Empty stadium

[Steff]

Games in April for as long as I can remember have not sold well.

 

It's just the way it is.

[YASNY]

Games in April for as long as I can remember have not sold well.

 

It's just the way it is.

 

It will stay that way until we make some post season noise.

[gettysburg32]

Because historically it's too cold, and usually raining here at night this time of the year. It's been like this forever..

 

Truth about the cold, which is further guarded against by the historic early season road schedule of the Sox. We usually play most of April on the road, this year is no different (after today we got 13 of next 18 on the road).

 

About White Sox attendence (and I'm in Virginia so maybe I'm not qualified to speak on this ) but the biggest key to Sox attend. is, wait for it, wait for it...... WINNING! It is correct about Reinsdorf, and the park, and the Cubs, but winning is the biggest factor of them all. In the one instance of yesterday, yeah it's kinda poor that Pittsburgh and Detroit had larger crowds; but overall I'm very optimistic for the attendence question this season because of the team's new attitude, the team's chances in the division, and the stadium slowly getting better through the renovations.

 

Sweep the Injuns today though, and I don't give a s*** if 8 people were in the park to see it.

[mreye]

It will stay that way until we make some post season noise.

Or give away April day game tickets to the homeless.

[Guest JimH]

Games in April for as long as I can remember have not sold well.

 

It's just the way it is.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

I remember as a kid going to some day games in April at old Comiskey, and even more April night games there ... talk about an empty stadium.

[Steff]

It will stay that way until we make some post season noise.

 

 

 

Even with that we will not sell out in April like the northsiders do. We just won't. People spring break here to take their kids to Cubs games.. until they rip down that death trap that some view as a shrine they will continue to get all the out of town business. Personally.. I don't care. I like it not so busy..

[Steff]

I remember as a kid going to some day games in April at old Comiskey, and even more April night games there ... talk about an empty stadium.

 

 

My dad and I used to laugh because he could sit in our seats (144 row 2) and I could go sit in 122 and we could barely raise our voices and hear eachother across the park. Those used to be the only games my Grampa and Great Grampa would attend because they didn't like all the people.

[ChWRoCk2]

sucks when its empty and the day games dont help the cause, people are cheap thats the real reason they dont show

[Steff]

sucks when its empty and the day games dont help the cause, people are cheap thats the real reason they dont show

 

 

 

Maybe you are...

 

I sure as hell don't consider anyone who spends money on entertainment "cheap".

[YASNY]

sucks when its empty and the day games dont help the cause, people are cheap thats the real reason they dont show

 

Screw the electric company, I'm going to see the Sox! :headshake

[Steff]

Screw the electric company, I'm going to see the Sox!  :headshake

 

Eh.. power is over-rated anyway.

 

Just dont jip your ticket connection..

 

 

LMAO

[YASNY]

Eh.. power is over-rated anyway.

 

Just dont jip your ticket connection.. 

LMAO 

 

I wouldn't dream of it!

[southsider2k5]

Actually, I'd argue that it's both.  In MLB, teams that can't bring in enough revenue to pay for a talented team are at a serious disadvantage when going up against the big spenders (Yankees, Red Sox, Cubs, Cards, Dodgers, Giants, etc.).  Reinsdorf and his crew pulled the plug on TWO competitive teams down the stretch ('94 and '97) and alienated A LOT of casual fans.

 

Casual fans don't remember what happened 10 minutes ago, let alone 10 years. JR alienated the diehard fan, which is why the season ticket base has taken this long to begin to recover. Casual fans streamed to Wrigley dispite perpetual 90 loss teams. Casual fans continued to sell out the UC for 3 years after Jordan, Pippen, and Jackson got run out of town. Casual fans are just looking for the cool thing to do. That's why I think Brooks Boyer was a great hire for the Sox. Even if the diehards won't come back to Comiskey, make it cool for the casual fans to come out, and you won't need the diehards nearly as much.

 

Look at Wrigley, even with the horror stories of how s***ty their fans get treated, they still get 40K a day, and still have people begging for tickets. Casual fans run that engine. The Sox are smart to try to tap that market.

[SnB]

sucks when its empty and the day games dont help the cause, people are cheap thats the real reason they dont show

 

is it?

