So where do the Rays play after Milton?

[Natsinpwc]

What about the Lightning's TV ratings there?

This is a few years old but seems to indicate the Rays tv viewership is not bad and beats out the Lightning. 

https://www.mlb.com/news/mlb-rsns-most-viewed-local-programming.html

[imref]

This is a few years old but seems to indicate the Rays tv viewership is not bad and beats out the Lightning. 

https://www.mlb.com/news/mlb-rsns-most-viewed-local-programming.html

FWIW I was in downtown Tampa in December. Lightning signs / merchandise are everywhere.  There's a general sense, as best I could tell, that the Rays aren't part of Tampa.

[Ali the Baseball Cat]

There's not really a feeling that they're part of St Pete either.  Manfred must be blinded by the light or the team would be thousands of miles away by now.

[wj73]

. . .Manfred must be blinded by the light . . .

 

[JCA-CrystalCity]

 

[OfftheBat]

This is a few years old but seems to indicate the Rays tv viewership is not bad and beats out the Lightning. 

https://www.mlb.com/news/mlb-rsns-most-viewed-local-programming.html

Link doesn't work? I'm getting a "404 Not Found" error 

[Natsinpwc]

Link doesn't work? I'm getting a "404 Not Found" error 

Ok, sorry.   Copied it yesterday.  It had the Rays as a team where MLB local broadcasts outdrew the NBA and NHL broadcasts.   And that it was higher rated than competing shows.  Could be some MLB propaganda and article was from early 2022.

[JCA-CrystalCity]

Ok, sorry.   Copied it yesterday.  It had the Rays as a team where MLB local broadcasts outdrew the NBA and NHL broadcasts.   And that it was higher rated than competing shows.  Could be some MLB propaganda and article was from early 2022.

I recall something similar. I think they are shown throughout Florida so they actual appear in a huge market. Gonna guess more homes than MASN.

[nfotiu]

I recall something similar. I think they are shown throughout Florida so they actual appear in a huge market. Gonna guess more homes than MASN.

Looks like they don't have South East Florida.   So the population of their territory is in the 15 million range.   About the same as the DMV states.   Plus MASN technically has NC's 11 million people in their territory, but not sure how much they monetize that or if anyone watches the Os or Nats.

Rays viewership is in the 50,000 range, which is near the middle of MLB.   Much better than the Marlins who get in the 12,000 range.

[Ali the Baseball Cat]

Of course when you're in the AL East you're going to be seen on a lot of major market TVs one way or another...

[OfftheBat]

Ok, sorry.   Copied it yesterday.  It had the Rays as a team where MLB local broadcasts outdrew the NBA and NHL broadcasts.   And that it was higher rated than competing shows.  Could be some MLB propaganda and article was from early 2022.

That's surprising to me but as Ali stated, it must be because of the other AL East fans also watching the Rays' games 

[Natsinpwc]

The latest.

https://stpetecatalyst.com/rays-are-out-st-pete-stadium-redevelopment-deal-dead/

The party’s over.

[imref]

Tampa wakes back up:
https://www.fox13news.com/news/city-tampa-dust-off-pitch-rays

[Mattionals]

Ybor City is a much better spot.

[welch]

Tampa wakes back up:
https://www.fox13news.com/news/city-tampa-dust-off-pitch-rays

DeSantis says:

"We need to have a Major League Baseball franchise in this part of the state," said Governor Ron DeSantis. "We're one of the fastest-growing parts. This is one of the fastest growing markets in the country. It's already a massive market. There is no way that it can't be successful."

Tampa is "a massive market", but it is a massive baseball market? Is Florida a baseball market the equal of, say, northern New Jersey? The Tampa Bay Devil Rays became a franchise thirty years ago, and started play in 1998. They have had plenty of time to develop a following, and have had a pretty good team lately. They are still no where.

[JCA-CrystalCity]

DeSantis says:

Tampa is "a massive market", but it is a massive baseball market? Is Florida a baseball market the equal of, say, northern New Jersey? The Tampa Bay Devil Rays became a franchise thirty years ago, and started play in 1998. They have had plenty of time to develop a following, and have had a pretty good team lately. They are still no where.

