Are the Awesome Tampa Rays Bad for Baseball?
Baseball, Media Gossip/Musings August 20th. 2008, 12:52pm
We’ll look at it first from a fan POV, and then the business side of things.
Yes local TV ratings are soaring. Yes, a large segment of the baseball-viewing population will love the fact that either the Yankees or Red Sox (or both!) will miss the postseason if the 77-48 Rays keep winning. Fodder for the anti-salary cap crowd: The Rays have the second lowest payroll in baseball, and are tied for the best record!
And now, the attendance numbers: Tampa is the worst road draw in baseball, and ranks 26 out of 32 in home attendance. These numbers speak volumes: Nobody cares about going to the park to see the Rays. Will this carryover to the postseason? That remains to be seen. If you look at the last 22 years of World Series ratings, numbers have plummeted in the last decade, with the cheap, relatively-unknown small-market Marlins providing two of the lowest-viewed series ever (and the all-New York affair alienating the rest of the country).
At least three groups of folks are praying the Rays tank over the next 35 games: Bud Selig, and executives from FOX and TBS. Does anyone know if the Rays have been on national TV (Fox or ESPN) this year? Tough to sell ads during a game between the Rays and anyone.
Photo: Icon Sports Media
95 Responses to “Are the Awesome Tampa Rays Bad for Baseball?”
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August 20th, 2008 at 12:54 PM
Rays havent been on Sunday Night Baseball, maybe a wednesday broadcast when they played the Red Sox.
August 20th, 2008 at 12:55 PM
The Rays appeared on ESPN when they played the Cubs in Tampa.
August 20th, 2008 at 12:55 PM
If you adjust that chart to percentage of capacity, the Red Sox sell 104.1% of their seats each game.
August 20th, 2008 at 12:56 PM
I’m rooting against Tampa Bay. I hate when small market teams do well. Makes the Reds management look even more inept in comparison.
I like all their players, though.
August 20th, 2008 at 12:57 PM
Is it bad that whenever I see “POV” I only think of pornography?
People would go see the Rays if they had a bad ass stadium like the one they are trying to get built.
http://jaybirdms.files.wordpress.com/2008/02/tampa-bay-rays-new-stadium.jpg
August 20th, 2008 at 12:57 PM
weren’t the Rays on ESPN this week? coulda sworn they were.
anyways…college football…we need a 200 comment argument.
August 20th, 2008 at 12:57 PM
Got to love standing room only and obstructed view seats!
August 20th, 2008 at 12:57 PM
Stand corrected, Rays havent been on ESPN until the end of next week
http://wondergoon.mlblogs.com/archives/2008/08/espn_to_acctually_broadcast_ta_1.html
August 20th, 2008 at 12:58 PM
In fairness to Marlins fans, they sellout when the fish are in the World Series
/meant that in 2 ways
August 20th, 2008 at 12:58 PM
The Rays only need to play .500 ball the rest of the way to secure a playoff spot. I think they have it in them.
August 20th, 2008 at 1:00 PM
@ Spence: OSU sucks. There. I said it. Bring on 200 hate comments.
Kidding. No OSU hate, really. I am sick of all this Clemson crap around where I live. They have been talking about CFB down here since June. I’m bored out of my mind because of it.
August 20th, 2008 at 1:00 PM
The Omnbudswoman just talked about this (and it was linked in a Roundup). Tampa Bay was on twice last year and has had three games so far this year.
August 20th, 2008 at 1:01 PM
And why would a small market team be bad for baseball? Should we reduce the league to 8 teams so that we don’t have to worry about “surprises” or “upsetting tradition” or “confusing the fans?”
August 20th, 2008 at 1:02 PM
Totally.
“Bro, I’ve got ALCS tickets. White Sox-Rays at the Cell. Wanna go?”
“Ehhh, not really. I mean, it’s the Rays.”
“Good point. Let’s give them to a homeless guy.”
“Nah, let’s burn them for heat.”
“Great call.”
You were having such a nice day up until this.
August 20th, 2008 at 1:02 PM
+1 Hef
August 20th, 2008 at 1:03 PM
His argument is that it’s bad for baseball’s business.
