ESPN NAMES RAYS MOST AFFORDABLE AMONG MLB, NFL, NHL, NBA

Rocket Sports & Entertainment's favorite Ray, Fernando Rodney (photo by USPresswire/Kim Klement)

(courtesy of the Tampa Bay Rays)

ST. PETERSBURG, FL—ESPN the Magazine’s tenth annual “Ultimate Standings” ranked the Rays as the

No. 1 professional sports team in Affordability, out of 122 Major League Baseball, NBA, NFL and NHL franchises. It marks the sixth consecutive year that the Rays have been ranked in ESPN’s top three in Affordability.  The Rays were also ranked No. 1 in 2009.

“The Rays take great pride in providing affordable, family entertainment and thank ESPN for its continued recognition of our accomplishments,” said Rays President Matt Silverman.

Affordability was one of eight categories analyzed in the Ultimate Standings, which were compiled based on fan feedback.  Other categories included Bang for the Buck, Fan Relations, Ownership, Stadium Experience, Players, Coaching and Title Track (championships already won or expected in the lifetime of current fans).

The Rays ranked No. 8 among the 122 teams in Bang for the Buck, the third consecutive season they have finished in the magazine’s top 10, and No. 5 in Coaching (strength of on-field leadership) behind the San Antonio Spurs, New England Patriots, San Francisco 49ers and Boston Celtics.

Overall, the Rays finished No. 4 among the 30 MLB teams and No. 16 in all of professional sports, the third time in the last four years the Rays have cracked the top 20. Teams were measured on how much they “give back to the fans in exchange for all the time, money and emotion the fans invest in them.”