Hottest Ticket in MLB: Maybe Tampa Bay?

After spending essentially all of its 28-year existence as a weak attendance draw, the Rays have become a hot ticket in the Tampa area. 

The club drew an announced crowd of 40,542 to Tropicana Field on Saturday for Game 1 of the AL Division Series against the Yankees, the Rays’ largest home attendance since 2010. A similar crowd is anticipated Monday night for Game 2 of the series against New York, as the Rays are again opening the ballpark’s upper deck.

Beyond mere numbers, there was palpable energy in the crowd, as the Rays’ rise to become the AL’s top postseason seed has taken firmer root with local fans.

“That’s the best crowd noise I’ve ever witnessed in any ballpark,” said Rays manager Kevin Cash, in the job since 2015. “The atmosphere that was created, the hype before the game…[I] can’t wait to see them back out there on Monday.”

It’s a long way away from the Rays’ normal circumstances. Even after a return this season to Tropicana Field after a year away due to hurricane damage, in turn boosting MLB’s overall attendance figures, the Rays’ average home draw of 17,469 this season was still the third lowest in the league. Because of that, the upper deck at the stadium normally stays closed during the regular season.

Throughout the club’s history, the Rays have also typically finished in the bottom five in attendance among MLB clubs, and have never been among the top half of the league. Despite often-competitive rosters, the St. Petersburg, Florida, location of Tropicana Field and the relative lack of amenities there helped deter fans. As recently as three years ago, the Rays struggled to draw even during the postseason.

During the 2026 ALDS opener against New York, there was also a noticeable contingent of Yankees fans present, which wasn’t surprising given that the team has its spring training complex nearby. 

Still, the Rays’ recent on-field success and the recent completion of a $2.36 billion deal to build a new ballpark in Tampa have the club laying down roots in a powerful new way. 

“The crowd was absolutely electric. I’ve never seen this place like that,” said Rays shortstop Taylor Walls, in his sixth year in Tampa. “Usually when the Yankees come here, even if it’s a weekend series, it’s really hard to tell what side’s winning as far as the attendance goes. [Saturday], it felt like Rays fans were there.”

Ticket Dynamics

The rising demand for Rays tickets, meanwhile, is transforming the local ticket market to see the club.

With tickets during the regular season easily obtainable on the primary market, get-in resale pricing typically hovered around $20 per ticket. Game 1 of the Yankees series, conversely, carried a low-end secondary price of about $180, while Monday’s Game 2 remains above $100 per ticket. 

Tickets for potential World Series games at Tropicana Field, meanwhile, start at about $800 each, and will likely rise further if a return to the Fall Classic for the first time in six years becomes reality.

Because the 2020 World Series was played in a controlled, limited-capacity environment at Globe Life Field in Texas during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Rays haven’t been home for a Fall Classic since 2008.