Bleacher Bums Forum

Grizz, maybe I'm wrong but hasn't the economy of the state in Florida pretty much tanked big-time under the fine leadership of our current President?

If the locals are struggling to pay their bills it's going to be pretty hard for pro sports franchises to squeeze a lot of shekels out of them, I'm thinking.  Especially in Florida where there are so many other ways you can spend sunny Sunday afternoons for free.

Having fans of opposing teams come to Tampa may be that franchise's only shot at having a reasonably filled stadium from one Sunday to the next.

 
To be fair, the economy in Florida started tanking well before the current President.  We began feeling the pinch here when gas started skyrocketing in 2008.  Curiously, gas prices dropped right before the election, but have been climbing back ever since, almost back now to summer of '08 levels.  Combine energy costs, the tanking of real estate, the rise in inflation, the tourism-dependent industries and it's a perfect storm for a $hitty economy here.