etc. Florida rocks when it comes to things to do, so they would much rather spend the day at the beach or the golf course, and then go home and watch the game on the TV instead of piling everyone in the car and spending $500 on tickets, gas, food, and drinks for a family of four.

6. Oh, and I was at the Bucs game Monday night- it was sold out. Not everyone hangs out in their seats however. I've been to a couple of games now and it looks to me like people like to party around the pirate ship. We left our seats and hung out down there during the second half of the game.

7. It is a damn shame the Rays can't sell tickets. There is talk they are going to build a stadium in downtown Tampa, right off the water, which would be sweet. I think if they were to do just that, then they'd sell a lot more tickets.

8. Lastly, much like Denver was full of transients, so is the Tampa area. Almost everyone I meet is from NY, or Boston, or Philly, or Virginia. There's actually quite a few people I've met from the KC area too. But, NYers and Bostonians seem to flock her like it's nothing.

kcxiv · 10-05-2011, 06:22 PM

I dont have a problem moving the team if its just not working. People can say what you want, but its like why go somewhere where people dont really want you or dont care that your there? Makes no sense to me.

I dont know where they would move, but if he wants too, then by all means!

whoman69 · 10-05-2011, 07:16 PM

Portland anyone? Las Vegas? Even Buffalo would be an improvement.

**DaKCMan AP** · 10-05-2011, 07:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CosmicPal

Geezit, most of you are ignorant tools. Seriously.

The Rays had a tough time selling tickets for a number of reasons:

1. Most people didn't realize they were actually in the playoff race until the last minute.

2. The location of the Trop is just plain awful. It's nearly an hour drive for anyone who actually lives in Tampa. Imagine if the Royals put an ugly domed stadium in Topeka and you can picture what the Trop is like for those who live in Tampa.

3. The game itself was changed to a Tuesday afternoon game at the very last minute so most everyone had to change plans on the fly. Not a good thing to do on a Tuesday.

4. The economy stinks in Florida, and most particularly in Tampa where the unemployment rate is still in the double digits.

5. Sunshine, beaches, golf, fishing, boating, warm, tropical weather, etc. Florida rocks when it comes to things to do, so they would much rather spend the day at the beach or the golf course, and then go home and watch the game on the TV instead of piling everyone in the car and spending $500 on tickets, gas, food, and drinks for a family of four.

6. Oh, and I was at the Bucs game Monday night- it was sold out. Not everyone hangs out in their seats however. I've been to a couple of games now and it looks to me like people like to party around the pirate ship. We left our seats and hung out down there during the second half of the game.

7. It is a damn shame the Rays can't sell tickets. There is talk they are going to build a stadium in downtown Tampa, right off the water, which would be sweet. I think if they were to do just that, then they'd sell a lot more tickets.

8. Lastly, much like Denver was full of transients, so is the Tampa area. Almost everyone I meet is from NY, or Boston, or Philly, or Virginia. There's actually quite a few people I've met from the KC area too. But, NYers and Bostonians seem to flock her like it's nothing.

Hey man, you going to make it out to watch the game this weekend?

**notorious** · 10-05-2011, 07:31 PM

What is "baseball"?

**alnorth** · 10-05-2011, 07:35 PM

The Rays main problem is probably the location of the ballpark. It is in St. Petersburg, which is a pain in the ass for anyone in Tampa to get to, and St. Petersburg isn't anywhere close to big enough to support the team, itself. At first I didn't buy the argument, thinking "come on, if its in the area, how hard could it be to drive?"

Go ahead and look up St. Petersburg on a map, see where that is in relation to Tampa, and you'll understand. Go ahead, if you don't know the geography, take a look right now and come back to this thread. The location is utterly horrid.

Ok fair enough, the location is bad, so just build a ballpark in Tampa, right? The Rays have tried for a long time. They can't get support from the community to build the ballpark, and the Rays are tied down on a long lease in their boat anchor of a dome stadium in St. Pete. The mayor of St. Pete has vowed never to release the Rays from the lease, not even blinking when the threat of losing the team came up.

