The Trop may be a bit outdated, but the roof is a feature, not a bug. You absolutely cannot play or watch day game baseball in the summer heat in St. Petersburg. The air conditioning in the Trop is quite pleasant for the fans. The logistics of getting to downtown St. Pete from Tampa or Clearwater are a lot more problematic than the stadium itself.

@fearlv1rattata

8 ай бұрын

Lifelong Tampa resident - this is the exact problem. The main route (I-275) to St. Pete from Tampa was under construction for several years. For a lot of would-be attendees, they still have to traverse malfunction junction to get to the games. St. Pete is a trendy art haven filled with breweries and cultural destinations. It's not exactly the sport fan scene. For the stadium to successfully attract a crowd it will need to relocate into Tampa. No offense to St Pete. It's a beautiful area that I recommend anyone visit, but it's not a good home for a baseball team.

@holo_nside

8 ай бұрын

Orlando resident here and I absolutely agree- I go to a lot of buccaneers games. It's about two hours door to grass lot- Enough to go for a lovely afternoon or night game on a Sunday But Tropicana Feild? Add another 45 to an hour An hour drive to go to a baseball game kindkinda depressing stadium is just not I agree with the dome being absolutely necessary, I just kind wish it was removable like the Marlins for a nice summer day sometimes

@Evermore2017

8 ай бұрын

I hate the aesthetics but love watching a game in there. Cool and pleasant.

@stinestizzlethegreat6887

8 ай бұрын

I agree

@detroitdiezel7856

8 ай бұрын

Yeah, because of circumstances beyond my control, I had to move from Pinellas to Pasco county, which puts me an additional 30 minutes north of where I used to live, that means driving down to St. Pete via US 19 & 275 South takes me at least 45 minutes (over an hour on a weekday during afternoon rush hour) each way. So, I can't get to as many games as I used to. 11:06

"The league wants a team in Tampa Bay". That is funny. I am old enough to remember when the league said that about Montreal.

@HoshizakiYoshimasa

8 ай бұрын

Tampa Florida is a tropical, fast growing metro area. Montreal has stagnant population and in a foreign country.

@YaowBucketHEAD

8 ай бұрын

I've been a baseball fan since 1992 and I personally think the 94/95 strike really spelled the end of baseball in Montréal. The Expos were incredibly talented that year before the stoppage and after baseball resumed, ownership started gutting the team. Any faith in baseball in Montréal along with the decrepit Olympic Stadium essentially killed the Expos. I really hope the Expos return one day. They keep getting brought up in expansion talks so who knows? The Canadiens and the Alouettes seem to be doing well, so one would think that a winning Expos team would garner support as well.

@pandaotu

8 ай бұрын

ironic that one of the only two international mlb teams was chosen to represent the capital of the USA

@YukiPyro

8 ай бұрын

​@HoshizakiYoshimasa Being in Canada has nothing to do with that. The Jay's are in Canada and sell out more than the Ray's.

@rashaadjorden1187

8 ай бұрын

​@@HoshizakiYoshimasaLast time I checked, Toronto is in a foreign country and the Blue Jays draw well.

I’m glad you pointed out the issue of how most people who live in Florida aren’t from Florida, and remain loyal to the teams/cities they transplanted from. I live about 10 minutes from the Trop, and go to 4-5 games a year, and usually at least half of the fans are there to see the visiting team. It’s also amazing how the cost of parking nearby is always higher when the Yankees or Red Sox are here, and more people show up without grumbling about the logistics. People find a way to do it when they want to. These issues are never an issue during spring training either, when all the snowbirds are here.

@swagmeat1760

8 ай бұрын

That and how spread out floridas population is, like it would take me 2 and a half hours to get to Tropicana and I’m considered to be in the same part of Florida as tampa

@boogitybear2283

8 ай бұрын

Florida sucks. I don’t get why people want to move there. The Heat is unbearable. I rather deal with Snowy Winters than their brutal summers.

@ianfeuerhake1859

8 ай бұрын

@@boogitybear2283 maybe because not everyone has the same preferences as you?

@RealFuckingReviews

8 ай бұрын

​@@boogitybear2283you sound like a git.

@FishRfun

8 ай бұрын

Yep I'm from Houston but haved lived in the Tampa area for 10 years and I've never been to a game here...still love my Astros

It's because it's a nightmare to get there. They put it in the absolutely hardest area to access in the whole region.

@rods6741

8 ай бұрын

Went to my first game there last month and I completely agree. Even harder leaving the parking lot. Crowded concourse and not enough restrooms. Except for the actual game, it was an unpleasant experience.

@scout3058

8 ай бұрын

​@rods6741 I went 2 years ago and had a great time. Didn't mind the drive from Hernando County and always sat in Press Level Party Area.

I grew up in Lakeland in the 90s and 2000s and I agree with 95% of this video. Thank you for mentioning us, we have a TON of sports fans but nobody from outside central Florida knows we exist. Florida does have many transplants but that hasn't stopped the Bucs and especially Lightning from getting home fans to the games. Both teams also play in Tampa. To get from my parents house in Lakeland to the Trop is at least 90 minutes during rush hour. To get to Amalie for a Bolts game it takes 45. Guess which team we had season tickets to? The population of central Florida has also EXPLODED the last 30 years but there are no new bridges to get to St Pete. The Rays either need to build in Ybor or try to buy the fairgrounds a little east of there near the Seminole Indian casino. There is just no room to build amything else out in Pinellas county.

@Littlegoblinfatface

3 ай бұрын

Yea but you live in Lakeland. More people live in Bradenton Sarasota and Clearwater than Lakeland, and it’s closer to st pete

@Littlegoblinfatface

3 ай бұрын

Also tell that to the 50k people who showed up yesterday

I’m surprised that you never mentioned that Tropicana Field was originally as an attempt to bring the Chicago White Sox to St. Pete. If it weren’t for the Illinois state legislature’s 13th hour bill that funded the construction of New Comiskey (Guaranteed Rate) back in the late 80s, the White Sox would be playing in Tropicana Field right now

@jaredcortez3251

8 ай бұрын

Tampa Bay White Sox sounds wierd as shit LOL

@user-jq1so5vd2i

8 ай бұрын

YOUR BURYING THE LEAD !!!Than illinois Governor gave the Illinois State legislature a MIDNIGHT DEADLINE TO PASS A BILL TO KEEP THE SOX IN CHICAGO. THE DEADLINE CAME AND WENT AND THOMPSON NEGOTIATED A DEAL ANYWAY. THEY ALSO GAVE RIENSDORF A SWEETHEART DEAL BY ESTABLISHING " THE ILLINOIS SPORTS COMMISSION " !! ANY OTHER REPUBLICAN GOVERNOR WOULD HAVE TOLD THE SOX I'LL HELP YOU PACK YOUR BAGS. GOOD THING ILLINOIS POLITICIANS AREN'T CORRUPT 😅😂😅😂

@cobrakai3732

8 ай бұрын

@jaredcortez3251 I think the White Sox greedmonster owners were throwing around St Petersburg Sox or similar.

