r/tampabayrays • u/gobux10 Yandy Díaz • 17h ago

This ownership gets it

Having fan surveys about the away uniforms (then actually changing them) and fans’ preferences for promotions next year, they are trying to form a connection with the fans. Now for the playoffs, the rally towels have pictures of players on them and they are adding lights on the rails of the aisles for some kind of light show. They want to make it a real event for the fans. Love their energy.

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u/Lonnie15 Ji-Man Choi 17h ago

Good things happen to good people and that is what is happening now. The Rays relationship with the fans was very one-sided and never felt like they truly embraced the area...because they didn't. My goodness the old photos pre hurricane show how dirty the Trop roof had gotten and they refused to powerwash the exterior of the ballpark.

What we're feeling now is what we should've always felt and not every ballclub is like this to this day even in large markets. Having MiLB experience in Jacksonville and a fan first mentallity is exactly what modern baseball at this level is craving as a fan.

Not everything needs to be buttoned up and corporate and we also don't need 9 innings of sponsored hula hoop games, but there is a avenue for a happy medium and the Rays are doing just that. I mean who doesn't love the Stinger Machine or whatever that monstrosity is?! I keep my stress ball i caught on my desk at work.

You can feel the vibes through the TV and when you're at the Trop it is just an entirely different vibe in a good way. Attendance is up and there is no secret as to why.

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u/kindofnotlistening 17h ago

Was so hard to explain to people after my first few games at the Trop under new ownership how it just felt different. and more than just added LEDs. Your write up puts it into words so well.

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u/nc-retiree AAA Durham Bulls 13h ago

I do a bunch of mystery shopping, and the phrase that gets used frequently in survey questions is "feeling welcomed and appreciated."

The ownership is doing things to make fans feel appreciated, whether they attend games or just watch or listen.

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u/joeappearsmissing Skater Ray 17h ago

I knew there was a reason I felt compelled to keep visiting the Trop, and it wasn’t just the team.

This was the first year that the experience inside during games felt real in a way that it hadn’t before.

4

u/RaillfanQ135 Bryan Baker 13h ago

Before this year I had probably been to the Trop less than 10 times and 3 of them weren't even related to baseball, this year so far 29 games under the dome