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Rays' TV schedule to focus on AL East, playoff teams

The team will air seven more home games and every game against the Yankees and Red Sox.

Rays’ 2001 TV schedule

© St. Petersburg Times, published February 1, 2001

ST. PETERSBURG -- Two seasons ago, the Devil Rays went for maximum exposure. Last year, they tried the less-is-more approach. The schedule of televised games for this season appears to split the difference.

Having sharply reduced the number of home games on TV last season in the unfulfilled hope of stimulating attendance, the Rays this year increased that total from 56 to 63, including the April 3 season opener against Toronto. Last year, the Rays did not televise their home opener.

"We've balanced it somewhat," Rays vice president Rick Vaughn said.

"What makes it the most attractive TV schedule we've had is the overall unbalanced schedule (which has teams playing more games against division opponents). And I think one of every three games is against a team that was in the post-season last year."

The Rays will show 129 games, and Fox will pick up another as part of the national broadcast package. The focus appears to be on the most popular opponents: All 19 games against the world champion Yankees will be shown, as will 16 against Boston. The Rays will show five of their six home games against Texas and complete three-game home series with the Indians and Mets.

"We put more of an emphasis on the TV schedule and less on the impact at the gate," Vaughn said. "We've spent a lot of time this winter concentrating on making the experience at the park an unforgettable one and less time on who we're playing."

The package again will be split among three affiliates, with 64 games on Fox Sports Net Florida, 53 on WMOR-Ch. 32 and 12 Sunday afternoon games on WTSP-Ch. 10.

Dewayne Staats and Joe Magrane are back behind the microphones, with Todd Kalas hosting a pregame show for the cable road dates.

Fox Sports Net will show spring training games March 3 and 24, a one-hour preseason special Feb. 11 from the fanfest and a weekly Sunday morning magazine show hosted by Dave Wirth.

In other Rays news:

The new uniforms will be unveiled at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday at the new BayWalk entertainment center at the corner of Second Avenue N and First Street in St. Petersburg. The uniforms are expected to drop the word "Devil" and feature green trim.

Right-hander Rusty Meacham signed a minor-league contract that includes an invitation to spring training. Meacham, 33, has pitched in 194 big-league games. He spent most of last season with Triple-A New Orleans before joining Houston in August, his first major-league appearance since '96.

The winter caravan starts Saturday, with stops at the RBI Youth Baseball Clinic at Florida Power Park from 9-11 a.m.; the Tropicana Field tag day event from noon-1:30; the Ridgecrest Elementary School drug march from 3-4 p.m., 1901 119th St. N, Largo; and an autograph signing at WestShore Plaza from 5-6:30. Scheduled players include Doug Creek, Mike DiFelice, Toby Hall, Aubrey Huff and Matt White.

Manager Larry Rothschild will speak at the St. Petersburg Chamber of Commerce breakfast from 7:30-9 a.m. Tuesday at the St. Petersburg Yacht Club. After the uniform unveiling, players including Creek, Bryan Rekar, Tanyon Sturtze and Esteban Yan will be at the team dugout stores at WestShore Plaza and Brandon TownCenter from 7:30-9 p.m.

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