@wingdo60302

8 ай бұрын

@@cobrakai3732 The Sox owners weren’t “greed monsters”. They couldn’t get any concessions from either Chicago or Illinois until they had a deal to leave Chicago. That’s not being a greed monster, that’s just simple business.

@tylermccann848

8 ай бұрын

They tried to get the Giants from San Francisco as well

I think it’s a Florida issue. As a Red Sox fan the commute to Fenway from the Western part of the state took about two hours and yes Boston has traffic too. Lots of Red Sox fans also travel to Yankee Stadium and other parks to see the Sox. The older fans in Florida are not Rays fans. My friend in TB tell me Yankee and Sox games in TB are like a home game for either team. People in Florida have other things they are more interested in, like boating, golfing etc

@Molonlabe07

8 ай бұрын

No it's a location issue. Look at the lightning, sell outs every single home game, why? Because you don't have to drive the extra half hour to 45 minutes. If the stadium was in or around downtown tampa people would show up.

@taomasterwaka6287

8 ай бұрын

​@@Molonlabe07it's a lot easier to sell out a stadium half the size and shortly after back to back championships, don't forget the lightning also had attendance issues for a few years there.

@josecolon1604

8 ай бұрын

Lightning average a higher attendance then the Rays no matter what size the stadium is, they had attendance issues almost 2 decade ago.

@ReallyBigDuck

8 ай бұрын

Thats just not true as someone that actually lives in Tampa, to say were more interested in golfing/boating is pretty insane, baseball is still widely popular here and like other comments said, the other sports sell way better. The people will tell you its the commute, not whatever reason you think. The non local argument doesn't really work because tons of hockey fans that go to lightning games are from up north, the panthers play in Sunrise which is an area with a lot of Canadians

@lavs8696

8 ай бұрын

@@Molonlabe07 thats’s because hockey indoors is normal. No one wants to sit indoors during the summer in Florida of all places and watch baseball. That, apart from the fact that FL is and always will be a transplant state, is the main reason. Imagine voluntarily spending money to sit indoors during a nice summer Florida evening watching baseball.

From Tampa, went there on Saturday for a game. The traffic flow was fine until getting near St.Pete. Bottle neck!! Took hour and 15 to get there, 45 min was stuck in traffic for the last 10% of the commute. I’m a big Rays fans and the base is growing, but the Rays are missing out on generational loyalty and nostalgia. I’m 41, My kids will be Rays fans. It takes generations to create a base. I know many 40 yo people that are fans of other teams because that was the “family team”. the Rays were incepted when they were 20 yo. They never changed over.

@pucksnpicks

8 ай бұрын

Great point, very true !

@AliceYobby

8 ай бұрын

That’s why the solution is public transit. A good, healthy train system will move 10x the people in 2x less the time.

@AliceYobby

8 ай бұрын

It’s also why Seattle has had an uptick in attendance ever since their train line was created.

@Littlegoblinfatface

8 ай бұрын

You live in the wrong area. Over a million people love within 20 miles of the trop 🥱

@ericpandorf1884

8 ай бұрын

@@Littlegoblinfatface sorry buddy. The bottle neck was 5-10 miles from the Trop. st.Pete is a bottleneck.

Lived in tampa Bay Area for six years, just moved back to Ohio. If the Rays played baseball in the city of Tampa they’d sell 25,000+ tickets every game. No doubt about it

You absolutely nailed this one! I moved to Tampa 17 years ago and only went to Yankee games. I soon felt bad for not supporting my home team, so I put down my Yankee hat and got some Rays gear. I had some great times and even bought season tickets (lucky for me it was the year they went to the World Series). But none of the good times can take away from that stadium..The stadium is gloomy..real gloomy. The roof is stained from carbon and the halls are not appealing in any way. There is definitely a beef between St. Pete and Tampa. At. Pete is Tampa’s little brother and aside from the beaches, the city has little to offer. From what I hear the biggest problem with moving the team is 1., St Pete doesn’t want to lose the one thing that puts them on the sports map. 2., the City of Tampa does not want to pay for the stadium and St. Pete is asking for a bunch of money for Tampa “stealing” the team. The worst byproduct of this whole thing is the Rowdies Soccer team won’t get an MLS ticket. The Rowdies are a really good USL soccer club who has been trying to get an MLS ticket for some time. Poor attendance at the Rays game leaves MLS questioning if having an MLS team in St. Pete is a good investment. So here we have two very good teams (Rays and the Rowdies) and neither of them can get what they want because they are being held captive by their current city👎🏽

Born and raised a Rays fan in Tampa. You’re absolutely right - the Trop just doesn’t offer the same fan experience as more centrally-located urban ballparks, and the location in DTSP just doesn’t appeal to people across the bay. I live in Lakeview East in Chicago, just a 15 minute walk from Wrigley field. The whole area is dense, walkable, incredibly well-served by transit, and catching a game at Wrigley involves so much more than just staying for the game. It’s just so enjoyable to be in, even if I’m not a cubs fan! Meanwhile, Tampa Bay is the largest metro region in America with zero rail transit service of any kind. Add to that, it has an incredible walkable neighborhood adjacent to downtown - Ybor City - that’s going through a huge revitalization process right now. With ample space for a stadium and plenty of political will to move the rays coming from Hillsborough County and the City of Tampa, a stadium there makes so much sense. Just look at what the Lightning are doing with Water Street and Channelside for an example! It is the perfect location for a stadium. Build it!

@cullenpeterson

8 ай бұрын

To add to that - Rays tickets are expensive, some of the most expensive average tickets in the league with zero cheap deals. When I go to cubs games (and I go very frequently), you can easily score bleacher seats for under $10. I’ll spend triple that on a beer or two to make up for it. Compare that to $35-$40 for the cheapest seats at the Trop usually and it’s no surprise why attendance is so low.

@imlost19

7 ай бұрын

loan depot park has all this though and while the stadium is very nice inside.. it still sits empty unless the redsox, braves, cubs, or yankees are in town

@mikeformato8655

7 ай бұрын

I totally agree!

@thomass5169

7 ай бұрын

Apparently, you have not spent any time in Saint Pete recently. It is a BOOMING town.

@cullenpeterson

7 ай бұрын

@@thomass5169 I’ve spent my entire life in and around St. Pete - sure it’s booming, but not with baseball fans, or locals. The DTSP crowd is simply not interested in the Rays and attendance proves that.

