Monday, June 30, 2014

Toe Nash’s Unfinished Story



This Sunday, ESPN Outside the Lines ran a short segment on former Devil Rays prospect Gregory “Toe” Nash. If you haven’t seen it, here is the link. It’s short, only 6:30 minutes, and well worth your time.

I’ve mentioned Nash a few times on this site. The first time, I centered a whole post on his legend and how as fans we should be cautious of how attached we get to stories. We should never forget that baseball players are people, and they, like all people, have good things and bad things happen to them.

The second time I wrote about Nash was in my review of Jonah Keri’s The Extra 2%. Keri mentioned the Devil Rays passing of Albert Pujols for a safer more-recognizable pick and how that was typical of the Devil Rays mismanagement. He failed to mention, however, that the team went out on a limb a year later for a never-heard-of prospect in Nash.

So with some research into the Nash tale, here is my thought on the ESPN segment.

It was incomplete.

It was incomplete because the story is not finished.

Right now, Gregory Nash is living with his father in the backwoods of Louisiana. He is a recently released felon and sex offender. His future opportunity to be a productive member of society has been severely hampered by his past choices. Jeremy Schapp did not tell us if Nash received an education while incarcerated. We do know Nash was uneducated. The interview with Jonny Gomes made sure to mention Nash’s lack of societal skills.

Have his social skills improved at all? Or was ESPN just trying to beef up Nash’s inadequacy with Gomes’s recollections? Do we have to worry if Nash can turn on a light, order a pizza, or hold a job?

We have to remember ESPN is a Disney subsidiary. They love a good story. That’s why they say Toe Nash’s career “might not be over”. And it’s why they end with Nash hitting a home run in a Sugar Cane League game.

But here is the honest truth. As great as it is to see Nash still loves baseball, and still has the ability to hit the ball over the fence, albeit with an awkward swing, it means nothing in the bigger picture of life.

First of all, Nash is playing against similar has-beens or fellow never-will-be’s. They, like him, are not going to make the majors. Most of them play for the fun and the love of the game, having let go of dreams years ago. Toe Nash needs to let his baseball dreams go as well. His life does not move with baseball anymore.

Toe Nash is 32-years old. The game is no longer his future.

Baseball could be a solace for Nash. A place where he feels comfortable, even a place to bond with members of his community. Some of whom might be able to help him get on his feet for the first time.

Years before Toe Nash, there was Brien Taylor. Taylor was the number one pick in the 1991 draft. He was a “can’t miss” prospect for the New York Yankees. Scouts, agents, and front office folks still say they haven’t seen a high school pitcher as good. Like Nash, Taylor grew up poor. So poor, “advisor” Scott Boros warned the family that the Yankees might play on their lack of means and offer Taylor far less than his worth as a number one pick.

But Taylor was signed and pitched well in the low minors. During the 1993 offseason, however, home entanglements sent Taylor’s dream crashing to the ground. Involvement in a bar fight led to damage to Taylor’s prize left arm. After surgery, he was never close to the prospect he once was.

A news segment in the early 2000s caught up with Taylor, and like Nash, talked to him about his past, his mistakes, and his optimism in a life after baseball. The reporter states Taylor hoped “to go back to college and get his degree”. According to the report, Brien Taylor was moving on.

Although he fared well for a few years, employed as a UPS driver, a beer distributor, and other jobs, in 2012, Brien Taylor was arrested for cocaine trafficking. He has been in prison since and is due to be released later this year.

I wonder if Jeremy Schapp will be the first to interview Taylor upon his release.

The story of Toe Nash and Brien Taylor isn’t that they were or will be released, or even that they pick up a glove or a bat again. It’s in the hope that they become and remain productive members of society. The highway of redemption is littered with those who veered off course.

Toe Nash was a baseball player before he went to jail.

He can’t be that any more.

He can be a prosperous, productive member of society. Here’s hoping he has a support network that can help make that happen.

Even if ESPN isn’t around to tell us about it.

Tampa Bay Rays Attendance Review: June 2014

This post will explore Rays home attendance from June 1 to June 26, 2014. In case you missed it, here are the April and May Attendance Reviews. Previous years' month-by-month breakdowns are covered here.

First, the overall figures:
  • Total June 2014 Tampa Bay Rays home attendance: 263,306
  • June home games: 18
  • Average attendance per game: 14,628
  • Highest attendance: 23,996 on Sat, June 7th
  • Lowest attendance: 10,400 on Mon, June 9th
  • Highest average attended series: 17,207 vs Pittsburgh, June 23-25
  • Lowest average attended series: 10,670 vs Miami, June 4-5

Competing area sporting events:
  • Tampa Bay Storm Arena Football home games - June 7 & 21 (att: 11,062 / 11,890)
  • Tampa Bay Rowdies home soccer game - June 7 (att:4,132)
  • 33 Minor League Baseball games (avg attendance: 1,832 per game).

Since 2007, June has been the 2nd closest month to Rays overall average attendance. June was the least attended month in 2009 and 2010, but was the second-highest attended month in 2008 and 2011. June has never been the highest attended month. Since 2007, the average June attendance is -0.9% lower than the overall 2007-2013 average attendance.
  • 2007-2013 Average Attendance: 20,475.72
  • 2007-2013 June Average Attendance: 20,288.97
  • Difference: -186.75
  • Percentage: -0.09%

We will be using this June difference when we calculate how the Rays drew in 2014 compared to past results.

Note: This is a very difficult month to analyze attendance. Due to the irregularity of games against the Cardinals, Pirates, and Marlins, we are using the overall average of interleague games separated only by weekdays or weekends. So we will have to live with the error of bumps resulting from the popularity of one National League team over another.
  • 2007-2013 Rays interleague avg home attendance: 22,225
  • 2007-2013 Weekday interleague avg home attendance: 20,299
  • 2007-2013 Weekend interleague avg home attendance: 23,234

(All numbers include annual games vs FLA/MIA.)

We also don't have much data regarding the Houston Astros, as they were a National League team until 2013. So we will use their data from 2013 as a small sample size "average". We are using the 2013 Astros vs Rays Friday attendance in the Thursday "average" due to lack of data for that day.

The following 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.
  • Post-game concert = Average increase in attendance due to post-game concerts on specific days since 2007. Calculated here.




Rays attendance exceeded their past average four times (June 7, 9, 20, 25). They failed to meet their past average fourteen times.

On the positive side, the day that stands out the most is the final home date: June 25th. The Rays exceeded attendance expectations by 17.16% and the date was the only weekday the Rays drew over 20,000 fans. The only answer we found for this was we were told June 25th was "Parks and Recreation Day" at Tropicana Field.

We also have to acknowledge that Wednesday, June 25th was speculated as the last time David Price would pitch for the Rays at Tropicana Field. With such a large influx from the promotion, it is impossible to isolate any bump in attendance due to the David Price speculation.

Comparing June 2014 with Previous Years

We will now compare the June 2014 average attendance to June attendance in other recent years.




June 2014 was a historically bad month at the gate for the Tampa Bay Rays. It was the worst month of average attendance of any month since June 2007, when the team drew 13,999 fans per game.

Coincidentally, June 2007 also had a significant day in the Rays - Don Zimmer relationship. On Saturday, June 23, 2007,  the Devil Rays celebrated the long career of Don Zimmer with figurines and throwback jerseys in a game against Zimmer's first team, the Dodgers.

Don Zimmer passed away on June 4th, 2014. The Rays held a pre-game ceremony and celebrated the life of Zimmer on June 7th. Because of the Weezer concert following the game, we cannot extrapolate how many fans were in attendance to pay their respects from how many were there to see the concert.

Looking at the small chart below, we can see the games played, record, and average attendance of the June 2007 Devil Rays and the June 2014 Rays were similar.




Through Game 44

We can't only compare attendance by past averages and overall months, we have to look at the trends based on where we are in the season. Currently, the Rays have played 44 of their scheduled 81 home games. The following chart depicts the Rays average attendance through Game 44 from 2007 to 2014.




