But, things are changing. Attendance is down. Costs of everything from a ticket to a hot dog have gone up. Every game is on TV, the owner puts down his players and the final product is inferior to the past.
Running a successful business is a combination of producing a product your consumer wants consistently, and fighting off competition that could turn your core customer away from your product.
Economic climate change can be a big factor. You may not go out for dinner less than you used to, but I guarantee you’re not going to The Palm three times a week for lobster.
I lived this first hand as a Giants fan in the 70s and 80s. Why should I continue to drive bumper to bumper every Sunday to either Yankee Stadium or the Yale Bowl, to watch the team be down by three touchdowns at halftime? I could sit at home in my underwear, beer in hand, and watch the same game (with ten camera angles) on Channel 2.
You, as fans, notice attendance figures. I, as a writer, study “hits”. Mets fans are just not spending as much time with this team. The “thread” sites are way down with entries because even these hardcore Mets fans are finding more valuable things to do with their time. I’ve lost three writers on this site because they simply don’t have the desire to either write about or follow this team anymore.
Starbucks knows you’re going to continue to drink coffee, but they still have to punch out a superior product to chase away the competition from taking away their customers. People may not like the fact that they just raised their prices again, but, as long as it’s the best coffee out there, people will come.
Do you honestly think if the Mets were eight games in first with both David Wright and Jose Reyes playing with brand new extended contracts through 2019, Dan Uggla on second, and Cliff Lee due to pitch Tuesday, there would be an attendance problem?
Trust me, if there was, owner Mark Cuban would do something about it.
You are right. However, I dont think you can fault the owners if their bank records said 500 million one day, and the next they find out that they actually have zero, and they are facing a billion dollar lawsuit. I guess having those comforting millions on paper meant turning a profit was secondary. Omar certainly never spent wisely. Always going for the hottest name despite age. Bad drafts and injuries. Under performance and collapses. Zero returns and ponzi schemes. If only Beltran, Alou, Santana, Pedro, Reyes, Delgado,Murphy, Niese, Wright, Davis, Pagan, Beltran, Reyes, Beltran, Reyes, Bay, Beltran, Pedro, and Reyes didn't remain injured for extended periods of time, there might not have been 2 collapses and losing seasons. Perhaps we win it all in 07, and remain in playoffs every year since. Perhaps, Lee is pitching here now, and the two main homegrowns are not systematically leaked throughout the year as trade bait just to cushion the blow for the remaining fans when it actually happens. Maybe Randolf is still the manager, and Manuel still his quiet bench coach patiently waiting to steal his job. Yes, so much could have been different with this professional baseball franchise had a man named Bernie never introduced himself to a man named Fred. I'll tell you what though, I'd rather that man named Bernie had never introduced himself to the many wearing the blue work duds. Because they're the ones who really lost something in all of this. Us fans just lost some winning seasons, but they lost a comfortable future. Which after working all their lives, was a priceless and well earn treasure. You can't spend what don't have. So today, when the Mets look to the future when the make a well informed pick at number thirteen, lets remember all those who lost so much more during all of this who dont get a chance to draft something for their future. Lets remember them and pray for them.
ReplyDeleteThe sad part is many of us were trained to spend money we never had.
ReplyDeleteTake away the Madoff investment and add a Beltran home run instead of a strike out in 07, and we wouldn't be reading or writing this...