Saturday, May 31, 2014

Tampa Bay Baseball Attendance - May 30, 2014

Tampa Bay baseball attendance for Friday, May 30, 2014:

Bradenton Marauders:
  • Team Home Game #: 28
  • Attendance: 1,439
  • Starting Pitcher: John Kuchno
  • Opponent: Tampa Yankees
  • Opponent Starting Pitcher: Dan Camarena
  • Avg Attendance to Date: 1,573.5
  • Avg Attendance vs Opponent: 1,277
  • Avg Attendance per Day of the Week: 1,283.5
  • Avg Attendance for Starting Pitcher: 1,518
  • Promotions (if any): Soccer Night/ Free Shirt Friday
  • Other Factors (conflicting events, etc): Concert: Zac Brown Band (Tampa)

Clearwater Threshers:
  • Team Home Games #: 25
  • Attendance: 2,206
  • Starting Pitcher: Adam Loewen
  • Opponent: Fort Myers Miracle
  • Opponent Starting Pitcher: Brett Lee
  • Avg Attendance to Date: 2,764
  • Avg Attendance vs Opponent: 1,939
  • Avg Attendance per Day of the Week: 3,961.25
  • Avg Attendance for Starting Pitcher: 4,719.33
  • Promotions (if any): 70s Night / Post-game concert by Journey cover band

No other area games.

Friday, May 30, 2014

Tampa Bay Baseball Attendance - May 29, 2014

Tampa Bay baseball attendance for Thursday, May 29, 2014:

Bradenton Marauders:
  • Team Home Game #: 27
  • Attendance: 1,115
  • Starting Pitcher: Chad Kuhl
  • Opponent: Tampa Yankees
  • Opponent Starting Pitcher: Chaz Hebert
  • Avg Attendance to Date: 1,578.88
  • Avg Attendance vs Opponent: 1,115
  • Avg Attendance per Day of the Week: 1,204.66
  • Avg Attendance for Starting Pitcher: 1,815.29
  • Promotions (if any): Thirsty Thursday
  • Other Factors (conflicting events, etc): Concert: Zac Brown Band (Tampa)

Clearwater Threshers:
  • Team Home Games #: 24
  • Attendance: 1,660
  • Starting Pitcher: Jeb Stefan
  • Opponent: Fort Myers Miracle
  • Opponent Starting Pitcher: Jason Wheeler
  • Avg Attendance to Date: 2,787.25
  • Avg Attendance vs Opponent: 1,850
  • Avg Attendance per Day of the Week: 1,890
  • Avg Attendance for Starting Pitcher: 1,768.25
  • Promotions (if any): Thirsty Thursday

No other area games.

Thursday, May 29, 2014

Attendance Review: 2007 Dunedin Blue Jays

Welcome to our 1st attendance review post on the Dunedin Blue Jays, minor league affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays.

Background:

The Dunedin Blue Jays began play in the Florida State League in 1987. After three seasons playing at Grant Field, the Dunedin Blue Jays moved to Florida Exchange Stadium in 1990. Florida Exchange Stadium is also the spring training home of the Toronto Blue Jays.

Dunedin Blue Jays 2007:


Home Games: 71

Total attendance:  48,326

Average: 721.28

Highest attended game: 2,212 on Saturday, Sept 1st vs Fort Myers

Lowest attended game: 344 on Monday, April 9th vs Clearwater

Low point of average attendance: April 17th, Game 4 (475.5)

Double headers: 4 (April 26, June 13, June 30, Aug 23)

Cancellations: 0

Notable rehab assignments: None

Other notable appearances: None
Breakdown:

(red highlight = below annual average of 721.28)

By Month:



The following graph depicts the average attendance by month.




By Day:




The following graph depicts the average attendance by day:




By Opponent:




By Starting Pitcher:


Tampa Bay Baseball Attendance - May 28, 2014

Tampa Bay baseball attendance for Wednesday, May 28, 2014:

Tampa Yankees:
  • Team Home Game #: 30
  • Attendance: 2,988
  • Starting Pitcher: Conner Kendrick
  • Opponent: Bradenton Marauders
  • Opponent Starting Pitcher: Tyler Glasnow
  • Avg Attendance to Date: 1,711.47
  • Avg Attendance vs Opponent: 1,911
  • Avg Attendance per Day of the Week: 2,417.33
  • Avg Attendance for Starting Pitcher: 2,692.33
  • Promotions (if any): School Day - Local school kids
  • Other Factors (conflicting events, etc): None

Clearwater Threshers:
  • Team Home Games #: 23
  • Attendance: 1,186
  • Starting Pitcher: Colin Kleven
  • Opponent: Fort Myers Miracle
  • Opponent Starting Pitcher: David Hurlbut
  • Avg Attendance to Date: 2,836.26
  • Avg Attendance vs Opponent: 1,945
  • Avg Attendance per Day of the Week: 1,803.4
  • Avg Attendance for Starting Pitcher: 1,728.25
  • Promotions (if any): Happy Hour/ Senior Day

No other area games.

Wednesday, May 28, 2014

Tampa Bay Baseball Attendance - May 27, 2014

Tampa Bay baseball attendance for Tuesday, May 27, 2014:

Tampa Yankees:
  • Team Home Game #: 29
  • Attendance: 834
  • Starting Pitcher: Miguel Sulbaran
  • Opponent: Bradenton Marauders
  • Opponent Starting Pitcher: Jason Creasy
  • Avg Attendance to Date: 1,667.45
  • Avg Attendance vs Opponent: 834
  • Avg Attendance per Day of the Week: 902.2
  • Avg Attendance for Starting Pitcher: 3,570.33
  • Promotions (if any): 2 for 1 Tuesday
  • Other Factors (conflicting events, etc): None

Clearwater Threshers:
  • Team Home Games #: 22
  • Attendance: 2,704
  • Starting Pitcher: Ethan Stewart
  • Opponent: Fort Myers Miracle
  • Opponent Starting Pitcher: Matt Tomshaw
  • Avg Attendance to Date: 2,911.27
  • Avg Attendance vs Opponent: 2,704
  • Avg Attendance per Day of the Week: 3,252.4
  • Avg Attendance for Starting Pitcher: 3,405.5
  • Promotions (if any): $1 Tuesday

No other area games.

Tuesday, May 27, 2014

Monday, May 26, 2014

Tampa Bay Baseball Attendance - May 25, 2014

Tampa Bay baseball attendance for Sunday, May 25, 2014:

Tampa Bay Rays:
  • Team Home Game #: 26
  • Attendance: 26,199
  • Starting Pitcher: Jake Odorizzi
  • Opponent: Boston Red Sox
  • Opponent Starting Pitcher: Brandon Workman
  • Avg Attendance to Date: 18,692.46
  • Avg Attendance vs Opponent: 23,555.33
  • Avg Attendance per Day of the Week: 24,727.5
  • Avg Attendance for Starting Pitcher: 16,281.2
  • Promotions (if any): Military Appreciation Night, David Price dog tags
  • Other Factors (conflicting events, etc): Concerts: Sunset Music Festival (Attendance: 25,000)


Dunedin Blue Jays:
  • Team Home Games #: 25
  • Attendance: 393
  • Starting Pitcher: Jesse Hernandez
  • Opponent: Lakeland Flying Tigers
  • Opponent Starting Pitcher: Yorfrank Lopez
  • Avg Attendance to Date: 883.96
  • Avg Attendance vs Opponent: 1,086.33
  • Avg Attendance per Day of the Week: 537.2
  • Avg Attendance for Starting Pitcher: 611.4
  • Promotions (if any): Kids Free w Paying Adult

Bradenton Marauders:
  • Team Home Games #: 26
  • Attendance: 1,102
  • Starting Pitcher: Orlando Castro
  • Opponent: Charlotte Stone Crabs
  • Opponent Starting Pitcher: Bruedlin Suero
  • Avg Attendance to Date: 1,598.21
  • Avg Attendance vs Opponent: 1,793
  • Avg Attendance per Day of the Week: 1,195
  • Avg Attendance for Starting Pitcher: 1,411.16
  • Promotions (if any): Latin Heritage Night / Family Fun Night

No other area games.

