I hear those ads all the time. Sports radio has even plugged the Gold Cup when it was in town. Red Bulls? Where are they?
The people I hang out with that go to matches regularly feel the difference in terms of treatment from RBFO. Its something we talk/post about rather frequently. I am disappointed in Reyna so far, but support the move to make the first DP the best American midfielder. I'm proud of that and expect him to improve - especially when the weather chills. I am even more thrilled that the most experienced and accomplished American coach in the history of the sport is guiding our ship. It makes me confident that we're on the ups. Yes, I'm upset we lost Dunivant. Especially after that goal he scored v Villa last week! VdB started out well but hasn't been what I've hoped for; Wattereus still has yet to recover from that ankle injury v RSL. The minor league baseball teams you refer to aren't on my radar, I have to confess. Yes, I want the RB imagery on every billboard and the side of every bus in the City and burbs. But I think de Grandpre has explained their approach adequately: they don't want to flush money down the toilet while their getting their house in order. This club - especially since its become Red Bull New York - is very much a work in progress. If they promise to make the big splash when they open their own house, I can be patient. Your heart is unquestionably in the right place, Roehl. I'd never ever question your passion! But we're only a year into this venture, and we currently have a winning record. Maybe you're a glass half-empty guy while I'm seeing it half-full? Where I think you're making wild accusations is calling people - I can't tell who exactly - "screwups" and "sloths." I don't see that with anyone at RBFO.
Did the Beckenbauer ads on WFAN really put more butts in the seats? Was it really an effective marketing campaign? I'm sorry, but complaining about not hearing radio ads strikes me as silly and short-sighted.
Screwups - those handling personnel and the on-field product Sloths - everyone in marketing And we're not a year into this venture, we're a year and a half into this venture. RB has played a full season and had an entire offseason to adjust to the circumstances of soccer in this country. Their response was to hide under their beds and close up shop for the 2007 season. I'm happy to see the glass as half-full with respect to where we are in the standings, but the real money that's been flushed down the toilet is the money spent on Reyna and Arena, both great in their time but the game has passed them by for a few years now. With the money wasted on them we could've gotten a lot more done. I don't even expect a marketing blitz with RB having every billboard in the city. But the push for advertising and broadcasts has been below that of what AEG did for this team, and I didn't even know that was possible. Regardless of circumstances, that is unacceptable for a professional team in this market.
The best thing RB can do is NOT advertise this team. If they do, that will be the surest way to get us under 10k average. This team sucks! Their style of play is painful to watch. The RB game plan seems clear to me: spend the rest of this year and next improving the team, then move to a SSS where the atmosphere and pitch will be great, and then advertise a quality team playing in a nice stadium. Until then, do just enough to keep the team afloat. I'm fine with that. As far as the organization is concerned, they have made good moves (new stadium, 2 DPs, highest profile MLS coach). It even looks like they gave Arena too much room. That the team isn't producing rests squarely on Arena's shoulder. That is where my disappointment lies: Reyna as a DP... the Wynne and Donivant trades... carrying VDB and Schopp... too many over 30 players... not getting a single new quality defender... very disappointing.
I'd be willing to bet the lack of marketing is due to the team still playing in Giants Stadium. That will all change once they are out of there. They will have incentive then to market at Giants stadium there seems to be little. There is no point trying to get to new fans to a bad venue and have them turned off by the experience and never come back again especially when you are leaving to a new area soon. Believe me I know, I've taken people and they hated the acres of empty seats, astroturf, football lines, long food lines where my one friend missed like half the second half etc. It wasn't a good experience from their perspective. Hardcores don't care about Giants Stadium but people on the fence probably do.
Seriously, where was this lousy attitude when AEG was lobbying for a stadium, and signed the deal for the stadium? I just find it completely inconsistent.
Ah yes, all part of a brilliant plan! I hope you're right because the alternative (that they are total marketing f***-ups) is too depressing to contemplate. If everyone is so sanguine about this approach, then why all of the handwringing about low attendance and lack of atmosphere?
Because after getting Arena and spending on two DPs we were counting on the attendance improving. Sadly, the team looks just as bad as it always has. And it was deGrandpre who said they don't advertise inferior products. We fans are not making that up. We can only assume that keeping a low advertising profile is part of that strategy in face of the caliber of play we've seen. As fans, I think it's understandable that we're not happy with how the team is coming along and consequently, with the continued low attendances.
Yes, but its not like the wheels have fallen off the cart. We have a winning record. We have a coach who knows what it takes to win. We're ahead of schedule in that regard. And while I'd love Red Bull to spend tons of euros on ads, I appreciate the fact that they have a strategy that is long-term in place.
Quite frankly, I think you are obsessed with this talking point. And people think I've drank the Kool-Aid and have blinders on.
I'm not so sure the people with the sanguine approach and the handwringing over attendance types are one and the same. and he has gone on record as saying Red Bull would rather wait until Harrison to really start marketing the team strongly. Also, I dispute the notion that as far as butts in the seats go, the attendance is declining. It's not. People simply don't realize how few people actually bothered to show up to watch the team in Giants Stadium by the end of the Alexi Lalas error. Our bad day now was an excellent day back then. OTOH, I do agree that attendance is nowhere near where it should and needs to be.
de grandpre is too insecure to admit that he is not able to really handle his position. by the way, in case you already didn't know, he does not have a soccer background before the team was bought by his bosses. he makes rash decisions based on his emotions at the moment. he is inadequate as far as running the marketing for a proffessional soccer team and is lucky to have his job. p
Name one rash decision Marc has made. One! Anyone who follows this club closely knows he doesn't have a soccer background. He played ice hockey at New Hampshire College where he majored in sports management. His big break came when he launched the marketing of Red Bull on the east coast. I think he's proven himself rather adept at marketing a product in the region, and he clearly understands the whole Red Bull corporate mentality. What he doesn't do, and doesn't pretend to do, is make any soccer decisions. That's under the purview of Arena and his staff. Obviously you don't understand the way responsibilities and duties are divided at RBNY. Spare us the psychology...
read the last line... http://www.bigapplesoccer.com/teams/redbulls2.php?article_id=36703 Former Red Bulls managing director Marc de Grandpre will be returning to the Major League Soccer club, according to sources close to the team. One source said de Grandpre, who worked at the soccer team from 2006-2008, would become the Red Bulls' commercial manager.
Boycotts only necessary after purchase of teams and whitewashing of identity. He has my unsolicited blessing to brand to his heart's content in most other avenues.