August 20th, 2008 at 1:03 PM
Rock…it should make you feel better that whenever people talk Clemson football in June, it usually leads to a 7-5 season.
August 20th, 2008 at 1:04 PM
@Hef: Let’s be realistic. The only person it will confuse is Roman, but that’s because the Rays uniforms are shiny.
August 20th, 2008 at 1:06 PM
Hef – you mean like “Blades of Steel.”?
August 20th, 2008 at 1:07 PM
Totally. Roman’ll run out onto the field thinking that it’s a piece of tinfoil or something and get arrested. Then who’s going to take care of little RamonaWarHelmet? You, Tampa Bay? Are you gonna do it?
August 20th, 2008 at 1:07 PM
Blades of Steel kicks so much ass.
August 20th, 2008 at 1:07 PM
I can imagine spencer in his office, sweatband on his head, water bottle ready to go on his desk, cracking his knuckles and flexing his fingers, waiting for TBL to put OSU at #5.
August 20th, 2008 at 1:07 PM
If there is a college football post while I am at lunch (again) i’ll be real pissed.
/starving.
August 20th, 2008 at 1:08 PM
Spence. . .that’s the way I feel. I try and talk NFL, no one cares (“no rooting interest” I’m told; ATL 2 hours away, Panthers camp is 45 minutes away); I try and talk NBA, I’m looked at as though I speak a foreign language.
Yesterday, a guy at work talk me that if Clemson goes undefeated and makes a BCS game, “they will have 5 or 6 guys taken in the 1st round of the NFL draft.” And that the QB Harper (I think his first name is Colin, but I don’t care enough to check) “will be a top 5 pick if he played like last year.” I responded by nodding my head and continuing to eat my burger. There is no reasoning with people who make comments like that.
August 20th, 2008 at 1:09 PM
cullen harper? top 5 pick? BWAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH.
August 20th, 2008 at 1:10 PM
if you’ve ever been in the fruitdome you’d know why people don’t go.
that, and 75 percent of the population are transplants that pull for other teams (yankkes, red sox, indians, cubs, cardinals, et al).
additionally, the only man who makes bill bidwill look like robert kraft, vince naimoli, poisoned this market for baseball. it will take years of winning to out-do that.
August 20th, 2008 at 1:10 PM
@Rockets:
I agree. It’s much more fun to argue with more hardcore sports fans who are just as unreasonable on TBL…
August 20th, 2008 at 1:11 PM
oh, and while I’m at it Spence, you know I how was telling you how much Russell was going to suck this year because the O-Line sucks? I forgot to mention, he has no one to throw to but his RB’s and TEs. Honest.
August 20th, 2008 at 1:11 PM
@RocketsFAN – that what NY Jets fans are like at this time of year. I love listening to them talk themselves into believing that Favre isn’t going to be inconsistent and singlehandedly lose just as many games as he wins.
August 20th, 2008 at 1:11 PM
Rays will probably face the White Sox in the opening round. There won’t be much general interest in that series the games will probably get the daytime slot. If they win, they face either the Angels or Red Sox which wouldn’t be too bad ratings-wise. And as long as the Cubs make the World Series, it won’t matter who the AL team is.
On the other hand, a Rays-Brewers World Series would be a disaster.
August 20th, 2008 at 1:12 PM
Rays are clutch. They should have got Ibanez.
OSU sucks
August 20th, 2008 at 1:13 PM
The last 4 World Series have all sucked ass so it’s no wonder ratings haven’t been good. Three sweeps and one 5 gamer are really going to skew things.
August 20th, 2008 at 1:14 PM
Fine. From a business perspective: “Who gives a shit?” Yes, baseball is a business, but if we (or the league, or television producers or whoever) only want the teams that make money to succeed then why have other teams? Talking about ratings and money drives me crazy. Wouldn’t this be evidence that baseball isn’t fixed? Wouldn’t the Rays making the playoffs be a great kick in the ass to all those teams who spend a ton of money carelessly (I’m looking at you Detroit, New York and Seattle–btw, the Angels spend money carelessly as well but they’re succeeding in spite of it)? So again I ask, “who gives a shit if ratings drop?” Are they going to change the rules next year to prevent the Rays (or any other small market team) from making the post season? No? Then who gives a shit?
