Atlanta's Turner Field tops Trop for fan fun

By DARRELL FRY

© St. Petersburg Times, published July 28, 2000

I'm at a Braves game last weekend in Atlanta at the Ted, the ballpark so comfy and cozy, you call it by its first name.

Though it has just rained, the place is hopping. People are everywhere, dining at indoor and outdoor restaurants with yellow umbrella tables, dancing to energetic music and just soaking in the atmosphere that is so thick you can spread it with a knife. And this is before we get through the turnstiles.

Inside, there is no shortage of things to do before the game. There's a row of baseball-themed virtual games, a team museum and a video wall where you can watch every major-league game in progress. There's a kids area in leftfield and arguably the greatest collection of statues and monuments of great players south of Cooperstown.

Hmm, so this is what it's like to go to a real major-league baseball game, eh?

Basically, the Ted has all the things that are in short supply at Tropicana Field. When I was there, it was like drinking Boone's Farm for years and then getting served Dom Perignon.

Have you been to the Trop lately? Except for maybe on weekends, the place is practically dead. In a recent Atlanta Journal-Constitution poll in which readers named the worst major-league ballpark to see a game, Houston's new Enron Field and the Trop were the overwhelming choices.

Go to an Orlando Magic game and a local radio station will be broadcasting live outside and fans will be playing an assortment of basketball-related games. At Bucs games, bands usually are playing outside the stadium and vendors are handing out free stuff.

Do you know what goes on outside the Trop before most Rays game?

Nothing.

The last time I went to the Trop, it was so lifeless outside that I didn't know if we were going to a Rays game or a funeral. (Actually, it turned out to be both.)

In all fairness, the Ted has two things the Trop doesn't: a winning tenant and state-of-the-art amenities. I mean, didn't Disneyland seem ordinary once Disney World opened? Unquestionably, if the Rays played in a new, fancy ballpark, their games would probably seem more fun, too. New always feels better than used.

But in lieu of digging in our pockets for more tax money to build a new zillion-dollar ballpark with a hot tub and minibar at every seat, the Rays could make the Trop more vibrant. It has fun stuff to do, but the place needs more, especially outside.

Get local bands to play at every main entrance, like at Bucs games. Set up interactive games in the main parking lot. (It's not like the lot is packed with cars or anything). Start some kind of lottery or contest -- perhaps with a Survivor theme -- that takes place before every game and give the winners tickets. Invest in a couple of outdoor big-screen TVs and constantly show a high-energy video touting the team's yet-to-be-realized Hit Show.

The point is, create excitement. Make going to the Trop an experience. Make it memorable -- even if we can pretty much predict how the night will end.

"We are trying," said Chris Dean, the Rays' promotions and special events manager.

The Rays don't do so badly on certain days, like Fridays and Sundays, when live music might be outside or a radio station might be broadcasting on-site. And they do okay hyping special nights like their Aug. 12 game, when they'll pay tribute to the history of the American League with vintage cars and players from past eras.

But there are far too many other days when going to the Trop is about as titillating as going to buy a loaf of bread. And let's face it, when your team is one of the worst in the majors, you have to do a little more than usual to get fans to the ballpark.

Luring them with a new ballpark probably isn't an option. We've got another 25 years of payments on the dome. So, basically, we're stuck with the Trop.

"You learn, and you get better," Dean said. "So, we'll get better."

They probably will. In fact, I'm planning to go to the Rays' next game. Yep, the next one in Atlanta.

© St. Petersburg Times. All rights reserved.

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