The Suncoast Dome was initially built to attract a baseball team. The first team that it almost attracted was actually the Chicago White Sox. The White Sox were looking for a new stadium to replace the old Comiskey Park and was looking for public financing. When progress wasn't being made, the White Sox threatened to move to St Petersburg. It took a last second deal with the State of Illinois to get the Sox a new stadium. The new Comiskey opened in 1991.

@troyarrington5492

8 ай бұрын

As a sox fan living in Chicago, I thank god that didn’t happen.

@mrAhollandjr

8 ай бұрын

@@troyarrington5492 i think Reinsdorf is glad he didn't make that move too!

@voltrono4166

6 ай бұрын

the Sox were never going to move.. just did it to make it look like they might.. just like the Twins did.. as if they were going to move to NC

I travelled from Canada to St. Petersburg a few years ago to watch the Blue Jays play the Rays. My hotel was in the Bay Pines area near Madeira Beach. The drive to Tropicana Field was not that bad, only about 20-25 minutes and there was plenty of parking. Watching the baseball game was fun as well because Tropicana Field is unique compared to all the new stadiums that have been built in recent years.

@bosteves

7 ай бұрын

Amen, great feedback, and I think it was my hotel you were staying at!!!! I make it to every game without the drama spelled out on this.

As someone who lives in the Clearwater area, it still takes a shit ton of time to get there even from pinellas county

@VL1975

8 ай бұрын

Been to Phillies spring training. I like that little town next to Clearwater called Safety Harbor.

One problem you overlooked is that Florida not only has Spring Training but also the Florida State League. In essemce it means that there are Baseball teams only 20 miles from each other all across the state.

@peterp2153

8 ай бұрын

True, though I don’t know how much minor league ball (Spring Training doesn’t count since it’s practice ball for the actual MLB team) cannibalizes MLB attendance. I mean, in the strictest sense it does since anyone buying a ticket to a minor league game isn’t attending the MLB game that night. But it’s two different levels of play. In my area, we have a few minor league teams within an hour’s drive. That’s both affiliated teams and independent league. We’ve even got a collegiate wood bat league in the summer nearby. The reason we go to more of those games than an MLB game is about cost than anything else. I don’t think the Rays have problems drawing due to cost. It’s more that the potential fanbase just doesn’t seem to give a shit.

@lookitskazzy

8 ай бұрын

Nobody is passing up big league ball to go watch the minors or beer league play lol.

@positively_broad_st3780

8 ай бұрын

Florida State League doesn't draw well compared to other minor leagues. Clearwater and Daytona do ok, but not the rest of them. It's too damn hot and/or there's too much traffic to fight with on Florida's overpopulated, poor infrastructure...

@voltrono4166

6 ай бұрын

Spring Training happens before MLB season, so that reason is not legit.

Thank you!!!!! I got 3/4 of the way through the video and was like, "Yup, this video is just like all the others: hate on the Trop's design and blame it on the stadium's poor location." But then the last 1/4 was the Florida problem, addressing the Marlins' situation specifically. As a Tampanian who loves the Ray, I really don't want them to leave the Bay area. But reality is simply that I genuinely don't think Florida is a baseball state. I personally love indoor baseball games, but I get that most people don't agree with me on that.

@alexortiz1515

8 ай бұрын

Florida produces some of the most baseball athletes so it isn’t really Florida isn’t interested

@joelpowelljr7438

2 ай бұрын

I hate when people say "Florida isn't a baseball state"...when It absolutely is. The problem here is the people here don't support the local teams. Why is that Spring training games in Clearwater, Tampa, Sarasota or Fort Myers, etc. Can get just as many people at a game, as the Rays can on a weekday night? Because the majority of the population is transient, and don't want to let go of their "home team". Baseball is absolutely a baseball state, the problem is, it's not a Rays or Marlins state.

This channel deserves so many more subs! I love the topics you talk about as a huge geography nerd and sports fan! Incredible work.

@skinnie2838

8 ай бұрын

The Rays dont get attendance because their stadium is "ugly"? Are you high? The rays had a horrific team for DECADES. This is why they dont have a fanbase you absolute muppet. If they have a few more years like they did this year that fanbase will show up.

My wife and I drove to a Rays game two Summers ago from Naples. It’s a beautiful drive across the bridge and bay water. But the park was just a dump in the middle of nowhere. No atmosphere like playing a baseball game inside a warehouse. Lol. There were more Baltimore fans even at that time. Wishing the Rays and their fans good luck with getting a new stadium.

@SWink04

8 ай бұрын

It’s in downtown at Pete so I’m not sure what you mean by middle of nowhere

Been a Rays fan since 1998 and all I gotta say is it’ll be sad day if the Rays leave Tampa Bay area as a whole. Personally, I love the Trop because there’s no weather delays and it’s always much cooler. The atmosphere has gotten better after 2020 but attendance still hasn’t improved. A major downside is that the upper deck remains closed during the season. I remain hopeful that a new stadium will be built but until then, nothing is certain until the bulldozers arrive.

@stephennettles2309

4 ай бұрын

I have a lot of great memories of the Trop and kinda love how much everyone else hates it haha. It's a great time as a family.

Great Video. I am a Rays fan and before moving out of FL I used to live in Lakeland. Getting to a night game on a regular day of the week was not ideal. I used to make it to a few per season..A centralized location within the Bay area would do wonders for this team. I was sad when the Ybor City Plans did not materialize. That location would be ideal.

@ViCBurnsRed

8 ай бұрын

The Ybor stadium would’ve been nice since it would’ve put them close to Amalie Arena. However that $850M price tag didn’t quite get anyone interested in investing.

@skinnie2838

8 ай бұрын

The Rays dont get attendance because their stadium is "ugly"? Are you high? The rays had a horrific team for DECADES. This is why they dont have a fanbase you absolute muppet. If they have a few more years like they did this year that fanbase will show up.

@rugbyking1540

8 ай бұрын

Ybor wouldve been great. Great city, near the bolts, and great nightlife for night games.

Florida's Gulf Coast is awash with Canadian money. The focal points are Dunedin and Panama City Beach. The Blue Jays spent heavily on Dunedin, constructing a Player Development Complex on Solon Rd while renovating TD Park near the coast. I visited Dunedin for spring training over a decade ago, it was a more rustic, charming place back then.

@josieeee8

8 ай бұрын

Ah Dunedin.. such a wonderful little town with the many breweries and nice people

The problem isn’t”t that the stadium is in St Pete, it’s that it is in downtown St Pete. This should have been built in the gateway area, just over the bridges from Tampa. This remains the best location as if they move the team to Ybor, most Pinellas residents will not make that journey. Gateway is the best location for residents of both Hillsborough and Pinellas, as well as more or less equidistant for the Sarasota area, Pasco area and Polk.