Sunday, May 25, 2014

Tampa Bay Baseball Attendance - May 24, 2014

Tampa Bay baseball attendance for Saturday, May 24, 2014:

Tampa Bay Rays:
  • Team Home Game #: 25
  • Attendance: 23,569
  • Starting Pitcher: David Price
  • Opponent: Boston Red Sox
  • Opponent Starting Pitcher: Jake Peavy
  • Avg Attendance to Date: 18,392.2
  • Avg Attendance vs Opponent: 22,233.5
  • Avg Attendance per Day of the Week: 28,326
  • Avg Attendance for Starting Pitcher: 22,653.5
  • Promotions (if any): None
  • Other Factors (conflicting events, etc): Arena Football: Tampa Bay Storm (Attendance: 12,501). Soccer: Tampa Bay Rowdies (Attendance: 4,331) Concerts: Sunset Music Festival

Dunedin Blue Jays:
  • Team Home Games #: 23/24
  • Attendance: 1,378
  • Starting Pitcher: Ben White / Efrain Nieves
  • Opponent: Lakeland Flying Tigers
  • Opponent Starting Pitcher: Edgar De La Rosa / Tanner Bailey
  • Avg Attendance to Date: 905.3
  • Avg Attendance vs Opponent: 1,433
  • Avg Attendance per Day of the Week: 1,171
  • Avg Attendance for Starting Pitcher: White (656.25) / Nieves (1,378)
  • Promotions (if any): Superhero Day/Night

No other area games.

Saturday, May 24, 2014

Tampa Bay Baseball Attendance - May 23, 2014

Tampa Bay baseball attendance for Friday, May 23, 2014:

Tampa Bay Rays:
  • Team Home Game #: 24
  • Attendance: 20,898
  • Starting Pitcher: Chris Archer
  • Opponent: Boston Red Sox
  • Opponent Starting Pitcher: John Lackey
  • Avg Attendance to Date: 18,176.5
  • Avg Attendance vs Opponent: 20,898
  • Avg Attendance per Day of the Week: 19,705.5
  • Avg Attendance for Starting Pitcher: 19,232.4
  • Promotions (if any): Irish Heritage Night
  • Other Factors (conflicting events, etc): Concerts: Sunset Music Festival

Tampa Yankees:
  • Team Home Game #: 28
  • Attendance: 2,651
  • Starting Pitcher: Eric Wooten
  • Opponent: Jupiter Hammerheads
  • Opponent Starting Pitcher: Josh Hodges
  • Avg Attendance to Date: 1,697.21
  • Avg Attendance vs Opponent: 2,992
  • Avg Attendance per Day of the Week: 1,774
  • Avg Attendance for Starting Pitcher: 1,628.25
  • Promotions (if any): Social Media Friday

Dunedin Blue Jays:
  • Team Home Games #: 22
  • Attendance: 596
  • Starting Pitcher: Taylor Cole
  • Opponent: Fort Myers Miracle
  • Opponent Starting Pitcher: Jason Wheeler
  • Avg Attendance to Date: 883.82
  • Avg Attendance vs Opponent: 560.25
  • Avg Attendance per Day of the Week: 760.33
  • Avg Attendance for Starting Pitcher: 861.25
  • Promotions (if any): Buy One, Get One Margaritas

Bradenton Marauders:
  • Team Home Games #: 25
  • Attendance: 1,139
  • Starting Pitcher: Chad Kuhl
  • Opponent: Daytona Cubs
  • Opponent Starting Pitcher: Ben Wells
  • Avg Attendance to Date: 1,619.78
  • Avg Attendance vs Opponent: 1,256.5
  • Avg Attendance per Day of the Week: 1,231.66
  • Avg Attendance for Starting Pitcher: 1,932
  • Promotions (if any): Free Shirt Friday / Happy Hour Friday

No other area games.

Friday, May 23, 2014

Tampa Bay Baseball Attendance - May 22, 2014

Tampa Bay baseball attendance for Thursday, May 22, 2014:

Tampa Bay Rays:
  • Team Home Game #: 23
  • Attendance: 11,257
  • Starting Pitcher: Alex Cobb
  • Opponent: Oakland A's
  • Opponent Starting Pitcher: Sonny Gray
  • Avg Attendance to Date: 18,058.17
  • Avg Attendance vs Opponent: 11,060.33
  • Avg Attendance per Day of the Week: 14,633.2
  • Avg Attendance for Starting Pitcher: 14,979.66
  • Promotions (if any): None
  • Other Factors (conflicting events, etc): None

Tampa Yankees:
  • Team Home Game #: 27
  • Attendance: 1,046
  • Starting Pitcher: Conner Kendrick
  • Opponent: Jupiter Hammerheads
  • Opponent Starting Pitcher: Trevor Williams
  • Avg Attendance to Date: 1,661.89
  • Avg Attendance vs Opponent: 3,105.66
  • Avg Attendance per Day of the Week: 1,479.5
  • Avg Attendance for Starting Pitcher: 2,544.5
  • Promotions (if any): Throwback Thursday

Dunedin Blue Jays:
  • Team Home Games #: 21
  • Attendance: 664
  • Starting Pitcher: Kendall Graveman
  • Opponent: Fort Myers Miracle
  • Opponent Starting Pitcher: Alex Wimmers
  • Avg Attendance to Date: 897.52
  • Avg Attendance vs Opponent: 548.33
  • Avg Attendance per Day of the Week: 1,139
  • Avg Attendance for Starting Pitcher: 2,398.5
  • Promotions (if any): Thirsty Thursday

Bradenton Marauders:
  • Team Home Games #: 24
  • Attendance: 1,104
  • Starting Pitcher: Tyler Glasnow
  • Opponent: Daytona Cubs
  • Opponent Starting Pitcher: Tayler Scott
  • Avg Attendance to Date: 1,641.64
  • Avg Attendance vs Opponent: 1,295.66
  • Avg Attendance per Day of the Week: 1,222.6
  • Avg Attendance for Starting Pitcher: 1,472.33
  • Promotions (if any): T-Shirt Day / Thirsty Thursday

No other area games.

Thursday, May 22, 2014

Daytona Cubs employee bashes Rays attendance

The Rays play in a very unique situation. They are one of the few teams in Major League Baseball surrounded by four Minor League teams. Although they compete for the same entertainment dollar, the Rays and the teams of the Florida State League usually co-exist in an awkward harmony.

On Wednesday night however, an employee of the Daytona Cubs took an unprofessional swipe at the Rays' fanbase. While visiting Tropicana Field following a day game against the Bradenton Marauders, Daytona Cubs Director of Broadcasting and Media Relations Robbie Aaron commented on the Rays attendance.



(click to enlarge)

There was no reason for Aaron to make that comment and even less reason for the Florida State League's official Twitter account to retweet Aaron.



(click to enlarge)

Granted, the Daytona Cubs draw well for a Florida State League team. The Daytona area is a solid minor league market. The Cubs finished second in attendance to the Clearwater Threshers in both 2013 and 2012. They also set a team attendance record last year with an average of 2,518 fans per game and 146,079 total.

But the 2,895 the Cubs are currently averaging (as of 5/21/2014) is still far below the 18,367 the Rays are currently averaging. Aaron should know better than to make a statement like that, even in jest.

Professional sports teams and their employees usually don't say anything critical about the business affairs of other franchises. It is surprising to see Robbie Aaron comment on the Rays affairs and even more surprising for the Florida State League to retweet it. Would either dare comment on the attendance of the Dunedin Blue Jays, a team consistently on the bottom of the Florida State League?

Although the Rays probably won't make a big deal of it, they should request an apology from the Daytona Cubs, their Director of Broadcasting and Media Relations, and the Florida State League. While they compete for dollars, all teams in the Florida baseball market should be working together. To do otherwise is bad for the business of baseball.

