I’ve been to a few weeknight games at LoanDepot Park and the attendance was abysmal. Because the experience was so boring, it makes me not want to go back. Failure feeds on itself.
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Are y’all telling me this didn’t make attendance soar ???
I think there are a number of reasons.
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I think there is a lot of direct competition for entertainment during the summer months in Florida.
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I think the old-school, sterile, dome is awful. No sunshine available from the Sunshine State and an overall poor venue for watching baseball.
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I think St. Pete is the wrong place for the stadium. Most of the population that would attend is in Tampa and the traffic to get over there is horrendous. So that coupled with the stadium makes you question “Is it worth even going?” I also think St. Pete is more of a hipster, artsy vibe (along with a lot of the retired community) so those that live there aren’t your preferred market.
So, while I think a new stadium helps, the current proposal on the table is moving across the street, still in St. Pete. So you still have that traffic situation and you still have the wrong market demo living over there. WIll a new stadium be enough to overcome that? Or do you build a new stadium with high hopes, and find out that you’re basically in the same boat, but now you are billions in the hole.
This is why I think Raleigh actually has a shot with Tampa. Stu Sternberg is a NY native and doesn’t have strong ties to the region. I believe if the city, state, and developers put together a strong package, and basically made a pitch for him to “just move on up to Raleigh,” he’d have to take a closer look.
That said, MLB wants the Rays to succeed and stay put bc they dont want that black eye on their product. They want the narrative that in the right conditions, baseball flourishes everywhere. However, it’s going to be about what Sternberg wants and what St. Pete / Tampa are able to give him as far as incentives and money.
** There is a lot of spin and posturing going on with Tampa’s situation. They are locked in until 2028, so they have 5 more years where they have to play nice with their local fanbase. They can’t be publically negotiating with suitors bc just like you saw in Oakland, the fanbase can revolt. And honestly, Tampa can’t afford any cuts to their already sad attendance numbers. I think as we get closer to that 2028 date, we’ll start to see the real picture a lot more clearly.
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As someone that loves going to baseball games and lived in Tampa for 2 years. The Trop is the worst pro sports venue ever and was the biggest reason why I only went to 3 games there while living in Tampa.
Add in the commute from Tampa to St. Pete was awful most times.
In comparison. I lived in Denver for 1 month and went to 3 games in that month and loved every game.
I truly think the stadium is why attendance sucks for Tampa.
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I was surprised to see the Ale House hasn’t done any of that this year. Last year I went to a watch party on Tucker Street for the 2nd round. Back in 2019 for the conference finals I remember they closed down part of Glenwood.
Just an aside, but Tempe voters voted against rezoning for a new $2.1 billion dollar arena that was to be built with mostly private money. Now the Coyotes are likely going to be moving.
Tempe has a NIMBY problem, young the same BS talking points about land use, affordable housing increased traffic, and Arizona State University. and a bunch of stuff that was just irrelevant. The group against it was called me Tempe 1st, with same ideologies as Livable Raleigh, and wording like America 1st with Trump. Now yes Coyotes they had poor attendance you barely hear about them in the NHL they aren’t that great, however it’s always needed and so my heart breaks for them. But see were lucky Carolina is doing good, because I’m sure the Livable Raleigh folks Tim Niles, DivineBlackEnergy, the 4 members of the city council would probably do the same thing if we were In this situation. You have to keep this is a part of America that is just too woke for me, these woke extremists or neighborhood extremists and quite honestly most of them are Dems. Tempe is the second liberal city in Arizona, so we here in Raleigh should take this warning it could’ve been us. But luckily we have a good fanbase and I’m the most extreme one. Houston needs an NHL team they deserve it. Atlanta is a good candidate also, black people love hockey.
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I have seen Sports Social in Cary has been packed for the games; also, people are going there to watch the games on the giant screens.
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Atlanta is a gd candidate also, black people love hockey.
LMAO you funny as hell. And the best part is you be dead serious 
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Black people love hockey, I’m black.
It’s a cool spot to watch the games, you just have to get there super early to get a decent spot.
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It reminds me almost of a Sports Book in Vegas!
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If (or when) the Coyotes were to move I could see a city like Houston be more attractive than Atlanta. Atlanta already had a shot with the Thrashers and it didn’t work out down there.
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Houston will get it Tillman Fetillta who owns the Rockets has expressed interest, also that arena has NHL capability to share with the basketball team.
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Had some more thoughts on development around PNC Arena…
Shoot, more height/density, 9 new parking decks (four with towers above them, 2 wrapped with residential). And a 15 acre entertainment district centered around the creek and greenway.
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With all the parking decks would you need to keep all the parking lots?
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No, but probably the only possible way a plan like this works so NC State people don’t go ballistic about losing tailgating space 8x / year.
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Atlanta has lost two separate NHL franchises, the Flames (named for the torching of Atlanta in Gone With the Wind) and the Thrashers.
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I don’t have a link right off, but UTenn announced they are soliciting plans to build an entertainment/hotel district between their stadium and the Tennessee river. They are inviting innovative proposals from developers. It is interesting to see this idea spreading. Maybe the Centennial Authority will be inspired to finally get on this train and do something out at Finley Meadows. (I am the only one I know who calls it that, but I won’t give up yet.
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I also just read that Patrick Mahoms wants to see the Arizona Coyotes move to KC - I didn’t have that on my bingo card.
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