Tampa Bay Rays Face Disappointingly Low Attendance in Game 1 of Wild Card Series
Just 19,704 fans showed up at Tropicana Field to witness the Tampa Bay Rays fall to the Texas Rangers with a score of 4-0 in Game 1 of the American League Wild Card Series. This meager attendance figure marks a significant low for postseason games in a non-COVID year, with the last comparable event recorded during Game 7 of the 1919 World Series involving the Chicago White Sox and Cincinnati Reds.
Game 1 took place on Tuesday at 3 p.m. ET, and those who attended did not witness a strong performance from the home team. The Tampa Bay Rays performed sloppily, securing their sixth consecutive postseason loss. With four errors and only one extra-base hit, the Rays struggled to make an impact. Despite fielding an all-right-handed lineup to counter Texas lefty Jordan Montgomery, the team failed to deliver. Rays starter Tyler Glasnow managed five walks and conceded a run-scoring wild pitch, before being taken out of the game in the sixth inning.
Game 2 is scheduled to take place in St. Petersburg on Wednesday at 3 p.m. ET. The Rays are now in danger of ending their season before making it to the divisional round for the second consecutive year, with one more loss.
In terms of regular-season attendance for the Rays this year, Tuesday’s crowd was larger than usual. The Rays averaged 17,781 fans per game this season, making it their highest average attendance in a non-COVID impacted season since 2014. However, they ranked 27th out of the 30 teams in terms of attendance, placing ahead of the Kansas City Royals, Miami Marlins, and Oakland A’s.
The Tampa Bay Rays have historically struggled to attract fans to their ballpark, which features the only non-retractable roof in MLB. Despite its quirky appeal, with actual rays swimming in a tank above the center field wall, the stadium’s location in St. Petersburg poses challenges for fans residing in the Tampa area. The team hopes for a new ballpark, but with plans also centered in St. Petersburg, it remains to be seen if fan attendance will improve in the future.
Looking back at the 1919 World Series, it becomes clear why Game 7 of that series also lacked a significant turnout. According to the Society for American Baseball Research (SABR), only 13,923 fans attended due to the Reds requiring fans to purchase tickets in three-game blocks. Game 7 was the fourth home game of the series, leading to some miscommunication and long lines at the Reds’ ticket office that ultimately turned away potential crowds.
In response to the low attendance, Rays shortstop Taylor Walls acknowledged the fans who did make it to the game, stating, “The (fans) that were there made it pretty loud, I feel like… Hopefully tomorrow we can pack it in a little bit more, and the atmosphere will be what it was today or a little bit better.”
As the Rays face a crucial Game 2 in the Wild Card Series, the team and fans alike will be hoping for a more enthusiastic turnout to support their efforts.
(Photo: Mike Carlson / MLB Photos via Getty Images)