Was it as simple as you were living nearby?
I grew up on the Space Coast, just 2 hours away from Tampa and seemingly 3 from St. Petersburg, in a family that stayed loyal to the Braves over the Marlins over the years — but I was the perfect age to become a Rays fan, with my interest in Sports born the same year the Devil Rays thew their first pitch.
Given their proximity and availability on television, it was an easy decision for the family to go all in on the Devil Rays.