I think you hit the nails right on the head with this. I'm a big MLB fan, and have lived in central Florida in the Orlando metro now for 25+ years. Since just a few months after the Rays first pitch. But...I grew up in the midwest, I'm a huge Cubs fan, and the Tigers are my secondary AL team I root for. Even having now lived in Florida longer than the midwest, I'm not a turncoat, and I stick to my teams I grew up with. You're right in that Florida is a transient state. It's been getting to be a place where people do set down roots and stay for a long time. I'm proof of that, and I know a whole lot of others. But I still rarely meet many people who grew up here their whole lives, as well as a generation or two before them. So most people are already fans of another team from a longer established region like the midwest or northeast. I think that could change with time. The other issue, as you mentioned, is location. Personally, I have zero desire to be in St. Pete. Even if you live in Tampa it's a pain to get to most of the time. But if you live where I do in Orlando? Oh man, let me tell ya, it is an absolute ordeal. The stretch of I-4 from Orlando to Tampa is the most deadly stretch of interstate by distance in the entire U.S., and it is ALWAYS backed up, if not stopped. If traffic was moving at 70-75, it would only take me around just over an hour to get over to the Trop. But it's taken as long as 3+ hours before. Ybor City would be a big improvement from my perspective, because it would only mean one freeway, and being on the east side of Tampa, even closer. I do think the Rays need a new ballpark though. I think the officials in St. Pete are delusional if they think that people come to Rays games with any desire to also visit St. Pete. Even with Rays fans...wow. I was at a game last year, when the Rays were winning, and when they were up by a few runs at the end of the 7th inning, a few Rays fans were yelling "Hurry up! We want to go home!" I cannot imagine that happening in a ballpark like Wrigley or Fenway. Heck, I'd stay there all friggin day if they let me. So, I don't know the full solution. But one, the Rays need a new ballpark. Two, it needs to be outside of St. Pete and preferably near downtown Tampa. Heck, I think most people think of the Rays as "Tampa" anyway. Three, Florida needs more time for permanent residents to grow up there and develop loyalty. And five, a lot of the whole area needs better public transportation and more road improvements, especially on I-4 from Tampa to Orlando. But as you say, the Marlins have horrible attendance too, and they don't have some of the same issues as the Rays. Despite ALL of these things, I still get to the Trop 2-3 times a season from Orlando, because I love MLB baseball and I'm willing to go out of my way. But wow would it be a breath of fresh air to have some of these changes.

@skinnie2838

8 ай бұрын

The Rays dont get attendance because their stadium is "ugly"? Are you high? The rays had a horrific team for DECADES. This is why they dont have a fanbase you absolute muppet. If they have a few more years like they did this year that fanbase will show up.

@Littlegoblinfatface

8 ай бұрын

Orlando sucks. It’s a giant tourist trap with toll roads in the middle of the state. The magic are a joke of a franchise. Tampa has the Bucs and bolts and the proximity to Sarasota and clearwater also play a factor. Not to mention they are middle of the league of attendance this year. Ahead of the marlins…. But you ain’t shitting on miami. Any commute is a pain in the ass when going between tampa and orlando. And you still go to the beach here i bet.

@Littlegoblinfatface

8 ай бұрын

You are complaining about urban sprawl and the fact that florida is car dominated. The stadium isn’t convenient for you. I’ve been to 15 games this year already and always find parking and it takes me 10 minutes to get there from my house. I love the juice box

@poindextertunes

8 ай бұрын

Rooting for two teams is for casuals. you pick a team and stay with them, even when they lose. secondary team, foh

@cedtv6899

8 ай бұрын

This is why locals in Florida don’t get to know you. Y’all move here and still claim everything from your hometown is better.

Baseball Season is during the “Off Season” for Florida. The Restaurants, Bars, Retail stores and all other businesses experience lower traffic during this “Off Season”. The summer population is half of what it is during the other 6 months of the year. Add to that, the remaining population has very few people interested in going out in the summer heat after having to do that during the work day. Once they are home, it’s hard to leave the air conditioning to sit in traffic again. Move the stadium inland to a remote area just outside of Tampa, surround the ballpark with a River Front/ Lake Front area with outdoor parks, bars and restaurants, theaters, etc. Give the city population a choice outside of the terrible traffic with a place that has plenty to do before and after a game, without having to worry about sitting in traffic knowing that if they are lucky enough to get to a game on time, that’s all they will have time to do, because they wasted 2 hours in traffic. This will also attract the suburbs again, because they don’t have to deal with the city traffic for a second time that day. Who wants to get back to the suburbs then turn around and drive back to the city traffic.? The baseball games themselves create enough traffic at that time to jam the only bridge choices. GET AWAY FROM THE BRIDGE PROBLEM! Disney figured this out 50 years ago, you don’t build the park in the city, create your own attraction!

I've lived in Tampa for a 3 years now and have been to a few games. The lightning and Bucs don't have any issues with attendance. I think you are correct when you say that many people here don't care about the team. Even when the Rays are good no one talks about baseball and people talk a lot about Football and Hockey. The spring training games for other teams usually draw pretty well in the late winter and spring as the weather here during those times is ideal. Yes, trying to get to a game at 7pm during rush hour and getting out of the ballpark is not easy. Downtown St.Petersburg is actually a pretty fun place to visit with lots of things to do within walking distance of the stadium. Really great sports bar across the street called FERGs also. Inside the stadium although very outdated, the sightlines are good, its airconditioned, and its easy to good food and beers which are decent. With all that being said I think the traffic is the main issue related to the location. Having the team in Ybor City, Channelside, or where some of the industrial areas near the port of tampa are on the water in Tampa would be ideal for a new stadium. These locations would really help out that neighborhood and surrounding area. Three major highways feed into that area, the Selmon expressway, 275, and I4 could all feed into that area directly. If done correctly it could make the games a lot more accessible. It would make it way easier for people from Lakeland and Orlando to make it also. Also, lots of businesspeople who work in downtown Tampa could go directly from work and make it to the games in 15 minutes rather than an hour. If more people could make the games I think they would generate more fans, many people still support the hockey and football teams they grew up with but will cheer for the Bucs and Lightning as second teams especially when they win. Bucs and Lightning tickets are very expensive and hard to come by. With all of this being said the Ybor idea has been shot down many times and there does not appear to be any momentum. The lead candidate seems to be staying in Downtown St.Pete with a new ballpark as part of the redevelopment. Either way they need to do something as the team keeps losing money.

I’m from out of town and attended a game there for the first time recently. It’s the most soulless sporting venue I’ve ever been to. I will say that the rays fans that were there were really cool. A lot nicer than other fan bases.

This was a very well thought out video and a pleasure to watch!

Orlando is the answer. They have the means for a brand new stadium in the most accessible part of the centrally located city. As someone from north Florida, I can say without doubt that I would go into and out of Orlando multiple times a month before I'd even consider driving to St. Pete. I'd imagine they'll attract the snowbird tourists and develop an entire fanbase north of Lake Okeechobee and south of Georgia that'd actually be willing to drive to games.