2014 is the earliest the Rays have reached Game 44, five days earlier than they did in 2008. The latest they reached Game 44 was in 2011.

This chart shows the Rays 2014 Game 44 average is below their 2007-2013 Game 44 average by 2,500 fans per game. The average attendance at Game 44 in 2014 is the second worst since 2007, trailing only 2007. However, the average attendance after Game 44 in 2014 includes the least amount of weekend games and the most amount of weekend games on this chart. The 2014 season to date has also had one less game versus the Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees, the Rays' two highest drawing opponents, than the average season.

Comparing 2014 to 2013, the Rays are drawing 887 fans per game less in 2014. However, they have played two less weekend games and five less games versus the Red Sox or Yankees.

The following graph shows how the Rays 2014 Game 44 attendance compares to previous years.




As we enter July, the Rays franchise is facing a crossroads. The window for having a winning season might be closed and several familiar faces might be on the way out, traded for younger, cheaper talent.

The Rays/Devil Rays haven't often made big trades of popular players during the course of a season, so how attendance might react to a trade of David Price is unknown. Our closest comparison is the 2009 trade of former ace Scott Kazmir, although by the time he was traded, Kazmir was barely the third best starting pitcher on the team.

On Aug 29, 2009, the day they traded Kazmir, the Rays had an average home attendance of 24,169. Following the trade, and as the team faded from contention, the average home attendance was 19,574, ending the season at 23,148. The average attendance for Scott Kazmir's 11 home starts that year was 25,357.

Looking forward, July is traditionally the Rays best month for home attendance, although it was not in 2013. The Rays play 12 home games in July, which is right on their average of 11.86. Three of the 12 games are a weekend series versus Boston which includes Comic Con Night and University of Florida night. There is also a Joan Jett concert on Saturday, July 12th.

Tampa Bay Baseball Attendance - June 29, 2014

Tampa Bay baseball attendance for Sunday, June 29, 2014:

Tampa Yankees:
  • Team Home Game #: 43
  • Attendance: 1,120
  • Starting Pitcher: Jaron Long
  • Opponent: Dunedin Blue Jays
  • Opponent Starting Pitcher: Matt Boyd
  • Avg Attendance to Date: 1,734.67
  • Avg Attendance vs Opponent: 1,373.83
  • Avg Attendance per Day of the Week: 1,439.83
  • Avg Attendance for Starting Pitcher: 2,413
  • Promotions (if any): Seniors Eat Free Sunday

Clearwater Threshers:
  • Team Home Game #: 42
  • Attendance: 1,194
  • Starting Pitcher: Miguel Nunez
  • Opponent: Brevard County Manatees
  • Opponent Starting Pitcher: Damien Magnifico
  • Avg Attendance to Date: 2,752.17
  • Avg Attendance vs Opponent: 2,326
  • Avg Attendance per Day of the Week: 1,697.75
  • Avg Attendance for Starting Pitcher: 3,505
  • Promotions (if any): Fireworks

No other area games.

Sunday, June 29, 2014

Tampa Bay Baseball Attendance - June 28, 2014

Tampa Bay baseball attendance for Saturday, June 28, 2014:

Tampa Yankees:
  • Team Home Game #: 42
  • Attendance: 2,870
  • Starting Pitcher: CC Sabathia
  • Opponent: Dunedin Blue Jays
  • Opponent Starting Pitcher: Taylor Cole
  • Avg Attendance to Date: 1,749.66
  • Avg Attendance vs Opponent: 1,424.6
  • Avg Attendance per Day of the Week: 2,891.28
  • Avg Attendance for Starting Pitcher: 2,870
  • Promotions (if any): Star Wars Night

Clearwater Threshers:
  • Team Home Game #: 41
  • Attendance: 4,032
  • Starting Pitcher: Mark Leiter
  • Opponent: Brevard County Manatees
  • Opponent Starting Pitcher: Austin Ross
  • Avg Attendance to Date: 2,790.17
  • Avg Attendance vs Opponent: 2,553
  • Avg Attendance per Day of the Week: 4,362.33
  • Avg Attendance for Starting Pitcher: 4,032
  • Promotions (if any): Fireworks

No other area games.

Saturday, June 28, 2014

Tampa Bay Baseball Attendance - June 27, 2014

Tampa Bay baseball attendance for Friday, June 27, 2014:

Tampa Yankees:
  • Team Home Game #: 41
  • Attendance: 1,362
  • Starting Pitcher: Miguel Sulbaran
  • Opponent: Dunedin Blue Jays
  • Opponent Starting Pitcher: Ben White
  • Avg Attendance to Date: 1,721.65
  • Avg Attendance vs Opponent: 1,063.25
  • Avg Attendance per Day of the Week: 1,660
  • Avg Attendance for Starting Pitcher: 2,336.33
  • Promotions (if any): Baseball Card Set Giveaway / Social Media Friday

Clearwater Threshers:
  • Team Home Game #: 40
  • Attendance: 2,305
  • Starting Pitcher: Jeb Stefan
  • Opponent: Brevard County Manatees
  • Opponent Starting Pitcher: Hobbs Johnson
  • Avg Attendance to Date: 2,759.13
  • Avg Attendance vs Opponent: 2,183
  • Avg Attendance per Day of the Week: 3,582.5
  • Avg Attendance for Starting Pitcher: 2,254.87
  • Promotions (if any): Travel and Tourism Night

Bradenton Marauders:
  • Team Home Game #: 38
  • Attendance: Postponed - Rain - Doubleheader August 6, 2014
  • Starting Pitcher:
  • Opponent: Jupiter Hammerheads
  • Opponent Starting Pitcher:
  • Avg Attendance to Date: 1,589.06
  • Avg Attendance vs Opponent: 1,092.8
  • Avg Attendance per Day of the Week:
  • Avg Attendance for Starting Pitcher:
  • Promotions (if any):

No other area games.

Friday, June 27, 2014

Tampa Bay Baseball Attendance - June 26, 2014

Tampa Bay baseball attendance for Thursday, June 26, 2014:

Clearwater Threshers:
  • Team Home Game #: 39
  • Attendance: 1,859
  • Starting Pitcher: Colin Kleven
  • Opponent: Tampa Yankees
  • Opponent Starting Pitcher: Conner Kendrick
  • Avg Attendance to Date: 2,770.77
  • Avg Attendance vs Opponent: 2,899.33
  • Avg Attendance per Day of the Week: 1,883.8
  • Avg Attendance for Starting Pitcher: 1,834.71
  • Promotions (if any): Thirsty Thursday

Bradenton Marauders:
  • Team Home Game #: 37
  • Attendance: 1,103
  • Starting Pitcher: Chad Kuhl
  • Opponent: Jupiter Hammerheads
  • Opponent Starting Pitcher: Trevor Williams
  • Avg Attendance to Date: 1,589.06
  • Avg Attendance vs Opponent: 1,092.8
  • Avg Attendance per Day of the Week: 1,119.88
  • Avg Attendance for Starting Pitcher: 1,697.11
  • Promotions (if any): Bark in the Park / Thirsty Thursday

No other area games.

Thursday, June 26, 2014

Tampa Bay Baseball Attendance - June 25, 2014

Tampa Bay baseball attendance for Wednesday, June 25, 2014:

Tampa Bay Rays:
  • Team Home Game #: 44
  • Attendance: 23,761
  • Starting Pitcher: David Price
  • Opponent: Pittsburgh Pirates
  • Opponent Starting Pitcher: Charlie Morton
  • Avg Attendance to Date: 17,029.77
  • Avg Attendance vs Opponent: 17,206.66
  • Avg Attendance per Day of the Week: 13,459.25
  • Avg Attendance for Starting Pitcher: 19,494
  • Promotions (if any): Park and Recs Day
  • Other Factors (conflicting events, etc): None

Clearwater Threshers:
  • Team Home Game #: 38
  • Attendance: 2,662
  • Starting Pitcher: Ethan Stewart
  • Opponent: Tampa Yankees
  • Opponent Starting Pitcher: Luis Severino
  • Avg Attendance to Date: 2,794.76
  • Avg Attendance vs Opponent: 3,107.4
  • Avg Attendance per Day of the Week: 1,946.5
  • Avg Attendance for Starting Pitcher: 3,147.44
  • Promotions (if any): Camp Day

Bradenton Marauders:
  • Team Home Game #: 36
  • Attendance: 897
  • Starting Pitcher: Orlando Castro
  • Opponent: Jupiter Hammerheads
  • Opponent Starting Pitcher: Scott Lyman
  • Avg Attendance to Date: 1,603.35
  • Avg Attendance vs Opponent: 1,090.25
  • Avg Attendance per Day of the Week: 1,073.25
  • Avg Attendance for Starting Pitcher: 1,300.12
  • Promotions (if any): None

No other area games.

