Bob & Jackie Washburn joined the conversation this week with a creative future use for Tropicana Field:
Just a thought, but considering that Tropicana was originally built without having a team, why not use it for a Rays farm team, maybe just single A to start with, after the Rays move to a new stadium. A case in point here would be the Atlanta Braves who have a farm team just outside Atlanta, only 30 or so miles to Fulton County Stadium. The Braves also ended their relationship with their farm team in Richmond (VA) just last year because Richmond wouldn’t enhance the facility.
This solves a couple of problems, one being the use of Tropicana, and another being to reduce the Rays costs in supporting their farm teams. I think everyone needs to make the necessary concessions here… I know we do, we being 2 super senior citizens who drive 3 hours each way from Melbourne Beach to see the games.
Keep up the good articles. Thanks, Bob & Jackie
First, complimenting my writing is always a good way to earn COW honors.
Second, while I responded that I don’t think a minor league team is the answer for a lot of different reasons, Bob’s idea had my wheels spinning. If memory serves (and we are going to have to rely on my memory alone because I can’t find any league-wide minor league attendance databases online), the Florida State League is either at the bottom, or near the bottom, in attendance among full-season minor leagues. I think that begs two questions:
1. Why doesn’t minor league baseball seem to work in Florida?;
2. Is that relevant to an evaluation of Major League Baseball in Florida?
As to the first, I have no idea. Part of the problem has to be the cities. Most of the FSL teams are in snow-bird cities like Port St. Lucie, Fort Myers, and Dunedin. The teams are in those cities because their big clubs train there. And their big clubs train there because they have fans there in the spring. But, when summer rolls around, those fans return to the big club’s home city leaving the FSL club bereft of support.
Also, the more permanent cities on the FSL circuit now have big clubs. I remember going to games at Al Lang (and Al Lopez) when I was kid. It was awesome. Pretty good crowds. Great parks. Good times. I especially loved (and I suppose still love – since it’s still standing) Al Lang. It is a real shame that we can’t find something to do with that park because it is a gem.
As to the second question, I think minor league baseball and Major League Baseball in Florida are unrelated. For one, they appeal to different crowds. Minor League baseball is a niche sport designed for purists that love baseball, prospect honks that have to the first to see a guy, and local families looking for a reasonable night out. Big League baseball has a broader audience.
In the final analysis, while the Rays might have killed my chance to take my son to a minor league game in town, I am ok with the tradeoff. If I really want him to have that experience, we’ll go spend a weekend in Charlotte County.
Thanks for the comment Bob and Jackie.
Thanks for the COW recognition. Forgot about Al Lang, isn’t that where the Phillies train? Some additional wondering… Doesn’t Disney use their Sports Complex for additional revenues besides the Braves spring training?, and you know there still is not a full time home for the Rowdies. Over here on the East Coast it looks like the last year for the Brevard Manatees since the Nationals are looking elsewhere. I’ll bet a Ray’s Home Game Ticket (need 2) that if the St. Pete braintrust wanted to find an alternate solution or solutions to cover the lease, they could. Bob
Hi Bob. The Phillies train at Brighthouse Networks Field, located in Clearwater. It’s a beautiful stadium. I wish our Rays had something like it.
I do like Brighthouse Field. Especially the Frankie’s in left field. But I think the new park in Port Charlotte is better. I also loved the old park in Clearwater (I think it is still there being used by a non-profit Christian camp or something. In fact, I think Josh Hamilton was on the field crew there before he got reinstated).
Disney hosts events at their sports facility but, I don’t think the ballpark has been used since the O-Rays moved to Montgomery. It hosted the big club for 6 games, and it hosted the WBC, but otherwise I think it is vacant. As for Al Lang, it is painfully empty other than Rowdies soccer. I really love that park.
As a Durham, NC resident (born and raised in St. Pete) I get to enjoy seeing the Ray’s prospects before the hit the big show. The Durham Bulls (Ray’s AAA affiliate) always have good crowds regardless of day, night, weekday or weekend. The reason it is so popular is because there is no other sporting events going on during the late spring and summer months. Don’t quote me on this but I would guess they average 4-6k per game. With the exception of the Carolina Hurricanes, there is no other professional sports teams around.
