Selig's tough Trop talk

Baseball commissioner Bud Selig has only attended one game at Tropicana Field as far as anyone knows, and that was in June 2004, before all the improvements by the Stuart Sternberg-led ownership group.
But that didn't stop Selig from bashing the Trop, in his bid to push the importance of the new stadium, in an interview with ESPN's Howard Bryant, which is excerpted below. And the way Selig answered the St. Pete/Tampa question is interesting, especially since the Rays have a lease with St. Petersburg through 2027.

Tampa Bay has been the league's success story in the first half, but it has not translated to better attendance. What is your level of concern for the future of baseball in Tampa?
Look, they're really pushing on a new ballpark. I think if they can get it done, it will really help them, no question about it. They've got a good club. They've done a great job scouting and drafting. Their attendance is up 4,500, but it's not enough. They can't make it in that ballpark. Have you been there?

Many times.
Do I need to tell you any more than that? And so, they need a new stadium. The demographics of the Tampa-St. Pete area are good enough for baseball.

On the St. Pete side, though?
Well, they're going to have to make that judgment. If they can get rights … I know there are people who think it needs to be on the Tampa side, but I'm going to leave that to (principal owner) Stu Sternberg. If they can get a new ballpark built, yes, I think they can be a very successful franchise.

- MARC TOPKIN

Baseball commissioner Bud Selig has only attended one game at Tropicana Field as far as anyone knows, and that was in June 2004, before all the improvements by the Stuart Sternberg-led ownership group.
But that didn't stop Selig from bashing the Trop, in his bid to push the importance of the new stadium, in an interview with ESPN's Howard Bryant, which is excerpted below. And the way Selig answered the St. Pete/Tampa question is interesting, especially since the Rays have a lease with St. Petersburg through 2027.

Tampa Bay has been the league's success story in the first half, but it has not translated to better attendance. What is your level of concern for the future of baseball in Tampa?
Look, they're really pushing on a new ballpark. I think if they can get it done, it will really help them, no question about it. They've got a good club. They've done a great job scouting and drafting. Their attendance is up 4,500, but it's not enough. They can't make it in that ballpark. Have you been there?

Many times.
Do I need to tell you any more than that? And so, they need a new stadium. The demographics of the Tampa-St. Pete area are good enough for baseball.

On the St. Pete side, though?
Well, they're going to have to make that judgment. If they can get rights … I know there are people who think it needs to be on the Tampa side, but I'm going to leave that to (principal owner) Stu Sternberg. If they can get a new ballpark built, yes, I think they can be a very successful franchise.

- MARC TOPKIN

Comments

[Sam]

The Rays are OK with this clown mouthing off like an idiot to ESPN? Great job, again...Rays.

It just gets more hilarious with each new story.

[The KOOK antidote]

The Commissioner is right of course. But maybe we should all just turn over our rights to participate in this decision to the likes of Sam or Don or John or whomever.

NOT!

[Rays Mike]

What is Selig saying that isn't incorrect? Would the Rays stay in St. Pete when their lease expires in 19 years if they can't get a new stadium built? Do we want to risk it and find out?

[John]

Rays Mike

Who said they can't get a new stadium built?

Just because this paticular deal will fail, all because of the Rays own mis-steps, how does that translate to you into they'll NEVER get a new stadium?

Are you REALLY paying attention here, or just posting knee-jerk reactions to other people's posts?

[Colorado Snowbird]

John, most who read these threads would conclude that Rays Mike is paying far better attention than you. No need to get personal either. Rays Mike has demonstrated time and again that he is paying attention. That he doesn't embrace every fantasy advanced by the organized opposition merely reflects his intelligence and independence, not a lack of attention.

[Rick K]

Colorado Snowbird is right about John. He's just an ANTI who hates everything, just like the rest of them. Rays Mike and Ray F are by far much more in-tune with how all the citizens want these paired redevelopment proposals at any cost.

Go Rays Mike!!

[Matthew]

Two points become evident:

The Rays are doing very well, therefore, the don't need a new stadium to win games.

Who ever said that a new stadium will bring more customers? Studies have shown that there is an initial honeymoon period, about a year or two, when curious people will go to a game or two just to see what's up. Then you'll be back to the usual crowd and a depressing, half filled stadium ( a la the World Series Winning Toronto Blue Jays) that has cost the City 450 million!

[Colorado Snowbird]

Matthew, we can believe you, if you think that is wise. Or, we can believe the Rays, who are in the business of increasing their revenues. The Rays ownership has access to marketing information that convinces them that this new stadium will increase attendance and revenues. You have not seen this data, so I think the wisest move would be to remain silent until you have seen this data. Otherwise you are asking us to ignore actual relevant market information in favor of vague generalities which may or may not apply in this case.

[Ray F]

See,

MLB is all but coming out and saying that this will affect whether St Pete gets to keep a professional baseball team.

Some of you may be OK with that, but I sure as hell am not.

BUILD IT!!!

...and just think about when you're daddy threatened you with the belt- you sure stopped what you were doing in a heartbeat even though dad really never actually slapped you...

[Demetrios]

Yes I agree totally with Colorado Snowbird. The Rays have all the answers.

Trust the Rays to do you no wrong. They want to help the citizens, not themselves.

These paired redevelopment proposals will do just that. Nobody will be out of work, it will never rain in St. Pete again, and we'll all not have to pay taxes once these paired redevelopment proposals are fully built out exactly as Archstone has said they would.

Trust the companies!!

[Thomas]

The Rays aren't going anywhere. The City Attorney already said the Trop Lease includes language that makes it enforceable by injunction.

