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Originally Posted by Amazin69
Rather odd to think that all of "the South" (other than Florida) has no team other than the Braves.
Whereas…
NFL: New Orleans, Nashville, Charlotte (and also Jacksonville)
NBA: New Orleans, Memphis, Charlotte
NHL: Nashville, Raleigh
I wonder why MLB has been more reluctant to explore this area of the country than the other leagues have been?
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Well, one of the things that I have heard here (and thanks to all for the responses) is that "It's hotter than hell in Florida in the summer." True, and that explains why the NBA and NHL are okay with their indoor arenas. The NFL plays in the fall and winter. Only MLB would have to slog through the hot months.
But until Hurricane Milton perforated the roof, Tropicana Field was air-conditioned. You would think that fans would flock there just for some (albeit expensive) relief. Sure, they can stay home and be AC'ed for much less money. My point, though, is that the hot and humid Florida summers should not have been an impediment to MLB in that state from the 1990s onward.
So, catching (myself) up on this,
Quote:
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The Rays' current ownership has stated that Tropicana Field does not generate enough revenue, and that its location in St. Petersburg is too far from the Tampa Bay area's primary population center in Hillsborough County. Rays attendance has historically ranked among the lowest compared to all MLB teams including seasons following a playoff berth. Rays attendance at Tropicana Field slightly improved in two seasons following playoff berths between 2008 and 2013 but dropped in two other seasons following playoff berths in the same span. After the Rays earned the best AL record in 2010, average attendance in 2011 dropped by 4,100 per game. In 2019 the Rays average attendance was 14,552 per game.
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Here is a map of Hillsborough County:
According to Wikipedia, "In the 2020 census, the population was 1,459,762, making it the fourth-most populous county in Florida and the most populous county outside the Miami metropolitan area." If it wasn't for Tampa Bay (the body of water), Hillsborough County would be nearly a perfect square, 36 miles to a side. From the farthest point in the northeast of the county to St. Petersburg is only 45 miles (as that proverbial crow flies).
But probably not a whole lot of the 1.5 million county residents live that far out. Of course, the vast majority would be living in or near the city of Tampa.
One source says the Channel District is the "downtown" of Tampa. A ride by car from there to Tropicana Field is about 23 miles and takes less than half an hour:
So, I cry "B.S." to Tampa Bay Rays ownership and management about that logistical excuse (which, by the way, ignores the quarter-million folks living in St. Petersburg and who knows how many more in Clearwater and other towns north of St. Pete). Even when the team is winning and goes to the playoffs, they fail to attract fans and must beg for public assistance. My response would be "If you can't get fans to travel a half-hour to your stadium, what makes you think a fifteen minute drive will do so much better?"