Why do they call them the Tampa Bay Rays when they really play in St Petersburg?

Precedent from the NFL's Buccaneers, probably. The NHL's Lightning use it, too.

Tampa Bay is a body of water.

The larger city across said body of water from St. Petersburg is Tampa.

Many pro teams use a location other than their formal city address for the name, typically for marketing purposes or as a political part of the deal that landed some of the public financing for the playing facility.

States: Minnesota Twins, Arizona Diamondbacks, Texas Rangers, Colorado Rockies, New York Jets or Giants.

Regions: New England Patriots, Carolina Panthers.

Pseudo-states: Golden State Warriors.

Disasters: Los Angeles Angels Of Anaheim Which Is In Southern California You Betcha! (Cowards cannot even put a locale on their road unis.)

Because

1. Like someone already said, St. Petersburg is associated with Russia.

2. Tampa Bay is more popular than St. Petersburg.

3. Tampa Bay has more money.

4. Unlike the other reasons that have already been stated, most teams play in the outskirts of the BIG city but still say they are in the BIG city.

Ther is no such city as Tampa Bay. It is a regional thing, like the New England Patriots. Tampa Bay area is made up of St. Petersburg and Clearwater.

St. Petersburg isn't as well known as Tampa Bay. Also, Tampa Bay also has a better fan base and more money for the team than St. Petersburg.

It is a suburb of Tampa Bay, and they can still have call them selves the Tampa Bays Rays, even if they don't play in Tampa Bay, and it is maybe more easier, since a lot of people might not have heard of the actual town they play in. I know of sports teams that play in suburbs of Detriot and Chicago, that still has the main city in the name, rather then then have the name of the actual town they play in.

Because not a lot of people have heard of St Petersburg. Tampa Bay is much more well known

St. Petersburg Rays doesn't sound as good and its not as well known. Theres a St. Petersburg in Russia thats more well known.

Tampa is a big city so teams usually take on the name of the biggest city near by.

Because if you look at a map you will quickly discover that the large body of water that Tropicana Field is sitting on is called...................Tampa Bay

because its in the tampa bay area