Heating Up: Rays Begin New Partial Season-Ticket Sales Push

By Eric Fisher, Staff Writer, SportsBusiness Journal

Rays Beginning Marketing Push To Sell Partial Season Ticket Packages

The Rays have begun a new marketing effort to sell partial season tickets for the remainder of this season, wrapped around its slogan "Feel The Heat." The Rays, currently trailing the Red Sox by a half game for first place in the AL East, through the campaign are overtly marketing playoff priority for the first time in club history. Activation will include all major media forms and last for the next two weeks, with pricing a simple pro-rated share of the existing price sheet. At the end of the month, gaining new postseason ticket priority will require placing a deposit for '09 tickets. The Rays hold one of MLB's lowest season-ticket bases, and though club officials have declined to specify that base, it is believed to be less than 7,000 full-season equivalents. The club is up more than 48% at the gate this season amid the newfound success, and is targeting a year-end attendance of around 1.7 million, which would be the club's best since its inaugural season in '98. "You don't gain everything back in one year, but they're having a remarkable season," said MLB Commissioner Bud Selig.