Wednesday, June 25, 2014

Rays Hire Corporate Communications Director

According to a press release issued Monday, the Rays have hired Rafaela A. Amador to be their new Senior Director of Corporate Communications. The press release states Amador "will lead the newly formed corporate communications division for the organization".

What does a director of corporate communications do?

According to the Public Relations Society of America website:
Communications directors are ultimately responsible for managing all internal and external messaging throughout organizations. Typically a communications director manages all communications staff, including public relations, media relations and community relations team members to ensure adequate and appropriate messaging. Communications directors work closely with top executives to ensure messaging is projected to organizational standards, throughout all possible resources.

With the Rays, "Amador will work to increase the visibility of the organization's business and community efforts through effective and strategic communication. She will work across departments to ensure consistency and quality throughout the organization's communications efforts."

Amador has years of experience working with the Tampa area, having been with Public Relations/Public Affairs firm Tucker Hall and vice president of public affairs and communications at the Greater Tampa Chamber of Commerce.

Public Relations news website O'Dwyers linked the Amador hiring to a possible move to Tampa. The site also states Rick Vaughn will remain VP of communications "on the baseball side".

Of course, the stadium issue is the stadium issue, and that's not changing any time soon. But I'm not sure what "on the baseball side" means in this case. On the Rays front office web site, Vaughn is listed under "Officers", while Amador is listed down in the Communication division.

(Disclaimer: I was a section co-chair with Emerge Tampa, a Greater Tampa Chamber of Commerce young professional group, while Amador worked for the Chamber. I met her a few times in passing.)

Tampa Bay Baseball Attendance - June 24, 2014

Tampa Bay baseball attendance for Tuesday, June 24, 2014:

Tampa Bay Rays:
  • Team Home Game #: 43
  • Attendance: 14,684
  • Starting Pitcher: Chris Archer
  • Opponent: Pittsburgh Pirates
  • Opponent Starting Pitcher: Jeff Locke
  • Avg Attendance to Date: 16,873.23
  • Avg Attendance vs Opponent: 13,929.5
  • Avg Attendance per Day of the Week: 12,690.71
  • Avg Attendance for Starting Pitcher: 17,485.5
  • Promotions (if any): Professional Women's Night
  • Other Factors (conflicting events, etc): None

Clearwater Threshers:
  • Team Home Game #: 37
  • Attendance: 4,142
  • Starting Pitcher: Miguel Nunez
  • Opponent: Tampa Yankees
  • Opponent Starting Pitcher: Jaron Long
  • Avg Attendance to Date: 2,798.35
  • Avg Attendance vs Opponent: 3,218.75
  • Avg Attendance per Day of the Week: 3,495.88
  • Avg Attendance for Starting Pitcher: 4,082.75
  • Promotions (if any): $1 Tuesday

Bradenton Marauders:
  • Team Home Game #: 35
  • Attendance: 1,647
  • Starting Pitcher: Tyler Glasnow
  • Opponent: Palm Beach Cardinals
  • Opponent Starting Pitcher: Joe Cuda
  • Avg Attendance to Date: 1,624.76
  • Avg Attendance vs Opponent: 1,559.44
  • Avg Attendance per Day of the Week: 1,107.83
  • Avg Attendance for Starting Pitcher: 1,406.8
  • Promotions (if any): 2-for-1 Tickets

No other area games.

Tuesday, June 24, 2014

The Rays Cowbell Conundrum



In April 2006, a Tropicana Field tradition was born. Inspired by the famous Will Ferrell SNL sketch, Rays owner Stu Sternberg suggested entertainment director John Franzone play the clip on the scoreboard. Shortly after, the Rays Team started ringing cowbells and within the year, cowbells were the Rays signature gimmick.

The Rays marketing team jumped on the cowbells and the fans, led by the Cowbell Kid, devoured it. Cowbells were everywhere. People had them in their workspaces, in their cars, and on their t-shirts.

A lot has changed since the height of the cowbell phenomenon in 2008.

The Rays no longer play the Will Ferrell sketch.

The Cowbell Kid no longer dons his blue afro and goes to games. (As a matter of fact, the new 360 degree concourse removed his once-famous seat.)

The Cowbell Etiquette video hasn't been updated in 4 years.



Most recently, a fan was removed from Tropicana Field and banned for the season for a cowbell-ringing incident. (Granted, he was cited as "belligerent".) The incident made the news and brought more unneeded bad press on the Rays in a season that has been full of bad news or bad results.

And in what may be the cowbell coup de grace, on Saturday night a Red Sox minor league team possibly set the Guiness World Record for largest cowbell ensemble. According to the Guiness Record website, the record was either 640 or 1,003 at Ryerson University in 2012. The Portland Sea Dogs eclipsed both amounts by having 1,935 fans ringing cowbells on Saturday night.

How ironic that the newsworthy kicked-out fan "disrupted" Red Sox fans and weeks later a Red Sox minor league team usurps the throne of cowbell king. That might not have been planned by the Red Sox front office, but I'm sure they don't mind seeing the Rays' number one gimmick undercut by Boston minor league affiliate.

In 2011, I wrote that the Rays should reinvigorate the cowbell as a signature gimmick. Back then I claimed the enthusiasm for the cowbell wasn't what it used to be and the Rays marketing team should bring it back. Now, I'm not sure the cowbell has credibility.

It might even be time to kill off the cowbells.

Although cowbells gave Rays fans a sense of cacophonous community, the organization would look hypocritical encouraging more cowbell after tossing out a fan for doing that exact action. Yes, there was more to the situation than merely ringing cowbells, but that wouldn't be recognized. The news headline didn't read "Belligerent Fan Banned", it read "Cowbell-Ringing Fan Banned".

While it might be tempting to reclaim cowbell dominance, the Rays should resist. Competing with a minor league team for cowbell supremacy is not a good look. Major League teams don't try to out-gimmick minor league teams. It's bush league to battle the bus leagues.

Third, the Portland Sea Dog promotion caught the eye of bloggers covering Mississippi State University. According to their write-up, the cowbell is a big part of the Mississippi State football experience. If enacted, Mississippi State's average attendance of 55,695 would quickly surpass any Rays attempt to hold the cowbell record.

So what should the Rays do?

First, update the cowbell etiquette video. Have the actors actually be in the crowd ringing. Maybe even crowdsource the rules video. Let fans submit their best 2-minute cowbell rules videos. Show the best two or three submitted videos. Perhaps one before the game, and the other before the bottom of the fifth inning - the halfway point of the game.

Second, let Mississippi State break the record in the upcoming college football season. If the school doesn't break the record this season, the Rays should attempt to seize the record on Opening Day 2015. By then, enough time would have passed and it wouldn't look like the Rays are immediately responding to the actions of a Minor League team.

The cowbell gimmick still has intangible value for the Rays. That value, however, has never been lower. What the Rays do this year and in the future with the cowbell will be interesting to watch.

