They're going to Disney World - again

The Rays on Friday announced plans to shift an April 22-24 series against Toronto from Tropicana Field to Disney.
The Rays played a three-game series at Disney last May in an effort to expand their market and considered the experiment a success despite small crowds - an average of 8,972.
"We were very pleased with every aspect of last year's series at the Disney Sports Complex, particularly the experience we were able to provide for fans who were attending their first Rays games,'' team president Matt Silverman said. "This series remains a very important part of our ongoing efforts to expand our fan base throughout the state and further establish St. Petersburg as Florida's baseball capital.''
Under terms of their lease, the Rays need permission from the St. Petersburg City Council to play regular-season games elsewhere but Tropicana Field. A vote is scheduled for Jan. 24. MLB and Jays officials have already said they were okay with the new plan.

Comments

[David]

Let em go, it's a Mickey Mouse team anyway!

[Marc]

I bet winning games will expand fan base!! Has anybody thought of that approach?

[patrick]

I've come around after last year. I want this team to build a broader larger base to get better TV contracts & more financial success. I think the owners run it like a business and the more they are successful the more the brand and franchise will be successful. I will be pissed in April tho when I go to buy tickets and they are where????

[joshua]

Good! I went to teh games last year and had a hell of a good time.

[Nick B]

This is exciting with the rays coming to orlando, the games will definetly sell out now that the rays are and will continue to be a contender with all the new additions.

[Jeff]

"the games will definetly sell out now that the rays are and will continue to be a contender with all the new additions."

Nice to see Matt Silverman has time to post on these blogs.

[Marc]

I wrote about this today - and I think it's great.

Raysbaseball.Blogspot.Com

[CharlieRay]

The reason the attendance is so low is we don't want to sit in the heat, rain, lightning, mosquitoes, love bugs, to sit on grass when we can sit in a bountiful stadium like, Tropicana Field with a constant 72 deg temp with no worries about the rest. Mind you for a lot less money with better seats.

[Sam]

I'm with you on that Casey P., it's because there LOSERS themselves & jealous, and are trying to make themselves feel better by posting negativity. But it doesn't stunt my optimism. Yes, they heard it correctly - "St. Petersburg as Florida's baseball capital", so learn to love it or leave. I don't mind throwing our neighbor Disney a bone to build our fan base b/c it's not going to continue forever, so we'll hook them now & reel them in later. Here's to a great 08'. GO RAYS!

[Charlie Ray]

Forgot to mention the real reason we don't go to games. We don't want to watch the worst team in professional sports history sully the name of Tampa Bay.

[Lauren]

Maybe they should start expanding their fan base by turning to get Bright House to put FSN in its cable package in Orlando so people can watch the games.

[Stephen]

Not sure how they could have had an average crowd of 8900... Lol! There are only 7500 seats in the place. They sold out every game. I would call that a success. It's more fans then show up to Tropicana field to watch their own team. I can't wait for them to come back, and I'm a Reds fan!