Sports

Tampa Bay Rays Sell Out Trop for Orlando Pulse Victims

City offering reduced parking rates and alternate routes for the full crowd at Tropicana Field.

St. Petersburg, FL – Earlier this week, the Tampa Bay Rays announced that all unsold tickets to their Friday, June 17 game against the San Francisco Giants would cost $5 with 100 percent of the proceeds going to the Pulse Victims Fund.

The Bay area responded by selling out Tropicana Field for the game, which is scheduled to start at 7:10 p.m. The city is encouraging fans to allow plenty of time to reach the stadium with the increased traffic in the area.

Fans parking at the stadium will pay a special price of $5 per car. Message boards will alert fans to find alternate parking when on-site lots are full. There are also surface lots within a half mile walk to the ballpark.

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Attendees are encouraged to use official parking lots with signs parked with a capital P, a lot number and a city ordinance number, plus staffed by a uniformed attendant. Parking in lots other than those designated by city signs could result in parking violations or vehicle towing.

Those who park downtown can ride the free baseball shuttle with service to Tropicana Field beginning at 5:40 p.m. Shuttle stops are located on Second Street South between Central Avenue and First Avenue South. At the stadium, the shuttle stop is located on 16th Street, just south of Third Avenue South. Shuttles feature disability accommodations, including wheelchair. The shuttles run approximately every 10 to 15 minutes.

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The city has also advised fans to use alternate travel routes for Friday’s game, including Fourth Street from the north or 16th Street and Fifth Avenue South from the south. Southbound I-275 traffic may exit early at 54th, 38th, or 22nd avenues north, travel east to Fourth Street and approach the ballpark from the east. Northbound traffic on I-275 can exit early on 31st St to Fifth Avenue South and approach from the west.

Other ways to honor Pulse Victims

Fans attending games this weekend may also honor Pulse victims by donating blood during two drives at 4 p.m. Friday and 2 p.m. Saturday at Tropicana Field. Donors will receive a OneBlood T-shirt and a voucher for two tickets to any future 2016 regular season Rays game. The Rays and Giants will also observe a moment of silence while the names of the victims are scrolled on the video board.

To donate to the Pulse Victims Fund, visit gofundme.com/PulseVictimsFund.

Tickets are still available for games Saturday and Sunday. They can be purchased at (888) FAN-RAYS or www.raysbaseball.com

Image via Shutterstock

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