Spring tickets go on sale (but read closely)

The Rays are about to put tickets on sale for their first spring training in Port Charlotte. Usually, that's a pretty simple announcement, but the Rays have added a few layers that make it a bit more complicated.

Basically, tickets go on sale to the general public on Friday (Jan. 9) at 9 a.m. on raysbaseball.com and then Saturday (Jan. 10) at the rest of their usual outlets. (Prices range from $9-23; click here for details, the schedule and a seating chart.) But they are also offering pre-sales and password-only sales, and we're just going to let them try to explain all the details.

Here is their press release:

ST. PETERSBURG, FLA---The American League Champion Tampa Bay Rays have announced the process for purchasing single-game tickets for 2009 Spring Training.  The Rays begin their inaugural spring training season at Charlotte Sports Park in Charlotte County, Florida on Feb. 25th versus the Cincinnati Reds.

Single-game tickets will go on-sale next week, in the following procedure:

January 6:  Rays Spring Training season ticket holders will be able to purchase up to four tickets for each game online beginning at 9 a.m. Rays regular season ticket holders and the Florida State League Charlotte Stone Crabs season ticket holders will have that same opportunity beginning at noon. Passwords will be sent to the season ticket holders’ email addresses on Monday, January 5th.

January 7, 9 a.m.:  Special Password Card Pre-sale.  Special password cards are available at the Charlotte Stone Crabs offices at Charlotte Sports Park, 2300 El Jobean Rd., Port Charlotte, FL  33948.  Fans interested in obtaining the password cards will need to pick up a password card, based on availability, on January 6th from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The password card gives users the opportunity to purchase up to four tickets for each Spring Training game, during the January 7th online presale, beginning at 9 a.m.  For more information, please visit raysbaseball.com/springtraining.

January 8, 9 a.m.:  Rays Insider subscribers will have the opportunity to purchase up to 4 tickets for each Spring Training game at raysbaseball.com.  Passwords will be supplied to the registered users by email on Wednesday, January 7th.  The deadline to become a Rays Insider subscriber, and receive this opportunity is Monday, January 5th, at raysbaseball.com.

January 9, 9 a.m.:  Spring Training tickets will go on-sale online to the general public, exclusively at raysbaseball.com at 9 a.m.

January 10, 9 a.m.:  Spring Training tickets will go on-sale at the box office at Charlotte Sports Park, all Ticketmaster outlets, the Rays Tampa Store at 400 N. Tampa St, Tropicana Field box office, and 888-FAN-RAYS, and raysbaseball.com and www.raysbeisbol.com at 9 a.m.

Game dates and times are subject to change, and all games and respective seating is subject to availability.

Comments

[SteveA]

My birthday is on an odd day this year and also a tuesday, Do I qualify for first row seats? do I still need a password?
Confused

[jim]

Yes, by all means the Rays should expand the fan base to Charlotte County, leaving a beautiful spring training site for some cow pasture.

[Lee]

The Rays are the only team in history to spring train in the town in which they play. That was not an odd move.
Moving the spring training site should build some real enthusiasm for seeing the team once the season starts. I'll miss watching practice, but overall I think the entire situation makes sense.

[jim]

Glad this goofy policy coincides with the equally odd move from Al Lang.

[MarkFidrych]

This has to be the one of the most ridiculous way to buy tickets for just Spring Training games I've seen! I've been going to spring games for over 30 years,and I've never seen anything like this.It's Spring Training...not the MLB playoffs!

[shane]

are the rays gonna sign anyone this offseason?