Tampa Bay Rays unfriendly to fans by keeping gates closed until minutes before game time

The next time Tampa Bay Rays' ownership cries about the lack of attendance at home games, here are some things for them to think about.

I went to the Rays' home opener (it will be their only sell-out this year) and I arrived at 3 p.m. for a game that started at 4 p.m. Everyone was headed into a huge pile, but the doors weren't open to allow people in. As the group of thousands waited outside, several people complained about not being allowed in.

When the door finally opened shortly before game time, actually getting in took a long time, of course. By the time we finally got in and got to our seats, all the pre-game activities were over and the national anthems had played.

Bear in mind that I had arrived an hour before game time so I could visit the concession stands, gift shops, and restroom and still have time to settle in my seat before game time.

I have gone to Major League games in dozens of cities and have never had to wait an hour to get into the park. In Detroit, where the average attendance is larger than what the Rays drew for opening day, my wait is usually five to 10 minutes.

As a person who has run several businesses in his lifetime, it made no sense to me not to allow people in to spend money as early as possible. The fans next to me didn't get to their seats until the third inning as they stopped for food, gifts, restrooms, etc.

If the Rays want to increase their attendance, they have to run their business the same as other teams. I love the Rays and would like to see them succeed in this area, but building a new stadium for billions of dollars won't help them if they can't handle the crowds when they do come.

Ronald R. Gibson

Bradenton

This story was originally published April 8, 2016 at 12:00 AM with the headline "Tampa Bay Rays unfriendly to fans by keeping gates closed until minutes before game time ."