Friday, April 11, 2008

Thoughts on the Rays Ballpark Plans

As a huge Rays fan, I have some opinions regarding their stadium issues.

Firstly, I love the cool air conditioning at the Trop and I have never felt that the Trop was a bad place to play. As all Floridians know, its almost always raining here and when it isn't it feels like a blast furnace has hit you in the scolding heat. Florida is filled with elderly folks but I cannot imagine my grandparents sitting in 100 degree heat on an August Sunday afternoon watching a ball game that might not even take place.

In addition, the fans do not attend the games. How do the Rays officials think that if we get a new ballpark, the fans will come? I say there is only one way this can happen...WIN! The Bucs and the Lightning certainly proved that successful fan attendance has nothing to do with where they play.

Still, I do believe we are heading in the right direction but I'm nervous that if we don't get the stadium, the Rays' owner will move them away. All in all, I value a stadium for the Rays over no Tampa Bay baseball franchise.

You heard it here - no stadium means no Rays!

1 comment:

Stanley C. said...

If the Rays want to continue in Tampa\St. Pete, they need a new stadium. You can't say a dome is needed because of summer heat. Go to somewhere like St. Louis, Chicago, New York. It is just as hot, if not hotter in those cities during the July\August months. Look what a new park did in cities like San Fran, Cincinatti, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, and Washington D.C. this season. I've seen the initial plans for the new stadium in St. Pete, and it looks like they are doing what a lot of new parks are doing. It's right on the water with low outfield stands that will emphasize downtown skylines. The warehouse lovingly called the Trop is no place for baseball...