The Rays may be headed into the World Series, but Tampa Bay doesn’t have to sit on the sidelines while the action starts in Milwaukee.
Festivities are already lined up around the area, giving fans a place to gather before the first pitch at American Family Field tonight, where the Rays and Brewers open the Fall Classic in search of their first championship win. Milwaukee is expected to draw big crowds this weekend, but there’s plenty going on back home too.
In St. Petersburg, the city is putting on two days of block parties today and Saturday from 4-8 p.m. on Central Avenue between 13th and 15th Streets. Fans who show up will also be able to pick up limited-edition commemorative Rays posters.
At Tropicana Field, watch parties are set for Games 3, 4 and 5, and the price difference is hard to miss: more than $800 for a seat to the away games, or $10 to watch at the Trop, with $5 parking. Gates open at 7 p.m., and fans can spend the night playing catch on the field, taking photos and stopping by the visitors’ dugout.
For those who want another option, there are more watch parties around Tampa Bay.
There are also a couple of other ways to lean into the moment. The Tampa Baseball Museum is cutting admission through the end of the month, dropping adult tickets from $12 to $8 and children’s tickets from $6 to $3. And if you’re looking to load up on new Rays gear, Fanatics is offering free shipping on all Rays World Series items with the code “GO2ATT” at checkout, as long as the purchase tops $49.
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For the Rays, the biggest subplot may be the late-inning picture, because the margin in a Series like this can be razor thin when every matchup gets magnified. Milwaukees own October formula has only sharpened the focus on how each team handles the back end of the staff, and one lingering Brewers question is how much certainty they really have in the bullpen mix before the spotlight gets even brighter. [Read more 🡒]