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September 26, 2008
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Tampa, St. Pete Mayors Celebrate Rays' First Playoff Appearance

Tampa, St. Petersburg Planning Celebrations
Around Rays' First Trip To Playoffs 
With the Rays having clinched a playoff berth, St. Petersburg Mayor Rick Baker and Tampa Mayor Pam Iorio "have announced a series of measures in honor of the team's first playoff appearance," according to Cristina Silva of the ST. PETERSBURG TIMES. Baker will "proclaim 2008 the 'Year of the Rays' at a future council meeting and the council will begin every meeting by singing Take Me Out to the Ballgame until baseball season ends." Also, the St. Petersburg Pier will "sport the Rays' colors until the postseason ends," the city will "provide banners and posters that read 'St. Pete Loves the Rays' to fans" and the city will sponsor a ticket contest. Fans can "submit a 100-word statement on why the Rays are your favorite team," and the winner will receive two playoff tickets and a $100 gift certificate to the Rays' gift shop. Meanwhile, Tampa Friday "will celebrate 'Tampa Bay Rays Day,'" and the city will hold a downtown party where a "giant screen will show" the Rays-Tigers game and team mascot Raymond will be in attendance. Tampa also "will dress the municipal building with a banner that says 'Go Rays, Tampa Believes'" (ST. PETERSBURG TIMES, 9/25).

NO LOVE FROM NETS: In L.A., Tom Hoffarth notes Fox since August 2 has "included the Rays only three times in its regional coverage of Saturday afternoon games," and TBS this season "had the Rays on only once." ESPN "didn't have the Rays" on "Sunday Night Baseball," but did "squeeze them in for midweek exposure nine times (six on ESPN, three on ESPN2)." Hoffarth: "The disservice that ESPN, Fox and TBS paid to baseball fans this season, especially those who didn't subscribe to 'MLB Extra Innings,' becomes painfully evident when the playoff[s] start next week" (L.A. DAILY NEWS, 9/26).


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