@Stesest

8 ай бұрын

Very real. Living N of Orlando I'll drive 1h - 1h30m to Orlando before taking that 2h+ trip to st petes... Hell even if it was in Tampa, makes it about a 1h30m drive all the same. I just hate that extra 30m+ going across the bridge THROUGH Tampa to go watch a TAMPA RAYS game. Stadium is super nice with having A/C but no sunlight + blinding stadium lights = headache everytime.

@Nexadvenio

6 ай бұрын

I’ll never abandon my Phillies but driving 3 hour so st. Pete from Orlando is getting exhausting to support my boys

Spot on analysis on the Trops location. But I’m not sure I entirely agree that Florida doesn’t support pro sports because of the transient population. The TB Lightning have some of the best attendance in the NHL, and both NBA teams do well too. Especially the Miami heat. The NFL does well everywhere (although JAX has struggled). And the Florida Panthers of the NHL have a similar issue to the Rays. The arena is in the middle of nowhere.

@ericpandorf1884

8 ай бұрын

Lighting created new hockey fans they didn’t turn other team fans into lightning fans.

@cuervobarr9640

8 ай бұрын

I am Sorry but the location is not the number one problem for the Trop. Everytime, Rays hosts the Yankess the stadium is a sellout. The Snowbirds and the all the people that moved to florida from another state but still have the loyalty to the old place is the major problem. The Second problem is the Rays have the problem most small market teams have lack of money. If the Rays could or would spend real baseball money for top talent that would certainly help with attendence. Not Know when your favorite player is going to be trade kills the morale of the fans. Look a The Lightning, they spend buckoo bucks for top talent.

Pretty much accurate as several factors affect attendance at the ThunderDome. The current location is better for Bradenton and Sarasota to access than it would be if in Tampa. But, a Tampa location would open up to more fans from the eastern and northern parts of the area. While I love baseball, this native is not sitting outside during a July afternoon to watch a game. I grew up liking Boston and the Braves because there wasn't a local team. Now a Rays fan, but it took a while to shift. People are just wore out from the insane traffic during their routine commutes that the thought of driving across the bay voluntarily is just not appealing.

Both Florida teams were born in the 90s, just as the Braves and Yankees began to get hot. Those were/are the two biggest fan bases in the state. If either the Rays or Marlins began in the 80s they may have been more successful at building a fan base. Probably would have siphoned off a good chunk of Braves fans at least.

@ericpandorf1884

8 ай бұрын

Very true

the pacing of the video was amazing. reminded me of Field of Dreams narration combined with perfectly tempoed music behind it. keep up the work it's impressive!

Wow, this is such a well done work! Super interesting until the end. Thanks for the video!

@Maapify

9 ай бұрын

Glad you enjoyed it!

@jygb7092

8 ай бұрын

Why, what happened at the end

Lived in Riverview FL just south of tampa for two years, I loved catching rays games as they were a brand new team when I was young and was obsessed with sharks/rays/whales and such as a kid. It was 40 miles even to the trop and I honestly dont think the drive ever took less than an hour and a half.

@cedtv6899

8 ай бұрын

You probably took the Skyway and not 275.

Great video! Covered very well. Such an interesting topic

just discovered this channel… have a feeling i’ll be here for a while. amazing content

Ive been saying this since day 1....St. Pete knows that this is biggest issue facing the team. They know deep down that the team would have higher attendance if they moved to Tampa. St. Pete has this "if we cant have them than no one can" attitude about it and its going to force the Rays out of the Tampa area all together.

@FAITHandLOGIC

8 ай бұрын

If it were up to me (and I live in DTSP) build the stadium in Tampa and replace the Trop with a soccer stadium for the Rowdies.

@SetheMan

8 ай бұрын

​@FAITHandLOGIC I like that idea. The Rowdies need a better stadium and not just an almost 80 year old BASEBALL stadium transformed for soccer. It would potentially Gardner intreset for the MLS to reconsider Tampa Bay since the region missed out due to their stadium issue (and also because of their proximity to Orlando FC)

@FAITHandLOGIC

8 ай бұрын

@SetheMan Couldn't care less if we go MLS. I like the USL and it's exciting to be part of the growth. Hopefully they'll institute pro/rel.

Visited The Trop and LoanDepot park recently. It was my first time watching a baseball game in a dome. As a lifelong Cleveland baseball fan seeing the 97 World Series trophy sitting in LoanDepot Park made me sick to my stomach. The place was filled with Yankees fans. Sadly Cleveland is experiencing attendance issues as well.

@areguapiri

8 ай бұрын

"then"

@Bk6346

8 ай бұрын

Tough World Series loss for the Cleveland Indians in 1997 because they were leading 2-1 heading into the bottom of the 9th. Marlins were able to tie in the 9th and then went on to win in extra innings. When the Cleveland Indians met the Chicago Cubs in 2016 I said to myself that one teams World Series drought is about to come to an end. Unfortunately the Indians were unable to beat the Cubs. The Indians also played in the 1995 World Series but lost to the Atlanta Braves 4 games to 2.

The fact that there are so many transients is the biggest issue. In my development in St Augustine, everyone is from the North East (PA, NY, NJ, New England). We have more Eagle, Giant, Redskin, Patriot, and Steeler fans than Jaguar fans. The same applies to baseball. Lots of Phillies, Yankees, and Red Sox fans where I live. I live in the Jacksonville area, but it's the same thing in the Miami and Tampa Bay areas.

Well done video and I really enjoyed it. It's my first time coming across your channel and your editing is solid! Saying that, I don't think the stock videos you throw in there to show emotion are necessary. Your exposition and narration is more than acceptable.

Great content and informative. It will take time to build a loyal fan base like the Cardinals, Reds or Yankees to build on for sure. As for recent urban designs I would look into what the Braves have been doing in Atlanta. It’s a big success that teams could look into to increase revenue. Great work on this video.

@skinnie2838

8 ай бұрын

The Rays dont get attendance because their stadium is "ugly"? Are you high? The rays had a horrific team for DECADES. This is why they dont have a fanbase you absolute muppet. If they have a few more years like they did this year that fanbase will show up.

@winstonluo6804

8 ай бұрын

Not exactly an urban design at Truist Park. It’s in the middle of a suburb-they did a great job creating restaurants/shops/bars surrounding the park but it’s still far from being urban

@MustachioFurioso9134

8 ай бұрын

​@@winstonluo6804yep... It's actually something I miss about Turner Field. You're two minutes from downtown Atlanta. (Granted, I totally think Truist is basically better in every other way...but you cannot beat just how close to downtown their former stadium was.)

@stephennettles2309

4 ай бұрын

The fan base is building. My generation were the first ones to grow up cheering for the team and our kids are the first being raised as Rays fans by Rays fans that also grew up with the team.

