The Tampa Bay Rays currently have the second-worst average attendance in the major leagues, ahead of only the Indians. The Rays average around 16,800 tickets per game, but on Friday night, they had a paid attendance of over 40,000, the most for the team since the 2006 home opener.
What was the reason for the sudden surge in attendance for a random June game against the Giants? The Rays were hosting a Pride night to honor the victims of the Orlando nightclub shooting, which ended up bringing a ton of fans to the ballpark.
Tampa Bay sold so many tickets that they had to allow some obstructed view seats, which normally are only sold during postseason games. Fans who attended the game received a pride shirt, and the team announced that it would donate all of the proceeds of the game to charity, resulting in more than $300,000 being raised.
#Rays announce that donation will be in excess of $300,000 to Orlando shooting victims fund from tonight's game
— Marc Topkin (@TBTimes_Rays) June 18, 2016
Tampa Bay Times photographer Will Vragovic snapped some powerful pictures of the fans at the game that he posted to his Twitter.
Lucy Bonner, 7, cries w/ her dad, Jim, and sister, Ella, while victims of #Pulse shooting are honored #WeAreOrlando pic.twitter.com/9M5zIfkTb4
— Will Vragovic (@willvrag) June 17, 2016
Faces of the victims of #Pulse nightclub shooting shown on the video board. #WeAreOrlando #Rays #Giants #baseball pic.twitter.com/Bl2UVaWKzQ
— Will Vragovic (@willvrag) June 18, 2016
Stacks of #WeAreOrlando shirts ready for fans before #Rays #Giants #baseball on #Pride Night pic.twitter.com/uFK2pWJOj7
— Will Vragovic (@willvrag) June 17, 2016
Fans show off their #WeAreOrlando shirts on #Pride night in the Trop for #Rays #Giants #baseball pic.twitter.com/liwwatwkZP
— Will Vragovic (@willvrag) June 17, 2016
Maddie Gross, 3, holds a #Pride flag while in her father, Stephen's arms. #WeAreOrlando #Rays #Giants #baseball pic.twitter.com/H5gdQKyCXN
— Will Vragovic (@willvrag) June 17, 2016
#Rays Beckham wearing the #WeAreOrlando and throwback #Orlando Rays cap pic.twitter.com/hoNsoHZoIj
— Will Vragovic (@willvrag) June 17, 2016
The Giants may have beaten the Rays 5-1, but that’s hardly what anyone will remember from this event. Sports (specifically baseball) have helped communities deal with tragedy before, and the Rays and their fans more than did their part in helping the state heal after the devastating events of last week.