Tampa Bay Baseball Attendance - May 21, 2014

Tampa Bay baseball attendance for Wednesday, May 21, 2014:

Tampa Bay Rays:
  • Team Home Game #: 22
  • Attendance: 10,555
  • Starting Pitcher: Eric Bedard
  • Opponent: Oakland A's
  • Opponent Starting Pitcher: Tommy Milone
  • Avg Attendance to Date: 18,367.32
  • Avg Attendance vs Opponent: 10,962
  • Avg Attendance per Day of the Week: 11,159.5
  • Avg Attendance for Starting Pitcher: 19,755.75
  • Promotions (if any): None
  • Other Factors (conflicting events, etc): Concert: Foreigner, Styx (Clearwater: Ruth Eckerd Hall)

Tampa Yankees:
  • Team Home Game #: 26
  • Attendance: 7,340
  • Starting Pitcher: Miguel Sulbaran
  • Opponent: Jupiter Hammerheads
  • Opponent Starting Pitcher: Austin Brice
  • Avg Attendance to Date: 1,685.58
  • Avg Attendance vs Opponent: 4,135.5
  • Avg Attendance per Day of the Week: 2,303.2
  • Avg Attendance for Starting Pitcher: 4,938.5
  • Promotions (if any): Local schools day at the ballpark

Dunedin Blue Jays:
  • Team Home Games #: 20
  • Attendance: 432
  • Starting Pitcher: Daniel Norris
  • Opponent: Fort Myers Miracle
  • Opponent Starting Pitcher: David Hurlbut
  • Avg Attendance to Date: 909.2
  • Avg Attendance vs Opponent: 490.5
  • Avg Attendance per Day of the Week: 486.33
  • Avg Attendance for Starting Pitcher: 678.5
  • Promotions (if any): None

Bradenton Marauders:
  • Team Home Games #: 23
  • Attendance: 1,798
  • Starting Pitcher: Jason Creasy
  • Opponent: Daytona Cubs
  • Opponent Starting Pitcher: Tyler Ihrig
  • Avg Attendance to Date: 1,667.24
  • Avg Attendance vs Opponent: 1,391.5
  • Avg Attendance per Day of the Week: 1,132
  • Avg Attendance for Starting Pitcher: 1,341.5
  • Promotions (if any): Education Day

No other area games.

Wednesday, May 21, 2014

Tampa Bay Baseball Attendance - May 20, 2014

Tampa Bay baseball attendance for Tuesday, May 20, 2014:

Tampa Bay Rays:
  • Team Home Game #: 21
  • Attendance: 11,369
  • Starting Pitcher: Jake Odorizzi
  • Opponent: Oakland A's
  • Opponent Starting Pitcher: Drew Pomeranz
  • Avg Attendance to Date: 18,739.33
  • Avg Attendance vs Opponent: 11,369
  • Avg Attendance per Day of the Week: 11,530.5
  • Avg Attendance for Starting Pitcher: 13,801.75
  • Promotions (if any): None
  • Other Factors (conflicting events, etc): None

Tampa Yankees:
  • Team Home Game #: 25
  • Attendance: 931
  • Starting Pitcher: Rafael De Paula
  • Opponent: Jupiter Hammerheads
  • Opponent Starting Pitcher: Jake Esch
  • Avg Attendance to Date: 1,459.40
  • Avg Attendance vs Opponent: 931
  • Avg Attendance per Day of the Week: 919.25
  • Avg Attendance for Starting Pitcher: 1,259
  • Promotions (if any): 2 for 1 Tuesday

Dunedin Blue Jays:
  • Team Home Games #: 19
  • Attendance: 519
  • Starting Pitcher: Jesse Hernandez
  • Opponent: Fort Myers Miracle
  • Opponent Starting Pitcher: Matt Tomshaw
  • Avg Attendance to Date: 932.74
  • Avg Attendance vs Opponent: 519
  • Avg Attendance per Day of the Week: 1,800.66
  • Avg Attendance for Starting Pitcher: 666
  • Promotions (if any): None

Bradenton Marauders:
  • Team Home Games #: 22
  • Attendance: 985
  • Starting Pitcher: Orlando Castro
  • Opponent: Daytona Cubs
  • Opponent Starting Pitcher: Rob Zastryzny
  • Avg Attendance to Date: 1,660.7
  • Avg Attendance vs Opponent: 985
  • Avg Attendance per Day of the Week: 990.75
  • Avg Attendance for Starting Pitcher: 1,473
  • Promotions (if any): Marty the Marauder's Birthday / 2-for-1 tickets

No other area games.

Tuesday, May 20, 2014

Hashtag #TropTrip and other Rays twitter suggestions

I follow the twitter accounts of all the Tampa Bay area baseball teams, from the majors to the minors to the college teams.

While their audiences range in size, from the Rays 167,000 twitter followers to the University of Tampa's 1,067 followers, they all share the common goal: to push information. Even the Rays secondary accounts, from the mascot's account to the Rays' community account create awareness of the brand.

But the Rays accounts don't do what the account of many of the other smaller teams do: they don't retweet fans' experience. The closest the Rays get to retweet the joy of fans is Raymond retweeting mentions about Raymond. They don't retweet fans saying "Had a great time at the Rays game", "Fun at the Trop", or any similar comments.

Maybe the Rays could create a @RaysTropTrip account to retweet fans experiences and showcase anyone having a good time at a Rays game.

(Unless they could get @RaysExperience or @TropTrip, both of which are seldom used accounts.)

The Rays could also promote the hashtag #TropTrip and suggest fans to use it as they travel to Tropicana Field or as they enjoy a game. A twitter search of the hashtag "#TropTrip" brings up two tweets without much reference and my own original idea:

Perhaps the Rays could also suggest fans tweet the time it took them to get to the ballpark. There is a bad sentiment that Tropicana Field is too far away for most folks. While traffic might be tough to navigate, the Rays and the general public could learn a lot from fans on the ground and on the road tweeting their #TropTrip. If it takes an hour and a half to get from USF's Tampa campus to Tropicana Field (as it does for me), #TropTrip will say so. If it takes 10 minutes from downtown St.Pete to Tropicana Field, #TropTrip will say that as well.

The #TropTrip hashtag could also carry on to Instagram, Foursquare, Vine, and any other social media platform.

Currently, a trip to the Trop gets a bad rap. People often call it the worst ballpark in baseball. The Rays could try to sway that opinion with the voices of their fans.

Tampa Bay Baseball Attendance - May 19, 2014

Tampa Bay baseball attendance for Monday, May 19, 2014:

Tampa Yankees:
  • Team Home Game #: 24
  • Attendance: 922
  • Starting Pitcher: Dan Camarena
  • Opponent: Palm Beach Cardinals
  • Opponent Starting Pitcher: Nick Petree
  • Avg Attendance to Date: 1,481.42
  • Avg Attendance vs Opponent: 1,947.75
  • Avg Attendance per Day of the Week: 954.75
  • Avg Attendance for Starting Pitcher: 1,241.4
  • Promotions (if any): Tampa Yankees baseball card giveaway/ Military Monday
  • Other Factors (conflicting events, etc): None

Dunedin Blue Jays:
  • Team Home Games #: 18
  • Attendance: 395
  • Starting Pitcher: Ben White
  • Opponent: Bradenton Marauders
  • Opponent Starting Pitcher: Pat Ludwig
  • Avg Attendance to Date: 955.72
  • Avg Attendance vs Opponent: 612
  • Avg Attendance per Day of the Week: 440
  • Avg Attendance for Starting Pitcher: 415.66
  • Promotions (if any): None

No other area games.

Monday, May 19, 2014

Quick thoughts on University of Tampa baseball



Keeping up this blog has opened my eyes to new and interesting facts about baseball in the Tampa Bay area. Although I've lived in Tampa for eight years and written about the Rays and the minor league teams for most of that, prior to starting this blog, there was a lot I didn't know about Tampa area baseball.