I know people in Florida and they tell me you will see more Giants, Jets, Yankees, Mets, Knicks, Celtics fans than any of the Florida teams.

I visited Florida in April and attended a Rays game. It’s not an aesthetic delight in the outside, but inside it’s actually a good place to watch a game. It is also very loud, even with only 20,000 there. If they opened the upper deck for the playoffs and World Series, a full house would be absolutely deafening. If the same stadium was closer to Tampa proper, the place would be full on a regular basis.

@stephennettles2309

4 ай бұрын

I've been there during playoff games and the place is an absolute mad house! Deafeningly loud and a crazed fanbase. If the team wasn't on the other side of those bridges you'd see that a lot more often.

How does this video not mention how close the White Sox were to moving here in 1989? That’s a whole other story as to how the deal for what is now Guaranteed Rate Field was struck and kept the Sox in Chicago.

The Video was awesome and thank you for posting!

I lived in Bradenton for 25 years and went to the Trop dozens of times. I had to go over the Skyway to get there. What I noticed was that the traffic was a mess IF you decide to show up 30 minutes to game time. My son was very into baseball and we always went early so we could not just find our seats and watch the players warm up. We were there an hour or so before game time. Post game we would hang around a bit and get some food before the concession stands closed. Let the parking lots empty a bit. If you knew where you were going to get out, it wasn't hard or time consuming. We loved being able to watch in an air conditioned dome. My son attended the Ray's baseball camps that were held at the Trop while the team was on the road. Oh the thrill it was for him as a ten year old to actually be on a major league field for baseball camp.

Just subbed. Keep up the great work!

I love you content! I’m bingeing all your vids!

I think the number one thing that you forgot is in the region of the stadium. For instance, the Braves are always top three in attendance because it’s the only baseball team in the south east region. So fans that wants to watch mlb game from Nashville, charlotte and some parts of Alabama are in driving distance to Atlanta, as far Tampa, the nearest major city is Orlando.

As a person who lives in St. Petersburg, there's things you have to realize when talking about the stadium. 1. It doesn't actually matter how hot it gets here. It's the humidity that's an issue. I remember that my aunt and her family came down to visit us a couple years ago and got pneumonia due to complications between her allergies and the humidity. The stadium has to be in a dome just to make a livable environment. 2. The stadium is a pain to get to. I-275 is a nightmare to drive on, even on the best days, so you're not going to convince anyone east of Tampa from going to the game. Same thing in the south. I was on the sunshine skyway bridge coming back from Bradenton and there was road work on the bridge. Meaning there was only 1 lane separating the two counties. It seems like the only markets that can actually reach the stadium are St. Petersburg and Clearwater. 3. I personally have nothing against the stadium itself but i have to acknowledge that it's not built for baseball as it's played today. It was designed for a time when line-drives were common and home runs were "happy accidents." Players were starting to try for home runs shortly after the stadium's opening. Players ended up hating the stadium because the balls kept hitting the roof. Fans hated the stadium because the physical limitations of the stadium was creating a more boring game. 4. I feel like using the Marlins as an example of why florida isn't a good baseball market is a cheap cop out. It's like saying that there aren't any football fans in Washington DC. We won't know if these markets are baseball friendly until the teams have stable ownership that puts out a consistently entertainingly product. Why would i want to put my time, money, and emotions toward supporting the rays when upper management constantly announces that they want to move the team.

@thomass5169

7 ай бұрын

"Why would I want to put my time, money, and emotions toward supporting the Rays when upper management constantly announces that they want to move the team." Johnyboy, this is the most damaging issue of all. Add the fact the MLB has been given the green light to bash our stadium and our fans for the last 20 years, it gets really old. And now they want to go full woke with the BLM movement, and that will be the last nails in the casket. As long as they keep disrespecting our great country, I"m done. And I have been an enthusiastic supporter since I moved to the area in 1998. And I am not alone. MLB has been disrespecting its loyal base for years.

Another huge reason for poor attendance - especially in south Florida - is that there are so many other things to do. Boats, beaches, night life, concerts and casinos, great ethnic restaurants, cruising, etc. Unlike cities like Milwaukee, Denver, Minneapolis, Detroit and others, these teams are competing against an entire tourism industry. Why take a family of four to a ballgame for $300 when there are so many other unique options?

@anonymous-ir3tf

8 ай бұрын

Philadelphians have access to all those things that you mentioned, yet Citizens Bank Park always draws good crowds. The much larger metro population and access to public transit are probably major factors in that.

@AntcmbHeat

8 ай бұрын

Philly is nothing nowhere near Miami.. Phillies got an 12k boost attendance jump from this season and many years past cause you all barely got fans to the games so what you saying???

@anonymous-ir3tf

8 ай бұрын

@@AntcmbHeat Are you crazy? Thought this was about Tampa, but we'll do Miami if you want. Phillies attendance in 2022 was 2,276,736. Marlins' attendance in 2022 wasn't even 1 million! Came in at 0.91 million. Not even half of Phillies! 2021 Phillies attendance was 1,515,890, compared to Miami's pathetic 642,617. So you're lost out in left field someplace..

@troyarrington5492

8 ай бұрын

You can do all of those things and still support your team. Plenty cities with the same amount of recreation, and still draw crowds for their teams

@SA-hz1rs

8 ай бұрын

Los angeles has way more to do than south Florida By a gazillion miles They still go to games Nice try

This was very well done man.

They don't mention they almost got the White Sox in 1988 they were minutes away from moving there

Funny most of their fans love the way the current situation is. They love their team, love the fact that tickets are still affordable. I am from Texas but went to a game there about a month ago. True the ballpark is not great. Reminds me of the Astrodome but we had a great time. The fans that were there, probably between 18k-20k, were rabid for their Rays. Plus there is a great spot across the street named Fergs. When i go back to St. Pete. I will definitely go back there even if i don’t attend the game.

Yeah your explanation makes alot of sense.. I've wondered why the Ray's never have any fans in the seats. They've been pretty darn good this year and last. You would think it would be packed out with Tampa fans but I think you're right about the area and the routes to the ballpark

But to use your Target Field analogy, after a brief bump for the novelty of a new park, the Twins draw about as many fans now as they did in the Metrodome. So they spent hundreds of millions of tax dollars to end up with the same size crowds.

@AnonYmous-jp8uu

8 ай бұрын

the team sux

@arcadeshift5071

8 ай бұрын

By the end of the '90s after 8 years of bad baseball, the Twins were averaging 14k fans a game in a terrible stadium for atmosphere. The Twins were terrible from 2011-2018 (while in their new outdoor stadium), just like in the 90s and were still averaging 24k fans a game as of 2018. They have lost 18 straight playoff games and still draw middle of the pack and average 10k more fans a game than in the Metrodome in the 90s. Your numbers are not right. Tax payer money used to build stadiums for billionaire owners is another topic/discussion. The fact is the team now plays in a top 10 ballpark outdoors and has much higher attendance than the last half of their time in the Metrodome. They were threatened to be contracted in the late 90s and are now thriving despite cheap ownership and little on-field success.

