how would YOU fix the sox attendance woes?

[caulfield12]

Serious question here. $100+m payroll with prices where they are now, or $75 million with cheaper parking and top end tickets?

 

 

I'll take the $85 million, lower option and bring back the fans...there's no way it's this kind of a spread ($100 vs. $75), with all of the other revenues that are generated, attendance is down to 20-25% of the overall bottom line for a majority of the big market MLB clubs.

 

1) By maximizing revenue now, we're cutting out a new generation of fans that would become loyal followers if games were more accessible financially.

 

What's the cost of having very few fans in their teens, 20's and 30's when that older generation of White Sox season ticket holders is gone? What about when the decision makers who have faithfully allocated their company's money for season tickets and sponsorship deals/signage SHIFTS in the next 10-20 years to the younger generation who saw the 2005 World Series win but haven't been back to a game since 2006 or maybe 2008?

 

2) We lose a tremendous amount of our homefield advantage when we have the stadium half full, compared to the Tigers. More fans, more energy and enthusiasm, the team will play better at home, better record equals better chance at making the playoffs. From 2009 on, except for a couple of stretches in 2010 (we were still winning most of those games on the road during our 26-5 stretch) and 2012, we've been a pretty bad team at home.

 

3) Creating that buzz or excitement will lead to more excitement and interest from the local media as well as a higher likelihood of getting our games picked up by ESPN or FOX...and will drive the t.v. ratings higher, adding more revenue because of the Comcast relationship.

Edited October 13, 2012 by caulfield12

[DukeNukeEm]

Serious question here. $100+m payroll with prices where they are now, or $75 million with cheaper parking and top end tickets?

The latter all day every day.

[The Beast]

Are any of you concerned that revenue will tumble with the red line being worked on next summer? It's definitely going to complicate things for me to get down to the ballpark from the loop.

[LittleHurt05]

Are any of you concerned that revenue will tumble with the red line being worked on next summer? It's definitely going to complicate things for me to get down to the ballpark from the loop.

 

Just take the Green Line, it's an extra 1-2 block walk, tha's it.

[greg775]

You simply can't fix the Sox attendance problems. Baseball doesn't want to fix them.

Yankees can't even sell out for first game of ALCS. WOWWWWW

 

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/no-show--yank...oving-fans.html

 

 

Face facts: Baseball is not a sport meant to have these kind of ticket prices. There are too many f***ing games. It is simply not worth the experience to pay this kind of money to go to a damn baseball game and pay 8 dollars for a pop and 10 dollars for a Miller Lite.

I repeat the Yankees had 6000 or more empty seats tonight. In a city that large. Shouldn't that tell you something, baseball owners?? You tried to gouge the fans of New York for ridiculously priced playoff tickets and they said, "f*** you. We'll watch it on TV."

PEOPLE CANNOT AFFORD TO GO TO THE GAMES.

 

Guess what owners? You don't need to sign Pujols for 100,000 billion dollars a year if it means you have to raise ticket prices a ton to pay for him. You don't have to pay Zach Greinke 900,000 billion this offseason if you have to raise parking another 10 bucks a car to pay for him. Guess what owners? The Angels didn't even make the expanded playoffs!!!!!

 

Jerry keep raising those parking prices. What a f***ing joke.

 

p.s. and yes I've read some of your posts about how the Sox would rather have 25,000 at these ridiculously high prices than 40,000 at lower prices. Good for them. They and all other teams have helped ruin a great game. Get used to playoff games and World Series not being sold out. We're at that point if New York can't sell out a playoff game. Tell me I'm wrong.

Edited October 14, 2012 by greg775

[cabiness42]

Just take the Green Line, it's an extra 1-2 block walk, tha's it.

 

I took the Green Line to games for 5 years. There were several weeknights when I was the only white person on the train west of Ashland. Never felt threatened though.

 

[My_Sox_Summer]

You simply can't fix the Sox attendance problems. Baseball doesn't want to fix them.

Yankees can't even sell out for first game of ALCS. WOWWWWW

 

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/no-show--yank...oving-fans.html

 

 

Face facts: Baseball is not a sport meant to have these kind of ticket prices. There are too many f***ing games. It is simply not worth the experience to pay this kind of money to go to a damn baseball game and pay 8 dollars for a pop and 10 dollars for a Miller Lite.