One of the biggest surprises to me was how good the University of Tampa's baseball program is. I had no idea they won six NCAA Division II national championships since 1992. They won the national championship in 2013 and look to repeat this year, going 51-2. They begin the NCAA Division II National Championship Tournament on May 24th.

It bears repeating: this season, they went 51-2. Last season, they went 47-12 and won the title.

This season: 51-2.

On Sunday, I went to my first Tampa Spartans game, a day game versus Florida Southern for the NCAA Southern Region Championship. The event and their quality of play drew my attention.

The University of Tampa Baseball Field is in downtown Tampa. There is not a nicer baseball backdrop in the Tampa Bay area. It is a small facility, located on a corner on campus. The website says the stadium holds 750. If so, I think that would be packing folks in really tight.

As for the game, the Spartans held up their end, winning 3-0 over FSC. Sophomore Trey Oest was efficient and effective, needing only 78 pitches to throw a one-hit complete game shutout. His size, motion, and mechanics on the mound reminded me of former Major Leaguer Brad Penny.

Including me, 340 people were at Sunday's game. It was hot and humid, but being May, it was not unbearable. It was the fourth highest attended game in the season for the Spartans.
  • May 4, Game 1 vs Florida Tech: 487
  • May 4, Game 2 vs Florida Tech: 487
  • Mar 28 vs Florida Southern: 341
  • May 18 vs Florida Southern: 340
For the season, the University of Tampa baseball team averaged 218 people per home game.

Although their schedule isn't limited to Florida-based opponents, the University of Tampa seems to get a bump when playing in-state rivals. That's expected as local alumni support visiting teams and fans that follow the visitors don't have far to travel. Sunday's game, for example, drew a good amount of Florida Southern College fans who made the hour-long trip from Lakeland to support their team.

Next season, I'm sure I'll attend more University of Tampa games. The Spartans baseball team has a lot going for them.

At $10 a ticket, the price was higher than the minor league teams, but lower than the Rays. Although there is limited shade at the stadium - unless I bring my own - it's nice to be in a downtown stadium that overlooks the city. And last but not least, the University of Tampa has the most successful baseball team in the Tampa Bay area.

Update on the Rays Flex Packs

In the pregame notes before their 5/15 game versus the Anaheim Angels, the Rays announced they have eclipsed the 20,000 mark for Flex Pack sales. That is an 100% increase since the team first announced their Flex Pack sales in mid-March.

If we consider the 700,000 estimated Rays fans in the Tampa Bay area, 20,000 Flex Packs sold means 2.8% of the fan base has bought into the promotion. A month ago, I mentioned the Rays need each fan to go to 3 games. Three games plus visiting fan attendance would push the Rays over their desired goal of 2 million fans.

It will be interesting to track the sale of Flex Packs throughout the season. Will they continue to grow through the summer? Will they taper off in August and September? That might depend on the Rays competitiveness headed into the pennant stretch.

Assuming they maintain the same growth of 5,000 per month, the Rays will reach 40,000 sales by September 15th (5.7% of the fan base). Buying a Flex Pack on September 15th might mean a discount for tickets to Derek Jeter's last appearance at Tropicana Field.

By the end of the season, perhaps the Rays will also release the behavior of Flex Pack purchasers. Are they buying 3, 6, or 9 game packs? Are they more likely to add additional games?

I sorta mentioned this in my prior article, one of the biggest problems I see with the Flex Pack is that it restricts the secondary market. Without a paper ticket, fans can't sell their unused tickets. If a fan buys a ticket via the Flex Card, and then can't go to the game, they have no way to recoup the cost. Will that hinder Flex Pack sales as the schedule comes to a close?

(h/t to @newspaper_man for the news on the Flex Packs)

Tampa Bay Baseball Attendance - May 18, 2014

Tampa Bay baseball attendance for Sunday, May 18, 2014:

Tampa Yankees:
  • Team Home Game #: 23
  • Attendance: 1,918
  • Starting Pitcher: Eric Wooten
  • Opponent: Palm Beach Cardinals
  • Opponent Starting Pitcher: Mike Mayers
  • Avg Attendance to Date: 1,505.74
  • Avg Attendance vs Opponent: 2,289.66
  • Avg Attendance per Day of the Week: 1,650.5
  • Avg Attendance for Starting Pitcher: 1,482.14
  • Promotions (if any): Tampa Kids Market / Seniors Eat Free
  • Other Factors (conflicting events, etc): None

Dunedin Blue Jays:
  • Team Home Games #: 17
  • Attendance: 829
  • Starting Pitcher: Taylor Cole
  • Opponent: Bradenton Marauders
  • Opponent Starting Pitcher: John Kuchno
  • Avg Attendance to Date: 988.71
  • Avg Attendance vs Opponent: 829
  • Avg Attendance per Day of the Week: 573.25
  • Avg Attendance for Starting Pitcher: 949.66
  • Promotions (if any): None

No other area games.

Sunday, May 18, 2014

Tampa Bay Baseball Attendance - May 17, 2014

Tampa Bay baseball attendance for Saturday, May 17, 2014:

Tampa Yankees:
  • Team Home Game #: 22
  • Attendance: 4,043
  • Starting Pitcher: Conner Kendrick
  • Opponent: Palm Beach Cardinals
  • Opponent Starting Pitcher: Silfredo Garcia
  • Avg Attendance to Date: 1,487.00
  • Avg Attendance vs Opponent: 2,475.5
  • Avg Attendance per Day of the Week: 2,519.75
  • Avg Attendance for Starting Pitcher: 4,043
  • Promotions (if any): Bright House Networks Fan Appreciation Night
  • Other Factors (conflicting events, etc): Concerts: Lady Antebellum (Amphitheater), 97X BBQ Fest, Vinoy Park, St. Petersburg (Attendance: 15,000), Buckcherry (St. Petersburg). Soccer: Tampa Bay Rowdies (Attendance: 4,855)

Bradenton Marauders:
  • Team Home Games #: 21
  • Attendance: 2,216
  • Starting Pitcher: Chad Kuhl
  • Opponent: Dunedin Blue Jays
  • Opponent Starting Pitcher: Kendall Graveman
  • Avg Attendance to Date: 1,696.26
  • Avg Attendance vs Opponent: 1,906
  • Avg Attendance per Day of the Week: 1,876
  • Avg Attendance for Starting Pitcher: 2,090.6
  • Promotions (if any): Indian Heritage Night - Rinku Singh Bobblehead

No other area games.

Saturday, May 17, 2014

Jason Notte hypothesizes possible Rays relocation, misses key facts

As a member of the Tampa Bay sports blogosphere, I would love if all I had to do was cover my little niche of Tampa Bay baseball. I'd write about facts, figures, and trends of attendance, economics, and demographics. My job would be fun and easy.

But because our area is one of the most misunderstood professional sports areas in the US, myself and other Tampa Bay writers often have to rebut misleading or misinformed articles. More times than not, these articles lack facts, whether purposefully or due to lack of research.

The latest of these articles is TheStreet.com's 5 Biggest TV Markets Without Major League Baseball Teams by Portland-based writer Jason Notte. TheStreet.com is a big site, citing itself as "an organization founded in 1996 by celebrated author and former hedge fund manager Jim Cramer". Jim Cramer, of course, is on CNBC and is a widely-known investment guru. So TheStreet.com is a big deal.

Notte's article begins by immediately discussing the Rays. He discusses how Major League baseball used relocation to St. Pete as leverage to get a new stadium for the White Sox, Mariners, and Giants. Although he said the expansion franchise was put in "Tampa" not St. Pete or even "Tampa Bay", I'll let that go. Most people get that wrong.

After his brief history, and without even mentioning the Rays' TV ratings (remember the title was about TV markets?), Notte dives right into the Rays attendance problem.
Since 1998, the Tampa Bay Rays/Devil Rays have averaged 30,000 fans per game only once: In 1998 when they saw 2.5 million fans come through the turnstiles. Since then, they've ranked at or near the bottom of the American League in attendance. Despite making the playoffs four times in the past seven years and making it to the World Series in 2008, the Rays haven't averaged more than 20,000 fans per game since 2010, when their attendance ranked a team-best ninth out of 14 AL teams.

