Despite another strong season, posting a 99-63 record, the fourth best in MLB this season, the Tampa Bay Rays can’t seem to draw a crowd.
Why don’t fans want to see the Rays?
The Tampa Bay Rays, despite their strong performance with a 99-63 win-loss record, have been struggling to attract a significant crowd.
While the Rays received only 19,704 attendees for Game 1 of the AL Wild Card series against the Texas Rangers (a game they lost 4-0), it’s important to note that this is the lowest attendance for a non-COVID postseason game in 104 years, as confirmed by @Stathead. The last time attendance dropped below 19,704 was during Game 7 of the infamous 1919 World Series in Cincinnati.
Despite their consistent success, with five consecutive playoff appearances and a World Series appearance in 2020, the Rays struggle to attract fans to the stadium.
Although the Rays’ attendance has been increasing over the past three seasons, it is surprising to see a lack of support during playoff games when even casual fans typically attend.
In fact, during the regular season, the Rays had 33 games with higher attendance than their recent wild card game, and nearly half of their home games had more fans in attendance than their playoff game.
The Rays have been struggling with attendance for quite some time. In 2019, they proposed a “split-season” plan, playing half of their home games in Tampa and the other half in Montreal. However, this plan was rejected by MLB, indicating the team’s dissatisfaction with local fan support. Although the Rays have plans to build a new stadium in St. Petersburg, it won’t be ready until 2028, leaving them with at least four more years of poor attendance.
One might assume that fan fatigue plays a role in the lower attendance. After years of competing for a World Series title without success, fans could lose interest due to constant disappointment.
However, recent events challenge this notion. When the Rays went on a 13-game winning streak at the beginning of the season, the attendance for the 13th game exceeded 21,000 fans. Additionally, upon their return home following a six-game road trip, more than 20,000 fans attended two out of three games in their subsequent series. This demonstrates that there is hope for increased attendance. Nonetheless, the inconsistent fan support forces Rays owner Stuart Sternberg to consider all available options.
What happened in 1919?
The last time a non-COVID MLB playoff game had lower attendance than the Rays’ recent game was Game 7 of the 1919 World Series in Cincinnati. This World Series was infamous for the Chicago White Sox being bribed to lose.
However, the low attendance during that game was not related to the scandal, as it was discovered only afterwards. The issue in 1919 was that the World Series had a best-of-nine format, with the top-seeded Reds hosting Games 1, 2, 6, 7, and 9. To watch their team play in the World Series, fans were required to purchase tickets in sets of three. Game 7 was the fourth home game for the Reds, and single-game tickets were only briefly available, leading to a lack of attendance by Reds fans.
Furthermore, there was a miscommunication regarding where tickets were being sold for the game. A column in the Cincinnati Enquirer from October 9, 1919, reported long lines outside the Reds’ main ticket office. However, when fans realized the tickets were not being sold there, many of them decided not to bother attending.
When is the Rays’ next game?
The Rays’ Game 2 of the AL Wild Card series is scheduled for 3:08 p.m. ET tomorrow, October 4.
After their 4-0 loss in Game 1 of the series against the Rangers, the Rays are on the verge of elimination. It is hoped that more fans will show up to support their team in this crucial game.
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