The Tampa Bay Rays: A History of Struggling Attendance
For years, the Tampa Bay Rays have faced a constant battle with low attendance numbers. Despite their on-field success, the team has struggled to fill seats at Tropicana Field. But could next season finally bring a change?
The Rays have been fortunate to have resourceful and talented baseball executives leading the way, resulting in a successful record on the field. However, when it comes to the annual Forbes assessment of MLB valuations, the franchise consistently falls near the bottom of the list.
Will Tropicana Field Be the Solution?
With the upcoming season just around the corner, the Rays are hopeful that their home stadium, Tropicana Field, will finally see an increase in attendance. The team has made efforts to improve the fan experience, including renovations to the stadium and offering more affordable ticket options.
But will these changes be enough to draw in larger crowds? Only time will tell if Tropicana Field will be the answer to the Rays’ attendance woes. $1.7 billion
The Struggle of the Tampa Bay Rays: From Hurricane Damage to a Potential $1.7 Billion Sale
The Tampa Bay Rays have been facing attendance issues for decades, with multiple attempts to build a new stadium falling short. However, their struggles were further highlighted when their current stadium, Tropicana Field, was damaged by Hurricane Milton last year. This forced the team to play their home games at the New York Yankees’ spring training park while repairs were being made.
Despite their on-field success, the Rays have consistently ranked low in MLB valuations, with only the Miami Marlins being deemed less valuable due to years of neglect from their ownership. In fact, the Rays’ owner, Stu Sternberg, even proposed the idea of splitting home games between St. Petersburg and Montreal, which was ultimately rejected by MLB.
However, despite their struggles, the Rays are expected to sell for a whopping $1.7 billion to a group led by Patrick Zalupski. This price tag is a testament to the increasing value of even struggling baseball franchises, as Sternberg only paid $200 million for the team in 2004.
This serves as a reminder to fans in every MLB market that ownership groups crying poor should not be taken seriously. The pending sale of the Minnesota Twins, which is expected to fetch a similar price, further emphasizes this point.
Baseball commissioner Rob Manfred has stated that the Twins’ sale will be consistent with recent pricing trends, further solidifying the value of MLB franchises. It will be interesting to see where the dollars go in this transaction.
