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Brian Fletcher, St. Petersburg, FL -- Oct 14, 2008 18:21 PM
10 visit(s). My rating: 7
I have been going to the Trop regularly since the Rays' inaugural season in 1998, and each year have grown to love it more. At first look, it may feel cold and uninviting, but it has its quirks that make it special. The improvements that have been made since Sternberg took over (multiple new video screens, more lively looking decorations, better advertisements than a flat billboard) have made the place look less like a warehouse and more like a baseball park. It is far from a place that will go down as the best in the Major Leagues, but when the Rays do get a new stadium, I probably will not be the only one who will miss it.
John J, Vinton, IA -- Sep 08, 2009 14:31 PM
2 visit(s). My rating: 4
The good news about this stadium is that good seats are pretty easy to get. The bad news is that there's a reason for that. The turf is off-colored, seats are fairly tight and a lot of the fans cheer for the other team. Tampa-St. Pete is not even remotely a good baseball town unless you cheer for the Yankees or Red Sox.
Alex J, Winter Park, FL -- Oct 29, 2009 13:27 PM
2 visit(s). My rating: 8
Personally, I LOVE 'The Trop'. There is something to be said for being able to watch a ball game in nice, air conditioned 74 degrees vs. what is outside for most of the Florida summer. Granted, a LOT of years went by for me between 'live' visits to a major league park (1960's Yankee Stadium, 60-70's Shea Stadium, 2008-2009 for the Trop) - but there were sure vast differences. Cleaner. Better decorated. A lot closer to the field, even in the upper deck. Good food besides hot dogs. Seats were comfortable, and sure nice to have a drink holder in front of you to hold the cup. If it wasn't a 2 1/2 hour drive I'm sure I would go more than once or twice a year.
William Kirk, Marietta, GA -- Jul 15, 2013 16:22 PM
1 visit(s). My rating: 6
As bad as a reputation as this park has, my expectations were low. When we pulled within view, it was shockingly small on the outside; it didn't seem like it would fit more than a basketball court. But once inside, it was surprisingly roomy and had a very baseball-oriented atmosphere. There were plenty of Rays fans (which was another surprise against a team like the Astros), there was the buzz of baseball in the (very few) concourses, and the coolest thing was that the thunderstorm brewing outside had no effect on the game. Given, it was still a dumpy place compared to other cathedrals in the game. For example, the AstroTurf field AND warning track were very ugly and off-putting. Also, there were no vast concourses that I have seen at many other parks that provide a place for fans to interact and enjoy park amenities. All that said, it was worth the trip. There's a BBQ restaurant in dead center, a tank to pet rays, and I got to see Evan Longoria and Fernando Rodney, which was pretty awesome.
COLBY M, Hazewlood, MO -- Jul 14, 2016 17:45 PM
1 visit(s). My rating: 5
Visited May 22, 2007 on a business trip. The Rays played the Mariners. The exterior is beautifully "Florida", with palm trees and water and a distinctly attractive layout. The interior was...interesting. The atmosphere did not feel like any major, professional sports event I had ever attended. It was closer to the minor league hockey team I used to work for. The outfield to looked like an outdoor stadium they simply covered over, with a jumbled mess of decorations that looked out of place. The main grandstands seemed extremely tall and steep, but tapered away. (almost like Kauffman Stadium in KC, which I have only seen driving by) The ray tank was a fantastic feature. The fans were few and far between (maybe 1500). That said, MORE COWBELL and lots of passion helped make them seems more numerous. The chili cheese dog was ridiculously good!
Brendan R, Portage, MI -- Jul 30, 2017 13:17 PM
1 visit(s). My rating: 5
I saw the New York Yankees play here not too long ago. It was an interesting experience, to say the least. I sat right behind home plate in the upper deck. I didn't mind being inside as much as the overall blandness of the stadium. Fans were few and far between, but the atmosphere was enhanced by the occasional mass cowbell-ringing. Unfortunately, there seemed to be more fans cheering for the Yankees than the Rays. At least the Rays tried to keep things interesting.