Facts of life in Tampa Bay
5/28/13, "Tampa mayor to Rays: I wanna be your boyfriend after all," Field of Schemes, Neil deMause
"Tampa Mayor Bob “I’m not going to be the boyfriend in your divorce” Buckhorn was talking Tampa Bay Rays stadium again on Friday, and now he’s sounding like he’s more willing to stir up some marital strife."...
Among comments:
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"Russ on said:
The only reason I’ll be voting for Foster is because he refuses to drop his britches and grab his ankles just because $tuBud tells him to; soulless sewer notwithstanding."
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"scott myers on said:
If and when unemployment in the Tampa Bay area falls to under 5%nd if the Rays are still good if/when that happens, attendance problems will disappear for as long the good economy/good team confluence lasts. It has never happened since the birth of the Devil Rays in 1998. And it won’t matter where the games are played – the Trop will be just a fine venue if these fortunate circumstances intertwine. On the other hand, if either the economy is bad (like now with unemployment around 8%), and/or the team is bad, it won’t matter how beautiful a palace, or how conveniently located the palace is. Attendance will suck. The demographics of the Tampa Bay area are very thin. If you don’t believe me just ask the Bucs."
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"Tampa Mayor Bob “I’m not going to be the boyfriend in your divorce” Buckhorn was talking Tampa Bay Rays stadium again on Friday, and now he’s sounding like he’s more willing to stir up some marital strife."...
Among comments:
--------------------------
"Russ on said:
The only reason I’ll be voting for Foster is because he refuses to drop his britches and grab his ankles just because $tuBud tells him to; soulless sewer notwithstanding."
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"scott myers on said:
If and when unemployment in the Tampa Bay area falls to under 5%nd if the Rays are still good if/when that happens, attendance problems will disappear for as long the good economy/good team confluence lasts. It has never happened since the birth of the Devil Rays in 1998. And it won’t matter where the games are played – the Trop will be just a fine venue if these fortunate circumstances intertwine. On the other hand, if either the economy is bad (like now with unemployment around 8%), and/or the team is bad, it won’t matter how beautiful a palace, or how conveniently located the palace is. Attendance will suck. The demographics of the Tampa Bay area are very thin. If you don’t believe me just ask the Bucs."
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posted by susan at
6/06/2013 03:44:00 AM
“If and when unemployment in the Tampa Bay area falls to under 5% and if the Rays are still good if/when that happens, attendance problems will disappear for as long the good economy/good team confluence lasts.”
I don’t see it turning out that way. Fans in TB (especially on the Tampa side) would rather watch their team on TV than make the trek across the bridge, and then through Pinellas Co., to get to the Trop. Their TV deal is set to expire soon, and all indications point to a much larger windfall on their next contract. Turnstiles have already lost the battle to the remote control in that baseball market."
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Ed. note: I lived in Tampa for awhile. The Tampa area is filled with poor people, somewhat the point made by #2 above, and poor "demographics." At minimum, people have little or no discretionary income. There's no reason to expect this will change. If politicians hadn't robbed the state blind with things like the global warming scam it might not be as bad. MLB's support of that scam, which is a war on the American way of life and in particular the automobile, has contributed to lower attendance at baseball games.