Empty suits pack Marlins game

But the exact same factors apply to plenty of non-Florida teams, but don't serve as excuses preventing them from drawing far better than the Fla teams. Plenty of other teams have bad ownership and sucked in recent years. And plenty of stadiums are near much sketchier neighborhoods (ever been to a White Sox, Tiger, or Yankee home game?). But those factors don't prevent those teams from drawing better than the Fla franchises every year, even when they suck.

 

There is no one thing that solves the Marlins' attendance issue. It would be interesting, though, to see them in a retractable roof stadium in a more centralized location, because Dolphins Stadium really isn't close to anything. For baseball it would need to be near the area's center of population. Football games on a Sunday afternoon in the middle of nowhere, but if you want people to come to a Wednesday game, it needs to be close.

 

You don't really get used to the heat. Mrs. Tundra grew up in Miami, but when we went to a day game in May we nearly melted into the seats. We've been to Dolphin Stadium several times and had fun for the most part, but it's just not the same as going to other places. We've been to Colorado and Pittsburgh in recent years and enjoyed the experience a lot more.

The South Florida fans are just not great overall -- unless you're in the playoffs and expected to win, they just don't show up. Even then it's a crapshoot. We went to an NLCS game in 2003 when they played the Cubs and there were something like 65,000 people -- at least half of them Cubs fans. Plus, in the summer, most of the seasonal residents are back up north rooting for their home teams, so that takes away a big chunk of the fanbase.

It's not just baseball. Some of the Dolphins home games are threatened to be blacked out on TV because they don't sell out. They didn't sell out a playoff game a few years ago (back when they actually could make the playoffs). The Panthers get good turnouts -- when Montreal or the Rangers are in town. And the Heat get decent crowds once the playoffs roll around. I went to a November game a few years ago and it was maybe three quarters full.

It's just a lot different market here than in other places, right or wrong.

 

Not only is Joe Robbie a shitty place to watch baseball it's a shitty place to watch football. I can't believe they still play Super Bowls there.

If they put a retractable roof baseball stadium where the Orange Bowl currently sits they wouldn't be drawing "crowds" like this one. However they'll never draw huge crowds on a regular basis. Miami isn't a sports town. It's an event town. They'll show up for playoff games and big games but they won't show up in large numbers on a consistent basis.

 

What? You mean there are people that don't like baseball


P.S. Im sorry, but I had to say something about this.

 

I contend the biggest problem is that the Marlins continually get dismantled. The Rays biggest problem is that they are never in contention, and there are so many transplanted and bandwagon Yankees and Red Sox fans down here, those are the only teams that could draw.

Here's a concept one of the local papers ran for a new ballpark in Tampa.

http://www.tbo.com/sports/special/raysstadium/

 

Thanks for your mindful and wise contribution to this discussion.

 

;D ;D Oh I love it, I just love it.

 

Care to look up the attandance numbers of the Bobcats, Hawks, Hornets and Grizzlies?

 

I never will understand why some people feel the need to shit on a discussion just because they don't like the sport.