I repeat the Yankees had 6000 or more empty seats tonight. In a city that large. Shouldn't that tell you something, baseball owners?? You tried to gouge the fans of New York for ridiculously priced playoff tickets and they said, "f*** you. We'll watch it on TV."

PEOPLE CANNOT AFFORD TO GO TO THE GAMES.

 

Guess what owners? You don't need to sign Pujols for 100,000 billion dollars a year if it means you have to raise ticket prices a ton to pay for him. You don't have to pay Zach Greinke 900,000 billion this offseason if you have to raise parking another 10 bucks a car to pay for him. Guess what owners? The Angels didn't even make the expanded playoffs!!!!!

 

Jerry keep raising those parking prices. What a f***ing joke.

 

p.s. and yes I've read some of your posts about how the Sox would rather have 25,000 at these ridiculously high prices than 40,000 at lower prices. Good for them. They and all other teams have helped ruin a great game. Get used to playoff games and World Series not being sold out. We're at that point if New York can't sell out a playoff game. Tell me I'm wrong.

 

Few things, the Yanks average about 44k per game. They are second in the MLB for attendance. They seat 50k+ at their stadium which is more than most, so it is harder to sell out for sure. I mean, that is a ton of tickets. The article you linked states that the announced attendance was 47k so they only didn't sell 4k tickets. Which, I would take at the Cell all day every day. They do the same thing at the Cell, tickets sold vs butts in the seats. Many times they claim 27k when there is about 15k there.

 

As far as the Angels, they average almost 38k per game in a stadium that seats 45k. Their total attendance is down 100k from last year. So I don't think the ticket prices hurt their crowds. That is down 1,235 people per game. I used to live in the OC so I went to a bunch of Angel games. They had a ton of promotions and good ones. They are lucky to be pretty easy in and easy out, with parking at that time about $8. With a higher capacity I think you can have a lower parking. But what the Sox do is make up the lost ticket sales with the higher parking, which only hurts the average fan IMO. There has to be a happy medium.

[My_Sox_Summer]

I took the Green Line to games for 5 years. There were several weeknights when I was the only white person on the train west of Ashland. Never felt threatened though.

 

And during the Sox games, security is beefed up all around the park. I walked from Halsted, never saw any less than 2 or 3 cops on my walk home and people directing traffic. The last thing they want is someone getting robbed by the Cell.

[Dick Allen]

Are any of you concerned that revenue will tumble with the red line being worked on next summer? It's definitely going to complicate things for me to get down to the ballpark from the loop.

Minimal effect. Red line will still run but switch to green line tracks south of Roosevelt. The green line stip at 35th was where the red line used to stop before the orange line came to be. Really no big deal and if the green line tracks are slow zone free form Roosevelt to 35th, it may even be quicker even with the extra 2 block walk.

[southsider2k5]

Few things, the Yanks average about 44k per game. They are second in the MLB for attendance. They seat 50k+ at their stadium which is more than most, so it is harder to sell out for sure. I mean, that is a ton of tickets. The article you linked states that the announced attendance was 47k so they only didn't sell 4k tickets. Which, I would take at the Cell all day every day. They do the same thing at the Cell, tickets sold vs butts in the seats. Many times they claim 27k when there is about 15k there.

 

As far as the Angels, they average almost 38k per game in a stadium that seats 45k. Their total attendance is down 100k from last year. So I don't think the ticket prices hurt their crowds. That is down 1,235 people per game. I used to live in the OC so I went to a bunch of Angel games. They had a ton of promotions and good ones. They are lucky to be pretty easy in and easy out, with parking at that time about $8. With a higher capacity I think you can have a lower parking. But what the Sox do is make up the lost ticket sales with the higher parking, which only hurts the average fan IMO. There has to be a happy medium.

 

They are also the biggest team in the biggest baseball market in the US.

[DukeNukeEm]

How much does a team make from a fan "just watching on TV" vs. buying a ticket and going to the game? I'm guessing the difference is quite a bit smaller than you'd think it be, even for a team like the White Sox.

