For die-hard fans, it’s just another night at the ballpark. For a college student on a budget looking for somewhere to go with friends, it’s an option for a night out. Tropicana Field, home of the Tampa Bay Rays, is within walking distance of USF St. Petersburg, located at 1 Tropicana Drive in St. Petersburg. And dorm residents can look out their windows to check on the score—the roof turns orange for a victory—when they aren’t able to make it out for a game.
Students can go to games economically, with tickets against most teams starting at $7. Tickets for game against more in-demand opponents—such as the Yankees or Red Sox—can cost around $19. The electric atmosphere more than justifies the price.
Students can also access Tropicana Field by a free trolley or by car. Carpool if you drive, because cars with four or more passengers get discounted parking.
“Tons of students are always going to Rays games, it’s a good thing to grab a group and do,” says sophomore Shiloh Hiemann. And if you’re new to the Tampa Bay area, a little history lesson is in order.
For longtime St. Petersburg residents, and fans of the Rays since the team’s inception, success has required patience. The Rays spent a decade as baseball’s cellar dweller until 2008, when a new owner, a team of slick young executives—whose only baseball experience had been watching from the stands—and advanced statistical analysis, the Rays went from worst to first, storming through the playoffs to the World Series.
This year, the Rays fell behind the Yankees and Red Sox early, and many fans gave up. The offense was lackluster, with star Evan Longoria struggling, and replacements for Carl Crawford and other departed stars proving inadequate. The usually excellent pitching staff was overworked and underperforming.
One of the few bright spots was first baseman Casey Kotchman, who has exceeded expectations to compete for the league lead in batting average. By July, they were already more than 10 games out of first place. Seemingly out of playoff contention, the team called up several rookies from the minor leagues, as an audition to see if they are ready for the major leagues.
With a roster full of rookies, expectations were low. Recently, however, the pitching staff, led by a resurgent James Shields and Jeff Niemann—who silenced critics by returning from injury as the best pitcher in baseball over the last two months—has dominated. Slugger Evan Longoria found his mojo, and remarkable offensive contributions from rookie Desmond Jennings and other young players made this team believe.
“The Rays have been doing pretty well lately, but it’s a bit late for them to get back into the race,” said senior journalism major and Rays fan Jordan Gault.
The Rays are a “record 12 games over .500,” said Richard Grauman, senior political science Major, “and will make a fight out of it in September.”
