I loved the idea of moving the team to Orlando and opening up both markets. Even Lakeland or the Plant City area should be better. You can keep the name. I worked as a clubbie for the Rays 18 years ago when Spring Training was still in St. Pete. A big part of my job was taking cut players to the airport. Half my day was spent on that bridge. It's a nightmare. This just seems like an obviously dumb move.
I wrote a piece about Pat Williams’ effort to attract a team to Orlando months ago. I could never see Florida getting a third team, but, as you said, it could have been a really good landing spot for the Rays. That was the only scenario that made sense for Orlando.
I’m happy the Rays are getting a new park. They deserve it. They’ve done so many things right over the years on the field, and they’ve even made the best out of a bad situation at The Trop in terms of treating the fans who do show up as well as possible under the less-than-ideal circumstances. They’re small core of fans deserve it too.
I just feel like--as people from up there have told me for years--they can spend all the want and build as magnificent a park as they can--but they’re doomed to fail at that site. The Marlins are a perfect example of that.
The site is puzzling, literally, no change. I need more time to think about it from every angle, but my preliminary thoughts are it boils down to the public entities, as you said. If the site is 86 acres, meaning additional development opportunities, that has some merit. It also potentially adds revenue that is not baseball-related, to use the phrase Samson spouts. That income isn't included in the calculations for revenue sharing and, thus, is off-limits for demands it be included in team payroll. The last, perhaps unlikely, factor is that the new park will cement a huge sale value for current ownership. I have thoroughly enjoyed by (usual) twice- yearlytrips to LDP from Jax. If I lived in the area, I would buy season tickets, especially as I am retired. The Trop isn't as nice, but it's not horrible, IMO. With the team's the Rays put on the field, I'd buy season tickets there, too. My four Reds tickets (Club 4192) seats were $12k (years ago) and provided me and the company's guests wonderful entertainment value.
It’s so clear to see. They can build a beautiful park, as the Marlins did, but if it’s in a location people don’t want to go to, they have no chance. In the Marlins case, they didn’t know for sure. They could optimistically point to 70,000 people going to the Orange Bowl or being closer to fans who live in South Dade. In this case, they have 25 years of proof people from Tampa and points east refuse to cross the bridge and go to that site.
I loved the idea of moving the team to Orlando and opening up both markets. Even Lakeland or the Plant City area should be better. You can keep the name. I worked as a clubbie for the Rays 18 years ago when Spring Training was still in St. Pete. A big part of my job was taking cut players to the airport. Half my day was spent on that bridge. It's a nightmare. This just seems like an obviously dumb move.
I wrote a piece about Pat Williams’ effort to attract a team to Orlando months ago. I could never see Florida getting a third team, but, as you said, it could have been a really good landing spot for the Rays. That was the only scenario that made sense for Orlando.
I’m happy the Rays are getting a new park. They deserve it. They’ve done so many things right over the years on the field, and they’ve even made the best out of a bad situation at The Trop in terms of treating the fans who do show up as well as possible under the less-than-ideal circumstances. They’re small core of fans deserve it too.
I just feel like--as people from up there have told me for years--they can spend all the want and build as magnificent a park as they can--but they’re doomed to fail at that site. The Marlins are a perfect example of that.
That’s too bad.
The site is puzzling, literally, no change. I need more time to think about it from every angle, but my preliminary thoughts are it boils down to the public entities, as you said. If the site is 86 acres, meaning additional development opportunities, that has some merit. It also potentially adds revenue that is not baseball-related, to use the phrase Samson spouts. That income isn't included in the calculations for revenue sharing and, thus, is off-limits for demands it be included in team payroll. The last, perhaps unlikely, factor is that the new park will cement a huge sale value for current ownership. I have thoroughly enjoyed by (usual) twice- yearlytrips to LDP from Jax. If I lived in the area, I would buy season tickets, especially as I am retired. The Trop isn't as nice, but it's not horrible, IMO. With the team's the Rays put on the field, I'd buy season tickets there, too. My four Reds tickets (Club 4192) seats were $12k (years ago) and provided me and the company's guests wonderful entertainment value.
LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION....................IT IS AN AXIOM - MUST BE FOLLOWED TO BE SUCCESSFUL
It’s so clear to see. They can build a beautiful park, as the Marlins did, but if it’s in a location people don’t want to go to, they have no chance. In the Marlins case, they didn’t know for sure. They could optimistically point to 70,000 people going to the Orange Bowl or being closer to fans who live in South Dade. In this case, they have 25 years of proof people from Tampa and points east refuse to cross the bridge and go to that site.