Edited October 14, 2012 by DukeNukeEm

[Y2Jimmy0]

A big reason why the Sox didnt leave 35th and shields is that the STATE told them to stay put. Jerry wanted addison, but the state said chicago was better due to infrastructure(cta, dan ryan, ect) than in the burbs.

 

Can you imagine traffic in rush hour for people going home AND to the sox game in addison/bolingbrook/lemont/ect?

 

 

It's the same thing the other way around. There are many more Sox fans that live in the suburbs than in the city. I live in SW suburban Lockport and go to 8-10 games per year. I know many people who just cannot drive home from work and then drive all the way to the city for a game. They would rather just watch on tv because it is more realistic. This is a little off topic but I also would love for the Sox to do what the Cubs did and have a minor league team in the state. Kane County games will be huge with the Cubs being there. I wish the Sox could move one of their A affiliates to the stadium in Joliet or Schaumburg.

[ewokpelts]

It's the same thing the other way around. There are many more Sox fans that live in the suburbs than in the city. I live in SW suburban Lockport and go to 8-10 games per year. I know many people who just cannot drive home from work and then drive all the way to the city for a game. They would rather just watch on tv because it is more realistic. This is a little off topic but I also would love for the Sox to do what the Cubs did and have a minor league team in the state. Kane County games will be huge with the Cubs being there. I wish the Sox could move one of their A affiliates to the stadium in Joliet or Schaumburg.

there's these things called saturday and sunday games.

 

[ewokpelts]

How much does a team make from a fan "just watching on TV" vs. buying a ticket and going to the game? I'm guessing the difference is quite a bit smaller than you'd think it be, even for a team like the White Sox.

These numbers are from fenway, but they seem legit:

 

Sox get roughly $26 million from the fox/tbs/espn deals MLB has. And roughly $45-50 million from the comcast deal(which they also own a piece of), and anywhere from $12-20 million from WGN(Games on WCIU are actually WGN produced).

 

The national money will almost DOUBLE in 2014-2021($46 million a year), and the comcast deal may end as early as 2016, so you may see a rangers/angels type tv deal soon.

 

The PADRES now get $50 million a year in thier tv deal(and they are one of the smallest tv markets in mlb), and the astros will get upwards of $75 million a year from thier new deal with comcast. The next Sox tv deal WILL be a blockbuster, especially when jerry can package the bulls with the sox.

 

[cabiness42]

These numbers are from fenway, but they seem legit:

 

Sox get roughly $26 million from the fox/tbs/espn deals MLB has. And roughly $45-50 million from the comcast deal(which they also own a piece of), and anywhere from $12-20 million from WGN(Games on WCIU are actually WGN produced).

 

The national money will almost DOUBLE in 2014-2021($46 million a year), and the comcast deal may end as early as 2016, so you may see a rangers/angels type tv deal soon.

The PADRES now get $50 million a year in thier tv deal(and they are one of the smallest tv markets in mlb), and the astros will get upwards of $75 million a year from thier new deal with comcast. The next Sox tv deal WILL be a blockbuster, especially when jerry can package the bulls with the sox.

 

As part owners of CSN, it would benefit the Sox (and Cubs) greatly to get CSN on in places like Indianapolis before 2016 in order to maximize revenue from that deal.

[Marty34]

The Yankees not selling out postseason games and the Sox attendance problems have a lot in common. Both teams have old cores that their fans have tired of. In other words, it's time to find good young players.

 

BTW, the Jets game against the Texans Monday night had higher ratings than the Yankees/O's playoff game locally.

[Y2Jimmy0]

there's these things called saturday and sunday games.

 

 

Really? I didn't know they ever played on Saturday or Sunday. Thanks for informing me.

[Y2Jimmy0]

The Yankees not selling out postseason games and the Sox attendance problems have a lot in common. Both teams have old cores that their fans have tired of. In other words, it's time to find good young players.

 

BTW, the Jets game against the Texans Monday night had higher ratings than the Yankees/O's playoff game locally.

 

Of course it did. It's the NFL. I would recommend baseball only have playoff games on Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday if they want to win the ratings.

[greg775]

The Yankees not selling out postseason games and the Sox attendance problems have a lot in common. Both teams have old cores that their fans have tired of. In other words, it's time to find good young players.

