Media Coverage

Some Positive, Some Negative, Some Inaccurate but we did receive a good amount of media coverage for Top Off The Trop.

WTSP News Story - 9/18 

WUSF Radio Segment - 9/18

ABC Action News Segment - 9/18

"In Depth" on Bay News 9 (Previously)

"Positively Tampa Bay" Segment on ABC Action News 

Quick Mention by Justin "The Commish" P on 98.7 "The Fan" FM

Game Day Information for 9/18's "Top Off The Trop"

TOP OFF THE TROP GAME DAY INFO
Wednesday 7:10pm Rays v Rangers at Tropicana Field 

Official Pre-Game Events (with "Top Off" Specials)

Ferg's Sports Bar (adjacent to the Trop on Central)
2pm-Game Time

Each "Top Off" Ticket Holder gets 1 FREE DRINK TICKET and VIP ACCESS to the WEST PARTY DECK 

Z Grille at 104 2nd Street South in Downtown St. Pete 
5pm-Game Time 

"TOP OFF" SPECIALS!

1/2 Priced Dr. Pepper Ribs (excellent) 
$2 Selected Cans (brew) 
& Possibly a Fresh Keg of Cigar City Awesomeness 

Team Top Off's Schedule on 9/18: 
(For Ticket Winner Pick Up & We Will Have A Handful of FREE T-Shirts) 
2pm - 4:30pm - FERG's 
4:45 - 5:45pm - Z GRILLE 
6:15 - Back to Ferg's 
GAME TIME! RAYS V RANGERS ON ESPN! 

FREE HAT INFORMATION: Your ticket tells you that your FREE HAT PICK UP can be done at the Rays Redemption Center inside Tropicana Field. The Redemption Center is located at the First Base Food Court on the 100-Level Concourse. This typically stays open until the 5th inning. You will have a variety of hats to choose from (WHILE SUPPLIES LAST). 

Thank you all for your support & Enjoy the Game! 
-Brett Morgan 

Thanks to All Area Businesses Who Have Supported "Top Off!"

'

Final List of Supporters: 

Automotive: Moore & Scarry (Advertising), Friendly Kia, Hyundai of New Port Richey, Ferman Automotive Group, Morgan Auto Group (Toyota of Tampa Bay / Brandon Honda), Mercedes-Benz of Tampa, Gator Ford, Jerry Ulm Chrysler-Dodge-Jeep, Stadium Toyota (Parks Auto Group), Pinnacle Automotive Hospitality, JM&A Services, Titan Dealer Services, Dealer Tag Agency

Banking: BB&T, US AmeriBank, Northern Trust, PNC Bank, Raymond James Bank, Bank of Tampa

Other: Tires Plus, K&S Wholesale Tile, Lake Gibson High School, Simple Work Comp, Carmel Cafe, Metis Property Group, Baystar Restaurant Group, Assurant, B.E.A.R, PSCU, Florida Hospital Wesley Chapel, Cassidy Turley, Privateers (Belleair), Shumaker, Loop & Kendrick, Integrity Therapy Solutions, Spring Engineering, Lykes Insurance, CCF&N, LS & Company, Triad Cleaning Solutions, Dale Carnegie Training, Bayshore Solutions, Ferg's Sports Bar, Creative Sign Designs, Chacka Marketing, PennyMac

Top Off The Trop In The News

We want to thank everyone for their local media support. We've been featured on Bay News 9, ABC Action News and CBS Radio locally. 

To listen and see the video content you can head to our YouTube channel - Top Off The Trop. 

Again thanks to all for paying attention to our goal of "Top Off The Trop." 

Top Off The Trop on ABC Action News "Positively Tampa"

Want to think everyone at WFTS who took the time to visit with us and hear about Top Off The Trop. I believe our featured segment will air on Local ABC on September 12th on "Positively Tampa Bay."

Either way it was great to meet some key members of the ABC Action News staff including Meredyth Censullo and Deiah Riley.

Ryan Abenante (Social Media Manager) and Brett Morgan (Operations) from Morgan Auto Group

Help Me "Top Off The Trop" on 9/18/13 at Tropicana Field

For Immediate Release: August 27, 2013 [Official Top Off The Trop Press Release]

Please direct inquiries to:

Nicole Torres, 239-689-4000

ntorres@mooreandscarry.com

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: August 27, 2013

Morgan Auto Group Executive Coordinates Tampa Bay Rays’
‘Top Off the Trop’ Event

Brett Morgan leads grassroots effort for September ‘surprise sellout’ game at Tropicana Field

TAMPA, Fla. — Brett Morgan of the Morgan Automotive Group, is leading efforts to help sell out Tropicana Field for the September 18 Tampa Bay Rays’ game against the Texas Rangers.

