Milwaukee

While most locals would rather the home team would have lifted the Commissioner's Trophy, the windfall from thousands of visiting Milwaukee fans more than made up for the Rays losing the Series.

Central Avenue was buzzing before the first Rays home game in the Fall Classic. And it wasn't just Rays fans. Several Brewers backers said it was cheaper to fly and stay here than buy tickets back home.

As the Tampa Bay Rays and Milwaukee Brewers slug it out, cultural institutions in their respective markets are laying their Monet on the table.

It's "Sun vs. Suds" beginning Friday night with Game 1 in Milwaukee. The Brewers and Rays become the first teams in the bottom half of MLB payrolls to meet in the championship since 1991. And there will be no rainouts: Both teams play in stadiums with roofs.