Testing Grounds The latest industry being outsourced to India is clinical drug trials. And any number of tragic things can happen on the way to your medicine cabinet.
Friday Night Rewind It doesn't matter which team you cheer for. We've got video previews of every high school football program in Hillsborough, Pinellas, Pasco and Hernando County.
The win-loss column isn't the only place where the Tampa Bay Rays are doing well. As the Rays hover around first place, they're also succeeding nicely in sporting goods stores, online and on television.
With slightly more than a quarter of the 2008 Major League Baseball season in the books, sales of Rays merchandise have risen faster than all but one other big league club — the National League champion Colorado Rockies. The Rays have shown a 70 percent increase in sales over last year, but the team still ranks second to last in total market share, ahead of only the Toronto Blue Jays, according to SportScan INFO, which tracks retail sporting goods sales.
Four teams — the New York Yankees, Detroit Tigers, Chicago Cubs and Boston Red Sox — account for half of the market share. Ten teams have less than a 1 percent share, including the Rays, who sit at No. 29 out of 30 with a 0.51 percent share.
"They are showing some nice increases," said Matt Powell, a SportScan analyst. "But I seriously doubt they can jump all the way from half of 1 percent of the market to 5 or 10 percent. I'd be astonished if they moved into the top 10.
"It's a great team to watch. But the market is too small."
Still, Rays merchandise is selling far better. Team chief sales officer Mark Fernandez believes that if only retail numbers are used (and stadium sales were excluded), sales of Rays merchandise could fall into the upper third. "That's the message I'm getting from our retailers," Fernandez said.
Fernandez credits a change in the team's name, its uniform design and its performance. And the success has rubbed off. Visits to the team's Web site were up nearly 8 percent in past six weeks, Fernandez said. TV viewership is up about 15 percent.
"Last Saturday, we had 63,000 households in the Tampa Bay area watching the Rays-Cardinals game from St. Louis. And it was a beautiful Saturday afternoon here. That tells me (watching the Rays) has become appointment viewing for a lot of people."
Tom Zucco can be reached at zucco@sptimes.com or (727) 893-8247.
[Last modified: May 23, 2008 10:43 AM]
Comments on this article
by Tony
May 23, 2008 10:43 AM
If the Rays win the the World Series than the old uni's will become collectors items. Stop whining about the stadium issue. If it's built it's built. If not, than oh well. The city needs the team more than team needs the city
by Paul
May 23, 2008 9:18 AM
If the Rays want a new stadium, an easy way to pay for it would be to put a surcharge on the tix sold to Yankee and Red Sox fans! You wanna cheer for your team? Go to home games!
by Elaine
May 22, 2008 1:39 PM
I loved the uniforms of 2001. The devil was not on the front but the ray was. They stood out,no other team had that design and the color green. You knew who they where. I did get a new jeresy to wear but miss my green and the ray being the focus.
by Bill
May 22, 2008 11:23 AM
I love the new Rays gear. Glad folks are supporting them. We need to build the stadium to keep the Rays in St. Pete. It will be a win-win for the Rays and the community. GO RAYS!
by CB
May 21, 2008 4:29 PM
I will not buy any new stuff because I am still upset they became the "Rays". They are the Devil Rays...and I proudly wear my DEVIL RAYS garb to games.
A Devil Ray is a fish...don't see why everyone got their knickers in a twist about it!
by Brad
May 21, 2008 3:50 PM
John - what is in that space right now? A stadium serving no purpose. You want to talk waste of space - talk the Trop which isn't on the tax rolls. Build the new stadium and start bringing in taxes from the Trop site.
by T
May 21, 2008 2:56 PM
Yes, KC, Rays Green=Bucs orange.
by Con
May 21, 2008 2:52 PM
We will watch the Rays when they play their home game against the Yankees in Raleigh. OK with me. Let them move to Raleigh or elsewhere. The buck stops in my pocket. Zucco should know better he spews off about home owners insurance and no results.
by Con
May 21, 2008 2:50 PM
Wonder what Sternbergs background is? Did this guy ever graduate from college, then he should ask his alma mater to come up with the funds for the new stadium. If he can raise funds for Hedge Funds, what is his problem about funds for the RAYS. RISK?
by Truth
May 21, 2008 2:50 PM
I'll support the Rays in their next city.
by leave it alone
May 21, 2008 2:46 PM
so... an article comes out about merchandise and all people want to do is talk trash about the stadium. I believe you people belong on the Ballpark Frankness Blog with the rest of the killjoys.
by Typical Old-Timer
May 21, 2008 1:40 PM
I know this article had nothing to do with the proposed stadium project. But I have nothing better to do with my time, so I will use an article about sports merchandising to spout off about the stadium proposal!!!
by John
May 21, 2008 1:00 PM
That's nice...they still don't need a half a billion dollar waste of space near the water.
by sevenyearhawk
May 21, 2008 12:58 PM
I know the day that the Rays beat the Yankee$ and took first place ... I went to a sports store here in KC and bought a new style hat!
So here's a question for everyone:
Does Rays' green equal Bucs' orange?
by Ken
May 21, 2008 12:58 PM
Has there EVER been an economic study that said the proposed project would not make everybody rich? No matter how they clean up the looks of this pig, it still is a pig meant to get public money for the already rich owners.
by Tunnard
May 21, 2008 12:30 PM
Smoke and mirrors, voodoo economics, we don't need that worthless team or ownership to pillage taxpayer money from this area. We don't need a new stadium. I will vote NO come Nov. There are better uses for our money. [Submit Rant]
by Tony
May 21, 2008 12:30 PM
The bandwagoners are coming out. Lets see what happens if lose a few games.
by Pete
May 21, 2008 12:29 PM
I am definitely buying more Rays gear than I had in the past. I also plan on buying some more Rays shirts when I make my next trip to the mall.
by Ray F
May 21, 2008 11:15 AM
Wow... a pro Rays article for once. Glad to see people finally coming around. Hopefully see all of them at this weekend's series. It'll be a big one against the Orioles. I'll be there.
by Mike
May 21, 2008 11:15 AM
You can't help but get excited in the Ray's team performance. They are an underdog and the public loves supporting underdogs. The fan interest will increase even more as time goes on. The Rays are real!!!
by Lisa
May 21, 2008 11:08 AM
The Rays are an exciting team. SUPPORT your local team Tampa Bay.
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