The Rays have used postgame concerts since '07 to draw "tens of thousands of additional fans" to Tropicana Field, but the "shine might be wearing off," according to Jay Cridlin of the TAMPA BAY TIMES. Concert games in '08 drew an average of "around 10,300 more fans than the average weekend non-concert game." However, that figure dropped to 210 last season and the average attendance for concert games this year "is actually lower than it was for weekend home games before the concert series began." While concert crowds "are down, they remain a big part of the Rays' overall marketing strategy." Rays Dir of Promotions Stephon Thomas said that the concerts "do generate revenue, which is the ultimate goal." However, he added, "For us, it's a little bit more than that." While concert-game crowds are 44% lower in '15 than in '08, Thomas said that attendance is "only one indicator of the series' success." Cridlin notes the concerts generate "goodwill among fans" and are one reason the Rays "consistently rank high on fan experience surveys." Country singer Kacey Musgraves will play following the Orioles-Rays game Saturday, marking the "70th postgame concert since 2007" and joining a list of previous performers like the Beach Boys, LL Cool J, Miranda Lambert and Train. The team in '09 "experimented with concerts on Friday, but those had a minimal impact." Family-friendly shows on Sundays are "now a staple, with kiddie acts like the Wiggles, Kidz Bop and Imagination Movers." The Rays partner with Clearwater, Fla.-based Ruth Eckerd Hall on the concerts, but Ruth Eckerd Chief Procurement Officer/Exec VP of Entertainment Bobby Rossi "wouldn't disclose how much the Rays pay" (TAMPA BAY TIMES, 7/22).
