Arena Attendance up

[kenntomasch]

Arena football attendance up 17% (http://www.arenafootball.com/afl_email_newsletters/afl_newsletter_apr_14/353959.html)

Love it, hate it, or indifferent to it, the AFL has seen substantial attendance increases this year. I admit I wasn't sure what the move from primarily Saturday nights to primarily Sunday afternoons would do. Looks like that, combined with the increased awareness of the NBC-TV deal has actually helped. They had a much, much shorter offseason than ever, so they had less time to sell tickets, and appear to have done a good job.

I'm an idiot. I tried to kill this after realizing I put it in the wrong forum, but it wouldn't let me. Please put it out of its misery or move it.

[Paul Schmidt]

Do you really think it has something to do with Sunday afternoons? I've got to question that.

Every time the NFL seems to be in bed with this (Dallas last year, Colorado this year), it seems to do phenomenally well. The question is when the numbers in Dallas start dipping. Colorado's doing so well that they have nowhere to go but down, but that's a relatively happy problem for them right now. Dallas was the main reason for last year's boost, and Colorado certainly doesn't hurt.

The other significant boosts here are Chicago, Detroit, the new suburban Atlanta arena, and to a lesser degree Los Angeles, Orlando, Indiana, and New York.

The issue is sustainability. The teams in this league still look like milk to me... questionable shelf life. For instance, I don't think they can move Carolina to a place resembling the Colorado crowds. Carolina had such a promising start, and three years later they're already in a new home in Charlotte- that isn't taking well to them whatsoever.

[Jeremy Goodwin]

What the hell is up with Denver?

I mean, apparently these guys just can't get enough of avant-garde "new sports." Particularly the ones played indoors.

They're like the American public that sports marketing geniuses always dreamed of.

[kenntomasch]

I don't know if Sunday is post hoc, ergo propter hoc or not. I know they moved their games from primarily Saturday nights to primarily Sunday afternoons, and I wasn't sure that would help. It sure hasn't seemed to hurt.

Here's the comparison from last year's final averages:


TEAM...........2003.....2002
Chicago.......14,926....9,288
Colorado......17,433.....N/A
Dallas........13,867...13,602
Los Angeles...13,477...12,398
San Jose......13,280...13,493
Tampa Bay.....13,211...12,462
Arizona.......13,070...13,600
Orlando.......12,458...12,308
Indiana.......11,387...10,086
New York......10,581....9.140
Detroit........9,762....6,646
Georgia........9,707....7,069
Las Vegas......9,634....5,655 (as NJ)
Grand Rapids...9,544....9,905
Buffalo........7,861....7,279
Carolina.......7,315....9,417
LEAGUE........11,704....9,958


Chicago's WAY up, as is Las Vegas after moving from New Jersey, where they couldn't get arrested. Indiana and Tampa Bay are up a bit, as is LA, but most of the rest are within acceptable ranges, with all the numbers obviously not in yet. Georgia moved to a new arena this year.

And while certain teams might have short shelf lives, the product has been sustained for 17 years now, and NBC (which was not quite so prescient when it came to the XFL) saw enough in it to partner up with them.

And I'd expect this product to do well when it gets in bed with the NFL. NFL teams know how to sell stuff.

[Brownswan]

Is it true that Arena Football Fans marry their cousins?

Or is that just a rumor spread by WWF fans?

[Goodsport]

&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp Arena Football is actually quite enjoyable to watch, as was seen last summer in South Korea and Japan.

&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp http://i.timeinc.net/time/asia/magazine/2002/0617/wc_arena.jpg


-G

[kenntomasch]

Attendance is still up (way up), but
their TV ratings are going south (http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/sports/articles/0512p2bottomof2nd0512.html).

