Last modified: 2019-06-08 by rick wyatt
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Logo Flag
Cap Insignia Flag
images by Pete Loeser, 21 April 2018
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The American professional baseball team named the Tampa Bay Rays compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the American League (AL) East division. It was organized as an expansion team in 1998 in St. Petersburg, Florida, as the "Tampa Bay Devil Rays" (1998-2007). Since their inception the team has played all its home games at Tropicana Field. "The Trop" is a domed stadium located in St. Petersburg. The name "Tampa Bay" does not refer to a city, but rather all the cities around the body of water known as Tampa Bay. This includes Tampa, St. Petersburg, Clearwater, and Bradenton. The team color are navy blue, light blue, yellow, and white.
The Devil Rays struggled during their first ten years of play finishing in last place in the American League East every year except a second-to-last place in 2004. In 2008 they changed their name from the "Devil Rays" to the "Rays" now meaning a ray of sunshine instead of a manta ray. The manta ray has, however, refused to disappear completely and remains a part of their team identity. The 2008 season saw the Tampa Bay Rays have their first winning season, winning the East Division title, their first AL East championship, and their first pennant. They defeated the Boston Red Sox in the American League championship series that year, but lost to the Philadelphia Phillies in the World Series. They have never returned to play in any of the championship series, but did win the East Division title again in 2010.
It should be noted that in the early years baseball teams used pennants rather than flags (hence the practice of calling championships winning the pennant) and there were a host of unofficial manufacturer's variants of these and later fan flags marketed for their fans. They included flags, banners, and pennants too numerous to all be shown here.
Pete Loeser, 21 April 2018
images from Pete Loeser, 21 April 2018
Between 1998 and 2007 the Tampa Bay Rays were called the Tampa Bay Devil Rays and these vintage flags date back to that time. Both of these top flags use the logo officially approved and licensed by the Tampa Bay team.
image from Pete Loeser and Rob Raeside, 21 April 2018
This last example of Devil Ray flags probably was a cheap mark-off and is loosely based on the Tampa Bay Devil Rays logo used between 1998 and 2000. Several variants of this design have been reported.
Pete Loeser, 21 April 2018
images from Pete Loeser, 21 April 2018
The first flag shown here features a black and white "Devil Ray" swimming across both dark royal blue seas and the word "Rays" with sunburst featured on it. This provides a good indication of Tampa Bays' apparent trademark and mascot confusion. Following the 2007 season the team changed their name from "Devil Rays" to "Rays", which was now meant to refer to a burst of sunshine rather than a manta ray. Strangely enough the manta ray logo remained on their uniform sleeves, and continues to be a secondary team logo.
The second flag also illustrates this confusion as it uses two team logos, the first used between 2008-2010 with the Sunburst "Rays" over a baseball diamond, and the second one used by the Tampa Bay "Devil Rays" between 2001-2007 featuring the wordmark "TAMPA BAY" in white with a blue trim and a black and white devil ray swimming across a blue and green oval. I guess all is fair in love and trademark wars.
Pete Loeser, 21 April 2018
images from Pete Loeser, 21 April 2018
This is the official team "wordmark" logo with the sunburst symbol on the word "Rays" on a light blue field. The use of the golden sunburst was explained in 2007 by the teams management as: "We are now the 'Rays' a beacon that radiates throughout Tampa Bay and across the entire state of Florida."
Pete Loeser, 21 April 2018
images from Pete Loeser, 21 April 2018
On this first flag shown here we see an apparent team logo or patch (not seen elsewhere) on a light blue field.
The second blue fielded flag uses a Tampa Bay Rays double lined wordmark used since 2008.
Pete Loeser, 21 April 2018
image from Pete Loeser, 21 April 2018
This Rays flag uses the team logo used between 2008 and 2018 with background design elements consisting of horizontal stripes in team colors on both the hoist and fly ends. The logo appeared slightly elongated on my source picture, but in fact may not be so.
Pete Loeser, 21 April 2018
images from Pete Loeser, 21 April 2018
These type flags have been reproduced in team colors for all the MLB baseball teams (also for football and basketball teams in the United States) and displayed by their enthusiastic fans.
images from Pete Loeser, 21 April 2018
The flags come in several manufacturer's variants using different logos in the cantons, some with stars, some not, and with different stripes at their fly end.
Pete Loeser, 21 April 2018
images from Pete Loeser, 21 April 2018
These flags are for those families with divided loyalties between different teams. The Tampa Bay Rays' chief rivals are the Boston Red Sox and the New York Yankees. In these examples, we see the Tampa Bay Rays and Boston Red Sox on the same flag and the Tampa Bay Rays and New York Yankees on the other. This must make for interesting dinner conversations.
Pete Loeser, 21 April 2018
image from Pete Loeser, 21 April 2018
The fan flag for that special place "The Man Cave" or the garage. These flags are made for most professional teams and sports.
Pete Loeser, 21 April 2018
images from Pete Loeser, 27 May 2019
For those baseball fans who own boats and want to display their team loyalty afloat, these flags are available for them. The flags take the form of either a broad pennant or a square boat flag with either a cap or team logo near the hoist. Each uses the individual team's colors in their designs.
Note: Because of the small size of these nautical broad pennants. usually about a foot tall (approximately 30.48 centimeters), they have also gained popularity as "golf cart" flags. It should also be noted that a broad pennant, or any other flag shape, is only called a "burgee" if it designates an organized boating club.
Pete Loeser, 17 May 2019