Tampa Bay Baseball Attendance - June 23, 2014

Tampa Bay baseball attendance for Monday, June 23, 2014:

Tampa Bay Rays:
  • Team Home Game #: 42
  • Attendance: 13,175
  • Starting Pitcher: Alex Cobb
  • Opponent: Pittsburgh Pirates
  • Opponent Starting Pitcher: Edison Volquez
  • Avg Attendance to Date: 16,925,36
  • Avg Attendance vs Opponent: 13,175
  • Avg Attendance per Day of the Week: 16,298.25
  • Avg Attendance for Starting Pitcher: 15,759.66
  • Promotions (if any): None
  • Other Factors (conflicting events, etc): None

Tampa Yankees:
  • Team Home Game #: 40
  • Attendance: 1,210
  • Starting Pitcher: Rafael De Paula
  • Opponent: Daytona Cubs
  • Opponent Starting Pitcher: Tayler Scott
  • Avg Attendance to Date: 1,730.87
  • Avg Attendance vs Opponent: 1,489.5
  • Avg Attendance per Day of the Week: 1,005.8
  • Avg Attendance for Starting Pitcher: 1,258.37
  • Promotions (if any): Military Monday

Dunedin Blue Jays:
  • Team Home Game #: 37
  • Attendance: 1,062
  • Starting Pitcher: Taylor Cole
  • Opponent: Brevard County Manatees
  • Opponent Starting Pitcher: Austin Ross
  • Avg Attendance to Date: 866.43
  • Avg Attendance vs Opponent: 903.5
  • Avg Attendance per Day of the Week: 590.8
  • Avg Attendance for Starting Pitcher: 782.71
  • Promotions (if any): Camp Day

Bradenton Marauders:
  • Team Home Game #: 34
  • Attendance: 5,223
  • Starting Pitcher: Jason Creasy
  • Opponent: Palm Beach Cardinals
  • Opponent Starting Pitcher: Tyrell Jenkins
  • Avg Attendance to Date: 1,624.06
  • Avg Attendance vs Opponent: 1,548.5
  • Avg Attendance per Day of the Week: 4,841.66
  • Avg Attendance for Starting Pitcher: 1,894.5
  • Promotions (if any): Buyout Night - Free ticket giveaway

No other area games.

Monday, June 23, 2014

Tampa Bay Baseball Attendance - June 22, 2014

Tampa Bay baseball attendance for Sunday, June 22, 2014:

Tampa Bay Rays:
  • Team Home Game #: 41
  • Attendance: 13,841
  • Starting Pitcher: Eric Bedard
  • Opponent: Houston Astros
  • Opponent Starting Pitcher: Dallas Kuechel
  • Avg Attendance to Date: 17,016.83
  • Avg Attendance vs Opponent: 14,058.25
  • Avg Attendance per Day of the Week: 21,818.16
  • Avg Attendance for Starting Pitcher: 16,771.75
  • Promotions (if any): Ben Zobrist Bat and Ball set
  • Other Factors (conflicting events, etc): None

Tampa Yankees:
  • Team Home Game #: 39
  • Attendance: 917
  • Starting Pitcher: Miguel Sulbaran
  • Opponent: Daytona Cubs
  • Opponent Starting Pitcher: Rob Zastryzny
  • Avg Attendance to Date: 1,744.58
  • Avg Attendance vs Opponent: 1,545.4
  • Avg Attendance per Day of the Week: 1,503.8
  • Avg Attendance for Starting Pitcher: 2,531.2
  • Promotions (if any): Seniors Eat Free

Dunedin Blue Jays:
  • Team Home Game #: 36
  • Attendance: 645
  • Starting Pitcher: Ben White
  • Opponent: Brevard County Manatees
  • Opponent Starting Pitcher: Hobbs Johnson
  • Avg Attendance to Date: 860.68
  • Avg Attendance vs Opponent: 871.8
  • Avg Attendance per Day of the Week: 555.16
  • Avg Attendance for Starting Pitcher: 620.57
  • Promotions (if any): Kids get in free with paying adult

Bradenton Marauders:
  • Team Home Game #: 33
  • Attendance: 1,587
  • Starting Pitcher: John Kuchno
  • Opponent: Palm Beach Cardinals
  • Opponent Starting Pitcher: Nick Petree
  • Avg Attendance to Date: 1,507.97
  • Avg Attendance vs Opponent: 1,023.57
  • Avg Attendance per Day of the Week: 1,360
  • Avg Attendance for Starting Pitcher: 1,530
  • Promotions (if any):

No other area games.

Sunday, June 22, 2014

Tampa Bay Baseball Attendance - June 21, 2014

Tampa Bay baseball attendance for Saturday, June 21, 2014:

Tampa Bay Rays:
  • Team Home Game #: 40
  • Attendance: 17,551
  • Starting Pitcher: Jake Odorizzi
  • Opponent: Houston Astros
  • Opponent Starting Pitcher: Jake Buchanan
  • Avg Attendance to Date: 17,096.23
  • Avg Attendance vs Opponent: 14,130.66
  • Avg Attendance per Day of the Week: 25,808.5
  • Avg Attendance for Starting Pitcher: 15,244.55
  • Promotions (if any): Post-game Concert: The O'Jays
  • Other Factors (conflicting events, etc): Arena Football: Tampa Bay Storm (Attendance: 11,890)

Tampa Yankees:
  • Team Home Game #: 38
  • Attendance: 2,345
  • Starting Pitcher: Conner Kendrick
  • Opponent: Daytona Cubs
  • Opponent Starting Pitcher: Justin Amlung
  • Avg Attendance to Date: 1,766.95
  • Avg Attendance vs Opponent: 1,702.5
  • Avg Attendance per Day of the Week: 2,894.83
  • Avg Attendance for Starting Pitcher: 2,605.5
  • Promotions (if any): Parrot Head Night, Fireworks

Clearwater Threshers:
  • Team Home Game #: 36
  • Attendance: 2,834
  • Starting Pitcher: Colin Kleven
  • Opponent: Lakeland Flying Tigers
  • Opponent Starting Pitcher: Jake Thompson
  • Avg Attendance to Date: 2,761.03
  • Avg Attendance vs Opponent: 2,839.66
  • Avg Attendance per Day of the Week: 4,428.4
  • Avg Attendance for Starting Pitcher: 1,830.66
  • Promotions (if any): Phillie Fanatic / Fireworks

Dunedin Blue Jays:
  • Team Home Game #: 35
  • Attendance: 1,018
  • Starting Pitcher: Kendall Graveman
  • Opponent: Brevard County Manatees
  • Opponent Starting Pitcher: Jorge Lopez
  • Avg Attendance to Date: 867.21
  • Avg Attendance vs Opponent: 928.5
  • Avg Attendance per Day of the Week: 1,122
  • Avg Attendance for Starting Pitcher: 1,938.33
  • Promotions (if any): Movie Night, Soccer Night, Food Truck Rally

No other area games.

Saturday, June 21, 2014

Tampa Bay Baseball Attendance - June 20, 2014

Tampa Bay baseball attendance for Friday, June 20, 2014:

Tampa Bay Rays:
  • Team Home Game #: 39
  • Attendance: 13,961
  • Starting Pitcher: David Price
  • Opponent: Houston Astros
  • Opponent Starting Pitcher: Jared Cosart
  • Avg Attendance to Date: 17,084.56
  • Avg Attendance vs Opponent: 12,420.5
  • Avg Attendance per Day of the Week: 17,893.33
  • Avg Attendance for Starting Pitcher: 19,019.88
  • Promotions (if any): Soccer Night / Duffle Bag Giveaway
  • Other Factors (conflicting events, etc): None

Clearwater Threshers:
  • Team Home Game #: 35
  • Attendance: 3,345
  • Starting Pitcher: Ethan Stewart
  • Opponent: Dunedin Blue Jays
  • Opponent Starting Pitcher: Jesse Hernandez
  • Avg Attendance to Date: 2,758.94
  • Avg Attendance vs Opponent: 4,078.71
  • Avg Attendance per Day of the Week: 3,838
  • Avg Attendance for Starting Pitcher: 3,208.12
  • Promotions (if any): Post-game concert: Black Honkeys, Hunks of Funk

No other area games.

