TBUC
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Posts: 920
Loc: austin, texas
Registered on 02-06-02
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07-29-10 08:00 AM - Post#92969
Garza's gem on Monday night was a joy to watch--especially since we receive very few Rays' broadcasts in Texas. That said, it was almost embarrassing that a national audience watched a team of the Rays' caliber play in the antiquated, aesthetically deplorable Trop.
I know that the idea of building a new stadium for the Rays has been proposed, but has this idea gained traction in the Tampa Bay area? If not...why? The economy? Lack of agreement on a site? Or is it just flat out disinterest in this excellent baseball club? I hope it isn't the latter because that would be a shame.
DT, LF, Sarasota...can anyone tell me why the Trop seems to be the only option moving forward for the Rays. IMHO they deserve better...
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LynchFactor47
Diamond V.I.P.
Posts: 6919
Registered on 04-08-02
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07-29-10 08:55 AM - Post#92970
In response to TBUC
Garza's gem on Monday night was a joy to watch--especially since we receive very few Rays' broadcasts in Texas. That said, it was almost embarrassing that a national audience watched a team of the Rays' caliber play in the antiquated, aesthetically deplorable Trop.
I know that the idea of building a new stadium for the Rays has been proposed, but has this idea gained traction in the Tampa Bay area? If not...why? The economy? Lack of agreement on a site? Or is it just flat out disinterest in this excellent baseball club? I hope it isn't the latter because that would be a shame.
DT, LF,can anyone tell me why the Trop seems to be the only option moving forward for the Rays. IMHO they deserve better...
Yes TBUC, the Trop is a disgrace and they will not be playing there at the end of the lease according to the Owner/GM... And yes, OUR Rays deserve much better than that... Maybe that's why they have such a good record on the Road...
A Group was formed to study the issue which is "Location, Location, Location"... If they can ever agree on that a New Stadium will be built - hopefully with a retractable roof for the Summer Heat and Rain...
The TV ratings for the Rays are sky high - with no form of Public Transporation, the amount of traffic for a Week Night Game at 7:05 - not many are willing to drive 2 hours just to get there...
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TBUC
Platinum V.I.P.
Posts: 920
Loc: austin, texas
Registered on 02-06-02
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07-29-10 09:19 AM - Post#92972
In response to LynchFactor47
Garza's gem on Monday night was a joy to watch--especially since we receive very few Rays' broadcasts in Texas. That said, it was almost embarrassing that a national audience watched a team of the Rays' caliber play in the antiquated, aesthetically deplorable Trop.
I know that the idea of building a new stadium for the Rays has been proposed, but has this idea gained traction in the Tampa Bay area? If not...why? The economy? Lack of agreement on a site? Or is it just flat out disinterest in this excellent baseball club? I hope it isn't the latter because that would be a shame.
DT, LF,can anyone tell me why the Trop seems to be the only option moving forward for the Rays. IMHO they deserve better...
Yes TBUC, the Trop is a disgrace and they will not be playing there at the end of the lease according to the Owner/GM... And yes, OUR Rays deserve much better than that... Maybe that's why they have such a good record on the Road...
A Group was formed to study the issue which is "Location, Location, Location"... If they can ever agree on that a New Stadium will be built - hopefully with a retractable roof for the Summer Heat and Rain...
The TV ratings for the Rays are sky high - with no form of Public Transporation, the amount of traffic for a Week Night Game at 7:05 - not many are willing to drive 2 hours just to get there...
Thanks for the insight, LF. If the "drive" precludes many from seeing this excellent array of talent, do you think the Rays' franchise would be better served playing on the other side of the Bay?
When I lived in Tampa (circa 1995) there had been discussion of having a sports complex a la Kansas City (Royals/Chiefs) featuring separate stadiums for each respective team. This obviously did not come to pass, but I wonder whether downtown Tampa might possess a potential site that would "work" for the Rays' ownership.
Do you think this possibility exists, LF?--and if so, do you feel the new location would solve the Rays' attendance woes?
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Rams4ever
Diamond V.I.P.