So, baseball has a couple options. They can either pay whatever money is required to buy out the Rays legal obligation in St. Pete and then give it another go in Tampa, helping the Rays figure out how to finance a park in a location where its reasonable for Tampa residents to drive to, or they can buy out the lease and move them to Jersey, where a bunch of rich people are willing to buy out the New York Yankee/Mets territorial rights and build a stadium themself, because no one is going to finance a stadium in Tampa. Theoretically, you can imagine the team could succeed in Tampa, but no one wants to make that bet.

If the people in the Tampa area are not willing to let the team escape from the Trop and build a great baseball stadium in Tampa, then MLB needs to rescue that team. They have completely and utterly proven that you cant get people to drive to a dome in St. Pete with a winning ballclub that does well for years.

**RealSNR** · 10-05-2011, 07:58 PM

Put them in the Sprint Center!

**BigRedChief** · 10-05-2011, 08:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HemiEd

I wonder what percentage of the Florida population is retired? It seems like when I visit, a large percentage are very old and drive Caddy sedans.

WTF? I live about 1.5 miles from Tropicana field.

**BigRedChief** · 10-05-2011, 08:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by alnorth

The Rays main problem is probably the location of the ballpark. It is in St. Petersburg, which is a pain in the ass for anyone in Tampa to get to, and St. Petersburg isn't anywhere close to big enough to support the team, itself. At first I didn't buy the argument, thinking "come on, if its in the area, how hard could it be to drive?"

Go ahead and look up St. Petersburg on a map, see where that is in relation to Tampa, and you'll understand. Go ahead, if you don't know the geography, take a look right now and come back to this thread. The location is utterly horrid.

I drive from St. Pete to Tampa every work day. Go right by Tropicana field every day. It takes me about 25 minutes to get from the stadium to downtown Tampa.

**Bugeater** · 10-05-2011, 08:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by alnorth

The Rays main problem is probably the location of the ballpark. It is in St. Petersburg, which is a pain in the ass for anyone in Tampa to get to, and St. Petersburg isn't anywhere close to big enough to support the team, itself. At first I didn't buy the argument, thinking "come on, if its in the area, how hard could it be to drive?"

Go ahead and look up St. Petersburg on a map, see where that is in relation to Tampa, and you'll understand. Go ahead, if you don't know the geography, take a look right now and come back to this thread. The location is utterly horrid.

Ok fair enough, the location is bad, so just build a ballpark in Tampa, right? The Rays have tried for a long time. They can't get support from the community to build the ballpark, and the Rays are tied down on a long lease in their boat anchor of a dome stadium in St. Pete. The mayor of St. Pete has vowed never to release the Rays from the lease, not even blinking when the threat of losing the team came up.

So, baseball has a couple options. They can either pay whatever money is required to buy out the Rays legal obligation in St. Pete and then give it another go in Tampa, helping the Rays figure out how to finance a park in a location where its reasonable for Tampa residents to drive to, or they can buy out the lease and move them to Jersey, where a bunch of rich people are willing to buy out the New York Yankee/Mets territorial rights and build a stadium themself, because no one is going to finance a stadium in Tampa. Theoretically, you can imagine the team could succeed in Tampa, but no one wants to make that bet.

If the people in the Tampa area are not willing to let the team escape from the Trop and build a great baseball stadium in Tampa, then MLB needs to rescue that team. They have completely and utterly proven that you cant get people to drive to a dome in St. Pete with a winning ballclub that does well for years.

Did the people of Tampa or MLB put a gun to that owner's head forcing him to commit to a bad lease? Sounds like it's his own damn fault to me.

10-05-2011, 08:26 PM

I started reading this thread and then realized that I didn't even know Tampa had a MLB team. I'm that disinterested in MLB.

**alnorth** · 10-05-2011, 08:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bugeater

Did the people of Tampa or MLB put a gun to that owner's head forcing him to commit to a bad lease? Sounds like it's his own damn fault to me.