@bobmularky7456

2 ай бұрын

Twins attendance during awful Target Field years are still better than awful Metrodome years.

I just went to a the stadium and absolutely loved it. Going back for sure

The last point about Florida hosting all those Spring Training complexes and teams might be the biggest issue. MLB won't move those teams so all that will be left is them moving the Rays and even Marlins in the years to come. Nashville and Carolina would gladly take them and have fanbases to cheer them on. Even though Arizona has the Spring Training facilities it seems as if Florida is just different.

As a native Floridian and baseball fan I can tell you that even people who have lived here a long time will only go to see "their" team. As a child my father would take me to spring training games in Tampa. The Reds trained there back then. We went to see Mickey Mantle, Willie Mays etc. I still have the baseball signed by the Mick. I hated the Reds so went to few games when teams we liked were playing. People have to remember that there was no baseball team in the south until the Braves moved from Milwaukee to Atlanta in 1966. So, we had to choose a favorite team as well. I support the Rays, and despise the team I loved as a child. (For over 60 years) Going to a game here is a huge production. The heat is a definite killer in many ways. Finding parking and getting inside is difficult if you are not really young and add the weather. The place is not the problem. I was born in Tampa but moved to St. Petersburg and never looked back. They actually were considering Ybor City. CRIME has always been a big problem there. There was a chance ten years ago to get a piece of property that would have been perfect. Close to the interstate and just off the bridge from Tampa. A safe neighborhood and nothing to relocate or tear down. I guess they just wanted to wait. Why build a new stadium no one will go to. No Mickey Mantle or Willie Mays to see now just a bunch of cry babies who don't play if they are bruised. They don't know what it is to play hurt.

@poindextertunes

8 ай бұрын

so fxck the health of baseball players then huh? what a disrespectful comment

Good video from a Florida resident of 43 years. I live in Land O Lakes, just north of Hillsborough County. If I’m going to go to a ballgame, it’s an 1:20 drive and I’m literally in the next county. If I’m gonna spend almost 3 hours in the car for entertainment, honestly, I’d rather use my Universal Studios pass which, believe it or not, isn’t too much further in the car (further away but a faster drive).

I have family in Tampa, and over the years have enjoyed going to the games when i'm down there - especially when Joe Maddon was there. The stadium itself is great. If there was no dome, I would not go - I was in Tampa last week and the heat index was like 110. You could not have paid me to go sit in that. Maybe they could do a retractable dome? And Tampa has to be the lightening capital of the world - games would get get called all the time if it was open air. I don't know enough about Tampa, but the Amphitheater seems to be a great central location.

Facts. Facts. Facts. This was really good thank you for your production and research. My humble opinion I guess the only other choices to move it to the Tampa area. I don't live in Florida but I went to an event at the dome and and recently attended a baseball game in Baltimore. I can see why the facility also plays as a deterrent

Manfred said he didn't want baseball to leave Oakland either. They when the owner decided he wanted to move that comment went out the window.

Interesting video, all seem like valid points but I really do love The Trop, it has charm/great recent renovations, plus a tremendously talented baseball team.

It's definitely a pain to go from Tampa across the Howard Franklin bridge to St. Petersburg.

I was with you until you compared all of Florida to each other. Jacksonville, Orlando, Tampa, Miami are all different.

I actually prefer tropicana field over the one in Miami. It doesn't feel like a baseball stadium or game in Miami. Tropicana still does though, so that's why i chose it over Miami

Drove to St. Pete's once. It was February in Minnesota. First thing I noticed is that I had the dirtiest car in the city. Mine was covered in salt stains while everyone else drove a shiny new Buick/Oldsmobile. That would be odd to put a stadium in this assisted living community. Pro tip - when you go out to eat, don't go at 3pm. That's dinner time in St. Pete's.

The time it takes to get to the ballpark is a major factor in attendance. As a Braves fan my personal attendance is up 1000% since they moved outside the city and made it more convenient to attend.

Im from the Bradenton/Sarasota area. The games are definitely a haul, especially on weeknights. 30 mins geographically without even looking at traffic. I find it much easier to go to a Tampa Bay Rowdies game which are mostly on Saturday nights. There is much less of a crowd, but I think it is important to see that Rowdies games normally have a high attendance, while the rays struggle to get a crowd and with a much bigger pull.

I did not know that the Depeche Mode 1993 Devotional Tour took place in the dome Thank you for that footage as it is one thing new I’ve learned today

I've lived within 3 miles of the Trop for 20 years and watch every game but NEER go to games. The reason is that the OWNERS don't maintain the stadium, closed the upper deck, quit taking cash and don't even sell tickets at the box office anymore. Geography isn't really the problem. The Rays owners haven't dealt in good faith for 15 years and when they floated the idea of a split season with Montreal everyone knew they weren't serious. They won the competitive bid for re-development but have taken no action to proceed for over a year. There are 3 million people with 30 minutes.

Interesting video! By the way, at 7:42 you might want to say "raise the question" in future as "beg the question" has another meaning that could confuse people.

I love the St Petersburg area!!! The Trop is surrounded by local businesses. A definite vacation spot for me each summer!!!

People who complain about the dome aren't from florida, it rains unpredictably and consistently. They also don't understand how damn hot it is either, the experience of watching a game comfortably and dry is better than any sappy romantic nostalgia for the night sky.

I hear you. But as a resident of clearwater and just went to the stadium I was so happy to step into the a/c from the suffocating heat. I’m cool with a retractable but it’s nice to have a/c it gets way to hot here.

@dumdawgpro

8 ай бұрын

it could use some windows to allow some sun to shine in.

@antboogie3550

8 ай бұрын

@@dumdawgpro absolutely

I like that this video wasn't just a total stadium bash. Tropicana is super underrated. The bullpen and roof are the only real downfalls. Everything else comes down to location. Also, what's the hate with indoor stadiums? Nothing beats the feel of indoor stadiums. I love loan depot. It feels like a better Tropicana. The retractable roof is useless, though, because you should never let that Florida heat in. It's so much better to be playing baseball indoors than outdoors. No wind, no heat, no rain outs, less variables. I wish every team played indoors. The best idea here is that Florida residents literally just aren't Florida fans. I'm a Yankees fan (tho I consider allegiance swapping to the rays every damn day), and have lived in Florida my whole life. When the Yankees come down here, both Tropicana and Loan Depot are outnumbered by Yankees fans. The cheers for them are louder than for the home team. It's crazy.

SF also has bridges/body of water that separates it from the rest of the bay, but because of multiple bridges/routes and 2 different train systems it makes getting to the games a lot more painless.