There was talk a couple years back of trying to get a MLB here, and everyone’s take was, “What will happen to the Bulls?” and “The Bulls will not be able to survive.” And they are right. Other than a slight monetary difference (Bulls tickets ~$8-10, Rays have seats that cheap don’t they?), why would one want to go see B to C level talent when you have A level talent there too? I wouldn’t go to a minor league game if the major league team was that close.
That is a fair point.
For what it’s worth, I think Durham Bulls Athletic Park is one of the best ballparks anywhere. Good city, good stadium, good baseball. I love it. When I was a senior in college, my dad and I caught a game at DBAP while driving to New York. We saw the Bulls against Columbus on a Tuesday night, then drove through the night to see the Orioles and Royals in a matinee at Camden Yards, then drove to Brooklyn for a night cap at (whatever the new park on Coney Island is called). DBAP was the best stop of the trip.
I highly recommend a trip to AAA for all Rays fans. Heck, if this thing gets going a little bit and we get some momentum, maybe we’ll take a Ray Area excursion.
Pena is back! Just saw the headline on ESPN, so I can un-retire his stuff! Even better, I read the comments on the story and most were from…..wait for it…..Rays fans! Who’d of thought, take that ESPN. We may not be spending Miami money, but we are definitely putting some power into the lineup. Coupled with our pitching and defense, watch out AL East! The lightning let me down this year, but I am getting fired up for some baseball!!!
Travis, this comment just got me fired up for baseball again. With the mild distraction of football about to end I was wondering how I would pass the time here in Toronto as the snow gets deeper, but you saved me! Time to start getting pumped for next season!
Me too. I got really excited last Sunday when the Times ran every team’s Spring Training schedule. That was a big Sunday for me when I was a kid.
Glad to help get you pumped up for Rays season, I so ready to get back to the trop. The birth of my son extremely limited my attendance last year, but I am back now! I’m hoping to relive some of my fondest OLE OLE OLE OLE!!! moments in the dome as Pena smashes a home run. Can’t wait to see the numbers this new improved lineup puts up.
On another note, I have a question that maybe someone here can answer. I cut the cord this winter and have gone 100% streaming media. I plan on buying a MLB.tv subscription on my Roku to watch the Rays. Do the Rays (or any other MLB team at that) get credit for those viewers? I know it wouldn’t reflect on their television ratings, but I was curious if MLB tracks the number of people watching a particular game to inform teams. I hate to let the team down in anyway, I don’t want to be part of the appearance that no one is watching or caring about our ball club.
Travis, I am not that concerned about the Rays audience (but I understand why you are). I am concerned about your ability to watch the club. I was considering making the same move but, I heard through the grapevine that the Rays are blacked out locally on MLB.tv. If it works, let me know how so I can dump this brutal cable bill.
I will do, but with the premium subscription you can choose to watch either teams feed for the game. I would imagine that all you would need to do is watch the feed from the opposing team. It would stink hearing their commentary, but I could deal. Thanks for the heads up, I will update you on that as soon as the season begins. I can’t go without my Rays games, I would probably have to swallow my pride and re-subscribe to cable if this turns out to be true. Why are the Rays so addictive?
It appears they are blacked out both home and away, but not to fear. The game is available as an archive shortly after completion. I can cope I think, just stay away from online sports pages that show scores.
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The city of Tampa should have collectively planned for the Lightning and Rays to share a venue. You cannot construct an outdoor venue in Tampa, too much rain. A stadium close to the actual city would be nice instead of 45 minutes out in the suburbs. We all saw the fate of the old Richfield Coliseum in Cleveland that was no where near Cleveland.
Interesting idea but, I don’t think it is possible to build a facility that meets the needs of a NHL franchise and a MLB franchise. The dimensions used for play, and the size of the crowds, are too different. That’s part of the reason the Lightning left Thunderdome.