August 20th, 2008 at 1:14 PM
“Yesterday, a guy at work talk me that if Clemson goes undefeated and makes a BCS game, ”
Clemson fans must be exactly like aTm Aggies fans. So much delusion about their programs and program history.
August 20th, 2008 at 1:14 PM
I saw the Tigers-Rays play at the Trop recently, and it is not a terrible place to see a game. They really have made it much nicer. I saw the Indians play there when it first opened and thought it was awful. It is better than the Metrodome. Maybe they can use that it their marketing.
August 20th, 2008 at 1:14 PM
First of Nick..I love the fact the Rays are doing well..I think they are going to the World Series…fuck Fox and TBS and the Yankees so I am not easily distracted by shiny objects…if I was I would have a Russian bride by now
Secondly…Lets lay out the Salary Cap Camps
Pro Salary Cap: Jason McIntyre
Anti salary Cap: Every reasonable baseball fan that actually watches games and knows that this year is not an anomaly and smaller market teams have been competing all decade
August 20th, 2008 at 1:15 PM
hell, i even blocked out an hour on my outlook schedule.
August 20th, 2008 at 1:15 PM
It’s not impossible. Russell wasn’t a 1st round draft pick before his last season. And Quinn, Brohm, and even Woodson were locks for top-10 picks.
Harper is 6-4, 220 and completed 65% of his passes with 27 to 6 TD’s to INT’s.
It also appears to be a weak QB class this year.
August 20th, 2008 at 1:16 PM
@ gimmeabeerman: touche’. My only argument is that I’m new to the South and am a true Yankee; I just want to fit in without being shoot at for a war that happened 150 years ago.
@ St. Bear: At least Jets fans can move onto the Rangers/Islanders or Knicks. . .well, at least the Rangers/Islanders. People have nothing else to do when football is over or in off season (they claim) which is why we talk CFB in freaking June.
August 20th, 2008 at 1:16 PM
Wouldn’t the Rays making the playoffs be a great kick in the ass to all those teams who spend a ton of money carelessly
This would be sweet.
August 20th, 2008 at 1:18 PM
Well. . . I’m an Aggie fan. . .so this is kind of awkward.
/that should explain why I don’t like CFB much.
August 20th, 2008 at 1:20 PM
says who?
August 20th, 2008 at 1:21 PM
solid argument
August 20th, 2008 at 1:21 PM
The Commish of Double Dribble would like a word with you.
August 20th, 2008 at 1:22 PM
RocketsFAN -
Ouch. Sorry about that. Damn sterotypes.
August 20th, 2008 at 1:22 PM
I’m against a salary cap, too.
August 20th, 2008 at 1:23 PM
i hate to be a broken record, but only 200 or so people give a damn about tv ratings. those include ad execs, tv execs and maybe team owners (the first two aren’t neccesarily sports fans at all).
sports fans don’t watch sports just because they might draw ratings.
i’ve yet to meet a sports fan who won’t watch a particular game not because they don’t like said sport/game, but because it’s supposed to have garbage ratings.
August 20th, 2008 at 1:26 PM
apparently, they dont watch shitty, uninteresting teams, either
August 20th, 2008 at 1:27 PM
Tampa needs more attendance so they can get that new stadium. If people continue not to show up, the new stadium proposal will never go through.
I am looking forward to attending my first MLB playoff game. It will be fun
August 20th, 2008 at 1:27 PM
I think this could lead to contraction or movement of a team to a new city which is always good for some hate from everyone. This would cost the taxpayers money when they demand a new stadium that now provides no revenue at all. Also if the league does not make money it would probably fail (unless of course more taxpayer money props it up)…
August 20th, 2008 at 1:27 PM
@ KC Res: No prob. It’s an accurate stereotype from what I gather. I’ve never been to Texas, so I’ve never actually met another A&M fan. But everything I read is about “tradition.” Thing is, I don’t care about tradition. I want 2 things every year: (1) Beat Texas and (2) Win a bowl game. Everything else is just grand.
August 20th, 2008 at 1:29 PM
Rockets,
I moved to the South after living in the Chicago suburbs all of my life. I absolutely love it down here and will never live up North again.
