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Rays
New Rays executive focuses on stadium
He says he wants to bring a "baseball carnival feel" to Tropicana Field.
By LOUIS HAU
Published January 13, 2006
To get a sense of how much the Tampa Bay Devil Rays want to improve the fan experience at Tropicana Field, check out the team's latest executive hire.
Darcy Raymond was named Thursday as the Rays' new vice president of branding and "fan experience."
The appointment of Raymond, previously brand manager of corporate marketing programs at Procter & Gamble, will beef up the team's efforts to enhance the ambience of the oft-maligned Tropicana Field.
The hire continues the influx of youth in the Rays' front office under new principal owner Stuart Sternberg. At 31, Raymond is the fourth new Rays executive who doesn't have first-hand memories of the Ford administration, joining president Matt Silverman, executive vice president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman and chief of staff Brian Auld, all of whom are younger than Raymond.
The team also said Thursday it hired Tom Hoof as senior director of marketing. Hoof, 43, spent more than a decade with the Walt Disney Co. in Orlando, most recently as a Disney World marketing director. He had previously served as brand manager for Disney's Wide World of Sports complex.
Raymond said he plans "to get deeply into the heads of our core fan segments." He noted that the Rays' fan base is composed of diverse elements, including hard-core devotees, retirees, large numbers of Hispanic and African-American fans, soccer moms and others.
"It's not a homogeneous market like Houston or Pittsburgh," he said.
Raymond also said he plans to introduce more fan entertainment during Rays games aimed at helping fans get better acquainted with the team's players.
He said he wants to create "a very unique kind of mini-Cooperstown baseball carnival feel" at the Trop.
He also plans a "full makeover" of customer service at the Trop, revamping who the team hires and how it trains its stadium personnel.
"All in all, get ready to be surprised," Raymond said. "Get ready to be deeply engaged in an outstanding baseball experience."
Louis Hau can be reached at 813 226-3404 or hau@sptimes.com
[Last modified January 13, 2006, 01:45:18]
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