But I thought the article was about the TV market. If it was, Notte could have cited the Rays' gains in TV ratings. From the Aug 12, 2013 Tampa Bay Business Journal:
The Rays are on pace to finish in the top third of all MLB markets for TV viewership, Bay News 9 said. The Tampa Bay-Sarasota metropolitan region is the nation’s 14th largest television market and the area’s viewers tune in to watch baseball at higher-than-average rates.

From Rays Index, October 2, 2013:
The Tampa Bay Rays finished the season with an average rating of 4.93 per broadcast on Sun Sports, according to Fox Sports. ...

The 4.93 rating is up slightly from last year when the Rays posted a 4.9 rating. ...

A rating of 4.9 is typically in the neighborhood of ninth or tenth among all teams, but certainly in the upper-half.

Another problem with Notte's discussion of Rays attendance is his lack of relating attendance to market size. The Rays will not draw as many people as the Yankees. It won't happen. Ever. The Tampa Bay metro area has 2.8 million people. New York City has over 10 million. We've compared the Rays fanbase to the Yankees. If Yankees fans in New York City went to the ballpark as often as Rays fans, the Yankees would draw well over 4.6 million.

Notte then discusses the Oakland A's and their stadium problems and how the debacle with the Marlins stadium has soured public opinion on public funding. As far as I know, this part is true.

Then Notte gets to the meat and potatoes of his article, listing in reverse order the top 5 TV markets without Major League Baseball as defined by Nielsen. However, he not once mentioned the size of the Tampa Bay or Oakland markets. So let's do that:

Oakland/San Francisco/San Jose: (2013) 2,502,030 / (2014) 2,518,900

Tampa/St. Petersburg/Sarasota: (2013) 1,806,560 / (2014) 1,827,510

Notte's list begins with Indianapolis. While he states Indianapolis currently has a Triple-A team, he concludes that if "Indy were to get an MLB team, it would be one of the smallest three-sport towns in the U.S.". To compare, the metro population of Indianapolis is 1.95 million and the TV market is 1.08 million.

That's 900,000 less people than Tampa Bay and a TV market difference of 800,000.

Number 4 on Notte's list is Charlotte. Notte uses ambiguous terms such as "baseball acumen thanks to minor league and Atlantic Coast Conference teams" as a reason why MLB should consider Charlotte. I am not sure what that means. I am not sure how the college teams in Charlotte draw versus the University of South Florida and the University of Tampa, but Tampa Bay hosts 4 minor league teams. Charlotte hosts one.

Notte also states Major League Baseball would be successful because "This town clearly cares enough about baseball to dump $54 million into a new stadium for the Knights". Sorry, but that's only 10-20% of what would be needed for a Major League Baseball stadium. As comparison, Legends Field in Tampa is valued at $45 million.

Next.

Number 3: Portland. The author's city. Maury Brown of Biz of Baseball has already covered the possibility of MLB in Portland and since I have never been there, his opinion rules here. To be honest, Notte doesn't seem optimistic baseball would work in Portland either.

Number 2: Sacramento. Of course, this is about the possible relocation of the A's, so I am reserving comment. But Notte does state "the hassle of landing the A's seems like a burden this town is unwilling to bear".

But Notte's Number 1 I will comment on. According to Notte's research, the number one TV market without Major League Baseball is Orlando, Florida. By Nielsen, Orlando's TV market size is (2013) 1,453,170 and (2014) 1,490,380. By metro population, Orlando is 26th in the US at 2.2 million.

Notte cites the history of the Magic and the growth of a Major League soccer franchise in Orlando as evidence Orlando might be able to handle a Major League Baseball team. But he fails to mention the history of baseball in Orlando. From OrlandoRays.com:
The Orlando Rays' last season at Tinker Field was 1999. From 2000 to 2003, the Orlando Rays played in Kissimmee, Florida,  Despite the fact that the team played in a state-of-the-art stadium that was built in 1997 and used during spring training by the Atlanta Braves, attendance did not meet expectations; after trailing the Southern League in attendance in multiple years, the Rays' owners announced the team would move to Montgomery in 2004.

To be honest, I think the Orlando area should have a minor league team. While that might be happening soon, that's a post for another day.

But of course, Notte's article is about TV market, not attendance. Since this is about television, Notte should have noted that SunSports is a state-wide television network. That means people in Orlando watch the Rays just as easily as people in St. Petersburg, Tampa, Sarasota, Miami, or Jacksonville.

And ratings last year were pretty good. The size of the TV market is not a factor in any discussion regarding the relocation of the Tampa Bay Rays.

Sometimes the facts help. That's why I am here.

Tampa Bay Baseball Attendance - May 16, 2014

Tampa Bay baseball attendance for Friday, May 16, 2014:

Tampa Yankees:
  • Team Home Game #: 21
  • Attendance: 908
  • Starting Pitcher: Nick Goody
  • Opponent: Palm Beach Cardinals
  • Opponent Starting Pitcher: Kyle Helisek
  • Avg Attendance to Date: 1,365.29
  • Avg Attendance vs Opponent: 908
  • Avg Attendance per Day of the Week: 1,554.75
  • Avg Attendance for Starting Pitcher: 1,437
  • Promotions (if any): Social Media Friday
  • Other Factors (conflicting events, etc): None

Bradenton Marauders:
  • Team Home Games #: 20
  • Attendance: 1,596
  • Starting Pitcher: Tyler Glasnow
  • Opponent: Dunedin Blue Jays
  • Opponent Starting Pitcher: Daniel Norris
  • Avg Attendance to Date: 1,667.39
  • Avg Attendance vs Opponent: 1,596
  • Avg Attendance per Day of the Week: 1,278
  • Avg Attendance for Starting Pitcher: 1,656.5
  • Promotions (if any): Free Shirt Friday / Faith and Family Night

No other area games.

Friday, May 16, 2014

Tourism is up, but are tourists going to baseball games?

Florida Governor Rick Scott visited the Tampa Bay area Thursday to announce an increase in Tampa Bay area tourism and discuss record-setting numbers for tourist tax income.

According to the Tampa Bay Times,
Hillsborough County set a record for April tourist tax collections, taking in a little more than $3 million.

and
March 2014 is the best month of bed tax collections ever

Despite the increase in tourism, no Hillsborough County baseball team saw an increase in attendance. Nor did the Tampa Bay Rays.

Perhaps the problem is that Tampa, and maybe all of Florida, lacks a sports-related tourist destination. Tourists to Chicago visit Wrigley Field. Tourists in Boston see Fenway Park. Tourists in Baltimore make time to see Camden Yards. Tourists in New York City visit Yankee Stadium and Madison Square Garden. It is possible that casual tourists do not include sports in their Tampa trips.

Meanwhile, attendance at Busch Gardens has increased from 2009-2012. Maybe the tourists are going there.

Tampa Bay Baseball Attendance - May 15, 2014

Tampa Bay baseball attendance for Thursday, May 15, 2014:

Clearwater Threshers:
  • Team Home Game #: 21
  • Attendance: 1,381
  • Starting Pitcher: Miguel Alfredo Gonzalez
  • Opponent: Jupiter Hammerheads
  • Opponent Starting Pitcher: Jake Esch
  • Avg Attendance to Date: 2,921.14
  • Avg Attendance vs Opponent: 2,355.25
  • Avg Attendance per Day of the Week: 1,966.66
  • Avg Attendance for Starting Pitcher: 1,381
  • Promotions (if any): Ladies Night / Thirsty Thursday
  • Other Factors (conflicting events, etc): None

Bradenton Marauders:
  • Team Home Games #: 18/ 19
  • Attendance: 1,758
  • Starting Pitcher: Jason Creasy / Orlando Castro
  • Opponent: Lakeland Flying Tigers
  • Opponent Starting Pitcher: Jake Thompson / Yorfrank Lopez
  • Avg Attendance to Date: 1,671.59
  • Avg Attendance vs Opponent: 2,498.66
  • Avg Attendance per Day of the Week: 1,252.25
  • Avg Attendance for Starting Pitcher: 1,189.33 (Creasy)/ 1,595 (Castro)
  • Promotions (if any): Golf Giveaway / Thirsty Thursday

No other area games.

