Tampa Bay Rays Owner Stuart Sternberg Disappointed by Financials

Yesterday the Tampa Bay Rays season came to an end after a big playoff push.  The problem is that people aren't coming to games and that is starting to cause problems for Rays owner Stuart Sternberg.

Despite the Tampa Bay Rays making the playoffs 3 of the last 4 years and a World Series appearance, they are still hurting financially.  Attendance is continually down, and that showed last night in their 4-3 loss to Texas, as they exited the Playoffs.

When I came in here in '05 and '06, I saw the stars, and I was confident that we could put a winning product on the field, and I was told by you guys and others that all we needed was a winning team. Well, we won. We won. We won. And we won. And it didn't do it.

-Stuart Sternberg

The Rays made the playoffs this year after having to cut their team payroll by $30 million dollars and losing some of their big name players in the off-season.  The Oakland A's are the only team that drew fewer fans than the Rays this season.  Rays third baseman Evan Longoria pleaded with the fans last season to come and support the team, and says he is still confused as to why only 15,000 to 20,000 people are coming to watch them after playing 3 years of great baseball.