We're Going To Disney World! Rays To Host Second Orlando Series

Rays To Host Blue Jays In Series At Disney's Wide World Of Sports Complex

ORLANDO EXPOSURE: In St. Petersburg, Marc Topkin writes under Owner Stuart Sternberg, the Rays "have made a concerted effort to become visible" and to make Orlando a "viable part of their market." The team in the past three weeks has launched a "heavy media blitz," spending about $100,000 for radio, TV and billboard ads. The goal is to get fans "excited about these three games, as well as interested in the remaining 140." And while the Rays hope to draw a "total of 30,000 fans" for the series, the increased media coverage of the games is "as or more important than the number of fans in the stands." Rays President Matt Silverman: "Strong attendance is important, but more important than the attendance for these three games is the fan base we are building. When we made this foray into Orlando two years ago, we were starting at a very low base, and we've been pleased with how quickly the Orlando area has begun to embrace the Rays. We're well on our way to being Orlando's team" (ST. PETERSBURG TIMES, 4/22). In Toronto, Allan Ryan writes the Rays have determined Orlando is their No. 5 city in terms of fan attendance at Tropicana Field, but at the end of '05 numbers five and six were Boston and N.Y. Hoof: "For Boston and New York to beat Orlando in our attendance, well, there's no excuse for that. Until we reached out last season, I think our franchise just ignored the potential of all the people (about 2 million) in the Orlando area" (TORONTO STAR, 4/22).

INSIDE THE PARK: In Orlando, Jerry Greene noted the first 2,500 children ages 14-and-under will receive a free Disney bobblehead at each of the three games of the Blue Jays-Rays series. The children will receive Donald Duck on Tuesday, Goofy on Wednesday and Mickey Mouse on Thursday (ORLANDO SENTINEL, 4/20). In a separate piece, the ST. PETERSBURG TIMES' Topkin reports the Rays are "even bringing their own Pepsi-branded drinks, because Disney facilities have a deal with Coca-Cola" (ST. PETERSBURG TIMES, 4/22).

NEW BALLPARK: In St. Pete, Van Sant & Sharockman write several Pinellas County (FL) Commissioners yesterday "expressed frustration that the Rays hadn't come to them sooner" on a joint city-county partnership to help pay for a proposed waterfront ballpark in downtown.  It "didn't help that [the county commissioners] learned of the team's new vision for funding the ballpark in the pages of the Times, rather than in face-to-face meetings." County Commissioner Calvin Harris: "This is not being done smoothly." Commissioner Ken Welch added, "It's kind of been awkward. That's kind of the best word that I can come up with." Though details are "few," the Rays have said that they are willing to "pay $150[M] for the ballpark's upfront construction costs," which leaves $300M needing to be funded. Harris: "I don't even want to talk about pledging tax dollars." When told yesterday of how the commission was leaning, Rays Senior VP/Development Michael Kalt said that the full financing proposal he plans to bring forward "won't involve asking the county for property tax money." Kalt said that the plan "will likely mimic the commitment the county and city made to build Tropicana Field." Kalt added that he "hoped to engage the full commission and offer more details when the ballpark's financing plan is complete." A plan could be ready in May (ST. PETERSBURG TIMES, 4/22).

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