ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — It's Opening Day for the Tampa Bay Rays, and everyone is eagerly awaiting their return to Tropicana Field.
Well, everyone except the folks at Sports Illustrated.
With the return of baseball season, the American sports media giant published a ranking all of 30 Major League Baseball Stadiums — and our hometown Trop came in dead last.
That's right. Spot No. 30. Behind every other team's stadium across the entire North American continent.
After calling the Trop "lousy" in the article's intro, Sports Illustrated cited the team's decline in attendance as the reason for the pitiful placement on the list.
"The Trop is so bad that, even though the Rays have reached the playoffs in four consecutive years, attendance is steadily declining," the article reads.
St. Petersburg's giant domed beauty even caught some heat in the company's description for the No. 29 ranking, the Oakland Coliseum.
"The beleaguered Coliseum, which, like the Rays with their stadium, the A’s have been trying to replace for years, is just as charmless as Tropicana Field. But at least you can enjoy the sunshine and the stadium is conveniently located near public transportation," the report continues.
While we can admit The Trop may not have the same history and charm as say Wrigley Field (No. 5), Fenway Park (No. 3) or PNC Park (No.1), it does have some unique features to offer.
It's one of just a few stadiums that offer an air-conditioned escape from the heat. (Fun fact: The roof is slanted to reduce cooling costs and better protect from hurricanes.)
And the Trop is definitely the only one with a stingray touch tank experience. Plus, Tropicana Field has a mouthwatering new concessions menu this year (BOGO Budweisers and a foot-long pretzel dog, anyone?)
If all that isn't enough to bring you in, you'll find comfort in knowing the Historic Gas Plant District where the Trop currently sits is set to undergo a major redevelopment aimed at honoring the Black community that once lived there. And there's still a possibility the Rays could hop across the Bay for a new stadium in Tampa in the future.
For now, we're ready to cheer on the Rays as they take on the Detroit Tigers on Thursday afternoon in a sold-out Tropicana Field (#RaysUp).