Major League Baseball

Marlins need help to sell opener tix

Published Mar. 25, 2013 1:00 a.m. ET

foxsports

Maybe everyone in Miami is so preoccupied with the Heat's winning streak that baseball isn't on the minds of South Floridians.

The Miami Marlins' home opener is Monday, April 8, but it looks like the team is in panic mode to sell tickets. The franchise, about to begin a second season in its new ballpark, has turned to Groupon for some help.

Most fanbases are excited when Opening Day comes around. Every team has a clean slate at 0-0 and there's no double-digit number of games back in the standings ... yet.

The Marlins were a disastrous 69-93 last year, which led to the firing of outspoken manager Ozzie Guillen in October.

But the real damage was likely done in the offseason "salary dump" trade of Jose Reyes, Josh Johnson, Mark Buehrle, John Buck and Emilio Bonifacio to the Toronto Blue Jays.

It's possible Marlins fans aren't willing to give in, buy tickets and support the team's ownership. And with Opening Day ticket sales suffering, the Marlins had to turn to Groupon for assistance.

The real sad thing here: The Marlins franchise has won two World Series in its 20-year existence (1997 & 2003), while the Cubs and their long-suffering fanbase haven't been to a World Series since 1945 and haven't won one since 1908.