The Tampa Bay Rays have been a powerhouse in Major League Baseball (MLB), consistently delivering strong performances on the field. However, there’s one area where the Rays seem to be struggling—drawing fans to the stadium during the playoffs.
Lowest Playoff Attendance Since 1919
During Game 1 of the AL Wild Card series against the Texas Rangers, which unfortunately ended in a 4-0 loss for the Rays, Tropicana Field saw a surprisingly low turnout of 19,704 fans. This marks the lowest attendance for a non-COVID playoff game since 1919. So, what’s causing this attendance slump?
Here's some perspective on today's attendance of 19,704 at the Trop: according to @Stathead, it's the lowest (non-Covid year) attendance for a postseason game in 104 years. Last one below 19,704 was Game 7 of the infamous 1919 World Series in Cincinnati.
— Tyler Kepner (@TylerKepner) October 3, 2023
A Successful Franchise with Sparse Crowds
The Rays have undeniably been one of baseball’s best franchises in recent years. They’ve reached the playoffs in each of the last five seasons, including a memorable World Series appearance in 2020. However, despite their success on the field, the stands haven’t been as packed as one might expect.
While it’s true that Rays attendance has been on the rise over the last three seasons, the playoffs are traditionally a time when even casual fans show up to cheer for their favorite team. Astonishingly, 33 regular season games this year had more attendees than the recent wild card playoff game. Nearly half of the home games this season drew more fans than the crucial playoff matchup.
Long-Standing Attendance Struggles
The Rays’ attendance challenges aren’t new. In 2019, they proposed a “split-season” plan, suggesting they play half of their home games in Tampa and the other half in Montreal. Although MLB rejected this plan, it sent a message that team ownership was dissatisfied with the fan turnout in Tampa Bay. Despite the team’s plan to build a 30,000-seat stadium in St. Petersburg by 2028, the Rays are poised to endure at least four more years of low attendance.
Official attendance for today’s Rangers-Rays game: 19,704.
— Front Office Sports (@FOS) October 3, 2023
That’s the lowest for an MLB postseason game since 1919.
(h/t @TylerKepner)
pic.twitter.com/CJwpcpcNgf
Is It Fan Fatigue?
One might speculate that fans are simply fatigued after years of witnessing their team compete for a World Series without clinching the title. However, this doesn’t seem to be the sole reason. When the Rays were on a hot streak earlier in the season with a 13-game winning streak, attendance surged. In fact, the 13th game of that streak drew over 21,000 fans.
Even when the Rays returned home after the winning streak was broken during a road trip, over 20,000 fans showed up for two out of three games in the subsequent series. Clearly, there’s hope on the horizon, but consistent attendance remains a concern.
A Historical Comparison
The last time a non-COVID MLB playoff game had lower attendance than the recent Rays game was Game 7 of the 1919 World Series in Cincinnati. Interestingly, this was the same series marred by the infamous Chicago White Sox scandal. However, the attendance issue in 1919 had nothing to do with the scandal.
During that World Series, which had a best-of-nine format, fans in Cincinnati were required to purchase tickets in sets of three to watch their team play. Game 7 was the fourth home game of the series, and single-game tickets were briefly available, causing confusion among fans. As a result, many chose not to attend the game.
Some context on 1919 World Series ticket snafu: Reds forced fans to buy 3-game blocks, and this was their 4th home game — single-game tickets were only on sale for a few hours that morning in downtown Cincinnati. Only 13K showed up for Game 7 (of 8). https://t.co/zTt8SRvF04 https://t.co/IFcuZCdwm3
— Jacob Pomrenke (@buckweaver) October 3, 2023
What’s Next for the Rays?
With Game 2 of the AL Wild Card series scheduled for tomorrow at 3:08 p.m. ET, the Rays find themselves on the brink of elimination after a tough loss to the Rangers. The big question is whether more fans will rally to support their team when it matters most, as the Rays face a critical moment in their playoff journey.
Image Source: Google
