The Tampa Bay Rays ongoing attendance issues took center stage on Monday.
In theory, if the Tampa Bay Rays were ever going to draw a large crowd, Monday was going to be that day. Reigning AL Cy Young winner Blake Snell was on the mound for the Rays, who happened to have the best record in the majors. Their opponents, the Arizona Diamondbacks, were also over .500, and had rarely been to Tampa Bay. It was the perfect opportunity to get some fans into the Trop and to support the Rays.
The Rays attendance was indeed the story. However, instead of there being plenty of Rays fans in the stands, Tampa Bay saw a season low 8124 people at Tropicana Field.
#Rays came home with best record in majors, playing a winning #Dbacks team, with Blake Snell pitching, and drew a season low gathering of 8,124
— Marc Topkin (@TBTimes_Rays) May 7, 2019
A lot tends to be made about the Rays attendance woes. And frankly, a good deal of those numbers may not matter, especially given their strong ratings and the fact that the Trop has been outdated since before the Rays came into existence.
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There is the belief that a new stadium will fix those attendance issues. Moving the Rays to a more accessible location, where potential fans would not need to wait for so long in traffic on a narrow highway, could be a boon. Of course, it is a matter of finding that location, securing funding, and getting the ownership to pay their fair share for a new stadium…
But how much of a difference will that new stadium really make for the long term? Tampa Bay is, literally, tied with the Twins as the best team in the game right now. The Rays even splurged in free agency, signing Charlie Morton to a two year deal. Snell received an extension, as did Brandon Lowe.
And yet, it has not mattered. The Rays rank 29th in the game with an average attendance of 13,662 fans, ahead of only the Marlins. Unlike Miami, who is playing thoroughly woeful baseball and has a roster that has been completely mismanaged, the Rays are a young, exciting, contending team.
Sometimes, the concerns about the Tampa Bay Rays attendance are overblown. However, considering the matchup on Monday, that low figure will attract notice.