This isn't hard to figure out. I'm a lifelong Reds fan. If I move to Miami I'm going to be a Reds fan. I'm not going to watch the Marlins play anybody but the Reds. How many Florida residents grew up cheering for the Marlins or Rays? How many of them have grown up and already had favorite teams before Florida got baseball or before they moved to Miami? How many residents of Miami are originally from other countries and could care less about MLB?

The vast majority of Miami's alien/naturalized population hails from baseball crazy countries like Cuba and the Dominican Republic. However, I think you have hit the nail on the head. Most of Florida's population is from somewhere else. Their loyalties still lay with where they came from. It may take a generation to change that.

For myself, I try to make it to at least 1 Rays game a week, but that's got to be a weekend game. I can't get off at 6, get home, round up the crowd, and make 7:05 starts during the week. The Trop is a good 45 minute drive from my house with no traffic. I've made it to 4 games this year. That's basically all I have had time for. With college football started I don't see me making another regular season game. They've got the Twins here on the 20th and 21st, but I'll be down in Miami for the USF/FIU game that weekend.

 

I have a business of my own, a regular job, a home, volunteer work, and a family to attend to. The most games I have ever attended in a year, where ever I lived, was 12. How do people find time to attend 20 or 30 games a year, much less 81?

 

How many Reds games have you guys been to this year?

The vast majority of Miami's alien/naturalized population hails from baseball crazy countries like Cuba and the Dominican Republic. However, I think you have hit the nail on the head. Most of Florida's population is from somewhere else. Their loyalties still lay with where they came from. It may take a generation to change that.

 

The Dominican's don't fall in love w/ a team b/c they grew up w/ them though. They will root for the Dominican's no matter the jersey they wear. I'm not sure the geneartion change will help. For the most part you're going to be influenced by someone to become a fan of a MLB team. There aren't enough Marlins or Rays fans to influence their kids. A lot of kids these days will go w/ the Red Sox (or whoever else is good and flashy) if they don't have someone steering them to the local teams. Plus, every year people are moving to Florida who already have a team and they're not changing their hearts b/c they're 30 minutes from the Rays.

I think they should've done something really special for all 600 fans. Perhaps give them some autographed memorabilia or a tour of the clubhouse.

 

Maybe if they come to 5 games in a row, they get to pinch hit.

Why not offer some drink specials? I will go to any sporting event that has booze! :thumb:

 

That was a major complaint of mine - it was $6-8 for a plastic bottled-beer.

I believe that Jim Rome said that he had better attendance at whiffleball games in his back yard...

Link

 

“I was way off,” Marlins reliever Joe Nelson joked. “I had predicted 418.”

 

This is crazy. When are they going to get rid of baseball in Miami?

If they get a new stadium it should help a lot (with a retractable roof). And I think Swamprat is right on, it may take a generation for other loyalties to go away.

The Dominican's don't fall in love w/ a team b/c they grew up w/ them though. They will root for the Dominican's no matter the jersey they wear. I'm not sure the geneartion change will help. For the most part you're going to be influenced by someone to become a fan of a MLB team. There aren't enough Marlins or Rays fans to influence their kids. A lot of kids these days will go w/ the Red Sox (or whoever else is good and flashy) if they don't have someone steering them to the local teams. Plus, every year people are moving to Florida who already have a team and they're not changing their hearts b/c they're 30 minutes from the Rays.

I see otherwise, though it may be because I want to. I have a niece in junior high in downtown Tampa and a nephew at Country Side High in Clearwater. When I go to pick them up or attend functions at those schools, I see Rays gear on the kids. That's different than it was a few years ago. You'd see mosty Yankee, Braves, and Red Sox. They're coming around, but it's slow going.

If they get a new stadium it should help a lot (with a retractable roof). And I think Swamprat is right on, it may take a generation for other loyalties to go away.

 

No it won't..Just like with the Nationals, they'll have a sell out crowd for the first week then no more fans. Best thing for the Marlins, and I'm sure they realized this after the 600 fans, is to get out of Florida.

 

 

I've seen more fans at a minor league team that was horrible.

I see otherwise, though it may be because I want to. I have a niece in junior high in downtown Tampa and a nephew at Country Side High in Clearwater. When I go to pick them up or attend functions at those schools, I see Rays gear on the kids. That's different than it was a few years ago. You'd see mosty Yankee, Braves, and Red Sox. They're coming around, but it's slow going.

 

It may in Tampa and I hope it does, but how many people are in a spot just like you? I hear on the radio that weeknight games are hard for people to get there b/c most fans don't live close enough. Right now it's going good b/c they're good and they are young. But if they have one or two good years right now it won't build enough fans if they go back dowm for 10 years. For people around here we already have terrible attendance when we struggle and the Reds have a great history. The difference is I was raised by family that had the Big Red machine and I grew up as a kid going to opening day and cheering for the Reds. I was a kid in 90 and was hooked. Those kids haven't had their parents teaching them anout Rose, Bench, Morgan, and the gold old days. A World Series win might help, but it didn't in Miami. My little brother doesn't have the same love for the Reds as me. He's 17 and hasn't had anything to get excited about except once when they almost made the playoffs.

The last time I seen a game on tv there seemed like a total of 20 people there. I dont understand it either because they have a good offense and usually people go to baseball games for offensive production. They also have one of the best players in the MLB in Hanley Ramirez. I wonder what they charge to get in the games?