This has always been the problem with the Tampa Bay Rays: Whether it’s a lack of interest in baseball or the terrible stadium (we ranked it 29th of the 30 stadiums in 2023), fans don’t show up enough, despite the fact that they’re a contender.
And that was true on Tuesday. Just 19,704 fans showed up. That’s the lowest attendance for a playoff game since … 1919!! That’s right, 104 years ago! What the heck?!
And now there’s buzz about a new stadium? For a fanbase that barely shows up for a postseason game? Not good.
Everyone roasted Rays fans on X on Tuesday. Here’s a sampling:
4,000 diehard fans have gathered at The Trop for the Rays' first playoff game this year. pic.twitter.com/FbAOQu7xhm
— Funhouse (@BackAftaThis) October 3, 2023
Honestly this video from @RaysFanGio makes me sad.
I know its 3pm there in the middle of the work week… But Tropicana can't have 40% attendance for an MLB POSTSEASON GAME.
Thats just not right. Rays fans need to do better. pic.twitter.com/Naahi2GOHD
— Seattle Mariners ON Tap (@MarinersONtap) October 3, 2023
You can blame the fans if you want but maybe this should be the cautionary tale of why you don’t give a Billionaire owner $900 Million in public funds to build a stadium in a failed same location. Midweek afternoon game and fans who go all live in Tampa https://t.co/UarO1G1yTg
— JP Peterson (@FanStreamJP) October 3, 2023
Rays fans get a pass for attendance because of the poor location of the Trop and it being an old, outdated ballpark, but if you can't get even 20,000 people to show up to a home playoff game, that's pretty pathetic.
— TexasTwinsfan (@TXTwinsfan) October 4, 2023
Loyal Rays fans have PACKED the trop for game 1 of the postseason pic.twitter.com/YNDYdsi4jk
— Bronx đź’Łers (@BronxBombrs) October 3, 2023