The event, called “Top Off the Trop,” (#TopOffTheTrop) has been organized to demonstrate the strong support the Rays receive from their fans and the Tampa community. The game, scheduled to be broadcast nationally on ESPN’s “Wednesday Night Baseball,” will take place during the team’s second-to-last home stand in the midst of a tight pennant race.

“As a community, we are sometimes criticized for the Rays’ complex stadium issues and a perceived lack of support for our team, which couldn’t be further from the truth,” said Morgan. “We’re here to demonstrate the passion surrounding our team, and we are rabid in our support of the Rays and what they mean to Tampa Bay. The rare event of a major league game sellout in a mid-week game would send quite the statement.”

Morgan has worked with the Rays’ front office to coordinate the event. At the game, groups of 20 or more will receive a free Rays hat for each guest, as well as a lower-level reserved ticket for just $20 — with no Ticketmaster or any other fees added on.

A die-hard Rays fan, Morgan is the son of Morgan Automotive Group owner Larry Morgan and has helped lead the company since its founding in 2004. Over the past nine years, the company has grown from one location to 11 stores across seven different markets in Florida.

“Many people in our community know how I feel about the Rays, and this is a dream of mine,” said Morgan. “I’m extremely excited to lead this effort and hope that businesses, organizations and other groups in our area take advantage of this great deal and show their support.”

“I’d had the idea for a while just seeing what a grass roots effort could do,” Morgan says, “but then I saw recent comments from ESPN’s Bob Ryan stating that he didn’t “know of another organization (Rays) in any other sport who has done more things right in front of a less appreciative audience,” it made me flat out mad.”

Organizations interested in bringing together a group for the September 18 game should email Morgan at bmorgan@morganautogroup.com or call him at 813-843-4543 providing a contact person and how many tickets are needed. Soon after, a Rays ticket advisor will contact the group’s organizer and assist with providing the specially coded tickets for the game. Currently over 16 area businesses accounting for over 700 in ticket sales have granted support.

For more information on “Top Off the Trop,” visit http://topoffthetrop.blogspot.com. To learn more about Morgan Automotive Group, go to http://www.morganautogroup.com.

http://www.prweb.com/releases/2013/8/prweb11064022.htm

Top Off The Trop Update: Wednesday 8/28/13

Join us on Wednesday September the 18th for a Surprise Sellout!

Morgan Auto Group (Toyota of Tampa Bay / Brandon Honda / MINI of Wesley Chapel / BMW of Sarasota / Ford of Port Richey locally) made the first buy of 100 tickets for 9.18.13 #TopOffTheTrop.

We began reaching out to local businesses on Friday August 23rd.

We have over 30 Tampa Bay Area companies on board for our fan lead business effort "Top Off The Trop"with over 1000 tickets committed to for 9.18.13 vs. Rangers! 

The following local businesses were quick to follow with order massing over 1000 tickets: 
Morgan Auto Group*
Creative Sign Designs
Hyundai of Port Richey
Mercedes Benz of Tampa
Ferg's Sports Bar
West Field Group
Bayshore Solutions*
Dale Carnegie Training
Triad Cleaning Solutions
LS and Company
Dealer Tag Agency
Moore & Scarry Advertising*
CCF&N Insurance
Lykes Insurance
Titan Dealer Solutions*
Integrity Therapy Solutions
Shumaker Loop & Kendrick LLP
Friendly Kia
Pinnacle Automotive Hospitality
Spring Engineering
Jerry Ulm Chrysler Dodge Jeep
Cassidy Turley*
*Ticket Purchases of 50+ 

#TopOffTheTrop Event & Ticket & Order Form

Let's #TopOffTheTrop (Sell the Trop Out) on 9.18.13!

On Wednesday 9.18.13 the Tampa Bay Rays play the Texas Rangers at 7:10pm at Tropicana Field. *Scheduled broadcast on ESPN 

Help Us "Top Off The Trop" with our Special Group Offer (20+)

For $20 dollars each group member gets: 
-A Lower Level Ticket 
-Plus a Free Rays Hat (Will be several to choose from)*

To be contacted by my Rays representative please leave your information below:

Or you can email me directly by CLICKING HERE and I will have my Rays representative call you! 

FULL DETAILS:

This is a great opportunity for Tampa Bay Area businesses / organizations to show their support in a grassroots effort when on September 18, 2013 we #TopOffTheTrop and Sell Out hopefully on National TV (ESPN). Help me with my personal dream! 

A Sellout will show ESPN that Bob Ryan was not right about our fans! 