Thursday, May 15, 2014

Attendance Review: 2013 Tampa Yankees

Welcome to our 7th attendance review post on the Tampa Yankees, minor league affiliate of the New York Yankees.

Background:

The Tampa Yankees began play in 1994. After two seasons playing at the University of South Florida, the Tampa Yankees moved to Legends Field, a stadium built across the street from Raymond James Stadium, home of the NFL's Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Legends Field was renamed Steinbrenner Field in 2008.

Tampa Yankees 2013:


Home Games: 68

Total attendance:  118,770 (up 5.4% from 2012: 112,668)

Average:  1,827.23 (up 0.5% from 2012: 1,817.23)

Highest attended game: 8,106 on Wednesday, May 15th vs Jupiter

Lowest attended game: 903 on Thursday, August 29th vs Lakeland

Low point of average attendance: April 24th, Game 12 (1,247.67)

Double headers: 3 (June 27, July 13, Aug 28)

Cancellations: 2

Notable rehab assignments: Alex Rodriguez, Curtis Granderson, Michael Pineda

Other notable appearances: None

Breakdown:
(red highlight = below annual average of 1,827.23)

By Month:




The following graph depicts the average attendance by month.




By Day:




The following graph depicts the average attendance by day:




By Opponent:




By Starting Pitcher:


Tampa Bay Baseball Attendance - May 14, 2014

Tampa Bay baseball attendance for Wednesday, May 14, 2014:

Clearwater Threshers:
  • Team Home Game #: 20
  • Attendance: 2,898
  • Starting Pitcher: Jon Prosinski
  • Opponent: Jupiter Hammerheads
  • Opponent Starting Pitcher: Scott Lyman
  • Avg Attendance to Date: 2,998.15
  • Avg Attendance vs Opponent: 2,680
  • Avg Attendance per Day of the Week: 1,957.75
  • Avg Attendance for Starting Pitcher: 3,005.25
  • Promotions (if any): Anti-bully education day
  • Other Factors (conflicting events, etc): None

Bradenton Marauders:
  • Team Home Game #: 18
  • Attendance: RAINED OUT
  • Starting Pitcher:
  • Opponent: Lakeland Flying Tigers
  • Opponent Starting Pitcher:
  • Avg Attendance to Date: 1,666.19
  • Avg Attendance vs Opponent: 2,869

No other area games.

Wednesday, May 14, 2014

Tampa Bay Baseball Attendance - May 13, 2014

Tampa Bay baseball attendance for Tuesday, May 13, 2014:

Clearwater Threshers:
  • Team Home Game #: 19
  • Attendance: 3,813
  • Starting Pitcher: Brody Colvin
  • Opponent: Jupiter Hammerheads
  • Opponent Starting Pitcher: Josh Hodges
  • Avg Attendance to Date: 3,003.42
  • Avg Attendance vs Opponent: 2,571
  • Avg Attendance per Day of the Week: 3,389.5
  • Avg Attendance for Starting Pitcher: 5,440
  • Promotions (if any): $1 Tuesday
  • Other Factors (conflicting events, etc): None

Bradenton Marauders:
  • Team Home Game #: 17
  • Attendance: 1,090
  • Starting Pitcher: John Kuchno
  • Opponent: Lakeland Flying Tigers
  • Opponent Starting Pitcher: Kevin Eichhorn
  • Avg Attendance to Date: 1,666.19
  • Avg Attendance vs Opponent: 2,869
  • Avg Attendance per Day of the Week: 992.66
  • Avg Attendance for Starting Pitcher: 1,538
  • Promotions (if any): Bark-in-the-park, 2-for-1 tickets

No other area games.

Tuesday, May 13, 2014

Tampa Bay Baseball Attendance - May 12, 2014

Tampa Bay baseball attendance for Monday, May 12, 2014:

Clearwater Threshers:
  • Team Home Game #: 18
  • Attendance: 1,329
  • Starting Pitcher: Colin Kleven
  • Opponent: Jupiter Hammerheads
  • Opponent Starting Pitcher: Trevor Williams
  • Avg Attendance to Date: 2,958.44
  • Avg Attendance vs Opponent: 1,329
  • Avg Attendance per Day of the Week: 1,349.66
  • Avg Attendance for Starting Pitcher: 1,909
  • Promotions (if any): Feeding Frenzy Monday
  • Other Factors (conflicting events, etc): None

Bradenton Marauders:
  • Team Home Game #: 16
  • Attendance: 4,648
  • Starting Pitcher: Chad Kuhl
  • Opponent: Lakeland Flying Tigers
  • Opponent Starting Pitcher: Josh Turley
  • Avg Attendance to Date: 1,704.6
  • Avg Attendance vs Opponent: 4,648
  • Avg Attendance per Day of the Week: 4,711
  • Avg Attendance for Starting Pitcher: 2,059.25
  • Promotions (if any): Cheney Brother Buyout Night- free left field bleacher tickets

No other area games.

Monday, May 12, 2014

Tampa Bay Baseball Attendance - May 11, 2014

Tampa Bay baseball attendance for Sunday, May 11, 2014:

Tampa Bay Rays:
  • Team Home Game #: 20
  • Attendance: 23,679
  • Starting Pitcher: Chris Archer
  • Opponent: Cleveland Indians
  • Opponent Starting Pitcher: Josh Tomlin
  • Avg Attendance to Date: 19,107.85
  • Avg Attendance vs Opponent: 23,477.33
  • Avg Attendance per Day of the Week: 24,237
  • Avg Attendance for Starting Pitcher: 18,816
  • Promotions (if any): Mother's Day hat
  • Other Factors (conflicting events, etc): Concerts/Festivals:Taste of Pinellas (St. Petersburg)

No other area games.

Sunday, May 11, 2014

Tampa Bay Baseball Attendance - May 10, 2014

Tampa Bay baseball attendance for Saturday, May 10, 2014:

Tampa Bay Rays:
  • Team Home Game #: 19
  • Attendance: 29,212
  • Starting Pitcher: Erik Bedard
  • Opponent: Cleveland Indians
  • Opponent Starting Pitcher: Zach McAllister
  • Avg Attendance to Date: 18,867.26
  • Avg Attendance vs Opponent: 23,376.5
  • Avg Attendance per Day of the Week: 29,911.66
  • Avg Attendance for Starting Pitcher: 22,822.66
  • Promotions (if any): DJ Kitty plush hat
  • Other Factors (conflicting events, etc): Tampa Mayor's Mac and Cheese Throwdown (Tampa), Concerts/Festivals:Tropical Heat Wave Fest (Ybor City), Taste of Pinellas (St. Petersburg), Rakim and Slick Rick (Jannus Live)

Tampa Yankees:
  • Team Home Game #: 20
  • Attendance: 2,537
  • Starting Pitcher: Miguel Sulbaran
  • Opponent: Lakeland Flying Tigers
  • Opponent Starting Pitcher: Tanner Bailey
  • Avg Attendance to Date: 1,388.15
  • Avg Attendance vs Opponent: 1,808
  • Avg Attendance per Day of the Week: 2,012
  • Avg Attendance for Starting Pitcher: 2,537
  • Promotions (if any): Bark at the Park

Clearwater Threshers:
  • Team Home Game #: 17
  • Attendance: 3,953
  • Starting Pitcher: Ethan Stewart
  • Opponent: Dunedin Blue Jays
  • Opponent Starting Pitcher: Daniel Norris
  • Avg Attendance to Date: 3,054.29
  • Avg Attendance vs Opponent: 4,201
  • Avg Attendance per Day of the Week: 4,719.33
  • Avg Attendance for Starting Pitcher: 3,545.8
  • Promotions (if any): Fireworks

Bradenton Marauders:
  • Team Home Game #: 15
  • Attendance: 1,717
  • Starting Pitcher: Tyler Glasnow
  • Opponent: Charlotte Stone Crabs
  • Opponent Starting Pitcher: Alex Colome (rehab)
  • Avg Attendance to Date: 1,494.36
  • Avg Attendance vs Opponent: 1,908.66
  • Avg Attendance per Day of the Week: 1,791
  • Avg Attendance for Starting Pitcher: 1,717
  • Promotions (if any): Josh Bell Cowbell Giveaway

No other area games.