If MLB and the Rays think they need a new stadium, they can cut a check and build one. Nothing is stopping them from paying their own tab.

[Colorado Snowbird]

Thomas is hilarious in supporting this assertion by a reporter that a City Attorney's opinion is the same as an absolutely true fact, while his cohorts previously refused to accept the professonal opinion of a City staffer about a 25 year old DEP case.

[Observer]

Colorado Snowbird is hilarous because he's Rick K posting under the name Colorado Snowbird because he lost all credebility and respect under his own name.

Don't forget about how these paired redevelopment proposals will cure cancer.

[The KOOK antidote]

The post by Obserever at 3:24 was made by an impostor pretending to be the real poster who uses the name Observer, in an attempt to deceive people.

[Thomas]

It's official. The Blog has gone mental.

[Ray F]

I agree Thomas.

Leave it up to a couple of retards to ruin what, so far, has been a fairly civil (sometimes heated) debate.

I won't even bother posting until everyone can revert to acting like they didn't fall down the evolutionary ladder.

[Colorado Snowbird]

I think the penalty for impersonating someone else on this blog should be a permanent ban from posting here. It would stop all this nonsense.

[Colorado Snowbird]

Colorado snowbird is neither a man, nor is she Rick K. All claims to the contrary are attempts to deceive people.

[The Idiots from Bay City Lumber]

BUHAA HAA HAA HAAA .... BUUU HAA HA HA HA HA HAAA!!!

[Add some cowbell]

Add some cowbell to that laugh, and you will REALLY have something.

[Tarpon Demetrios]

Aaron

As long as children are allowed to impersonate others, this blog has lost all credibility. I rarely participated but enjoyed reading the opinions of others, whether they were outrageous or not. To the PRO or ANTI who initiated and/or perpetuated this, mainly at the expense of my name, you have some serious self-esteem issues. I converesed with Thomas, Carnac and Get-smart(who claimed I was Rick K) and tried to show respect for their opinions. I am for this proposal but I understand that I could be wrong. Unfortnately the majority show hatred to those who's opinions differ from theirs.

Aaron, unless you can regulate and limit the use of posts, there is no reason to read this garbage! I'm done

[Tarpon Demetrios]

To clarify, Thomas and Carnac did not show hatred but others surely did. Get-Smart banished me to Tarpon but I'll get over it. I didn't want to be misunderstood. Now I'm done!

[Rays Mike]

Responding to John at 2:32 PM, The Bed Tax is the biggest source of public funding. If the TDC recommends against using Bed Tax funds for a new stadium now, why would they in 19 years? What would have changed? If this option is unacceptable, then plan B could be using property tax and/or a sales tax increase, and that would have even less of a chance of passing, IMO...

Repsonding to Matthew at 2:51 PM: Yes, the Rays are doing well now. But they do not have the revenue streams to resign these young players who are currently making below market-value because of the age and years of MLB service. The 30,000 crowds this week were great, but keep in mind that 50% of those fans were Chicago fans, and it was the perfect storm of the FIRST TIME EVER that the Cubs have played here, and the Cubs are in first place, and we are playing well. Now, if you want to argue that they all came from Chicago, then you will prove my argument that baseball is great for tourism.

[Bobby Fenton]

The shortsightedness of so many of you is appalling. All of these St. Pete people get so defensive about this stuff, and are now taking this opportunity to simply rip Tampa. While I think it's great that you are all so in love with your place over there, it's not so great that it isn't better off with a major league baseball team rather than without.

LOOK AT WHAT YOU HAVE IN FRONT OF YOU. The more I hear people saying things like, "We don't need the Rays anyway, we have beaches" etc., etc., the more I wonder about the citizenry of St. Pete and the less I wonder why you have the reputation you do. It's called progess, people.

I will be the first to admit that while Tampa's downtown has improved, it could use more improvement. I'm also smart enough to know that hypothetially, a BALLPARK WOULD HELP TO DO THAT. However, that isn't what's on the table here. A ballpark for St. Pete is.

Yes, we are one area and we should all work together, but I think that if you sre a citizen of St. Pete who really wants to see the city make "The Leap", then you are absolutely out of your mind not to want this.

I am not ripping St. Pete's downtown. I've heard it's nice. I never go there myself, except to, guess what, GO TO THE TROP (which as we all know isn't actually downtown but near it). I am not alone. Baseball brings people, and repeat after me slowly - PEOPLE - ARE - GOOD. Either way, though, don't tell me everything is so great that you're better off losing a major league franchise. That is incredibly dense and it is indicative of the same stuff we've heard so many malcontents in St. Pete spout so often over the years.

Good try ripping Tampa, guys, but you all know that isn't what this is about.

[To Bobby Fenton]

Your downtown is a disgusting, industrial port with a bunch of half-empty condo skyscapers. How's that Trump Tower coming along?

Our downtown, if you actually came to see it, is a beautiful stretch of waterfront parks and museums.

You see, we here in St. Pete actually cared enough to plan our downtown, unlike Tampa.

Currently the Trop and the downtown core are perfect neighbors. They co-exist peacefully. Yet they're close enough for Rays fans to easily intermingle in the downtown core before or after the game, without cannibalizing all the parking for the rest of us wishing to enjoy the downtown.

Personally, I think the Trop is the best location. The waterfront is off limits. We have no desire to look like downtown Tampa.

Perhaps you Tampons should worry more about your infrustructure, because currently I can't even drive on 90% of Tampa streets without fear of having the suspension torn from underneath my car, or getting caught in a storm and being stranded in South Tampa's notorious floodwaters.