Friday, June 20, 2014

Tampa Bay Baseball Attendance - June 19, 2014

Tampa Bay baseball attendance for Thursday, June 19, 2014:

Tampa Bay Rays:
  • Team Home Game #: 38
  • Attendance: 10,880
  • Starting Pitcher: Chris Archer
  • Opponent: Houston Astros
  • Opponent Starting Pitcher: Collin McHugh
  • Avg Attendance to Date: 17,166.76
  • Avg Attendance vs Opponent: 10,880
  • Avg Attendance per Day of the Week: 13,498.28
  • Avg Attendance for Starting Pitcher: 16,276.6
  • Promotions (if any): None
  • Other Factors (conflicting events, etc): None

Dunedin Blue Jays:
  • Team Home Game #: 34
  • Attendance: 887
  • Starting Pitcher: Matt Boyd
  • Opponent: Clearwater Threshers
  • Opponent Starting Pitcher: Miguel Nunez
  • Avg Attendance to Date: 862.5
  • Avg Attendance vs Opponent: 850
  • Avg Attendance per Day of the Week: 955
  • Avg Attendance for Starting Pitcher: 1,121
  • Promotions (if any): Thirsty Thursday

Tampa Yankees:
  • Team Home Game #: 37
  • Attendance: 2,101
  • Starting Pitcher: Dan Camarena
  • Opponent: Lakeland Flying Tigers
  • Opponent Starting Pitcher: Kevin Eichorn
  • Avg Attendance to Date: 1,750.89
  • Avg Attendance vs Opponent: 1,8544.62
  • Avg Attendance per Day of the Week: 1,452.4
  • Avg Attendance for Starting Pitcher: 1,337.14
  • Promotions (if any): Throwback Thursdays

No other area games.

Thursday, June 19, 2014

Dick Vitale lashes out at Rays fanbase

Like most small market teams, the Rays don't have many celebrity fans. There are pro wrestlers Hulk Hogan, Brian Knobbs, and occasionally John Cena, comedian Rob Schnieder (last seen in 2008), and Robin Zander, the lead singer of Cheap Trick. But one celebrity stands out above the rest. One celebrity has had season tickets for years and is on the Rays Fan Wall of Fame.

Broadcasting legend Dick Vitale.

Dickie V is perhaps the most well-known Rays fan in sports circles. He has been an advocate for the (Devil) Rays during his ESPN broadcasts. He hosted an "Intro to the Trop" video back in 1998, selling fans on why they should come out to the game.

"When you come to the Trop, you are coming to one of the greatest sports and entertainment facilities in the world."

There is no doubt he supports the team.

But unfortunately, Dickie V. doesn't show the same support to the Rays fanbase. For some strange reason, Dick Vitale seems to think it is constructive to call out Rays fans for not going to games.

I'm not sure how this logic works.

The following, for example, is not a call to action:




This isn't the first time Vitale has taken a picture of the right field corner and made a comment about the lack of attendance. Note to Dickie V.: You don't attract bees with vinegar.

Of course, several Rays fans took offense and got into a tit-for-tat tweet-off with the famed announcer. Surprisingly, Dickie V. responded, leaning on the usual tropes that:
  • Rays prices are reasonable
  • The team needs a new stadium (but what about "The place to be is Tropicana Field, baby!"?)
  • The Rays haven't put up big numbers when winning
  • You can support the Rays by buying a ticket
  • Vitale's season tickets equal his support

The whole exchange is interesting. Check it out.

Dickie V. is an enthusiastic supporter of sports. But not going to a day game on a Wednesday does not make someone less of a fan. That is a horrible assumption. What about the working fans? What about the fans in college? What about the unemployed fan who can't afford a ticket? It is absolutely ludicrous to judge a fan based on their attendance. Dickie V. should know better.

Not to mention, yesterday was the second highest attended Wednesday game of the season and the highest attended of the six games played versus Baltimore so far in 2014. Not that 12,000 is great, but it is an improvement over 11,000 or 10,000.

This is where the Rays organization (again) needs to be more proactive. This is not the first time Dickie V. has called out the fanbase. Having your most famous fan in social media tiffs with other Rays fans is not good for business. The Rays haven't used Dickie V. for promotional work in a while. If memory serves right, he used to be on the scoreboard calling for fans to get loud among other appearances. But that hasn't been the case recently.

Maybe there is a reason for that.

Dick Vitale has clout. He is a respected name in the sports community. People listen to Dick Vitale. Being a member of the Rays Fan Wall of Fame, he is a representative of the Rays fanbase. The Rays bequeathed that upon him. But when he calls out supporters of the Tampa Bay Rays for lack of support, he is disparaging the organization.

According to the rules guiding a submission into the Rays Fan Wall of Fame, "Participants must not include any of the following content (the "Content Restrictions") in any Submission: (vi) content that denigrates, disparages or reflects negatively on the MLB Entities, their owners and employees, or the game of baseball".

Making jokes about Rays attendance reflects negatively on the Tampa Bay Rays. I am not sure if the rules change after one is inducted in the Wall of Fame, but if not, the powers that be with the Rays may have to consider removing Dick Vitale from the Rays Wall of Fame if the comments and twitter wars continue.

Tampa Bay Baseball Attendance - July 18, 2014

Tampa Bay baseball attendance for Tuesday, June 17, 2014:

Tampa Bay Rays:
  • Team Home Game #: 37
  • Attendance: 12,448
  • Starting Pitcher: Alex Cobb
  • Opponent: Baltimore Orioles
  • Opponent Starting Pitcher: Kevin Gausman
  • Avg Attendance to Date: 17,336.68
  • Avg Attendance vs Opponent: 11,340
  • Avg Attendance per Day of the Week: 11,987.57
  • Avg Attendance for Starting Pitcher: 16,276.6
  • Promotions (if any): None
  • Other Factors (conflicting events, etc): None

No other area games.

Wednesday, June 18, 2014

Tampa Bay Times explores Rays attendance, fits facts to narrative



Exploring attendance, demographics, and marketplaces is an interesting venture. Sometimes what I think should be true, isn't. Sometimes what I think isn't true, really is. Some assumptions are true, but to a lesser effect. Some are more true than I expect.

But the worst thing anyone working with numbers could do is make the numbers fit a story. The second worst thing is not exploring all the data.

On Tuesday, John Romano of the Tampa Bay Times wrote a piece on the Rays attendance. As far as articles on the Rays attendance go, it's not bad. Romano actually used numbers beyond year attendance, which puts him far ahead of most national scribes.

Romano's premise is that without the Rays getting hot or competing for a playoff spot, attendance may not get it's usual summer increase and the Rays will stay in the same attendance pattern they are currently in.

According to Romano, 2008 is the best case scenario.
Through the first 35 home dates of that season (which is where the 2014 Rays are today) the team averaged 18,444 fans per game. When summertime arrived and it became clear the Rays would be in their first pennant race, crowds averaged 25,357 the rest of the way.

The Rays also had noticeable attendance bumps in the second halves of 2010, '11 and '13, which were also playoff seasons. Conversely, the only time in the past decade that attendance has dipped in the summer and fall was the somewhat frustrating 2012 season.

Romano's first mistake is in his statement of the Rays 35-game attendance in 2008. I have no idea how he got 18,444. Using the Baseball-Reference Rays schedule database, through 35 games at Tropicana Field, the 2008 Rays averaged 19,336. Their final average attendance for games in Tropicana Field in 2008 was 22,890. Over the next 43 games (78-35), they averaged 25,363. For a team that won 97 games.

It is possible Romano forgot the Rays played three "home" games at Disney's Wide World of Sports in April 2008. Maximum attendance at the Disney ballpark is 9,500. Even if the Rays sold-out all three games, which they did not, the small capacity brought down attendance. However, including those games drops Game 35 average attendance to 16,153. I am not sure where Romano got his numbers.

From my database, from Games 36-78, the Rays averaged 6,027 more fans per game than they did from Games 1-35. Romano computed this to be 6,913 fans. 900 fans a game makes a big difference as we will see in moment.

My second point of contention with Romano's article is that he didn't go back far enough. He stopped in 2008. While that is the first year of the Rays' relevance, it discounts the team's first 10 years of existence when they were irrelevant. Because baseball fans were going to the games, you can't start your study in 2008, you have to go back at least one year.