Posts: 5940
Loc: Saint Louis
Registered on 05-27-01
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07-29-10 09:28 AM - Post#92973
In response to LynchFactor47
Yes TBUC, the Trop is a disgrace
In a recent "outside the lines" ESPN report Tropicana Field was reported to served some of the most contaminated food in any professional sports stadium on continental North America. The stadium had been cited for state of florida food and beverage serving violations consistently over the duration of the Devil Rays lease, according to the outside the lines report.
I do not mean, by any stretch of the imagination, to suggest that Trop Field was the only stadium cited - but that was the stadium that was most frequently mentioned by name, deserved or not.
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LynchFactor47
Diamond V.I.P.
Posts: 6919
Registered on 04-08-02
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07-29-10 10:58 AM - Post#92974
In response to TBUC
Thanks for the insight, LF. If the "drive" precludes many from seeing this excellent array of talent, do you think the Rays' franchise would be better served playing on the other side of the Bay?
When I lived in Tampa (circa 1995) there had been discussion of having a sports complex a la Kansas City (Royals/Chiefs) featuring separate stadiums for each respective team. This obviously did not come to pass, but I wonder whether downtown Tampa might possess a potential site that would "work" for the Rays' ownership.
Do you think this possibility exists, LF?--and if so, do you feel the new location would solve the Rays' attendance woes?
It's difficult to say TBUC... Tampa Residents are funny - they want everything at THEIR back door and THEY want the rest of us to DRIVE...
We drive across the Bay to support the Bucs and the Lightning and without us "RJS and the Forum" would be empty... Just don't ask them to drive in the other direction... Kind of funny that Legends Field in Tampa, the Home of the Yankees Spring Training is always sold out in advance... IMHO, that's where the Rays Stadium should be - near RJS and much easier to get to...
It's a shame that the 2nd best Team in all of Baseball has one of the worst attendence records...
The Rays have managed to build a large following in the Orlando Area - so there's talk about putting the new Stadium somewhere in a central location - the Florida State Fairgrounds has been mentioned... In the end I don't know how it will ever happen - everyone wants a new Stadium but every proposal meets with a "Not in MY Backyard" attitude from the Non-Baseball Fans...
R4E, as for the food situation - I'm sure it's true although it's never mentioned... The Trop is one of the few Ball Parks that does allow you to bring your own food and water...
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TBUC
Platinum V.I.P.
Posts: 920
Loc: austin, texas
Registered on 02-06-02
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07-30-10 07:09 AM - Post#92979
In response to LynchFactor47
Thanks for the insight, LF. If the "drive" precludes many from seeing this excellent array of talent, do you think the Rays' franchise would be better served playing on the other side of the Bay?
When I lived in Tampa (circa 1995) there had been discussion of having a sports complex a la Kansas City (Royals/Chiefs) featuring separate stadiums for each respective team. This obviously did not come to pass, but I wonder whether downtown Tampa might possess a potential site that would "work" for the Rays' ownership.
Do you think this possibility exists, LF?--and if so, do you feel the new location would solve the Rays' attendance woes?
The Rays have managed to build a large following in the Orlando Area - so there's talk about putting the new Stadium somewhere in a central location - the Florida State Fairgrounds has been mentioned... In the end I don't know how it will ever happen - everyone wants a new Stadium but every proposal meets with a "Not in MY Backyard" attitude from the Non-Baseball Fans...
I shudder, LF, at the mere thought that Orlando could pry the Rays away from the Bay area. I'm sure many long time Tampa Bay residents (are you listening DT?) remember Hugh Culverhouse's threats to play as many as 3 games a year in Orlando to build HIS fan base. The sad irony here, of course, rests in the fact that the Rays' product easily trumps anything Culverhouse's Bucs put on the gridiron.
From this very distant perspective in Austin, Texas, I just don't see--outside of economic reasons--why a new home for the Rays shouldn't be a priority for Bay area community leaders.
The Rays obviously have an excellent product to offer; now it's time for their home to match the Rays' on-the-field excellence.
Are you williing, LF, to endorse some form of public funding to make a new home for the Rays a reality? Or do you feel Rays' ownership should foot the entire bill?--especially considering how hard the Tampa area has been hit by the recession.
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