The Devil Rays "face their biggest test" this weekend
when they host the Orioles for a three-game series -- not on
the field but "in the stands," according to Peter Schmuck of
the Baltimore SUN. The Orioles mark the first series of the
year against an AL East rival for the Devil Rays, who rank
11th in MLB attendance at 31,605 a game. Devil Rays Managing
General Partner Vince Naimoli said attendance has "been a
little bit disappointing. I don't know if it's because the
kids aren't out of school or what, but we hope that now that
we're going to play some of our divisional rivals, it will
start to pick up." Schmuck writes that the team's obstacles
start "with Tropicana Field." Devil Rays VP/PR Rick Vaughn:
"There was a negative connotation to the building. That's
something we have to get past" (Baltimore SUN, 5/8). Naimoli
said he would give the team a "B" in ticket sales, but added,
"We're taking a much more active stance to marketing ourself.
Some of our broadcasters were telling listeners it might be a
nice idea to take Mom out to see the Orioles and have a nice
buffet for Mother's Day" (Kevin Wells, TAMPA TRIBUNE, 5/8).
