The Tampa Bay Devil Rays haven’t had much to cheer for in their first 10 years on the field, but the 2007 squad is proving to be competitive with most other Major League Baseball teams. The team is under new ownership, and Stuart Sternberg’s management team seems committed to boosting attendance by offering a number of ticket specials and game giveaways. Almost every home game has some sort of giveaway, ranging from Rays merchandise to outside promotional items. Parking is free until the lots are full. There are a number of ticket specials available for fans, which are outlined below. Some tickets can be purchased online, but others require you to present ID in person at a Ticketmaster location or the Devil Rays box office.
Senior Days
For three games this season, the Devil Rays and St. Anthony’s Hospital are offering a great deal for seniors. For $15, those over age 55 receive an outfield ticket, a hot dog, and a Pepsi. Tickets can be upgraded to the outer baseline for $20. The available games are May 24th (Mariners), June 4th (Royals), and August 1st (Blue Jays). All three games are on weekdays and start at 3:10pm.
Young Professional Networking Thursdays
Thursday night home games are Young Professional Nights. There is no age requirement, but there is a special deal catering to the happy-hour crowd. For $20, you get an hour and a half of pre-game open bar in the tbt Party Deck and a ticket in sections 341-355.
College Night Fridays
Every Friday night game features College Night on the tbt Party Deck (Sections 341-355). Anyone with a college ID receives $5 tickets from the box office (regularly $8). Once inside the stadium, show your college ID to receive a wristband good for $1 beers.
Family Fun Days
On six selected Sunday games, groups of four people get an outfield ticket, a hot dog, and a Pepsi for $15. Four other Sundays offer the same deal against notable teams for $21. These games offer special activities for kids, including an opportunity to run the bases after the game.
Rays Ticket Marketplace
The Devil Rays have set up a dedicated portion of their website for season ticket holders to sell tickets to the games they aren’t able to make it to. Since season tickets are sold at a discount, there are some deals to be had. Further, the seats being sold are generally the premium seats behind home plate and the baselines. Tickets purchased are handled by Ticketmaster, so there will be a handling charge added to the sale. Physical tickets can be mailed, printed out, or picked up a will-call.
The Cheap Seats
The Devil Rays have arranged their pricing structure to accommodate all budgets. While there are some pricey seats behind home plate and along the baselines, there are regular-priced deals to be had. Tickets on the third deck cost only $8, and you can regularly purchase seats in the first row. Outfield seats cost $17.
