Step into the Rays Republic for a chance to see one of the newest teams in Major League Baseball make their mark on the sport. Delivering pro baseball to St. Petersburg, Florida, and sunshine to Tampa Bay sports fans, the Rays have made themselves a force to be reckoned within the American League. Tickets to a Rays game give you a place in the action and a chance to see the team’s next great play.
A favorite host for spring training, Tampa Bay had been trying to score its own Major League team for more than 30 years until 1998, when the area joined Arizona as host to one of the 2 newest teams in the sport. Following up on a long tradition of Minor League teams, the Devil Rays got up to a respectable start with a first season that saw Wade Boggs score his 3,000th hit, but the team went on to lose 99 games and kick off a decade of disappointment.
The Rays shortened their name for 2008 and coincidentally started winning, with a run that took them all the way to the World Series. Since then, the team has been a regular threat in the MLB Playoffs, adding names like Evan Longoria, Sean Rodriguez, and David Price to the ranks of Tampa Bay greats.
As they set off on their next quest to be one of the 8 teams in the postseason, Tampa Bay delivers some phenomenal baseball in every inning. Whether the team is facing the Miami Marlins in the Citrus Series or facing off against the Boston Red Sox or New York Yankees on the way to claim their next league pennant, you can pick up Rays tickets to see Florida baseball at its best. One of the best things to do in the Tampa Bay area is waiting under the dome at Tropicana Field, so get your cowbell, dance to DJ Kitty, and enjoy the show.
They do. The Rays actually have a few mascots. Raymond, a blur furry creature made his debut in 1998 with the team. There is also DJ Kitty who was modeled after the popular internet video of a cat playing a DJ system and dancing along. Lastly, there's stinger; a cow- nosed stingray who greets fans in centerfield.
Founded in 1998, the Tampa Bay Rays joined Major League Baseball as an expansion team.
Tampa Bay has played their home games at Tropicana Field since the teams creation in 1998. It is the only indoor MLB stadium with a non-retractable roof.
During his 10-year career with the Rays, Evan Longoria hit 261 home runs, becoming the all-time franchise leader in home runs hit.