In fact, they've dropped every month:


ARENA FOOTBALL NBC RATINGS 2003

DATE.....Rating...Audience
02/02/03...1.6...1,743,000
02/09/03...1.6...1,671,000
02/16/03...1.7...1,798,000
02/23/03...1.4...1,281,000
FEBRUARY...1.6...1,623,250

03/01/03...1.2...1,247,000
03/08/03...1.0...1,062,000
03/15/03...1.1...1,189,000
03/22/03...N/A......N/A
03/29/03...N/A......N/A
MARCH......1.1...1,166,000

04/05/03...1.0...1,053,000
04/12/03...0.7.....770,000
04/19/03...0.9.....951,000
04/26/03...0.6.....649,000
APRIL......0.8.....856,750
SEASON AVG.1.2...1,031,846


The difference between the AFL's TV deal and other niche sports TV deals is that (a) their TV deal was supposed to be profitable from Day 1 (don't know if, or how, falling below expected ratings will affect that), and (b) having a three-hour infomercial on a major network every week has sure given them exposure (and, some might say, more credibility) that has paid off in significantly increased attendance.

[Jeremy Goodwin]

Originally posted by kenntomasch
The difference between the AFL's TV deal and other niche sports TV deals is that (a) their TV deal was supposed to be profitable from Day 1 (don't know if, or how, falling below expected ratings will affect that), and (b) having a three-hour infomercial on a major network every week has sure given them exposure (and, some might say, more credibility) that has paid off in significantly increased attendance. Sadly, the AFL just isn't any fun to watch, in person or on TV.

[kenntomasch]

I disagree. I've always enjoyed it. But, your mileage may vary.

[GoDC]

Kenn, is it too early to say Move Carolina?? ;)

Actually I can say I watch it now and then on Sundays. I don't think I will give Danny Snyder my money when he gets a franchise but a fun diversion for TV watching.

[Andy_B]

The difference between the AFL's TV deal and other niche sports TV deals is that (a) their TV deal was supposed to be profitable from Day 1

I read this as well, but like you intimated, nobody is going to be making money if their ratings continue to be so low.

What should scare the hell out of the Arena League is they have had significant television promotion for a niche league, use regionalization of telecasts, saw their ratings numbers start out pretty good and then drop like a stone.

It is not hard to see that people sampled the sport and decided that it might not be for them, at least on TV.

It will be interesting to see what happens next year for the ratings on NBC, assuming NBC does not pull the plug early on them.

The ratings for the first game in May seems to continue to show sub 1.0 numbers.

Andy

[Blitzz Boy]

Beer, air conditioning, brutal violence and cheerleaders.

It's amazing to me that there are any empty seats at any AFL games.

[nyrmetros]

Originally posted by Jeremy Goodwin
Sadly, the AFL just isn't any fun to watch, in person or on TV.

Are you kidding me???

Have you been to or seen an Australian Football League game??

THAT STUFF IS INTENSE!!!

[kenntomasch]

Originally posted by Andy_B
I read this as well, but like you intimated, nobody is going to be making money if their ratings continue to be so low.

You'd think. I would assume that they (as usual) guaranteed advertisers a certain rating (the guarantee was probably a bit below their public predictions) and may have to give make-goods. Which doesn't necessarily mean they'll lose money on that, per se (it's a complicated ad revenue/production costs split), and they could, if they had to, stick an extra :30 onto spot breaks here and there and make people wait around an extra :30 here and there and they wouldn't even notice it. I had the game on yesterday but didn't watch it closely, so I don't know if they're selling out their avails or not.


What should scare the hell out of the Arena League is they have had significant television promotion for a niche league, use regionalization of telecasts, saw their ratings numbers start out pretty good and then drop like a stone.

Well, they should be really scared if their revenue or their margins drop like a stone (because, at the end of the day, as in all leagues, it's money in versus money out, and it seems as though they have some pretty solid franchises who are generating significant revenue). If their TV deal is slightly profitable, but their attendance is way up because of the exposure (or for other reasons we haven't taken into account), I'd make that trade. If it turned out to wreck everything (and, as niche leagues go, they've had it pretty good), then I'd be scared.


It is not hard to see that people sampled the sport and decided that it might not be for them, at least on TV.

And you know what's funny (and this is not directed at you at all, just people in general)? When it comes to soccer, many people just refuse to make that same assumption - that it could just be the product and the intrinsic interest in it. But, no, it's always the promotion, or what's wrong with that city's fan base, or that GM is a moron, or the quality of play. It's almost never that "well, I guess there's just not as big a widespread interest in this particular product as I would like there to be" when it comes to soccer, but everybody's quick to bring that up with every other sport.