If this keeps up in Saint Pete, in 2027 is Montreal, Quebec’s turn

very good analysis. The team deserves better.

A colleague and I were on a business trip (from Toronto) to Tampa in 1998. We were given tickets for game 2 & 3. I remember the headache to get there and find a parking spot. And then there was the stadium itself… so claustrophobic. Being used to the spacious feeling of the Skydome, Tropicana Field was terrible by comparison. However, we did enjoy the games.

Commuting to that stadium looks like a nightmare. I wouldn't want to drive to it.

great quality stuff here bruv

As someone who was born and raised in the area it is a huge pain in the ass to get to Tropicana Field. St Pete around that area in general it's a big pain in the ass I hate going down there because there are one-way streets all over the place and very little parking. But the stadium itself I don't mind. Obviously it's not like one of the new beautiful stadium me but I can go there in the middle of the summer when it is pouring down rain or has a heat index of 110 and humid as fuck and enjoy a nice cool baseball game. I enjoy traversing the stadium as well. If they do get a new stadium it absolutely will have to have a roof whether it be retractable or not. Cuz I'll tell you right now with the heat and the rain I would absolutely not go to even a night game from June thru September if I still lived there.

great channel how sports intersect with geography

Lakeland, Clearwater, Bradenton, Dunedin, and Tampa all have minor league teams. It costs far less money to see a minor league game than to go to a Rays game in addition to the driving.

@j.mieses8139

8 ай бұрын

Thats a great point. Lot easier to get those games.

@ktat01

8 ай бұрын

I’m from Ohio but my grandparents lived in Spring Hill for many years and every summer we would come to florida and we only went to 2 rays games in 1998 vs Braves and 2000 to see my yanks. But other than that we just stuck to a he single A games in Clearwater and Dunedin and I absolutely loved it! As a kid going to those games there would be about 50-100 fans at a game back then and I would leave every game with at least 4-5 baseballs lol. I also still have a ball autographed by robinson cano when he was with the tampa Yankees in 2003 I think it was. But yes, as a tourist I found the minor league games twice as enjoyable if they weren’t rained out every night or the heat was unbearable for my folks lol

I agree with a lot of this video and congratulate for its accuracy of the issue. There is another detail that is missing that is unique to Florida (Coming from a Pinellas County Resident). Many of the people who do live near the Trop can be priced out since sometimes parking and ticket prices are not worth it compared to just watching it on TV and listening it on the radio. In addition, there are a lot of things to do around town that may or may not be more affordable in comparison which also takes away from the Rays market. Besides these points I think the video is spot on and of great quality.

South FL here. Going to a Marlin's game is beyond stressful, and leaving is even worse. Not to mention there isn't enough parking (for the days they sell a lot of tickets). It didn't help the Marlins that the original stadium was more accessible to 3 counties, and then they moved further south in Miami, which is a lot less accessible.

I live here. The location is terrible and traffic is only getting worse. Meanwhile, the perfect location, the former greyhound track Derby Lane sits as a huge wasted monolith for gambling and simulcast horse betting. 🙄

The trop is great and full on weekends. St Pete is booming. Love the place

@747dude

8 ай бұрын

We seem to have a better marketing plan in place. Attendance is up and there is a vibe going on I haven't felt before. It helps to have a team that hits.

I was there the 3rd ever game. Was in a spot way in the back near the roof called The Beach when Frank Thomas smashed a ball and hit the light bar in front of us. I know a few years later it was still the longest HR at the Trop.

So I live in new tampa, without traffic downtown is about a 17-20 min drive, but Tropicana is anywhere between 45 min to a hour and with traffic it can even be a hour and a half. I’m good on that

I worked as a laborer on the Trop when it was being built.

As someone who was born in New England and grew up most of their life in South Florida, you hit the nail on the head. I moved back to NE a couple months ago, but while growing up in FL, I met 2 Rays fans and 1 Marlins fan. Vero Beach, the most northernmost city in south east FL, is in a weird area where we aren't that close to anything, but we're the biggest city in our county. An hour and a half to Orlando, 2 and a half hours to Miami, and 3 hours plus to Tampa/St. Pete. Also, over the last 20 years, it's been an increasingly popular destination for snow birds and northern transplants. And like you said, they all (including me) held on to their allegiances. Everyone is either a Yankees, Red Sox, or Dodgers fan (since we used to be the home of the Brooklyn/LA Dodgers spring training until around 2008-2010), and despite 2 WS for the Marlins and 2 pennants for the Rays, the actual Florida natives who loved baseball were obsessed with the Braves. Florida doesn't care about anything but football, specifically college football. That's the one sport where the locals live and die by their teams/schools.

@SetheMan

8 ай бұрын

I agree that Florida has a lot more interest in football than baseball. It makes sense that many long time Florida residents are Braves fans because for at least 30 years until the foundation of the Marlins and later Rays, Florida was Braves territory.

Most people missed the “will hit the ceiling” quote. 😂

I was inside that stadium about 25 years ago and it was atrocious. I can still remember it. It feels like a gymnasium (cinderblock walls), with a circus tent on top. The acoustics are terrible, and at that time the turf field looked cheap like fake golf turf at a miniature golf place. If they had built a stadium that doesn't feel cheap and terrible to be in I bet more people would have come.

I go to as many Rays games as I can, but the biggest issue is the drive, from me to Tampa is an hour, but the drive from Tampa to St. Pete adds an extra one. 4 hours of driving and getting home at midnight isn’t worth it unfortunately

@jfayiii

7 ай бұрын

They don't care, they're not listening, but when they build it there (again), it'll be your fault for not going. Laughable.

As a resident of Tampa Bay, I don't understand the push for an open-air stadium. I don't really want to sit through an 85° night time game

Of course don’t forget in Miami the traffic is horrible no matter if you drive on the freeway or the side streets during rush-hour. Also one oddity about the Tampa Saint Pete area is that in the morning heavy traffic is heading out of the city core and in the afternoon heavy traffic is heading into the city core , which is the exact opposite of other major US cities.

This is a fantastic video! I think you summarized the problems MLB and pro sports in general faces in Florida. Not to mention it’s always been a college football state. To be honest, the Marlins should have moved instead of building their new stadium. Baseball indoors just can never be good. I think MLB relies on a good atmosphere much more than NFL. And while this would never work, I like the idea of the remaining team staying in Florida and splitting time between Marlins park, the trop, and maybe a 3rd stadium with 25k capacity in Florida.

@skinnie2838

8 ай бұрын

The Rays dont get attendance because their stadium is "ugly"? Are you high? The rays had a horrific team for DECADES. This is why they dont have a fanbase you absolute muppet. If they have a few more years like they did this year that fanbase will show up.

@RealFuckingReviews

8 ай бұрын

Miami ain't losing a damn team. Get real.