Thanks to pandemic-restricted 2021, the team’s attendance this season was not its lowest
TAMPA, Fla. – The asterisk at the end of the title is required because, of course, the devastation left behind by Hurricane Milton last October resulted in the Rays relocating from Tropicana Field to Steinbrenner Field.
The 22-mile move from downtown St. Petersburg across Tampa Bay to the southwest corner of North Dale Mabry and MLK was a wonderful thing in that it kept the team within the market instead of playing Lord knows where.
“There were a lot of unknowns and there were a lot of rumors about going other places,” said pitcher Ryan Pepiot, prior to the Rays’ final home game last Sunday. “But to (remain in the region), I couldn’t have been happier.”
Steinbrenner Field, being a spring training venue and home to the Class-A Tampa Tarpons, who played their games this season at a field abutting the first-base side of the stadium, had a capacity less than half that of the Trop.
Here is a look at some of the attendance numbers from a 2025 season that will not soon be forgotten, and one in which the Rays’ organization moved not only tons of equipment and installations, but mountains to make it happen.
10,046 – Capacity at Steinbrenner Field for the Rays’ season, including standing room. (It was 11,026 for the Yankees’ spring training. The reduction was to alleviate potential overcrowding in certain areas.)
786,750 – Total attendance at Steinbrenner Field.
9,713 – Average attendance.
9,513 – Average attendance in 2021, the team’s all-time low thanks to restricted seating during the first half of the home schedule due to the lingering pandemic. Full capacity was permitted in early July. (Fans were not admitted during the pandemic-shortened 2020 season.)
7,883 – Lowest attendance figure at Steinbrenner Field, which was against Seattle on September 2, a Tuesday evening following the Labor Day weekend.
61 – Number of sellouts in 81 home dates at Steinbrenner Field.
56 – Number of regular season sellouts in 27 seasons at Tropicana Field where capacity was reduced from 31,042 to 25,025 beginning in 2019. It was the most recent of multiple reductions since the team’s inaugural season of 1998.
2010 – The last time the Rays average attendance was at least 20,000. They averaged 23,025 that season, third-highest in team history.
0 – Rainouts at Steinbrenner Field
12 – Rain delays at Steinbrenner Field. The delays ranged from 10 minutes to 4 hours and 25 minutes.
READ: New Ownership Group Takes Reins As Rays Future Focus Is On Securing A New Home
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