After Game 35 in 2007, the Devil Rays were averaging 14,440 fans per game - that is also removing the games the '07 team played in Disney World. Final average attendance for games at Tropicana Field in 2007 was 17,465.

(If that number looks familiar, it's because it is awfully close to the Rays 2014 post-Game 36 average attendance of 17,472.)

From Game 36 to 78 of 2007, the Devil Rays averaged 19,570. That's 5,130 more people per game after Game 36. For a team that lost 97 games.

Remember the 900 people? That's the difference in per game increase between the 2007 and 2008 team after Game 35.

Romano asks:
But what happens when you remove the part about the Rays being in contention?

The 2007 Devil Rays drew 1.36 million people to Tropicana Field. The 2013 Rays drew 1.51 million. The difference between last year's team and the 97-loss 2007 team was 148,011 fans, or 1,827 per game.

The 2014 Rays will end up with a better record on the field than the 2007 team. No doubt about that. They will have better attendance that the 2007 team.

The 2014 Rays probably will not have a better record than the 2013 team, and they may not do as well at the gate than last year's team, although they are only 172 fans per game behind the 2013 Rays attendance pace.

I am not yet in the business of prediction, but if the Rays finish at .500 and win 81 games, it is very possible attendance could be right in the middle of the 2007 and the 2013 results. Perhaps in the Tampa Bay area, a major league team at Tropicana Field with as many wins as losses draws 1.4 million.

That would be an interesting story.

Tampa Bay Baseball Attendance - June 17, 2014

Tampa Bay baseball attendance for Tuesday, June 17, 2014:

Tampa Bay Rays:
  • Team Home Game #: 36
  • Attendance: 10,803
  • Starting Pitcher: Eric Bedard
  • Opponent: Baltimore Orioles
  • Opponent Starting Pitcher: Miguel Gonzalez
  • Avg Attendance to Date: 17,472.47
  • Avg Attendance vs Opponent: 11,118.4
  • Avg Attendance per Day of the Week: 12,358.5
  • Avg Attendance for Starting Pitcher: 17,190.42
  • Promotions (if any): None
  • Other Factors (conflicting events, etc): None

Clearwater Threshers:
  • Team Home Game #: 34
  • Attendance: 3,656
  • Starting Pitcher: Jeb Stefan
  • Opponent: Lakeland Flying Tigers
  • Opponent Starting Pitcher: Yorfrank Lopez
  • Avg Attendance to Date: 2,741.71
  • Avg Attendance vs Opponent: 2,840.8
  • Avg Attendance per Day of the Week: 3,415.12
  • Avg Attendance for Starting Pitcher: 2,247.71
  • Promotions (if any): $1 Tuesdays

No other area games.

Tuesday, June 17, 2014

Tampa Bay Baseball Attendance - June 16, 2014

Tampa Bay baseball attendance for Monday, June 16, 2014:

Tampa Bay Rays:
  • Team Home Game #: 35
  • Attendance: 10,576
  • Starting Pitcher: Jake Odorizzi
  • Opponent: Baltimore Orioles
  • Opponent Starting Pitcher: Wei-Yin Chen
  • Avg Attendance to Date: 17,663.08
  • Avg Attendance vs Opponent: 11,197.25
  • Avg Attendance per Day of the Week: 17,339.33
  • Avg Attendance for Starting Pitcher: 14,956.25
  • Promotions (if any): None
  • Other Factors (conflicting events, etc): None

Clearwater Threshers:
  • Team Home Game #: 33
  • Attendance: 1,229
  • Starting Pitcher: Ryan Demmin
  • Opponent: Lakeland Flying Tigers
  • Opponent Starting Pitcher: Edgar De La Rosa
  • Avg Attendance to Date: 2,714
  • Avg Attendance vs Opponent: 2,637
  • Avg Attendance per Day of the Week: 1,428.33
  • Avg Attendance for Starting Pitcher: 1,642
  • Promotions (if any): Feeding Frenzy Monday

No other area games.

Monday, June 16, 2014

Sunday, June 15, 2014

Bradenton Florida State League All-Star Game Attendance Highest Since 2006

On Saturday, the Florida State League played their annual All-Star Game pitting the North Division vs South Division. The North Division won 6-4, thanks to a 4-run ninth inning comeback.

But more importantly to the focus of this website, this year's game was played in the Tampa Bay area. It was the first Florida State League All-Star Game played at McKechnie Field, home of the Bradenton Marauders.

The Florida State League All-Star Game is a frequent visitor to the Tampa Bay Area. Previous area all-star games since 2007 include 2013 in Dunedin and 2011 in Clearwater.

From a scheduling perspective, the 2014 FSL All-Star Game was unique as it was the only baseball game in the local area. Both the 2011 and 2013 games coincided with Tampa Bay Rays games. As a matter of fact, the only other sporting event in the Tampa Bay area yesterday was the US Women's National Team soccer match versus France at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa.

With conditions in their favor, it is no surprise the Florida State League All-Star Game drew well. According to the boxscore, 5,882 fans came to the game. While many fans travel far distances for all-star games, and the stands are littered with jerseys and hats of all the Florida State League teams, I would guess most of the attendance is from Bradenton Marauders fans or local baseball fans eager to catch a glimpse of the stars of tomorrow.

The 5,882 fans in attendance is not only good news for the Bradenton Marauders, but also good news for the Florida State League. The attendance for the 2014 Florida State League All-Star Game was the highest for an All-Star Game in eight years and according to a tweet by John Lembo of the Bradenton Herald, it was also the 3rd highest attendance in the All-Star Game's 53-year history.

Here is a chart showing the year, location, host team, and attendance of Florida State League All-Star Games since 2006.




The Pittsburgh Pirates, the Marauders, and the City of Bradenton have invested a lot of money and effort into the McKechnie Field experience. Lights were installed in 2008; a wrap-around concourse, outfield tiki bar, and upgraded seating were added in 2013; and a new clubhouse building is planned for 2015.

If the 2014 Florida State League All-Star Game is any measure, the investment is paying off and baseball is doing well in Bradenton area.

(Note: Past All-Star Game attendance data acquired through various boxscores. See 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, and 2013. I might be the only looking for such data, but there is no central depot for Minor League All-Star game archives and available data only goes back to 2006.)

Tampa Bay Baseball Attendance - June 14, 2014

Tampa Bay baseball attendance for Saturday, June 14, 2014:

Florida State League All-Star Game:
  • Location: McKechnie Field, Bradenton
  • Attendance: 5,882
  • Teams: Florida State League North vs Florida State League South
  • Starting Pitcher: Jose Berrios (Fort Myers Miracle)
  • Starting Pitcher: Taylor Cole (Dunedin Blue Jays)
  • Avg Attendance in Bradenton to Date: 1,505.33
  • Bradenton Season High: 4,774
  • Other Factors (conflicting events, etc): US Women's Soccer Vs France, Raymond James Stadium (Attendance: 9,799)

No other area games.