Saturday, May 10, 2014

Tampa Bay Baseball Attendance - May 9, 2014

Tampa Bay baseball attendance for Friday, May 9, 2014:

Tampa Bay Rays:
  • Team Home Game #: 18
  • Attendance: 17,541
  • Starting Pitcher: Jake Odorizzi
  • Opponent: Cleveland Indians
  • Opponent Starting Pitcher: Corey Kluber
  • Avg Attendance to Date: 18,292.56
  • Avg Attendance vs Opponent: 17,541
  • Avg Attendance per Day of the Week: 19,308
  • Avg Attendance for Starting Pitcher: 14,612.67
  • Promotions (if any): Ladies' Night
  • Other Factors (conflicting events, etc): Concerts/Festivals:Tropical Heat Fest (Ybor City) and Taste of Pinellas (Pat Benatar, etc)

Tampa Yankees:
  • Team Home Game #: 19
  • Attendance: 1,966
  • Starting Pitcher: Nick Goody
  • Opponent: Lakeland Flying Tigers
  • Opponent Starting Pitcher: Yorfrank Lopez
  • Avg Attendance to Date: 1,327.68
  • Avg Attendance vs Opponent: 1,686.5
  • Avg Attendance per Day of the Week: 1,770.33
  • Avg Attendance for Starting Pitcher: 1,966
  • Promotions (if any): Derek Jeter Tampa Yankees t-shirt giveaway

Dunedin Blue Jays:
  • Team Home Game #: 16
  • Attendance: 877
  • Starting Pitcher: Jesse Hernandez
  • Opponent: Clearwater Threshers
  • Opponent Starting Pitcher: Luis Paulino
  • Avg Attendance to Date: 998.69
  • Avg Attendance vs Opponent: 844
  • Avg Attendance per Day of the Week: 843
  • Avg Attendance for Starting Pitcher: 715
  • Promotions (if any): Jimmy Buffett Night (Buy one, get one free margaritas)

No other area games.

Friday, May 9, 2014

Tampa Bay Baseball Attendance - May 8, 2014

Tampa Bay baseball attendance for Thursday, May 8, 2014:

Tampa Bay Rays:
  • Team Home Game #: 17
  • Attendance: 11,076
  • Starting Pitcher: David Price
  • Opponent: Baltimore Orioles
  • Opponent Starting Pitcher: Ubaldo Jimenez
  • Avg Attendance to Date: 18,336.76
  • Avg Attendance vs Opponent: 11,404.33
  • Avg Attendance per Day of the Week: 15,477.25
  • Avg Attendance for Starting Pitcher: 22,470.4
  • Promotions (if any): None
  • Other Factors (conflicting events, etc): Football: Tampa Bay Buccaneers Draft Party (free)

Clearwater Threshers:
  • Team Home Game #: 16
  • Attendance: 1,675
  • Starting Pitcher: Jon Prosinski
  • Opponent: Dunedin Blue Jays
  • Opponent Starting Pitcher: Ben White
  • Avg Attendance to Date: 2,998.13
  • Avg Attendance vs Opponent: 4,250.6
  • Avg Attendance per Day of the Week: 2,259.5
  • Avg Attendance for Starting Pitcher: 3,041
  • Promotions (if any): Ladies Night / Thirsty Thursday

No other area games.

Thursday, May 8, 2014

Tampa Bay Rays April 2014 Attendance Review

A few months ago, we looked at the Tampa Bay Rays average monthly attendance from 2007 to 2013. This post will update those figures with April 2014 data as well as provide insight to April 2014 attendance.
  • Total April 2014 Tampa Bay Rays home attendance: 277,512
  • Average attendance per game: 19,822.29
  • Highest attendance: 31,042 on March 31 (Opening Day)
  • Lowest attendance: 9,571 on Thursday, April 3rd
  • Highest attended series: 110,786 vs Yankees, April 17-20
  • Lowest attended series: 36,955 vs Twins, April 22-24
  • Competing events: Tampa Bay Lightning home games on April 1, 3, 5, 18

Since 2007, average April attendance has been 5.58% higher than the annual average (21,618.78 vs 20,475.72). We will call this the "April bump" and use this number to compute what the Rays attendance should have been according to the average. We will then see which games did better or worse than expected.

On days where Rays games coincided with the Lightning, we will use an average competing venue effect of -22.2%. This was determined by calculating the difference between the Rays average April attendance from 2007 to 2013 and the Rays average non-Opening Day attendance on days of Lightning home games.

(See here for how Lightning games have affected Rays attendance since 2007.)
  • Avg April attendance: 21,618.78
  • Avg non-Opening Day attendance during Tampa Bay Lightning games: 16,817
  • Difference: -22.2%

This chart shows the percentage difference between the mathematically predicted Rays attendance and the actual attendance.

(2007-2013 Avg = Rays average attendance vs specific opponent on that day since 2007. Calculated here.)




Rays attendance exceeded expectations four times (April 4, 5, 17, 18). They failed to meet expectations 8 times. The Opening Day sell-out was expected and achieved.

Interestingly, three of the dates the Rays surpassed expectations were on days the Lightning played home games. That could mean my competing effect was too high or perhaps Rays fans were driven by other effects. April 5th, for example, was Wil Myers bobblehead night  Since 2007, bobblehead promotions have added 21% to average daily attendance.

If we account for the average bobblehead "bump" and recalculate April 5th's attendance:
  • Average Sat vs Tex 2007-2013: 26,491
  • Prediction with April bump: 27,969.2
  • With bobblehead bump: 33,842.73
  • Minus competing venue effect: 26,329.64
  • Actual: 30,364
  • Difference: 15.32%

So we can see the bobblehead promotion had a large effect.

Comparing April 2014 with previous years

We will now compare April 2014 average attendance to other recent years.




The average April 2014 attendance was 1,500 people below the April 2013 average and 3,100 below the April 2012 average. April 2014 was the worst average since 2011. However, April 2014 compares similarly to the Rays 2008 April attendance.




April 2008 was the 2nd lowest attended month in 2008. May was the worst. As the team got better, so too did attendance. With Rays starting pitchers Alex Cobb and Jeremy Hellickson on the disabled list, perhaps the record and attendance will improve.

Tampa Bay Baseball Attendance - May 7, 2014

Tampa Bay baseball attendance for Wednesday, May 7, 2014:

Tampa Bay Rays:

Tampa Yankees:
  • Team Home Game #: 18
  • Attendance: 1,090
  • Starting Pitcher: Eric Wooten
  • Opponent: Lakeland Flying Tigers
  • Opponent Starting Pitcher: Kevin Eichhorn
  • Avg Attendance to Date: 1,292.22
  • Avg Attendance vs Opponent: 1,630.6
  • Avg Attendance per Day of the Week: 1,044
  • Avg Attendance for Starting Pitcher: 1,409.5
  • Promotions (if any): Kids Wednesday

Dunedin Blue Jays:
  • Team Home Game #: 15
  • Attendance: 532
  • Starting Pitcher: Taylor Cole
  • Opponent: Clearwater Threshers
  • Opponent Starting Pitcher: Brody Colvin
  • Avg Attendance to Date: 1,006.8
  • Avg Attendance vs Opponent: 837
  • Avg Attendance per Day of the Week: 499
  • Avg Attendance for Starting Pitcher: 1,010
  • Promotions (if any): None

Bradenton Marauders:
  • Team Home Game #: 14
  • Attendance: 863
  • Starting Pitcher: Pat Ludwig
  • Opponent: Charlotte Stone Crabs
  • Opponent Starting Pitcher: Roberto Gomez
  • Avg Attendance to Date: 1,477.23
  • Avg Attendance vs Opponent: 1,947
  • Avg Attendance per Day of the Week: 799
  • Avg Attendance for Starting Pitcher: 2,818.5
  • Promotions (if any): None

No other area games.

