A baseball marketing task force created earlier this
summer by St. Petersburg Mayor David Fischer "has concluded
that" the Devil Rays have "an image problem and [need] to
spend more time and money on community relations" in the
area, according to David Rogers of the ST. PETERSBURG TIMES.
The task force of local business and marketing execs
"suggested that the team has spent too much time and money
trying to woo hard-core sports fans, and not enough on
selling the team to the overall community." The task force,
in its report to Fischer, said that "other issues -- such as
forming stronger partnerships with charitable and community
organizations -- should receive attention." It was also
suggested that the team expand beyond its current emphasis
on hard-core baseball fans to "reach a wider audience."
Several ideas that were mentioned in the report include
reducing weekday ticket prices for retirees and placing
newspaper ads in the news sections "to attract more women
and families." The task force also recommended that the
Devil Rays hire someone with connections to the community
and corporate groups "to reach out to potential fans."
Devil Rays Managing General Partner Vince Naimoli received a
copy of the report yesterday but had not had time to review
it for comment (ST. PETE TIMES, 8/27). In Tampa, Carlos
Moncada writes that the report also suggested that the team
"set aside marketing dollars to fill requests from groups
for team merchandise or speakers" (TAMPA TRIBUNE, 8/27).