Saturday, June 14, 2014

Friday, June 13, 2014

Tampa Bay Baseball Attendance - June 12, 2014

Tampa Bay baseball attendance for Thursday, June 12, 2014:

Tampa Yankees:
  • Team Home Game #: 35 / 36
  • Attendance: 1,174
  • Starting Pitcher: Rafael De Paula / Jarod Long
  • Opponent: Clearwater Threshers
  • Opponent Starting Pitcher: Colin Kleven / Ethan Stewart
  • Avg Attendance to Date: 1,740.89
  • Avg Attendance vs Opponent: 1,217
  • Avg Attendance per Day of the Week: 1,290.25
  • Avg Attendance for Starting Pitcher: 1,265.28 (De Paula) / 3,059.5 (Long)
  • Promotions (if any): Throwback Thursday
  • Other Factors (conflicting events, etc): None

Dunedin Blue Jays:
  • Team Home Game #: 32 / 33
  • Attendance: 809
  • Starting Pitcher: Matt Boyd / Daniel Norris
  • Opponent: Daytona Cubs
  • Opponent Starting Pitcher: Tayler Scott / Nathan Dorris
  • Avg Attendance to Date: 861.71
  • Avg Attendance vs Opponent: 635.6
  • Avg Attendance per Day of the Week: 966
  • Avg Attendance for Starting Pitcher: 1,180 (Boyd) / 767 (Norris)
  • Promotions (if any): Thirsty Thursday

Bradenton Marauders:
  • Team Home Game #: 31 (Conclusion from 6/11/2014)
  • Attendance: 778
  • Starting Pitcher: Jason Creasy
  • Opponent: Palm Beach Cardinals
  • Opponent Starting Pitcher: Silfredo Garcia
  • Avg Attendance to Date: 1,523.79
  • Avg Attendance vs Opponent: 921.6
  • Avg Attendance per Day of the Week: 1,122
  • Avg Attendance for Starting Pitcher: 1,228.8
  • Promotions (if any): Thirsty Thursdays

Bradenton Marauders:
  • Team Home Game #: 32
  • Attendance: 970
  • Starting Pitcher: Tyler Glasnow
  • Opponent: Palm Beach Cardinals
  • Opponent Starting Pitcher: Mike Mayers
  • Avg Attendance to Date: 1,505.33
  • Avg Attendance vs Opponent: 929.66
  • Avg Attendance per Day of the Week: 1,122
  • Avg Attendance for Starting Pitcher: 1,346.75
  • Promotions (if any): Thirsty Thursdays

No other area games.

Thursday, June 12, 2014

Article on the Rays Bad Lease and Hockey in Brooklyn



Sports and business journalist Evan Weiner wrote an interesting article yesterday for the SportsTalkFlorida website. Entitled "Thirty-Year Lease Dilemma, Why Stu Sternberg Should Read This", Weiner discusses the history of the Rays lease with City of St. Petersburg and why they might be stuck in Tropicana Field until 2027.

Weiner makes some good points about the predicament 30-year leases put teams in. He goes in depth about the New York Islanders, who are finally escaping the shackles of their own 30-year lease on an outdated, dilapidated facility in Nassau County, Long Island. Starting in 2015, the Islanders will be moving to Brooklyn's new Barclays Center.

According to Weiner,
The New York Islanders National Hockey League franchise is probably the poster child for everything that can go wrong with a bad lease. The franchise is finishing up the lease in 2014-15 and then will move west to Brooklyn and it is a relocation that has excited a good many people within the National Hockey League including the National Hockey League Players Association Executive Director Donald Fehr who thinks the rebranding of the franchise in Brooklyn will do wonders for the league and the team.

Brooklyn’s arena is really close to Wall Street and corporate wealth. The New York Islanders present location in Uniondale has some wealthy people nearby but the team has been awful for decades and some of that can be blamed on a 30 year lease signed by owner John O. Pickett in 1985. Pickett’s mistake was giving much of the revenue generated in the building away to Nassau County and the management company running the Nassau Coliseum and signing language that made it almost impossible to relocate the franchise.
Sound familiar?

But there is one major difference between the Rays and the Islanders. Weiner states the eventual Islanders' departure will lead to a new fanbase closer to Brooklyn and that Long Island fans will be either too far or priced out of going to games. That wouldn't be the case in Tampa Bay as even the furthest west Rays fans would still be within an hour's distance from a downtown Tampa baseball stadium. If that ever happens.

Although it enlightened me a bit as to the history, despite Weiner's title, Stu Sternberg does not need to read his article. I'm sure Stu Sternberg did his homework in years ago and knew all about the Rays lease. Sternberg isn't dumb. He made millions in the stock market, knowing when to hold 'em and when to fold 'em, as the Kenny Rogers' tune goes. A team of Goldman Sachs traders doesn't make bad investments.

That's why I am not worried about the Rays moving prior to 2027. As long as the ownership makes money, which they do, they are happy. The Rays are profitable. They might not be as profitable as possible, but Stu Sternberg's bottom line does alright. And I doubt the Rays are the only investment he has.

Tampa Bay Baseball Attendance - June 11, 2014

Tampa Bay baseball attendance for Wednesday, June 11, 2014:

Tampa Bay Rays:
  • Team Home Game #: 34
  • Attendance: 15,930
  • Starting Pitcher: Eric Bedard
  • Opponent: St. Louis Cardinals
  • Opponent Starting Pitcher: Michael Wacha
  • Avg Attendance to Date: 17,871.47
  • Avg Attendance vs Opponent: 16,578
  • Avg Attendance per Day of the Week: 11,910.83
  • Avg Attendance for Starting Pitcher: 18,255
  • Promotions (if any): None
  • Other Factors (conflicting events, etc): None

Dunedin Blue Jays:
  • Team Home Game #: 32
  • Attendance: RAINED OUT
  • Starting Pitcher:
  • Opponent: Daytona Cubs
  • Opponent Starting Pitcher:
  • Avg Attendance to Date: 863.47
  • Avg Attendance vs Opponent: 592.25
  • Avg Attendance per Day of the Week: 464.75
  • Avg Attendance for Starting Pitcher:
  • Promotions (if any): None

Bradenton Marauders:
  • Team Home Game #: 31
  • Attendance: RAINED OUT
  • Starting Pitcher:
  • Opponent: Palm Beach Cardinals
  • Opponent Starting Pitcher:
  • Avg Attendance to Date: 1,550.43
  • Avg Attendance vs Opponent: 957.5
  • Avg Attendance per Day of the Week: 1,132
  • Avg Attendance for Starting Pitcher: 1,098.8
  • Promotions (if any):

No other area games.

Wednesday, June 11, 2014

Attendance Review: 2008 Dunedin Blue Jays

Welcome to our 2nd 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 2008:


Home Games: 70

Total attendance:  48,321 (down 0% from 2007: 48,326)

Average: 710.6 (down 1.5% from 2007: 721.28)

Highest attended game: 1,822 on Friday, Aug 15th vs Sarasota

Lowest attended game: 304 on Wednesday, July 23rd vs Palm Beach

Low point of average attendance: April 16th, Game 5 (613.2)

Double headers: 2 (Aug 15, Aug 17)

Cancellations: 0

Notable rehab assignments: Shawn Marcum, BJ Ryan

Other notable appearances: Gustavo Chacin
Breakdown:

(red highlight = below annual average of 710.6)

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 - June 10, 2014

Tampa Bay baseball attendance for Tuesday, June 10, 2014:

Tampa Bay Rays:
  • Team Home Game #: 33
  • Attendance: 17,226
  • Starting Pitcher: Jake Odorizzi
  • Opponent: St. Louis Cardinals
  • Opponent Starting Pitcher: Adam Wainwright
  • Avg Attendance to Date: 17,930.30
  • Avg Attendance vs Opponent: 17,226
  • Avg Attendance per Day of the Week: 12,669.6
  • Avg Attendance for Starting Pitcher: 15,582
  • Promotions (if any): None
  • Other Factors (conflicting events, etc): None

Clearwater Threshers:
  • Team Home Game #: 32
  • Attendance: 3,899
  • Starting Pitcher: Miguel Nunez
  • Opponent: Tampa Yankees
  • Opponent Starting Pitcher: Miguel Sulbaran
  • Avg Attendance to Date: 2,760.41
  • Avg Attendance vs Opponent: 2,911
  • Avg Attendance per Day of the Week: 3,380.71
  • Avg Attendance for Starting Pitcher: 4,063
  • Promotions (if any): $1 Tuesday

Dunedin Blue Jays:
  • Team Home Game #: 31
  • Attendance: 640
  • Starting Pitcher: Ben White
  • Opponent: Daytona Cubs
  • Opponent Starting Pitcher: Felix Pena
  • Avg Attendance to Date: 863.47
  • Avg Attendance vs Opponent: 592.25
  • Avg Attendance per Day of the Week: 1,510.5
  • Avg Attendance for Starting Pitcher: 616.5
  • Promotions (if any): None

Bradenton Marauders:
  • Team Home Game #: 30
  • Attendance: 1,037
  • Starting Pitcher: Orlando Castro
  • Opponent: Palm Beach Cardinals
  • Opponent Starting Pitcher: Kyle Helisek
  • Avg Attendance to Date: 1,550.43
  • Avg Attendance vs Opponent: 957.5
  • Avg Attendance per Day of the Week: 1000
  • Avg Attendance for Starting Pitcher: 1,098.8
  • Promotions (if any): 2-for-1 tickets

No other area games.

