Open Letter to Tampa Bay Rays Management: You're Doing it Wrong
Of all the 32 Major League Baseball teams, there is no doubt in my mind that my hometown Rays have the single worst pricing structure. From their confusing five-tier system of pricing, with no logical system of application to their variant parking fees, the Rays Management has done a good job of pissing off a lot of fans.
To put things in perspective, I have been a Rays fan since their inception. I was there on opening day 1998. I was there when Wade Boggs hit #3000. I was there for the playoffs. On average, I attend 10-12 games a year. Last year, I only went to two games using free tickets (free to me) and this year, I have been to no games at all. Not a one.
While I can afford it, I just don't want to pay it thanks to the nuttery that is the Rays pricing scheme. I'm not the only one that feels this way; so does my father — a long time baseball fan. Here is his recent letter to Rays Management (sent after going to a mid-week summer game) addressing the issue of constant low attendance, a letter that has not at this point garnered a response.
If the Rays desire to keep attendance low, do the following:
1. Create 4-Tier Ticket prices to gouge and confuse the public.
2. Have only TWO Bronze levels games this season. (Only Cleveland - why not the rest of that division?)
3. Charge $10 for parking at Bronze, $15 for Silver and even more for gold and platinum.
4. Charge more at the gate for someone buying a ticket at the last minute than what Ticketmaster charges.
5. Essentially, do away with free parking.
6. Continue ridiculous prices for food and beverages.
If I purchase a ticket at least 5 hours prior to the start of a game, an upper level Bronze is $7; otherwise it can be $10, with the extra charges. That kind of eliminates a last minute decision to "catch" a game, at least for me, coming from Sarasota. So for a single ticket to see a game, at the lowest price, it actually cost me a minimum of $30 to get there and back (ticket, gas, parking).
For a Platinum level game that same price is $55. I do not know what playoff tickets will be this year, but 2 years ago they were a MLB set price of $30 for Upper deck. I know, because I went to two games. Last night was a platinum level. Last night's attendance was just over 11,000. None of this makes any logical sense other than to try and increase revenue by overcharging on tickets.
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