Fine. The fact remains that the team is getting unbelievably bad support, and the consequence of that is losing your team. The penalty for breaking that contract is not the death penalty, its just money, which MLB (or the new owner) will have plenty of.

Don't want to go to the games? Fine, say good-bye to your Rays. Here's some cash, and we'll hit the bricks.

**BigRedChief** · 10-05-2011, 08:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Phobia

I started reading this thread and then realized that I didn't even know Tampa had a MLB team. I'm that disinterested in MLB.

Myself and the family went to a game this year to watch the Cardinals play.

'Hamas' Jenkins · 10-05-2011, 08:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chiefzilla1501

http://espn.go.com/mlb/attendance
Their team is second to last in attendance. This isn't just about the playoffs.

That's embarrassing. I agree with the owner. I hate an owner who consistently builds a loser than complains about attendance. But in this case, **** them. You think Cleveland wouldn't kill to have an owner with this kind of a success record? That depressed economy would be killing attendance numbers with a team as talented as the Rays.

Is there a major American city with a worse economy than Detroit? Nevertheless, those fans have no problem supporting that team.

Whereas the fans of KC don't deserve a team as shitty as the Chiefs, the fans of Tampa don't deserve a team as good as the Rays.

10-05-2011, 09:41 AM
Deberg_1990 In Search of a Life Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: San Antonio Tx. Casino cash: $284454	Tampa Bay Rays owner says current business model untenable The Rangers sent the Rays home Tuesday afternoon -- not that many Tampa Bay area fans were in attendance to see it. After selling out Game 3 to the tune of 32,828 fans, only 28,299 showed up for what turned out to be Texas' ALDS-clinching 4-3 victory. "We replicated last year and our numbers were down," Tampa Bay owner Stuart Sternberg said. "The (television) ratings were down. The rubber has got to hit the road at some point. We're four years into winning. We're getting to the point where we don't control our own destiny. This is untenable as a model." Tampa Bay has reached the playoffs three times in the past four years, including two AL East titles and a World Series appearance in 2008. But despite the success, declining attendance has become an ongoing trend at the domed Tropicana Field, where the Rays play their home games. "When I came in here in '05 and '06, I saw the stars, and I was confident that we could put a winning product on the field -- and I was told by you guys and others that all we needed was a winning team," said Sternberg, who assumed principle control of the franchise in 2005. "Well, we won. We won. We won. And we won. And it didn't do it." Last September, Rays star third baseman Evan Longoria pleaded with fans to raise attendance and support the team. "We've been playing great baseball all year. Since I've been here in (2006), the fans have wanted a good baseball team. They've wanted to watch a contender," Longoria told reporters at the time. "And for us to play good baseball for three years now, and for us to be in a spot to clinch again and go to the playoffs, we're all confused as to why it's only 15,000 to 20,000 in the building." Sternberg's criticism comes after the Rays reached the postseason despite an epic offseason purge that chopped the team's 2010 payroll of $71.9 million to $ 41.9 on Opening Day this season, the second-lowest in baseball. Local civic leaders are currently exploring options for a new stadium, but the effort is in the preliminary phases. "You can look at us and potentially Oakland as the only teams in that respect," Sternberg said, referring to the only team who drew fewer fans than Tampa this season, the Oakland A's. "And Oakland by hook and crook will have a situation clearer well before we will, and we will be the last man standing. Or in this case, lying down." http://espn.go.com/mlb/story/_/id/70...odel-untenable
Posts: 68,462

