Should the Devil Rays move to Jacksonville or Orlando to get a better fanbase? Explain.?

Question

Jacksonville is FL's largest city and ORL gets tons of tourists. Tampa's strictly for FB and hockey.

Answer 1

The Devil Rays can do fine in St. Pete. They just need to keep building on their fan base and find a better home than Tropicana Field. If the Rays were to move, it would only be across the bay to Tampa. Jacksonville might have been a better city for a 2nd team in Florida since they aren't as saturated with spring training teams as Tampa Bay, but it's too late now. MLB won't relocate a team 100 miles away, and Florida can't support a 3rd team. Orlando couldn't support an MLB team. They already have the Magic, and they've been near the bottom of the league in attendance 4 of the last 5 years. There's just too much competition for entertainment dollars in Orlando to keep people's interest in an expansion team.

The biggest roadblock the Devil Rays face in building a fan base in Tampa Bay is spring training. Locals are already fans of the teams that come to their towns for spring training. There are more than half dozen different fan bases within 75 miles of Tropicana Field. Lakeland is Detroit Tigers country. Winter Haven is full of Indians fans. The Braves recently relocated to Disney's Wide World of Sports Complex in Orlando. Tampa is replete with Yankee fans. Steinbrenner lives in Tampa. The Yankees have a beautiful spring training facility right across the street from Raymond James Stadium. People in Tampa Bay want to root for their home team, but they've been rooting for their division rival a lot longer than the Devil Rays have been in existence. The Devil Rays just need time. And a new stadium.

Answer 2

Both are large cities with a lot to offer. If you want the beach towns, established neighborhoods, and a fixed up downtown go to Jacksonville (cost of living is cheaper as well). Five Points is very nice for both young and old, and is very conveniently located. All of Jacksonville has been renovated and expanded over the past few years. If you want to visit the Orlando amuzement parks several times a year they are only a two or three hour drive from Jax. If you want a diversified, spreadout place full of activities (that all cost $$) go to Orlando. Most people who work in Orlando live in a neighboring community such as Winter Park or Mt Dora, so you can have your choice of lifestyle here as well. Jacksonville is more Southern, and Orlando is more international/touristy. The nightlife is better in Orlando. There is nothing like Buckhead, but you have Church Street (think safer mini-Buckhead with less mixing between vehicles and pedestrians).

Answer 3

If they do move to another locale in Florida, they have to consider playing baseball in a climate-controlled stadium of some sort. I base that on the low attendance figures for the Class A Florida State League and the one Double A team still left in the state at Jacksonville. I'm not too sure about Orlando because they lost their Double A Southern League team to Montgomery, Alabama.
Seems like poor attendance at ball parks in the Sunshine State is a result of the heat and humidity after early spring. Maybe the Devil Rays need to move completely out of the state.

Answer 4

Orlando isn't really an option because they couldn't even support a Double-A team a few years ago that had to move to Montgomery, AL.

Jacksonville is currently the home of the LA Dodgers Double-A team, but the city is being discussed as an option for a Triple-A IL franchise to move in because of the great attendance and overall success that Jacksonville has had over the last few years in the Southern League.

Answer 5

I'm afraid moving to Jacksonville or Orlando
will not build a better fan base.
Improving our bull pen will not build a better
fan base.
Florida is just not a baseball state.
Case in point. The Marlins have won two
World Series and still can't fill the bleachers.
Thus, ownership trades off high salary
players, who are also the key players.
Frankly, the only time will pull a big gate is
when the core baseball cities such as NY,
Philly and Chicago come to town.

Answer 6

The Devil Rays should get out of Florida altogether.

There is already another team in Florida (Marlins), and even the Marlins are doing better then the D-Rays.

Tampa Bay will never have a chance in their division, so they should go to a whole different state.

Answer 7

although i'd love to have a pro baseball team in orlando (i live here) i dont think the rays should move. i just think they need to have a few winning seasons under their belt which i think is coming. i think in the next few years the rays are going to get much better as the orioles are struggling hard and the blue jays arent exactly stellar. plus the d-rays have this amazing ability to beat the sox and the yanks. odd huh? give it a few years and i think they'll be much better.

Answer 8

Nope they should move the team to the Lone Star State to the great city of San Antonio, we have a large hispanic fan base there and we happen to love baseball.

Answer 9

if ownership actually spent money and won some ballgames i think the fanbase would be just fine.the d-rays have never finished higher than fourth in their own divison ever.they have alot of young talent if they could get some vets they would have a nice team. then they could get a modern stadium wich would increase revenue and stay competitive for a long time.

Answer 10

Unless the ownership of the team makes a committment to winning,it doesn't matter where they play.Cubs fans excluded,fans won't continue to spend money to see a losing team year in and year out.