Tuesday, June 10, 2014

Tampa Bay Baseball Attendance - June 9, 2014

Tampa Bay baseball attendance for Monday, June 9, 2014:

Tampa Bay Rays:
  • Team Home Game #: 32
  • Attendance: 10,400
  • Starting Pitcher: David Price
  • Opponent: Seattle Mariners
  • Opponent Starting Pitcher: Erasmo Ramirez
  • Avg Attendance to Date: 17,952.31
  • Avg Attendance vs Opponent: 16,782.75
  • Avg Attendance per Day of the Week: 20,721
  • Avg Attendance for Starting Pitcher: 19,652.25
  • Promotions (if any): Father / Daughter Day
  • Other Factors (conflicting events, etc): None

Clearwater Threshers:
  • Team Home Game #: 31
  • Attendance: 2,055
  • Starting Pitcher: Ryan Demmin
  • Opponent: Daytona Cubs
  • Opponent Starting Pitcher: Rob Zastryzny
  • Avg Attendance to Date: 2,723.68
  • Avg Attendance vs Opponent: 1,938.8
  • Avg Attendance per Day of the Week: 1,468.2
  • Avg Attendance for Starting Pitcher: 2,055
  • Promotions (if any): Feeding Frenzy Monday / Wing Fest

Dunedin Blue Jays:
  • Team Home Game #: 30
  • Attendance: 572
  • Starting Pitcher: Taylor Cole
  • Opponent: Lakeland Flying Tigers
  • Opponent Starting Pitcher: Jake Thompson
  • Avg Attendance to Date: 871.17
  • Avg Attendance vs Opponent: 957.75
  • Avg Attendance per Day of the Week: 473
  • Avg Attendance for Starting Pitcher: 736.16
  • Promotions (if any): None

No other area games.

Monday, June 9, 2014

Decreasing Tampa Bay Unemployment Rate, Growing Companies, and Baseball Attendance



Last week, the Tampa Bay Business Journal announced the unemployment rate in the Tampa Bay area dropped to 5.9%. According to the TBBJ, the rate is 1.3% lower than at the same point in 2013.

According to the Tampa Tribune:
Hillsborough County’s unemployment rate now stands at 5.6 percent, down from 6.9 percent in April 2013. Pinellas dropped to 5.7 percent from 7.1 percent last year. And Pasco dropped to 6.5 percent from 7.9 a year ago.

The Tampa Tribune also reported a job gain of 30,900 in the Tampa-St. Pete-Clearwater area, the third highest gain in the state.

Here is the link to the US Department of Labor breakdown for Tampa Bay.

Many are attributing the job gain to the influx of new companies in the Tampa Bay area. Specifically cited are USAA, Amazon, and Bristol-Myers Squibb, all of whom are hiring hundreds in the Tampa Bay area for professional, non-seasonal jobs.

That's great news.

But how far are these new jobs from baseball stadiums? Will people have time to drive to the ballpark after a typical 9-to-5 day? If people in the workforce don't go to games, attendance must rely on the retired, the unemployed, college students, or the independently wealthy. While I am sure there those in the Tampa Bay area that fit that demographic, the percentage of non-work force people able to go to baseball games is probably quite low.

According to the US Department of Labor, the Tampa Bay workforce is comprised of 1,348,606 people, a little less than 50% of the 2.8 million people in the Tampa Bay metro area. With corporate ticket sales as low as they are for the Tampa Bay Rays, the Tampa Bay workforce is probably a majority of the season ticket holders and overall ticket purchasers.

Let's look at the three biggest new employers and see how far their employees will have to travel to see baseball.

Amazon.com

With the completion of another construction stage of the their new facility in Ruskin, online merchandiser Amazon.com is beginning to hire. While they are not yet hiring packers and entry-level positions, they are hiring Facility Managers, Project Managers, and Technicians.

I couldn't find the exact address of the Amazon plant, but I did find out it was near the Sun City exit, which means Tropicana Field is 34.7 miles away. Fortunately, that is all highway driving, as the fastest route is south from Ruskin to North 275, over the Skyway Bridge, and into St. Petersburg. According to Google Maps, estimated travel time from the estimated Amazon.com plant to the Trop is 33 minutes.

Travel time to the Tampa Bay Minor League parks:

All times figured without traffic. According to TomTom.com, Tampa Bay is the 12th most congested area in the US. The delay per hour at peak driving times is 26 minutes. (Click the link, see page 64.)

While the drive from Ruskin to St. Petersburg or Bradenton would face only minor traffic, the drive to Steinbrenner Field, Bright House Field, and Florida Auto Exchange Stadium would incur the peak point of traffic for those looking to go from the new Amazon plant to any of those stadiums.

Bristol-Myers Squibb

Late last year, pharmaceutical company Bristol-Myers Squibb began hiring for their new 600 employee plant by the Tampa International Airport. According to the company's website, they are currently hiring "Business jobs, Finance jobs, IT jobs, and Marketing Services jobs in Tampa". In October, the Tampa Tribune reported the "company is relocating 200 positions from one of its offices near Princeton, N.J., to Tampa, and it’s expected to relocate another 325 or so jobs here from other offices".

So how far is 5401 Eisenhower Blvd from Tampa Bay baseball?

According to Google Maps, the distance from the Bristol-Myers Squibb plant to Tropicana Field is 21.6 miles and should take an estimated 22 minutes via the Veterans' Expressway to South 275 and across the Howard Frankland Bridge into St. Petersburg.

Of course, that's with no traffic. The TomTom estimate of 13 minutes per half hour (26 min per hour divided by two) seems highly conservative here, but we'll go with it.

Travel time to the Tampa Bay Minor League parks:

USAA

Insurance giant USAA currently has a large corporate center off I-75 and Bruce B. Downs in North Tampa. Even with their current offices, the company is growing. According to the Tampa Tribune, "Insurance giant USAA is upping its already big presence in Hillsborough County by adding as many as 1,215 new jobs in the next five years, one of the biggest economic development projects in years."

While some of these jobs will be in North Tampa offices, most will be located at a new 420,000-square foot office building in Brandon, Florida, just outside Tampa. According to the Tampa Bay Business Journal, this location will house approximately 1,200 new workers.

This new USAA office building is by the intersection of the Selmon Expressway and US 301. From this location, a trip to Tropicana Field is 31 miles and 37 minutes according to Google Maps. I'm not sure Google has the right idea here as Google advises traveling from the Selmon Expressway to I-275. That would require going through downtown Tampa, which would be crowded at peak traffic times.

A much easier route, in my opinion, would be taking the Selmon to the Gandy Bridge into St. Petersburg. According to Google, that route is 30.3 miles and 39 minutes. Using this route, travelers avoid most of I-275.

Travel time from the new USAA location to the Tampa Bay Minor League parks:

Conclusion

Employment is on the rise in the Tampa Bay area, and many more new jobs are on the way. It is a good time to be looking for work in Tampa Bay. This growth provides new opportunities and new fans for baseball organizations in the area. Whether corporate partnerships or individual ticket sales, baseball teams in the Tampa Bay area should look towards these new or growing employers for new sales.

Unfortunately for the Tampa Bay Rays, only Bristol-Myers Squibb is expanding near St. Petersburg. The other two employers are on the far east side of the Tampa Bay area with the new Amazon location the furthest away - although that location would face the least amount of peak traffic.

Also, no matter where new workers are employed, a Tampa Bay area minor league park will be closer. For baseball fans, this could prove to be an interesting dilemma forcing them to choose between Major League Baseball or a cheaper substitute product. It will also be interesting to see if the Minor League teams reach out to the growing employers for sponsorship or other corporate partnering.