*Here are the details for #TopofftheTrop Event:

• Event date is Wednesday 9/18 – Rangers (scheduled for National Broadcast on ESPN always subject to change) 
• $20 Hat and Lower Level Ticket Offer
• Variety of hats will be available (not pictured) and while supplies last
• Ticket locations will start in lower reserved seating and then move into general lower level
• No TICKETMASTER FEES or ADDED SURCHARGE! WOO HOO! 
• Deadline is Sept. 12^th or while supplies last 
• No online purchasing opportunity
• Ticket purchases are in blocks of 100+, minimum group purchase is 20 or more.
• Hats will be distributed at Redemption Center (while supplies last)*
• Ticket will need to be presented in order to receive hat 

Brett Morgan

Top Off The Trop

#TopOffTheTrop F.A.Q. - Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Who is #TopOffTheTrop?

A: #TopOffTheTrop isn’t a person it is an idea. The idea is simple. Let’s take a game that we have no business selling out and through a grass roots Social Media community effort…pack the Trop!

Let’s enjoy something that for many reasons (good reasons) is tough to come by -- 30,000 + screaming Rays fans in one room … at one time! On a Wednesday! 

Q: So you're talking about taking the Top off of Tropicana Field? 

No not literally! Well maybe the crowd will LOL! The definition of "To Top Off" says:

Top Off (definition): To completely fill (an almost full tank) by adding more of what it already contains. 

See tank? It makes sense. Rays play at the Trop and we have a Ray Tank! Let's fill up the Trop on 9/18! Add more of what it already contains: FANS! 

Q: Who is behind #TopOffTheTrop?

A: It doesn’t really matter! This is about Tampa Bay area businesses, little leagues, bowling teams, old friends, college pals, Rays fanatics, social media leaders, local government officials and future generations UNITING for one fantastic baseball team!

BUT IF YOU MUST KNOW:

A: The dream is that of Rays fanatic and local businessperson Brett Morgan. Brett moved to Tampa in 1992 only to return to his native Virginia for school. In 2004 he came back to the Bay Area for good to assist his dad in starting a dealership group (Morgan Auto Group) and realized that he needed to put his Orioles jerseys in the dresser for good. Brett and his father Larry started with their first store in ’04 and today they have 11 in Florida including Toyota of Tampa Bay and Brandon Honda. He credits his love of baseball to his parents and the fact that  his boundless energy needed some direction. Brett, a Rays season ticket holder, so loves the Rays that his biggest wish is to help give something back to the team…a surprise sellout.

Q: Why September 18^th?

A: Why not? It’s the 2^nd to last homestand of the 2013 season and not an obvious choice for a sellout. Who doesn’t like a challenge? We aren’t playing the Yankees or the Red Sox and it’s not a weekend series. It’s a rival but not a natural rival. It will be a game that needs a REAL GRASS ROOTS effort to put bodies in the Trop. 

ALSO ESPN will be there to put us before a (scheduled) NATIONALLY TELEVISED AUDIENCE. Let's show ESPN That our fans and the #RaysNation actually has a lot to be proud of. 

Q: Is this an official Rays event? 

A: No, but I've shared my ideas with Rays officials and they are super supportive of this grassroots effort. They helped form a great offer out of my benefits as a season ticket holder for multiple groups on this day. Each year the Rays send season ticket holder discounted group options including suites etc. I've never needed to take them up on that...until now. 

Q: So what’s the plan?

A: There is no plan. Well that's not true at all. We have a great offer that involves lower level seating (while supplies last) and a Free Rays hat (while supplies last) for $20 dollars. See details by selecting the link below. 

Q: No plan?

A: Well that’s not true. The plan was recently reviewed by Rays officials and the #TopOffTheTrop "DEAL" can be found here. 

Q: If I like the deal how do I get involved?

A: Easy; Just e-mail me your name and contact number and size of your group and I'll have Scott my Rays ticket representative call you personally. 

Brett Morgan, Morgan Auto Group

bmorgan@morganautogroup.com 

An Open Letter to Bob Ryan from the Tampa Bay Rays Nation

An Open Letter to Bob Ryan,

Dear Bob,

Let me preface this letter by saying I like you. In 2004 I found myself sitting across from you in a media room in Milwaukee in between NCAA tournament games.  At the time I was with Sportsradio 910 WRNL in Richmond, VA. It was my first gig since graduating from the University of Richmond and even though my degree had nothing to do with Sports Broadcasting it had always been a dream of mine. Till this day I remember how much you made me laugh and how blessed I was to realize a dream. Since then I have relocated to Tampa, FL and helped my father build a growing dealership group as he has struggled with every sense of retirement.