August 20th, 2008 at 1:31 PM
@GIMMEABEERMAN-What suburb are you from?
August 20th, 2008 at 1:32 PM
The Rays are an exciting up and coming team, and a model for small teams to be successful.
August 20th, 2008 at 1:32 PM
wouldn’t shock me at all if the rays move.
August 20th, 2008 at 1:33 PM
West suburbs… Wheaton/Carol Stream area
August 20th, 2008 at 1:33 PM
@gimmeabeerman: I could not agree more. I really do love it down here too. I’m really going to enjoy the weather come winter (more more sub 0 temps for me!). Everyone’s friendly (though a few people have cursed at me when they find out I’m from the North. . . happened once). The only other place I’m moving to would be a suburb of LA (wife wants to get her doctoral degree at Cal Riverside).
August 20th, 2008 at 1:33 PM
SM…The national rating (which is what the TV execs are concerned with) won’t effect the local team if they are making money. In the Rays case, the Local Ratings are up, the attendance is rising and interest in the team is increasing. They make the playoffs, low ratings or not, next year they get a big bump in season ticket sales and that saves the team…Baseball is more a regional sport…so the extreme of contraction will not apply do to low national interest
August 20th, 2008 at 1:34 PM
once in a while on my 15-minute commute home, i wax poetic of afternoon rush hour on the eisenhower bottleneck.
August 20th, 2008 at 1:36 PM
no wonder you moved.
August 20th, 2008 at 1:36 PM
Good point, RWH. The only teams “national” ratings apply to would probably be the Cubs and Braves with WGN and TBS, respectively. Although it doesn’t apply as much anymore because those teams have started broadcasting much more on local TV (Cubs on WCIU and the Braves on Peachtree and FSN).
August 20th, 2008 at 1:36 PM
You could not pay me to watch the Rays. Much like there shouldn’t be basketball in Memphis/OKCity and hockey in Carolina/Atlanta, there shouldn’t be baseball in Tampa/Miami. I won’t watch those teams, ever.
August 20th, 2008 at 1:39 PM
me: Here’s $5. Will you watch the Rays play tonight?
coop247: Fuck that!
me: But- but it’s easy money. Why not?
coop247: There shouldn’t be baseball in Tampa.
me: oh.
August 20th, 2008 at 1:39 PM
fuck the playoffs!
/disgruntled yankee fan
August 20th, 2008 at 1:39 PM
There shouldnt be Hockey in Columbus, Nashville or Carolina either.
August 20th, 2008 at 1:40 PM
Coop..after reading that comment it is only fitting that Homer is your avatar
August 20th, 2008 at 1:41 PM
Roman the reason that MLB would want contraction would be so the the teams left get more money. National Ratings are a much more important factor in this calculation (as the TV revenues and national deals are often the largest). Also if a team is not paying the luxury tax but is on the receiving end of the fees it would marginally spread the wealth over the non contracted teams. I think there was a study a while back that said contracting 2 teams would increase something like a billion.
August 20th, 2008 at 1:41 PM
Yeah I moved to Atlanta, so the traffic definitely did not improve…
August 20th, 2008 at 1:42 PM
I’d personally love to watch the Rays in the postseason. Good baseball is all I’m interested in, I don’t give a shit what team it is.
@Gimme: I had my femur broken in a Bill George Youth Football league game against Carol Stream, so fuck that place indeed.
August 20th, 2008 at 1:43 PM
/fixed
August 20th, 2008 at 1:43 PM
coolrick-there should be no hockey south of the mason dixon line.
Move Carolina back to Hartford. Put the Red Wings, Leafs, Rangers, Habs, Blackhawks and Bruins(yep an Original 6 Division) together so you can get better ratings, sell more tickets, and sell more merchandise.
August 20th, 2008 at 1:44 PM
MLB loves the Rays story right up until they make the playoffs. Ratings won’t be good.
It’s like the Grizzlies being the #1 seed and Kobe and the Lakers sitting at home.
