Baseball in Florida Should Be for Spring Training Only
Written by: O
Before 1993, baseball in Florida only meant one thing, it was spring training and the baseball season was on the way. All over Florida, major league teams would come and get ready for the regular season by training in Florida. Teams even became known from what place they trained. Legions of fans would take off down to Florida and watch their teams get ready for the season and hope filled the air. Baseball in Florida meant optimism and how the new season brought a fresh start to everyone in the league.
In 1993, baseball expanded into Florida, bringing the Florida Marlins to the Miami area. After four seasons, they incredibly built a team that had won the World Series. After they won the World Series, they went on a “fire sale” because owner Wayne Huizenga claimed massive losses financially, so they traded off of the most of the team’s best players. The next five seasons, the Marlins had a losing record, but in 2003, the Marlins did it again and won the World Series, becoming the only National League team that has won multiple World Series titles since the Marlins came into existence.
In 1998, baseball expanded into Florida again, this time going to the Tampa/St. Petersburg area, with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays (now just called Rays). This organization has not been nearly as fortunate as the Marlins as they have been in last place every season they have been in existence, for the exception of 2004, where they were next to last. This current season has been their most successful ever as they are currently 44-30, a half game behind the Boston Red Sox for 1st place in the American East, known as the most difficult division in baseball since the Red Sox and the New Yankees play there. This is an organization whose best season has been 70-91 before this season.
The problem with baseball in Florida is that they have been so poorly supported. The Marlins had over three million fans come out to see them in their first season, but despite winning two World Series they have only gotten two million fans one time since. The consistent obstacle for the Marlins have been trying to get a stadium built and since they have been unsuccessful, the Marlins have been looking to relocate for years now. The Rays have the same issues. Tropicana Field is known as one of the worst places to see a baseball game and when you add the fact that the team has been poor since they started as a franchise, there is no wonder why fan support has been poor for the Rays as well.
The problem is that Florida is a baseball state. For years, spring training baseball has brought legions of fans from the north to Florida to watch some baseball. In fact, St. Petersburg is hosts spring training for 9 major league teams, including the Chicago Cubs who have had spring training there since 1913 and has had more spring training games than any other city in the United States. Yet, the major league teams in Florida are unable to get support for their teams and are always complaining about the facilities. The problem is not the fans, but major league baseball. They need to leave Florida to host spring training and go elsewhere to host major league teams.
Tags: Sports