 

BTW, the Jets game against the Texans Monday night had higher ratings than the Yankees/O's playoff game locally.

 

Maybe New Yorkers hate the Yankees, but I'd think people would want to go to ALCS games in the Big Apple. To have that many empty seats, row after row of empty seats, to me is all about money.

[cabiness42]

Maybe New Yorkers hate the Yankees, but I'd think people would want to go to ALCS games in the Big Apple. To have that many empty seats, row after row of empty seats, to me is all about money.

 

People who don't have enough cash to buy tix to every round are probably holding out for the World Series. Yankees fans are spoiled that way.

[LittleHurt05]

The Yankees not selling out postseason games and the Sox attendance problems have a lot in common. Both teams have old cores that their fans have tired of. In other words, it's time to find good young players.

 

It's also the fifth straight day with a game and three of the previous games went to extra innings. Their $200 million lineup is not hitting, at least 3 regulars are getting booed every time they come up. I think the fanbase is just over it at the current moment.

 

 

Maybe New Yorkers hate the Yankees, but I'd think people would want to go to ALCS games in the Big Apple. To have that many empty seats, row after row of empty seats, to me is all about money.

 

There were hundreds of tickets on StubHub available for $25 or less today. If it was just about the money, all those tickets would be scooped up in a second.

[greg775]

It's also the fifth straight day with a game and three of the previous games went to extra innings. Their $200 million lineup is not hitting, at least 3 regulars are getting booed every time they come up. I think the fanbase is just over it at the current moment.

 

 

 

 

There were hundreds of tickets on StubHub available for $25 or less today. If it was just about the money, all those tickets would be scooped up in a second.

 

Tourists who happen to be in New York are crazy to not buy those 25 buck seats.

[2nd_city_saint787]

Move the park next to River City Condos. There's a ton of room over there, its right in the shadow of Willis Tower, they just built an off ramp a block away, and most importantly at some point I'd work right next door.

 

800 S Wells for those who wanna google earth it.

Edited October 14, 2012 by 2nd_city_saint787

[DukeNukeEm]

The Sox are not leaving 35th. The city and state like them where they are and they control any new stadium the White Sox may get.

[BigEdWalsh]

You simply can't fix the Sox attendance problems. Baseball doesn't want to fix them.

Yankees can't even sell out for first game of ALCS. WOWWWWW

 

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/no-show--yank...oving-fans.html

 

 

Face facts: Baseball is not a sport meant to have these kind of ticket prices. There are too many f***ing games. It is simply not worth the experience to pay this kind of money to go to a damn baseball game and pay 8 dollars for a pop and 10 dollars for a Miller Lite.

I repeat the Yankees had 6000 or more empty seats tonight. In a city that large. Shouldn't that tell you something, baseball owners?? You tried to gouge the fans of New York for ridiculously priced playoff tickets and they said, "f*** you. We'll watch it on TV."

PEOPLE CANNOT AFFORD TO GO TO THE GAMES.

 

Guess what owners? You don't need to sign Pujols for 100,000 billion dollars a year if it means you have to raise ticket prices a ton to pay for him. You don't have to pay Zach Greinke 900,000 billion this offseason if you have to raise parking another 10 bucks a car to pay for him. Guess what owners? The Angels didn't even make the expanded playoffs!!!!!

 

Jerry keep raising those parking prices. What a f***ing joke.

 

p.s. and yes I've read some of your posts about how the Sox would rather have 25,000 at these ridiculously high prices than 40,000 at lower prices. Good for them. They and all other teams have helped ruin a great game. Get used to playoff games and World Series not being sold out. We're at that point if New York can't sell out a playoff game. Tell me I'm wrong.

I think you make some great points, Greg. Best of all being that baseball because of the amount of games played is not the kind of thing the average joe can very often attend any more. It hasn't always been that way. Sad that it is now.

As for all the talk about moving to another location, ideally yeah that'd be great. However, it's not at all realistic to think it will happen any time soon.

Bottom line, I think baseball, not just the White Sox, is in trouble. To repeat what Greg said, PEOPLE CANNOT AFFORD TO GO TO THE GAMES.