 

i'm in college and can't get down there for a game until maybe next weekend.

so that's my reason, what's yours?

Edited April 7, 2005 by Soxnbears01

[southsider2k5]

is it?

 

i'm in college and can't get down there for a game until maybe next weekend.

so that's my reason, what's yours?

 

He was banned from the park after running out onto the field

[The Critic]

Or give away April day game tickets to the homeless.

WOO Where's WOO Sammy WOO????

[nitetrain8601]

Alright i haven't read the whole thread, so maybe it's in there...but why are these games day games this week (besides opening day)? Seems logical to think that no one will show up, everyone's at work or school. So i wasn't surprised the attendance yesterday was not very high (even though the park literally looked empty when they first showed the stands). If it was a night game, the numbers probably would increase, right?

 

There's probably something obvious i'm missing here, so feel free to point it out.

 

Wrong. Most Sox fans will say, we have to go to work tommorow. Hell, I see a bunch of high schoolers go to the night games more than the adults and they're broke. No matter what, it seems like there is always an excuse not to go. Games don't end at 12 at the cell for the most part. Most of our games end at 10. Even that is enough time for you to get home and get to sleep. And I don't want anyone telling me that they live in the far north suburbs or far south suburbs or any suburbs because I know tons and I mean tons of Cubs fans that live in Kankakee, Naperville, Harvey, and Plainfield and seem to make it out to Wrigley while getting home in time to get some sleep and go to work or school the next day. I could maybe understand a day game at 1, but not a game that starts at 7/7:30. It's sad that most White Sox fans just find excuses not to go. Hell Cub fans find ways to get to our games on half price nights.

[TheBigHurt35]

Casual fans don't remember what happened 10 minutes ago, let alone 10 years.  JR alienated the diehard fan, which is why the season ticket base has taken this long to begin to recover.  Casual fans streamed to Wrigley dispite perpetual 90 loss teams.  Casual fans continued to sell out the UC for 3 years after Jordan, Pippen, and Jackson got run out of town.  Casual fans are just looking for the cool thing to do.  That's why I think Brooks Boyer was a great hire for the Sox.  Even if the diehards won't come back to Comiskey, make it cool for the casual fans to come out, and you won't need the diehards nearly as much. 

 

Look at Wrigley, even with the horror stories of how s***ty their fans get treated, they still get 40K a day, and still have people begging for tickets.  Casual fans run that engine.  The Sox are smart to try to tap that market.

 

The Cubs aren't drawing 40,000 "casual fans" per game. I don't have the numbers in front of me, but I'd estimate that their season ticket holder base is over 25,000 (the Sox's is down near 10,000). There are diehards on the North Side as well. No way they're getting 15,000 walk-ups per day. Relying on the casual team is a bad strategy, as teams that only rely on the casual fans are never going to average more than 30,000/game. Ultimately, the Sox are going to have to bring back the season ticket holder.

 

And any fan is going to be more pissed off at a front office pulling the plug on competitive teams twice in a three-year span than one responsible for the 90-loss Cubs teams of the '90s. I'm not trying to justify the "boycotting on account of JR" mentality. Just pointing out the difference with regard to the Cubs.

[southsider2k5]

The Cubs aren't drawing 40,000 "casual fans" per game.  I don't have the numbers in front of me, but I'd estimate that their season ticket holder base is over 25,000 (the Sox's is down near 10,000).  There are diehards on the North Side as well.  No way they're getting 15,000 walk-ups per day.  Relying on the casual team is a bad strategy, as teams that only rely on the casual fans are never going to average more than 30,000/game.  Ultimately, the Sox are going to have to bring back the season ticket holder.

 

And any fan is going to be more pissed off at a front office pulling the plug on competitive teams twice in a three-year span than one responsible for the 90-loss Cubs teams of the '90s.  I'm not trying to justify the "boycotting on account of JR" mentality.  Just pointing out the difference with regard to the Cubs.