Well, the counterargument is they've been playing in an armpit of a ballpark on the wrong side of the bay during that time, so it's hard to expect them drawing much even though they've been mostly good since 2008. They have had good TV ratings at least up until the last couple of years, so the potential seems there if they were playing in Ybor City in a good stadium.

I wonder how much DeSantis will put up to keep them. I assume he still enjoys baseball, and a stadium deal would look like an accomplishment.

[Ali the Baseball Cat]

Rebranding from "Devil Rays" to their current aura of anodyne christian soft rock can't have helped in a pagan den of iniquity like St Pete.

[imref]

Rays OD has yet to sell out. Seems obvious that the Bananas should move to Tampa.

[OfftheBat]

Rays OD has yet to sell out. Seems obvious that the Bananas should move to Tampa.

What about us? Did we sell out our OD? Please say yes 

[JCA-CrystalCity]

What about us? Did we sell out our OD? Please say yes 

not as of yesterday. Bought a block of 6 in the gallery, and there were multiple blocks available.

[Smithian]

It's a depressing stadium not convenient to downtown. I hate that stadium. I usually don't even watch on TV the Nats game there.

People say fans just don't go to sports in Florida but I don't think that's true. The Heat, Magic, Lightning, Panthers, Dolphins, Bucs are fine attendance wise. The Jaguars struggle but that franchise feels broken, similar to the Rays and Marlins.

I think the relationship between Tampa and the Rays is broken. I wonder why Orlando doesn't make a play? Smaller cities, but would be one of two major sports franchises versus one of three in Tampa. I almost wonder if the state of Florida would help them move there to avoid losing a baseball franchise.

Can't say I've done too much research, but I'm surprised you haven't seen a city like Raleigh or Salt Lake City make a huge move in recent days with Rays looking homeless. They're both growing cities with a well back NHL/NBA team. You don't need a shovel ready stadium.

I'd list Nashville but, to their voters credit, they've seemingly said no to being bilked for another stadium after the Titans got their ridiculous deal

[OfftheBat]

not as of yesterday. Bought a block of 6 in the gallery, and there were multiple blocks available.

In that case we can't make fun of their fans for not selling out their OD... to my chagrin 

[Ali the Baseball Cat]

Considering the utter destruction that has taken place around here, I doubt that OD will sell out this year (unless Stan Kasten decides to get back into event promotion in area code 215)

[Natsinpwc]

Considering the utter destruction that has taken place around here, I doubt that OD will sell out this year (unless Stan Kasten decides to get back into event promotion in area code 215)

I would not underestimate a ton of Phillies fans coming down.  It’s also peak cherry blossom time.

[Natsinpwc]

It's a depressing stadium not convenient to downtown. I hate that stadium. I usually don't even watch on TV the Nats game there.

People say fans just don't go to sports in Florida but I don't think that's true. The Heat, Magic, Lightning, Panthers, Dolphins, Bucs are fine attendance wise. The Jaguars struggle but that franchise feels broken, similar to the Rays and Marlins.

I think the relationship between Tampa and the Rays is broken. I wonder why Orlando doesn't make a play? Smaller cities, but would be one of two major sports franchises versus one of three in Tampa. I almost wonder if the state of Florida would help them move there to avoid losing a baseball franchise.

Can't say I've done too much research, but I'm surprised you haven't seen a city like Raleigh or Salt Lake City make a huge move in recent days with Rays looking homeless. They're both growing cities with a well back NHL/NBA team. You don't need a shovel ready stadium.

I'd list Nashville but, to their voters credit, they've seemingly said no to being bilked for another stadium after the Titans got their ridiculous deal

There’s a group in Orlando trying to get a team. Not sure what all would need to happen. The Magic draws well and even years when the team was bad.  The Rays relationship with St Pete is broken but doesn’t mean Tampa is out. I know for me if they buillt stadium Ybor City it would be just over an hour drive.