Florida is a football state. Unless it's the Yankees or Red Sox, most people around here say "meh' to the Rays. Bright House Cable has a special going this season..for $30, get two grandstand tickets to every Saturday home game, vouchers for two soft drinks, two hot dogs and two snacks. No real interest there, either.

I'm not making excuses for the Rays poor attendence, but the economy here is really stink-o and the heat index has been over 100 degrees all week. Neither are very motivating reasons to run out to the Trop, even though it has A/C.

Maybe if the Phillies didn't hold spring training down the street, there would be more interest.

My first reaction is that, generally speaking, coastal and southern Florida's growing population is largely non-natives, moving there to retire, or for economic opportunity, but with no roots in the community - and no allegiance to Tampa sports teams. Teams in NY, Booston, Phily, St Louis, Cleveland, etc., have had many decades to cultivate a core base of support.

On the other hand, there are so many people living down there who DO have ties to places like Boston, NY, Phily, etc., that there should be lots of longtime baseball fans who would enjoy seeing their longtime favorite team visit their adopted home. I mean, if I moved to Florida, and the Red Sox were coming to Tampa, I'd absolutely come to root on the Sox (and I suspect Yankee fans, Oriole fans, etc. would do the same thing). But, maybe not.

If they keep winning, and a new park works out well, eventually fans will come. I'm just glad it's not my money in the meantime floating the difference!

How are the minor league teams in the Bay area drawing? Has that even been discussed as a factor for Rays attendance? I haven't bothered to look at maps, or do any studying of Major/Minor density, but does it at least past the sniff test?

I have heard repeatedly that the transient population in Tampa/St. Pete area is a large factor in the cool fan interest for the Rays. I'm sticking to the rule carved in stone: winning cures all ills.

I am briefly quoted in Aaron Sharockman's article, but here's the complete response that I had to Topkin's article and Silverman's comments

A losing culture over long periods of time makes it difficult for fans to make a sustained investment in a team, when they are losing. I expect that overall attendance would have remained at near levels they were at last year, if the Rays had remained at the competitive levels we saw throughout 2008 at the beginning of this season.

All that said, Silverman's frustration over the Phillies series has some merit. Given that the Phillies are in first, and played the Rays in the World Series last year, one would expect fans to come in higher numbers for the rematch. It may come back to that "emotional investment" comment I made prior. It is no longer a matter of, "What have you done for me lately?" but rather, "What are you doing for me now?"

#1 is correct. The economy in Florida is a huge factor, many people have little if any discretionary income. Many seniors reside in the St. Pete area but live on small incomes which have recently been reduced by half. While making the commute to Rays games one must also have air conditioning burning even more fuel. You can barely breath outside it's so hot. People here know the team is good. The organization has done many things to enhance the Trop experience. It is not the long ago losing culture. It is the economy, the heat, and the football culture in Florida. When I came down here a few years ago, I noticed bars with televisions never had them on baseball. One place I went had over 10 tvs and no baseball--in baseball season. Even during interesting post season playoff matches, you rarely find them on tv's in bars and restaurants. It wouldn't cost much to hire someone to go around and as a fan ask places to put baseball on. This is one inexpensive way to change the culture, which has to be done if teams in Florida want to thrive. In the case of the Rays, if they were in Pinellas county, north of Tampa, that might help as well.

Attendance for the final game of the series: 20,141. Attendance in Pittsburgh against the Indians? 30,120. Just saying.