It will be interesting to see what happens next year for the ratings on NBC, assuming NBC does not pull the plug early on them.

Yes, it will. I don't know if we'll ever see any real financial numbers, but that would be a key, to me. If they're making even a little money on it instead of losing $400 million on one of the really big sports properties, maybe there's not such a big problem. Whether or not they continue to devote the resources like having Glenn Parker and Michael Irvin in studio with Al Trautwig or not, or whether they broadcast that many games every Sunday, I don't know. We'll see.

Supposedly it was an "indefinite" deal, which, I guess means they could keep doing it as long as they wanted, or dump it anytime.

But the AFL was doing pretty well for a niche league before NBC came along, and I think they can do all right if they lose NBC. If nothing else, a lot more people know about the league than they did a year ago (and, apparently, many more people are buying tickets than a year ago), and if they didn't lose their butts making that awareness happen, and it carries over a bit, then, maybe it's a decent deal, on balance.

[KDdidit]

I have season tix for the Chicago Rush and its usually pretty entertainig. There's always something going which at least makes the seemingly endless TV timeouts bearable. However I don't get much of a thrill watching it on TV. Weirdly enough 3 weeks ago some woman came up to me after the game and gave me a business card and asked if I'd try out for the local semi-pro team in Kane County. I politely took the card and said I'd check their web-site. Haven't been to a Fire game yet, but does anybody get recruited for the Milwaukee Wave or CF Reserves after games?

[kenntomasch]

Originally posted by KDdidit
Haven't been to a Fire game yet, but does anybody get recruited for the Milwaukee Wave or CF Reserves after games?

I keep hoping. ;)

The Rush do have that little blonde hottie who handles their timeout festivities. :)

[superdave]

Originally posted by GoDC
Kenn, is it too early to say Move Carolina?? ;)

The name didn't change, but the team moved from Raleigh to Charlotte, because the earlier start just wouldn't work with hockey and NC State basketball.

[kenntomasch]

And considering they have a very real chance to go 0-16 (the 1976 Tampa Bay Buccaneers say hi), I'm surprised they have gotten anybody to go at all.

[Jeremy Goodwin]

Originally posted by KDdidit
I have season tix for the Chicago Rush and its usually pretty entertainig. There's always something going which at least makes the seemingly endless TV timeouts bearable. However I don't get much of a thrill watching it on TV. Weirdly enough 3 weeks ago some woman came up to me after the game and gave me a business card and asked if I'd try out for the local semi-pro team in Kane County. I politely took the card and said I'd check their web-site. Haven't been to a Fire game yet, but does anybody get recruited for the Milwaukee Wave or CF Reserves after games? Semipro powderpuff arena football?

Or I could just be misinterpreting your avatar.

[kenntomasch]

Final numbers....



Team............G.....Total....Average
Colorado........8....139,418...17,427
Chicago.........8....111,181...13,897
San Jose........8....108,257...13,532
Los Angeles.....8....105,756...13,219
Arizona.........8....104,225...13,028
Dallas..........8....103,591...12,948
Tampa Bay.......8.....99,696...12,462
Orlando.........8.....97,662...12,207
Indiana.........8.....92,986...11,623
New York........8.....83,700...10,462
Las Vegas.......8.....78,329....9,791
Grand Rapids....8.....77,398....9,674
Georgia.........8.....73,010....9,126
Detroit.........8.....67,915....8,489
Buffalo.........8.....60,978....7,622
Carolina........8.....54,743....6,842
LEAGUE........128..1,458,845...11,397


Average attendance up from 9,958 a year ago (a 14% increase). The move from New Jersey to Las Vegas resulted in a 73% increase, while Chicago was up 50% due to their fans not caring about a suburban location and artificial turf ;) . Georgia was up 29% after moving to a smaller, but brand-new, suburban arena in Gwinnett, while Detroit was up 28%. Carolina's move from Greensboro to Charlotte, and the fact they went 0-16, contributed to them losing 27% from last year, but that was the only significant drop.

TV ratings weren't what they predicted, but they got major exposure on a national network every week, and their product looks solid and well-received. More NFL owners are signing up.