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Friday, February 22, 2008

WaPo: Boswell: Saying Sorry Can Be a Tough Sell (RR)

Nevertheless, some Nats executives had privately hoped for a season ticket base of more than 20,000, edging into the sport’s top 10. But a variety of factors, including the overhang of the steroid scandal, has produced an odd statistic in ticket sales. The Nats are selling more 20-game ticket packages than they expected, but fewer full-season 81-game packages.

“Why the strong appeal of 20-game packages? Is it the economy? Is it because we’re a growing team? Is it changes in the lobbying laws? I don’t know,” Kasten said. “We’ll get the attendance we deserve. It’s our job to attract them.”

The latest wave of scandals has rocked baseball at a time when the sport was in booming health and could withstand the shock. A whole generation of Glamorous Ballpark Construction is reaching its crescendo with new Taj Mahal parks being built for the megabucks Yankees and Mets. Even the Twins have a new home coming. “The sport has transitioned to a different model,” Kasten said. “You don’t ‘go to a game’ anymore. You have a four-hour entertainment experience.”

Which is why I’ve been avoiding ML parks like bursting cellulitis and taking in more HS games.

Repoz Posted: February 22, 2008 at 12:07 AM | 12 comment(s)
Related News: General, Business, Washington, Steroids

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1. Swedish Chef Posted: February 22, 2008 at 05:52 AM (#2697223)

“You don’t ‘go to a game’ anymore. You have a four-hour entertainment experience.”

Should slow-working pitchers command a premium for keeping the people in the park for longer, presumably spending more and seeing more ads?

2. David Nieporent (now, with child) Posted: February 22, 2008 at 06:39 AM (#2697232)

Should slow-working pitchers command a premium for keeping the people in the park for longer, presumably spending more and seeing more ads?

Steve Trachsel would get a contract which surpassed A-Rod's.

3. Justin Zeth Posted: February 22, 2008 at 08:36 AM (#2697240)

Somebody needs to fit Steve Trachsel with a shock collar and have somebody sit in the press box and zap him every time he stands around for more than 10 seconds after the batter's gotten himself into the box.

But then, if I had my druthers, I'd rather put the shock collar on the batters and make them stop stepping out after every damn pitch.

4. Chris Needham Posted: February 22, 2008 at 08:44 AM (#2697243)

I think he's arguing that the Nats aren't selling as many tickets as expected because of steroids??

Man, DC really needs a real baseball columnist. This guy can still string together three pretty sentences in a row, but, man, they're usually incoherent or wrong.

Winning draws fans in, and the Nats haven't done that. And more importantly, the team has done nothing visible to the average fan to show them that they're winning. When your big free agent acquisition is Paul Lo Duca, and you're barely getting your payroll up to the levels it saw under MLB's stewardship, it's no wonder ticket sales aren't as good as they thought!

5. Repoz Posted: February 22, 2008 at 08:45 AM (#2697244)

I'd rather put the shock collar on the batters and make them stop stepping out after every damn pitch.

A note about OF Don Lock that I came across recently.....from 1966!

Most of the blame for the slow game has been put on the pitchers, but Lock believes it's the hitters who repeatedly step out of the box are as much at fault and should be penalized.

6. Justin Zeth Posted: February 22, 2008 at 08:50 AM (#2697247)

And in 1966 the problem was nowhere near the level it is now. They called Mike Hargrove the Human Rain Delay, and now all the hitters do the stuff he did. Well, not quite on the same scale, but it's amazing that only 30 years later, it's just accepted convention that every hitter steps out after every pitch. They really ought to cut that out.

7. Brian Posted: February 22, 2008 at 02:30 PM (#2697488)

I've had partial packages for the Yankees the last few years and I can't imagine buying full season tickets. 81 games is a freaking commitment. I'll pay attention to 162 games but going to even 40 games is tough and then you've got to do all the re-sale crap. Partial packages rock.

8. Walt Davis Posted: February 22, 2008 at 04:54 PM (#2697619)

But a variety of factors, including the overhang of the steroid scandal, has produced an odd statistic in ticket sales. The Nats are selling more 20-game ticket packages than they expected, but fewer full-season 81-game packages.

Imagine the logic:

You know, I was going to buy an 81-game season ticket, but, after the Mitchell report, how can I look my children in the eye if I don't cut back to a 20-game plan?

Steroids appall me and I figure 75% of players are on steroids ... so I'm only going to 25% as many games as I would otherwise.

The weekend plan will leave me free to watch Congressional hearings on steroids.

9. Belfry Bob Posted: February 23, 2008 at 03:42 AM (#2697885)

"Just imagine if we have a healthy [pitching ace] John Patterson. All of a sudden you are talking about us in the [pennant] race with everybody else.

Well, you are, Stan, to be sure. But no one else is.

10. AJMacaroni Posted: February 23, 2008 at 04:13 AM (#2697888)

But a variety of factors, including the overhang of the steroid scandal

So this is Blow Duca's fault? Ha!

11. GotowarMissAgnes Posted: February 23, 2008 at 05:18 AM (#2697892)

Steve Trachsel would get a contract which surpassed A-Rod's.

Is that Steve Trachsel, the guy who got an NRI from the Orioles, or Steve Trachsel, the guy who is already listed as the Oriole's #4 starter?

12. sunnyday2 Posted: February 23, 2008 at 09:07 AM (#2697903)

Which is why I’ve been avoiding ML parks like bursting cellulitis and taking in more HS games.

I'm with Repoz. I can catch a high school game, then drive halfway across town and catch a college double-header in the time it takes to watch a ML game. It's not that I don't have 4 hours, it's that I can see so much more action in the same period of time.

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Friday, February 22, 2008

WaPo: Boswell: Saying Sorry Can Be a Tough Sell (RR)

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