I think that’s the single biggest reason. The Rangers had some pretty hopeless teams in the early part of the decade that managed to draw half-way well. What’s changed?

Well, traffic congestion gets worse every year, little by little, and gas prices have increased a whole hell of a lot. The Rangers prime market for ticket sales should be Dallas’ northern suburbs. Higher density, more disposable income. I’m not sure how much other economic factors have affected people up there; this area is suffering compared to a few years ago but there’s not the rash of foreclosures there is in other parts of the country. But gasoline will make anybody think twice about taking a 65 mile round trip.

I’ve said this since it opened, but they had a great opportunity to move the stadium downtown when they built the new ballpark. Instead, they left it in no-man’s land. Fort Worth isn’t all that big of a city, and the per capita income isn’t very high. Arlington was a nice town when I was a kid, but I wouldn’t say it’s a desirable place to live now. Seems like it’s gone down hill. There’s also nothing else to do in Arlington except go to a baseball game. Most people aren’t going to spend a day at Six Flags or Wet n’ Wild, then go to a ballgame at night. A lot of people make the argument that the theme parks help the Rangers but I don’t see how. Tourists don’t go to baseball games, and tourists also go to downtown Dallas to the School Book Depository and museums. You’re more likely to snag that crowd downtown, too. And, of course, downtown has mass transit. Rail straight from Plano and Garland. TRE from the mid cities and Fort Worth. Even the poor folks in South Dallas would attend some games if they could hop on the train, not pay parking, and sit in the bleachers. I do a lot of business in S. Dallas and people there ARE interested in baseball.

So they shot themselves in the foot on this one. I used to live in Denton and Plano and I didn’t go to many games because of the traffic and distances involved. I now live downtown and simply don’t have time to attend many games, but have gotten to two this year. It’s only about 30 minutes away for me from my door to the the Temple’s parking lot.

Let’s take a closer look at what someone from N. Dallas has to do to get their family to a game. Many work downtown, and get off work at 5:30 or so. They then have to drive through the rush hour all the way back to where they live to pick up the wife and kids. Then they have to get back in the SUV and drive all the way out to Arlington. It’s very inconvenient if you’re trying to make a 7pm start.

Add the economic slowdown on top of all that and it’s no surprise attendance has dropped. Not to mention the fact that they’ve fielded one decent team since 1999. But in my mind it’s the ballpark’s remote location that’s key. Bizarre decision considering that was around the time Rail was beginning to service downtown and the plans for expansion have been known forever. And the population growth patterns were expected. In the long run it would have made more sense to enter into an agreement with Dallas to get that pricey real estate downtown. They probably couldn’t get taxpayers to fund construction back then, but I think they could’ve got some land. Hell, there’s room to build a ballpark in the Cedars along Lamar right now and I imagine there was back then too.

I could go on and on about this subject forever. It’s that kind of short-sightedness that pisses me off. I mean you can pretty much stick a football stadium anywhere you want. They play eight home games. You could build the damn thing in Alvarado and if the Cowboys were having a good year they’d sell it out. But baseball’s a whole ‘nother animal.

And I think the heat may have something to do with it too. The NWS will give you comma-delimited data sets…have a look at what’s been going on over the last few years.

There’s a lot of factors obviously but location, location, location is the biggest one. Then losing. Then heat. That’s my guess.

Fans are just tired of losing and ticket prices going up following a losing year. Until the Rangers start winning on a consistent basis they will just watch on tv as they are doing this year. Ticket sales are down but TV ratings are up.

Just because there are tickets available doesn’t mean they aren’t sold out.

about some beer discounts for full season ticket holders. I also suggested some ideas for some specials that season ticket holders should get. I’m waiting his response

...isn’t quite the same as driving around here. I have to go to Sherman today. I’d rather make that drive than make a round trip to Fort Worth, in spite of the fact that I have to drive up Central to get there and back. Once you get to McKinney it’s “easy driving”, probably similar to what you have out there.

It was planned long before the Cowboys new facility was announced. I’m sure Arlington may be doing some local infrastructure improvements because of the new stadium, but TxDOT takes years to even begin construction on freeway improvements. I believe there were some revisions to the ultimate design concerning access ramps and the like, but if I remember correctly the reconstruction started going through environmental two or three years before the stadium project was announced.