Rays new ballpark keeps them in St. Pete

[Beard of Sisko]

I thought Tropicana's location in St. Petersburg was considered a major factor in the Rays having attendance woes despite being competitive.

Building a new park in the same city won't solve attendance issues. Traffic jams across the Howard Frankland bridge will still be a thing and play a major role as to why so many from Tampa don't make the trip across the bay, especially during the week.

This new park solves nothing as far as attendance goes.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

Having a new ballpark that isn't a total DUMP can't hurt.

 

[Beard of Sisko]

Having a new ballpark that isn't a total DUMP can't hurt.

Maybe. But the novelty of a brand new park will eventually wear off and any temporary spike in attendance will eventually recede back into the usual attendance woes due to the stadium's location

 

[BillJ]

Having a new ballpark that isn't a total DUMP can't hurt.

That was what the Marlins kept saying.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

That was what the Marlins kept saying.

And they were correct.

Despite the admittedly questionable circumstances under which it was built, LoanDepot Park is objectively better as a ballpark than Joe Pro Robbie Hard Rock Player Land Shark Dolphin Stadium.

 

[BillJ]

And they were correct.

Despite the admittedly questionable circumstances under which it was built, LoanDepot Park is objectively better as a stadium than Joe Pro Robbie Hard Rock Player Land Shark Dolphin Stadium.

But it sits mostly empty every single fucking game.

 

[Kronos]

I thought Tropicana's location in St. Petersburg was considered a major factor in the Rays having attendance woes despite being competitive.

They are liars.

They know this solves nothing but it does give them a billion or so dollars.

 

[Beard of Sisko]

But it sits mostly empty every single fucking game.

It would seem that Floridians just don't care about baseball.

 

[Kronos]

It would seem that Floridians just don't care about baseball.

They care about college and minor league base.

 

[BillJ]

Apparently, the Rays/St. Pete deal is non-binding, still depending on a lot of points to negotiate. Looks like the taxpayers portion will be well over a billion dollars when all is said and done.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

the novelty of a brand new park will eventually wear off

Perhaps. Perhaps not.

In any case, like I said, it can't hurt. No fan with a functioning brain cell is going to think "Hey, you know, this stadium is way too nice. So I'm not going. I much preferred it when they were playing in a dank, dark warehouse with mutant lighting fixtures and concourses that look like the 80's threw up."

So while it remains to be seen if the new stadium will drive attendance up - logically speaking, it cannot drive it down.

 

[BillJ]

So while it remains to be seen if the new stadium will drive attendance up - logically speaking, it cannot drive it down.

Just taxpayer debt that goes up…

 

[Timby]

So while it remains to be seen if the new stadium will drive attendance up - logically speaking, it cannot drive it down.

"New = can't be lower attendance" does not follow any form of logic. In fact, some MLB stadiums used to hit the 4 million mark regularly in years past. Nowadays, 3 million is the league's goal.

Just taxpayer debt that goes up…

You're absolutely right, but Mr. Laser Beam is on record as saying that he doesn't care where the money comes from, as long as it comes.

No matter how badly Miami got fucked over with regards to infrastructure upgrades due to debt service on Marlins Park, things like that.