August 20th, 2008 at 1:44 PM
SM…If there was going to be contraction it would have happened already..Baseball is at its most profitable point in history and only going up…if contraction was to happen it would have happened already the difference of 15 and 13 million homes watching the World Series will not fold the Franchise
August 20th, 2008 at 1:44 PM
same mind st. bear…+1
August 20th, 2008 at 1:46 PM
Sports Hernia…not quite..the Rays are in but the Red Sox and Cubs will be too and those are Baseball’s two biggest draws…it is more like the Grizzles getting the 1 seed and the LBJ and the Cavs sitting at home
August 20th, 2008 at 1:47 PM
st. bear thinks like a guy hopped up on dayquil too?
August 20th, 2008 at 1:47 PM
Your femur? Really? Do you have osteoporosis or something? Cause if you do, you really shouldn’t be playing football anyway.
August 20th, 2008 at 1:49 PM
I am all for small market teams and I do like when they do well. That said from a business perspective these things do matter. Contraction could happen. Football games still get blacked out. And I do not care how well MLB is doing, a Billion dollars to the remaining teams is a lot of money
August 20th, 2008 at 1:49 PM
Rick: don’t forget PHX. There shouldn’t be hockey in PHX either.
August 20th, 2008 at 1:50 PM
probably shouldn’t be football either.
August 20th, 2008 at 1:51 PM
move them back to winnipeg!
August 20th, 2008 at 1:52 PM
Absolutely, Cubs are huge for it, especially the way they last left off, but my point is the Rays are a gigantic saggy boob to the AL branch of the playoffs.
Strictly from a business side, it absolutely bloooows for MLB.
August 20th, 2008 at 1:55 PM
@Triston: No I don’t, just really shitty luck. In high school senior we pulled an end of the year prank where we painted the football shed pink (our colors were green and gold), and wrote weaver eats beaver (our principal). Cops came 30 seconds in and chased after us. I managed to escape to a woodline nearby, and while running I tripped, fell, and managed to crack my forehead on an old cement slab. Shattered my forehead, broke my nose, all sorts of fun stuff.
I am well known for epic spills.
August 20th, 2008 at 1:59 PM
Sports hernia…the Boob may sag a bit but the AL could potentially have Chicago, Boston and Los Angeles in the Playoffs..so the downside of the TB market gets a boost from the the bigger markets they could face
August 20th, 2008 at 2:01 PM
Yeah, but exchange Boston with Minnesota and we have some saggy-ass tits.
August 20th, 2008 at 2:01 PM
TBL,
I love ya, but it is the “Tampa BAY Rays”…
/my boys still get no respect
August 20th, 2008 at 2:02 PM
sports hernia…there is where your point is valid
August 20th, 2008 at 2:05 PM
wherever bill bidwill is, he shouldn’t be.
August 20th, 2008 at 2:05 PM
they should drop the Bay
August 20th, 2008 at 2:40 PM
i know there are other teams that don’t play in their named city, but the Rays do not play in Tampa. They play in St. Pete. And yes, i know they don’t play in Tampa Bay either, but people from Tampa/St. Pete refer to the area as the “Bay Area”.
August 20th, 2008 at 3:09 PM
If the Rays do succeed and fail to draw a crowd, their ticket out of town has been punched. There’s no way a good team with little interest from the fans in the area stays put.
Say hello to the 2011 San Antonio Rays.
August 20th, 2008 at 3:50 PM
as for the topic at hand…
I remember the Marlins winning 2 world series recently and yet somehow teams are still finding ways to give $100+MM contracts to players.
Color me skeptical, but i think MLB will be just fine if the Rays make the World Series.
August 20th, 2008 at 3:56 PM
Once and for all, the team has sucked for ten years. As Jimmy said, most of the baseball fans here are still stuck in their hometowns and don’t want to change yet. Just like the Bucs, there used to be more Chicago jerseys when they played them than Bucs until the Bucs started winning and slowly but surely people came around. Same with the Lightning. It is not going to be an instant in season turn around. Plus, truthfully the dome sucks!! I get envious when I see outdoor stadiums, like Minute Maid or Miller Park. People need to get over it. Go Rays!
August 20th, 2008 at 5:08 PM
I believe Fox’s wettest dream would be Cubs vs RSox. And they will do alright if either one make it against any other time. More so the Cubs because of the fan base and the whole 100 year thing.
August 20th, 2008 at 5:08 PM
time=team