Fox's Zelasko apologizes for referring to 'Tampa Rays'

Fox baseball pregame host Jeanne Zelasko has a message for Rays fans: She's sorry. After often referring to the team as the "Tampa Rays" this season, Zelasko responded to criticism in several Times columns and e-mails she personally received over the weekend from Rays fans.

On Monday, Zelasko sent the following e-mail to Times staff writer Tom Jones to pass along to the Rays fans:

Congrats on your historic weekend!! Apparently, you haven't just gained entrance to the post season … you've gained a voice. In the spirit of your brilliant manager, Joe Maddon, you're mad, and you're not going to take it anymore. You are the Tampa Bay Rays. Plain and simple. Don't drop the Bay, stupid! And if you're going to mention the ballpark — get the address correct!

While it is the job of the national media to keep current on your team through broadcasts and phone calls … the voice of the fan must never be overlooked! And, now you have that voice. We hear you loud and clear.

Your team earned respect on the field. You the fan have earned my respect by speaking out and making your voice heard!

Comments on this article

by Sunset	Sep 28, 2008 1:36 PM
Tampa Bay Bucs, Tampa Bay Lightning, Tampa Bay Rays......how difficult is this to remember? Maybe after an AL East Championship it won't be as hard. (By the way Zelasko and Fox aren't the only ones to get it wrong...ESPN does it all the time!)

by Edna	Sep 24, 2008 7:50 PM
To "JAE": St. Pete is not merely a suburb or outlying area of Tampa, where they happened to put the Tampa team! No, St. Pete is THE city that moved heaven & earth 2 get the team here in the 1st place. The team belongs 2 us all, but St. Pete is home!!

by Edna	Sep 24, 2008 7:48 PM
Brett said "You never hear any Tampa people complain about sharing." No one is complaining about sharing! That's why they're the Tampa BAY Rays, they belong to us all. But their HOME is St. Pete, they don't play in Tampa, nor are they the Tampa Rays.

by James	Sep 24, 2008 6:35 PM
I live in Pinellas and am not offended by folks saying, "Tampa" without the Rays. But, the team name is "Tampa Bay" Rays, Lightning, Bucs, etc. The professional sports folks should at least KNOW THE correct name and should be called on it.

by Ted	Sep 24, 2008 4:21 PM
But Jason, if she had said "Sorry Tampa", all you insecure St. Pete residents would still be crying she left out "Bay".

by Edna	Sep 24, 2008 3:43 PM
As a Rays fan from pre-Day One & a proud St. Petersburger, I appreciate her apology. While the Rays belong to the entire Tampa Bay area, their home is in St. Petersburg. I'm glad she gets that now. All is forgiven (but don't let it happen again).

by matt	Sep 24, 2008 11:55 AM
is she STILL talking?

by Sliwko	Sep 23, 2008 6:15 PM
Now if we can only get them to call The Bulls USF instead of South Florida.

by Sal	Sep 23, 2008 6:14 PM
St. Pete residents really do have an inferiority complex.

by Not Robert	Sep 23, 2008 5:32 PM
Robert: ESPN did apologize. Months ago, as a matter of fact. Anytime they do it now, they're just being sarcastic.

by Geografer	Sep 23, 2008 5:27 PM
Great - now if we can only get that idiot James Duthie from TSN to quit refering to the Lightning as the Tampa Lightning we will be all set. What part of Tampa Bay is really so hard - does that one extra word really take that much more energy?

by Amanda	Sep 23, 2008 5:25 PM
JAE- Jets and Giants originally played in New York, and the Cowboys originally played in Dallas. They just didn't 'adjust' the names when they moved stadiums. Angels are "of Anaheim". The Rays have never played in Tampa. Try again.

by Brett	Sep 23, 2008 5:18 PM
You St. Pete people are absolutely rediculous. You get all up in arms about this but are more than happy to mooch the Bucs and Lightning off of the Tampa side. You never hear any Tampa people complain about sharing. Get over yourselves.