Recently though you took a run at me. You took a run at the entire Tampa Bay Rays Nation. On ESPN’s “Sports Reporters” you used your closing remarks to say that you didn’t “know of another organization in any other sport who has done more things right in front of a less appreciative audience.”

Now here is the shocking part. For the most part I believe you to be on point.

Having said that lets not over-simplify a fairly complex issue. The Rays Stadium is poorly placed and by MLB standards fairly adequate but nothing to celebrate. We also can’t ignore that the Rays aren’t the only pro franchise in FL to struggle for attendance and we can’t forget just how badly the recession damaged Florida specifically. I live two miles from that ballpark as the crow flies and I promise you that I support a Stadium built in whatever part of Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater will best support the Rays moving forward.

Now once again I could go on and on to muddy your argument. I’d point to TV ratings or the fact that regionally the Rays have grown more popular than the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (thus killing the football town argument).  BUT to a great part you are right. We have a special thing going and not enough voices behind our boys. We do have a winning ship and at the helm is certainly “the most interesting man in the universe.” The one time I met Joe Maddon I realized he was probably weary of baseball talk so I asked him about his favorite Pinot Noir. My girlfriend and current fiancé (the same woman who has attended over 100 Rays home games in the past two years with me) had converted me from a Cab guy to a Pinot guy and I knew Joe would be on point.

“Two words. Sea Smoke. It’s from Santa Barbara. If you can get it…your good.” He signed my replica pro-stock Louisville Slugger and I placed an order for some Sea Smoke that evening. Best Pinot we’ve ever had.

Now back to this Rays deal. I’m a rarity for sure, a die-hard Rays fan, but like everyone else I’m a “come here.” My family moved to Tampa in 1992 from Northern Virginia and I was a rabid Orioles fan. As a kid my dad would drive me 3 hours there and back to games in Baltimore and never complain. At the age of 12 I instantly settled into Florida’s Spring Baseball culture and I split time as both a Phillies and Orioles bat boy. When the Rays … a-hem Devil Rays came --- I was already back in Virginia in my sophomore year at the UofR: The team meant nothing to me.

When the Orioles were in town while I was home I was THAT GUY…Ripken jersey on … poking fun of Aubrey Huff’s hideous uniform.

Then one day it hit me as I sat packing in Richmond (Fall 2004) to return to Tampa. This is where I will live. This might be where I die. This is where I will probably raise kids. I couldn’t be “THAT GUY” anymore. I bought a Cantu Devil Rays jersey. I put a decade worth of Orioles media guides in the closet. I now have front row seats first base side and I live, eat, breath Rays baseball. Ironically my only friend in major league baseball is Jim Johnson of the Orioles. He makes fun of my Rays license plate. I’m a 33-year-old man that asked his fiancé for a Will Myers batting practice jersey for his birthday.

But you are right. It almost FEELS as we are undeserved.

The good news is I know that change is coming. Regardless of Bud Selig’s recent predictable All-Star Break rant about the Rays “untenable situation” I feel the change…I see the wind blow through the palms. I’ve seen principal owner Stu Sternberg smile. I know that Saint Petersburg Mayor Foster doesn’t want to see the Rays leave St. Pete on his watch but I KNOW he sure as hell doesn’t want to see the Rays leave Tampa.

This season feels like 2008. I’ll never forget the ALCS Game 7 at the trop. I bet you haven’t forgotten that game either. A young unknown David Price screaming into his glove. The Tampa football fans had made the trip. You could tell cause they behaved like they were at a Bucs game. Shit! Some of them wore Bucs jerseys. When Aki hit 2^nd base I had tears in my eyes. I’ve only cried one other night in baseball and that was Game 162 in 2010. Ok I digress.

You’ve inspired me Bob. So here’s the deal. On Wednesday September the 18^th we play the Texas Rangers (not the Yankees and not the Red Sox). It’s a weekday game. I’m starting a grass roots, fan based, one-man-band style crazy idea. Let’s sell the trop out. On a weekday game against a nemesis that still isn’t a draw at the Trop --- let’s pack the place. How? A call to arms if you will. A call to arms to area fans, area businesses, former season ticket holders…little leagues. Our weapon? Social Media. But I’ll need your help Bob Ryan. I will need your voice to join mine so on Wednesday September 18^th Tampa can #TopOffTheTrop

And if we get close to a sellout and rise up as a community to fill our dome… I want you --- Bob Ryan…to sit next to me in my front row seats and have a beer on me. You can even wear your Red Sox hat.

Sincerely,

Brett A. Morgan
St. Petersburg Resident
bmorgan@morganautogroup.com
@brettamorgan
@TopOffTheTrop