Rays aim to liven up Fridays at the Trop

Officials with the Tampa Bay Rays will turn Tropicana Field into a "baseball nightclub" after Friday home games in hopes of luring 5,000 to 10,000 more fans on a night that historically has had low attendance.

The marketing campaign for the 2010 season focuses on extending the festivities offered on Saturdays and Sundays - postgame concerts and family-oriented events - to Fridays, said Mark Fernandez, Rays senior vice president.

"We want this to be the place to be," Fernandez said.

Attendance for Friday home games averages about 20,000, which is similar to crowds from Tuesday to Thursday, he said. The crowd at a weekend game is about 30,000.

The party atmosphere for Fridays throughout the season will include collectible T-shirt giveaways - one shirt tailor-made for women will have a message on the front that reads, "I Heart Longoria" - and indoor fireworks.

"We tested it," said Tom Hoof, the Rays' vice president of marketing and community relations. "It's pretty cool. The roof is still on the building."

After the pyrotechnics, fans will be allowed to walk on the field for an after-party with live bands and disc Jockeys, Hoof said.

The pitch batted around during marketing meetings in the offseason was "baseball nightclub," Fernandez said.

The high-energy theme is evident in the team's first 30-second TV commercial for the season, featuring a music track performed by a drum line as images of players and fans flash on the screen. The spot will air on local stations beginning today.

The Rays are taking submissions from drum lines of area high schools for upcoming television and radio spots, Hoof said. The winners will get a chance to play their original music on the field at Friday home games.

Bands can register at raysbaseball.com/drumline, or submit a DVD, CD or MP3 via mail to Drum Lines, Tampa Bay Rays, One Tropicana Drive, St. Petersburg FL 33705.