by bigbbfan	Sep 23, 2008 5:13 PM
At least she apologized and you can't blame it all on her. I've even heard Fred McGriff refer to the team as the "Devil Rays". But at least he caught himself right after he said it.

by john	Sep 23, 2008 1:28 PM
Jeanne Zelasko is one of the worst commentators of any sport. She is only on Fox because of her looks. She is the Tim McCarver of pre-game hosts.

by JD	Sep 23, 2008 1:28 PM
Does she plan to apologize for suggesting the Rays should run around the warning track, spraying the fans with Geritol instead of champagne?

by Ray H	Sep 23, 2008 1:28 PM
The most annoying woman on tv, wish FOX would fire her, or at least put a muzzle on her during broadcasts.

by Robert	Sep 23, 2008 1:28 PM
None of these guys are rocket-scientists but at least Zelasko of Fox apologizes. We're still to hear from ESPN. The only out of town announcers consistently to get it right are the Pirates guys.Time to reconsider the name:GO ST PETE DEVIL RAYS!!!

by jason	Sep 23, 2008 1:28 PM
"SO, SORRY TAMPA BAY AND ST PETERSBURG" Someone still needs to give her a map. Tampa Bay is a body of water. Sorry Tampa would've worked better.

by rich	Sep 23, 2008 1:28 PM
Jeanne Zelasko is a class act. Fox should be proud to have her. I look forward to seeing her every saturday for Fox's pre-game show. After the many tragedy's she has faced in the past year she's entitled to an honest mistake.

by Fred and Wilma	Sep 23, 2008 1:28 PM
She can take that 70s hair and guess what else she can do. Real professional they have over there at Fox...national sports voice too, great production quality to ensure her comments are correct as well. Another airhead the TBRAYS have to overcome!

by JEFF	Sep 23, 2008 12:14 PM
Now if only the "experts" at Baseball Tonight can learn the same thing.

by G-Bo	Sep 23, 2008 12:14 PM
FINALLY! I couldn't sleep at night because of this horrible atrocity. Jeanne Zelasko was literally ruining my life this entire season. Now I can lay my head down on my pillow proudly, knowing Jeanne finally understands how horrible she has been.

by JAE	Sep 23, 2008 12:13 PM
Get over it, St. Pete crybabies. Nobody cares except you. See: New york Giants; New York Jets; LA Angels; Dallas Cowboys, etc., etc.

by Amanda	Sep 23, 2008 12:13 PM
Though I'm a St. Pete resident, the national Tampa/Bay/St. Pete thing never bothered me much. However, very classy move to apologize to those who it did upset. Thanks, Ms. Zelasko!

by joaquin	Sep 23, 2008 12:12 PM
thank you for being honest jeanne. of course, you're forgiven. everything is forgiven and forgotten.

by Mike	Sep 23, 2008 12:11 PM
Pretty thin apology! And a little condescending. Zelasko should do her job and learn the names of all the teams. Not just when you win. Reminds me of Chris Collingsworth in 03, bad mouthing the Bucs until we made it to the Superbowl then apologizing

by Mike	Sep 23, 2008 12:10 PM
Solid, Jeanne. Apology accepted!

by Patrick	Sep 23, 2008 12:09 PM
It's refreshing to actually see a member of the media with journalistic integrity. Jeanne has always been one of my favorites, and she's showing that she is worthy of her lofty position at Fox.

by Jimbo	Sep 23, 2008 12:09 PM
It's nice to see the national media is finally getting it. We have "TB" on our hats for a reason, and there's no "B" in "Tampa". They represent the whole area, and now Fox finally gets it. Here comes October...GO RAYS!!!

by J	Sep 23, 2008 12:09 PM
Nice!

by Hawkeye	Sep 23, 2008 11:59 AM
Wondered how long it'd take her to get it right.

by Tim	Sep 23, 2008 11:58 AM
Not only is she HOT she is humble !!