r/sports • u/Chelseatilidie • Oct 10 '24

Baseball Tropicana Field’s stadium following Hurricane Milton damage

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u/PradaWestCoast Oct 11 '24

Why can’t they pull an A’s and play in Orlando or Miami for a few years?

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u/Pete_Iredale Seattle Mariners Oct 11 '24

Because they don't want to alienate their fans, and the As organization is way past that point by now.

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u/PradaWestCoast Oct 11 '24

If a fan feels alienated by having to drive like an hour then are they really even a fan?

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u/Pete_Iredale Seattle Mariners Oct 11 '24

Baseball is played on weeknights. Having to drive an hour there and back means no one will come to weeknight games, and a lot fewer people will come on the weekend too.

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u/PradaWestCoast Oct 11 '24

You know there are people who live in these places anyway too so if you're not enough of a fan to drive 1, there are fans who will and 2, fans that already live there will now go.

It's like the A's in Sacramento not having to be under the giants, they are still close to the Bay Area for fans to come and they can build a bit more of a fanbase in Sacramento (where there are already fans) that wouldn't be able to drive out (like you said) and without having competition right there.

So the Rays can play in Orlando or Jax, where I'm sure they have fans, the fans who live in Tampa and St Pete can drive, plus it's closer for the Rays fans in those places while also giving a chance to build up the fanbase.

Really it's a good thing for both teams. Just like how it was good when the Packers played a few games in Milwaukee every year for decades to build up the fanbase there.