 

I can agree with most of that, but the point is the Sox have been trying to bring back the season ticketholder for 10 years, and it hasn't worked. Now they are trying to make new fans, which is the first step towards season tickets. Brooks talked about this at Soxfest. First you have to get fans into the ballpark, and those are the casual fans. Then you sell those fans more and more games, eventually turning them into small ticket plans, eventually you end up with your season ticketholders.

 

Those fans that left 10 years ago were not casual fans if they have no come back by now. Casual fans don't hold grudges for 10 years. And if they have held a grudge for 10 years, they aren't going to comeback. There is no point in wasting the teams resources trying to bring them back, when they will do much better in competing for entertainment dollars from new fans. And I think we are seeing the results early with the jump in ticket sales, even before the first pitch was thrown.

[Steff]

It's sad that most White Sox fans just find excuses not to go. Hell Cub fans find ways to get to our games on half price nights.

 

 

I'm telling you.. all this stupid ass ignorant generalization s*** is really starting to piss me off. How many games do you go to...?

 

I live in Plainfield.. it's 60 effing miles home. 50+ times a year we make that drive. You are preaching to the effing choir here.. go b**** at the ones that do make excuses. Clearly.. they don't post here.

[mreye]

I'm telling you.. all this stupid ass ignorant generalization s*** is really starting to piss me off. How many games do you go to...?

 

I live in Plainfield.. it's 60 effing miles home. 50+ times a year we make that drive. You are preaching to the effing choir here.. go b**** at the ones that do make excuses. Clearly.. they don't post here.

[tonyho7476]

I'm telling you.. all this stupid ass ignorant generalization s*** is really starting to piss me off. How many games do you go to...?

 

I live in Plainfield.. it's 60 effing miles home. 50+ times a year we make that drive. You are preaching to the effing choir here.. go b**** at the ones that do make excuses. Clearly.. they don't post here.

 

I only go to about 15 games a year...but I'd love to go to 50....but I think i'd turn into an alcoholic!

 

There's something about $5.50 beers I can't resist.

[The Critic]

And I think we are seeing the results early with the jump in ticket sales, even before the first pitch was thrown.

How much do you think the jump in early sales has to do with the fact that tickets went on sale about a month earlier than they used to?

I think that has to play a small part in the numbers sold so far. I do think people are a little more excited about the moves the team has made, but the earlier on-sale date is also a factor IMO.

As for the Cubs, they have practically ZERO walk-ups. Hell, most of their entire season's seating was sold on the first day.

If the Sox sold out every game, you just KNOW we'd hear complaints about "fair-weather fans" and parking nightmares and scalpers, so I'd just as soon have 20-25K a night and not worry about it.

[TheBigHurt35]

I can agree with most of that, but the point is the Sox have been trying to bring back the season ticketholder for 10 years, and it hasn't worked.  Now they are trying to make new fans, which is the first step towards season tickets.  Brooks talked about this at Soxfest.  First you have to get fans into the ballpark, and those are the casual fans.  Then you sell those fans more and more games, eventually turning them into small ticket plans, eventually you end up with your season ticketholders.

 

Those fans that left 10 years ago were not casual fans if they have no come back by now.  Casual fans don't hold grudges for 10 years.  And if they have held a grudge for 10 years, they aren't going to comeback. There is no point in wasting the teams resources trying to bring them back, when they will do much better in competing for entertainment dollars from new fans.  And I think we are seeing the results early with the jump in ticket sales, even before the first pitch was thrown.

 

Agreed that Brooks targeting the casual fan is a good place to start, as long as they eventually target season ticket holders again.

 

IMO, age has a lot to do with the former season ticket holders not going back. For example, I was 19 during The Strike and 22 during the White Flag Trade. I was obviously pissed both times but, even after moving to Indiana in '97, I still watched the games on TV, went to 3-4 games per year, and bought Sox merchandise. In contrast, my ex-girlfriend's father and his buddy were both season ticket holders and refused to go to another game after The Strike (they were in their 50s at the time). It seems to me that, for some reason, the older fans are much more difficult to get back once they're alienated. That might also explain why baseball has been a complete dud in Florida. The Marlins won a WS a year and a half ago with a young, exciting team and only drew 1.7 million (26th in the league) the following year, with most of the previous year's team intact.

[Y2HH]

I only go to one game per season, the park is just too dang far.