Especially when you have the Marlins (Less than 20 years with an apathetic fan base) and Red Sox (The 80 year Curse) with 2 World Series wins, also throw in two Canadian teams who have won at least two. Anaheim were practically useless for most of their history wins World Series, while Arizona wins a world series in a span of its first 4 years. Followed by the almost equally as futile White Sox, cross town rival of the Cubs. With the Rockies, Astros, and Rays have all been world series bound. As the Phillies are going back to the Series...while the Cubbies stay home not going to the dance.
I believe home field advantage was a real factor for this young team. It will also be a big factor in the WS. Rays FTW.
I saw Matt Garza, Evan Longoria, Dustin Pedroia, JP Howell and David Price all play in college. Pedroia is a tiny little dude, and Howell is a prick. Price is a man among boys
How many people in here give a rats azz about ratings?? A team with a $40 million payroll that plays in a division with two teams that have a combined $350 million in payroll is going to the WS. That is awesome.
I bet the rays have the most bandwagon fans ever right now. The entire city is a bandwagon. This is a team that no one in Tampa gave a damn about for 95% of their existence. no one cared enough to even go to any of their games. Teams shouldn't play in Florida. Neither the marlins nor the rays have many fans even though the marlins have 2 rings.
That's biggest thing, especially for baseball to see teams, like the Tigers, Rockies, Devil Rays, Marlins, and etc in the mix. Also, we know in baseball you can spend a glob of money and not get any results, see New York Mets and Los Angeles Dodgers (for most of 2000s). As far as the Rays, they're a very good, well-rounded team...good hitters, good base runners, good fielders, good pitching (starting and relieving), and well-managed. In a way, they're similar to St. Louis without a Pujols type player.
this post season is working out so well. cubs? swept Red sox? embarASSed , then given a glimmer of hope, then they got cocky, then spirits crushed.
All teams have to develop a following somehow. I guarantee you that a lot of fans will be Rays fans for some time now because of this run. I guess you don't remember the Rockets drawing flies (literally... 9,000 of them) to games at the start of the 90's. Then, they go on 2 championship runs, and they sellout every game till 1999, this site comes up, and you now have a legion of diehard fans. That started out as bandwagonism, when the Astros made their runs in 2004 and 2005, there was plenty of bandwagonism, and when the Texans become good, there will be an overflow on the bandwagon. Its a part of sports... and unless your team is 100 years old (not many of them), you have to win to develop your fanbase.
Because a.) they play in a football stadium in a city where its always 85-90 degrees and humid/rainy. b.) Both times, the team was gutted the very next year of all the key players that led them to a championship. That's not going to happen in Tampa... and they play in a climate controlled ballpark. Once Miami gets their new stadium, they'll draw more fans... and likely be able to hold on to a few more players. They still won't be "rabid"... probably since Miami is a pretty crappy sports town. Tampa has done a fairly better job than Miami of supporting their teams recently.
Blasphemy. Our baseball season is over. Real fans don't cheer for any other team. Time to watch football and basketball.
2008 Tampa Bay Rays = 1969 New York Mets. Discuss. FWIW...I am pulling for the Rays in this year's World Series. I'm happy that teams other than the Yankees, Mets, Red Sox & Cardinals are in it.
I love how this World Series has ended up! I like both the Phillies and the Rays. I will be happy for whoever wins. Go Phillies! Go Rays! Two great teams that both deserve to win. F*** the Yankees, Red Sox, Mets, Angels, Dodgers and Cubs.
Dude, I never miss baseball games. I go into a funk for 24 hours at the conclusion of every WS, no matter who the participants are. Real fans!! That's precious.
Also, the Marlins have an owner who is almost as despicable as Bud Adams, so naturally they wouldn't be able to stay afloat.