10-05-2011, 06:11 PM	#47
CosmicPal Learn it. Know it. Live it. Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: St. Petersburg, FL Casino cash: $10004900	Geezit, most of you are ignorant tools. Seriously. The Rays had a tough time selling tickets for a number of reasons: 1. Most people didn't realize they were actually in the playoff race until the last minute. 2. The location of the Trop is just plain awful. It's nearly an hour drive for anyone who actually lives in Tampa. Imagine if the Royals put an ugly domed stadium in Topeka and you can picture what the Trop is like for those who live in Tampa. 3. The game itself was changed to a Tuesday afternoon game at the very last minute so most everyone had to change plans on the fly. Not a good thing to do on a Tuesday. 4. The economy stinks in Florida, and most particularly in Tampa where the unemployment rate is still in the double digits. 5. Sunshine, beaches, golf, fishing, boating, warm, tropical weather, etc. Florida rocks when it comes to things to do, so they would much rather spend the day at the beach or the golf course, and then go home and watch the game on the TV instead of piling everyone in the car and spending $500 on tickets, gas, food, and drinks for a family of four. 6. Oh, and I was at the Bucs game Monday night- it was sold out. Not everyone hangs out in their seats however. I've been to a couple of games now and it looks to me like people like to party around the pirate ship. We left our seats and hung out down there during the second half of the game. 7. It is a damn shame the Rays can't sell tickets. There is talk they are going to build a stadium in downtown Tampa, right off the water, which would be sweet. I think if they were to do just that, then they'd sell a lot more tickets. 8. Lastly, much like Denver was full of transients, so is the Tampa area. Almost everyone I meet is from NY, or Boston, or Philly, or Virginia. There's actually quite a few people I've met from the KC area too. But, NYers and Bostonians seem to flock her like it's nothing. __________________ - * - * - * - * - * - * - * - * - * - Four blessings upon my fellow planeteers: Older whiskey, younger women, faster horses, and more money.
Posts: 10,840

10-05-2011, 06:22 PM	#48
kcxiv In Search of a Life Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Central Valley, Cali Casino cash: $8697996	I dont have a problem moving the team if its just not working. People can say what you want, but its like why go somewhere where people dont really want you or dont care that your there? Makes no sense to me. I dont know where they would move, but if he wants too, then by all means!
Posts: 29,111

10-05-2011, 07:31 PM	#51
notorious Supporter Join Date: May 2005 Location: Who knows? Casino cash: $-794116	What is "baseball"?
Posts: 88,518

10-05-2011, 07:35 PM	#52
alnorth . Join Date: Dec 2002 Casino cash: $57156239	The Rays main problem is probably the location of the ballpark. It is in St. Petersburg, which is a pain in the ass for anyone in Tampa to get to, and St. Petersburg isn't anywhere close to big enough to support the team, itself. At first I didn't buy the argument, thinking "come on, if its in the area, how hard could it be to drive?" Go ahead and look up St. Petersburg on a map, see where that is in relation to Tampa, and you'll understand. Go ahead, if you don't know the geography, take a look right now and come back to this thread. The location is utterly horrid. Ok fair enough, the location is bad, so just build a ballpark in Tampa, right? The Rays have tried for a long time. They can't get support from the community to build the ballpark, and the Rays are tied down on a long lease in their boat anchor of a dome stadium in St. Pete. The mayor of St. Pete has vowed never to release the Rays from the lease, not even blinking when the threat of losing the team came up. So, baseball has a couple options. They can either pay whatever money is required to buy out the Rays legal obligation in St. Pete and then give it another go in Tampa, helping the Rays figure out how to finance a park in a location where its reasonable for Tampa residents to drive to, or they can buy out the lease and move them to Jersey, where a bunch of rich people are willing to buy out the New York Yankee/Mets territorial rights and build a stadium themself, because no one is going to finance a stadium in Tampa. Theoretically, you can imagine the team could succeed in Tampa, but no one wants to make that bet. If the people in the Tampa area are not willing to let the team escape from the Trop and build a great baseball stadium in Tampa, then MLB needs to rescue that team. They have completely and utterly proven that you cant get people to drive to a dome in St. Pete with a winning ballclub that does well for years. __________________ how many emo kids does it take to change a lightbulb? HOW MANY?! none they just sit in the dark and cry Last edited by alnorth; 10-05-2011 at 07:40 PM..
Posts: 36,130

10-05-2011, 08:26 PM	#57
Phobia Guest Casino cash: $	I started reading this thread and then realized that I didn't even know Tampa had a MLB team. I'm that disinterested in MLB.
Posts: n/a

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