Wednesday, May 7, 2014

A traveler's views on Tampa Bay minor league parks

Professor Steven Ericson of the University of Alabama recently took a trip to Tampa for a conference. While in Tampa, Ericson journeyed to three minor league parks in the Tampa area: Steinbrenner Field (Tampa), McKechnie Field (Bradenton), and Brighthouse Field (Clearwater).

Ericson, a fan of Minor League Baseball, wrote about his experiences in each park on his blog, My Geography Lessons.

On April 16, he visited Brighthouse Field. Of the Threshers' home, he writes:
While the weather was overcast and a little nippy by Florida standards, it was a great experience.  The food was reasonably priced, the workers were friendly and the stadium had a plethora of entertainment options.  It's also important for me to say that while I'm not a Phillies fan because I grew up in the Atlanta area cheering on the Braves in the early-'90s, I am definitely a fan of the Threshers and their friendly landshark.

On April 29, he wrote about his experience at McKechnie Field:
I certainly came away a winner after my experience in Bradenton.  Yes, I was disappointed that there were no unique food items that I "had" to eat.  No, the lack of a marquee food item did not deter from my enjoyment at McKechnie Field.

Yes, the stadium has a wide selection of quality beers.  What the Marauders lack in the food department, the beer offerings more than make-up for it.

Most importantly, the hospitality of the staff stands out.  Every staffer that I spoke with about food or while perusing the Clubhouse Store was extremely helpful, and made sure that I found anything I wanted.

On May 5th, he wrote about his experience at Steinbrenner Field:
Despite the pricey beers and lack of signature food items, the gameday experience at George M. Steinbrenner Field is enjoyable.  Ticket pricing certainly makes it an attractive option for families, whether they live in the area or are visiting an want to attend a game.  While I understand the appeal of making the stadium experience like a visit to mini Yankee Stadium, I hope the staff can incorporate some uniquely Tampa items into the food and souvenir selections.

Ericson also has plenty of pictures from his travels. If you are a fan of Minor League Baseball, there are definitely some good shots.

I am always curious to read what people think of the Tampa Bay baseball experience. Ericson didn't have a chance to visit Tropicana Field as the Rays were on the road during his visit. He did however enjoy himself at each Minor League park he visited.

One trend in his reviews was that he looked for local cuisine. Had he visited Tropicana Field, he would have been able to taste a Cuban sandwich. According to this article, as of 2011, Cigar City beer was also sold at Tropicana Field. So Ericson could have had a solid Tampa Bay culinary experience if the Rays were in town.

Restaurants and vendors will obviously partner with the entity that gives them the most exposure. In the case of Tampa Bay baseball, that is usually the Rays.

Few people realize how highly competitive the Tampa Bay baseball market is. With one major league team and four minor league teams competing for the same dollar, Tampa Bay is unique among baseball markets. Especially when you consider the size of the market compared to other markets that have multiple teams.

Ericson's write-ups can provide good feedback to the Tampa Bay Minor League teams as they look for ways to appeal to consumers. It is always good to get an outsider's view.

Tampa Bay Baseball Attendance - May 6, 2014

Tampa Bay baseball attendance for Tuesday, May 6, 2014:

Tampa Bay Rays:
  • Team Home Game #: 15
  • Attendance: 11,855
  • Starting Pitcher: Chris Archer
  • Opponent: Baltimore Orioles
  • Opponent Starting Pitcher: Chris Tillman
  • Avg Attendance to Date: 19,291.13
  • Avg Attendance vs Opponent: 11,855
  • Avg Attendance per Day of the Week: 11,584
  • Avg Attendance for Starting Pitcher: 17,195
  • Promotions (if any): None
  • Other Factors (conflicting events, etc): None

Dunedin Blue Jays:
  • Team Home Game #: 14
  • Attendance: 4,111
  • Starting Pitcher: Kendall Graveman
  • Opponent: Tampa Yankees
  • Opponent Starting Pitcher: Nick Goody
  • Avg Attendance to Date: 1,040.7
  • Avg Attendance vs Opponent: 1,668
  • Avg Attendance per Day of the Week: 2,441.5
  • Avg Attendance for Starting Pitcher: 4,133
  • Promotions (if any): None
  • Other Factors (conflicting events, etc): Education Day with Local Schools

No other area games.

Tuesday, May 6, 2014

Pondering Tampa Bay impact on Marlins TV Ratings

Earlier this week, FishStripes.com, the SBNation site covering the Miami Marlins, cited a press release that stated the Marlins television ratings are up 42% from their 2013 ratings. According to the press release, in addition to the increase, games started by Marlins ace Jose Fernandez were up an additional 19% above the April 2014 average.

According to the Quinnipac University May 2012 survey, 2% of Tampa Bay area baseball fans identify as Marlins fans. While such a small amount (approximately 56,000), holds little sway on the Marlins overall ratings, Fox Sports Florida's reach does cover the Tampa Bay area. Every season, over 100 Miami Marlins games are broadcast to the Tampa Bay region.

The Marlins have two of the National League's most exciting players: pitcher Jose Fernandez and outfielder Giancarlo Stanton. I wouldn't doubt if some Tampa Bay area baseball fans tune in to watch the stars of the other Florida team on occasion. There might even be some fans of the National League Phillies (5% of the 33712 zip code), Mets, or the Braves who keep tabs on their preferred team via the Marlins broadcast.

I know I've been guilty of flipping the channel to watch Fernandez or Stanton on occasion. I can't be the only one. I wonder if the same could be true for South Florida baseball fans when David Price pitches or when Evan Longoria comes to bat.

Tampa Bay Baseball Attendance - May 5, 2014

Tampa Bay baseball attendance for Monday, May 5, 2014:

Dunedin Blue Jays:
  • Team Home Game #: 13
  • Attendance: 411
  • Starting Pitcher: Daniel Norris
  • Opponent: Tampa Yankees
  • Opponent Starting Pitcher: Conner Kendrick
  • Avg Attendance to Date: 803
  • Avg Attendance vs Opponent: 436
  • Avg Attendance per Day of the Week: 463
  • Avg Attendance for Starting Pitcher: 751
  • Promotions (if any): None
  • Other Factors (conflicting events, etc): Cinco De Mayo (drink specials at bars, etc)

No other games in the area.

Monday, May 5, 2014

Tampa Bay Baseball Attendance - May 4, 2014

Tampa Bay baseball attendance for Sunday, May 4, 2014:

Dunedin Blue Jays:
  • Team Home Game #: 12
  • Attendance: 460
  • Starting Pitcher: Jesse Hernandez
  • Opponent: Tampa Yankees
  • Opponent Starting Pitcher: Miguel Sulbaran
  • Avg Attendance to Date: 835.5
  • Avg Attendance vs Opponent: 460
  • Avg Attendance per Day of the Week: 488
  • Avg Attendance for Starting Pitcher: 634
  • Promotions (if any): None
  • Other Factors (conflicting events, etc): Concerts:  Big Guava Fest(Day 3: Foster The People, Chance the Rapper, Violent Femmes, etc)

University of South Florida:
  • Team Home Game #: 31
  • Attendance: 1,231
  • Starting Pitcher: Tommy Peterson
  • Opponent: Louisville Cardinals
  • Opponent Starting Pitcher: Anthony Kidston
  • Avg Attendance to Date: 1,363.29
  • Promotions (if any): FINAL HOME GAME OF SEASON

No other area games.