Alert: Boycott the Revs

Mike,
Thanks for putting this together. I have been essentially boycotting for a while now, but this season has been 100 percent boycott - no games, no merchandise. In fact, I have only watched a few games on TV which is really very sad because I find that I haven't really missed it that much. I think that the ownership/front office needs to do a lot to bring me back to the fold, especially since it took the lack of action so long to essentially push me over the cliff. I hope that things really change and then I can come back.

 

Mike is taking the bull by the horn & is trying to make a difference. People may not agree with everything he says but its the message he is sending that is loud and clear. No one around here feels confident in this organization to make the right decisions or better yet feels that ownership is even committed to the franchise. If your ownership isn't all in then you've already lost.

 

Good luck in getting your boycott movement going.

 

Except those MLS Cup years.

They've already screwed up in creating a simple video of dropping the letters in the mailbox. Chance of success, mostly cloudy.

 

Or "failures", in the common vernacular.

Fixed your post.

He feels that his non-job is threatened.

 

Pretty sure he is a FO operations assistant to Bilello of some kind, maybe the practice ball washer. He felt his livelihood was threatened.

 

Good work Mike!
Thanks for putting all this effort in.

-Beau

 

Sorry Mike, nothing against you specifically. I just think that these efforts to boycott the Revs are pointless.

 

"It's not you, Mike, it's just the things you're doing and the things you believe in"

 

I don't see how this is pointless. For me I had already self boycotted this year. However, the Kraft organization would never notice my single action in the mass of numbers. By signing the boycott I have been able to voice my frustration over the apathy demonstrated by the organization. Add to that the recent Sounders - Portland regular season match drew 66,000+ should hopefully open the eyes of the savvy businessman Kraft. So for him he could perhaps see that there is an upside in soccer versus what he is putting out there and the boycott will hopefully fuel that difference.

 

I've got an eye-dear... If you think it's "pointless" then maybe it isn't worth your valuable time and effort to chime in every other post to say so. I mean, you must have a lot of other more important stuff to do, like getting Mr. Kraft another cup of cofee (make sure it's just the way he likes it), or that biography on Enver Hoxha you have been working so dilligently on.

For me, and apparently a lot of other folks, this organization has reached the tipping point. We once could be counted among the most die-hard fans, the people who would do more "selling" of the club than seemingly the people whose jobs it is, but when apathy strikes that core, then you know something has gone horribly wrong.

But you wouldn't know that, since you don't even understand the basic emotions of being a sports fan of any kind. C'mon, Mr. Spock, tell us again how "illogical" this line of thinking is...

 

I rarely come to these boards anymore. Once a year I post on how I have been boycotting the Revs completely for the past 3 years (or more? been a while). Havent been to a game in 4 years (free tickets for that one time). Watched one game at the beginning of this season on MLS Live. One or two last year or two.

Anywho, signed the petition and donated. Good luck.

I suspect a SS stadium may stem the tide of dissatisfaction, and they may happen upon luck with for a decent season at some point, but the long term diagnosis is still the same if ownership/operations/philosophy stay the same.

BTW- Does anyone mention the Pats have what's considered the lamest crowd/atmosphere for a stadium that is full in the entire NFL? Will be interesting to see what happens in Foxboro NFL land a few years after Bellicheck and Brady are gone.

 

QEFTHR*

(quoted exclusively for the Hoxha reference)

 

A lot of that has to do with the stadium, and not just the fans.

 

But "Gillette Stadium is a great place to watch soc.. uh football!"

Yes, there were complaints about this when the place opened in 2002, that the fans were further from the field (ironically enough, due to the wider soccer field configuration). Also, the design with that great big hole for half on one end sucks the noise right out.

I have to laugh about the time in 1999 when I asked Jonathan Kraft about the stadium design. I spoke only in a Patriots context so he might listen. I mentioned how everyone (except opponents) loved how loud the crowd was in Denver, and how it would be great to create that kind of home field advantage here. I suggested he look at some of the large soccer stadiums in Europe that have roofs covering almost all of the stands, yet use no support poles. Something like St, James's Park, Old Trafford, San Siro, Ibrox, Barca, Real Madrid, or one of my favorites, (a larger version of) Sampdoria's stadium in Genoa would do the trick here, and be pretty unique in terms of large, NFL stadium design. He mumbled something about having been to the Amsterdam ArenA, and how a retractable roof like that would be too expensive. Sigh. So instead we got Giants Stadium with cupholders. Yay.

And the other thing is that the Patriots crowds are indeed "lamer" than they used to be. Part of it is the high cost of tickets, long waiting list, and very quick and unforgiving policies on revoking season tickes has led to a turnover in the type of fan. A smaller % of the crowd than 10 years ago really follow the team or know other teams well. Call it the Pink Hat syndrome, but it isn't just for the Sox anymore.

 

Don't slight Giants Stadium. I would be very happy if we had an enclosed bowl instead of the open end with the oil derrick.

 

Kraft Sports should be thankful that the Revs are ignored/ridiculed by the ridiculously parochial Boston media, as the Revs are essentially what the Pats will look like when Brady and Belichick retire, moreso Belichick as he runs the entire show from the football ops side. Once Belichick leaves, given the history of Revs personnel/FO decisions, a Jonathan Kraft-run Patriots team (I imagine Bob will largely have stepped down/retired by then) with the existing KSG "spend low, find value" philosophy should scare the absolute living s*** out of Patriots fans.

So if you're a New England football fan, enjoy these remaining 3 (4 max) years, because the Patriots are going to be a Tampa/Oakland-level laughingstock after that.

 

It's pointless because it's not going to amount to any meaningful change that is being demanded.

I agree that supporting a team that sucks can be pointless too. I think I've made that point before too. If the team sucks, and you're unhappy, then don't support it. But let's not kid ourselves that some letters and an online petition is going to lead to these meaningful changes.

 

I don't think it will lead to meaningful changes, but I hope that it at least leads to some bad publicity.

 

They're both social constructions. They have as much point as you'd like to apply to them

 

Here is the thing, I have already decided not to support the team, NOT because they suck (they do) but because of the attitude of the ownership. I have already quit going to games and buying merchandise but I signed the boycott because a single voice cannot be heard from the noise of the crowd but a concerted voice may be. In signing the boycott I have made my position clear and the petition is what it will take to bring me back to financially supporting the team again. If as you say nothing changes (I tend to agree with you by the way) then I am in no worse off nor better off, I still won't go to games. If by some miracle ownership responds and address the petition then I can return.