There's been a lot of criticism of the RB front office and I'll be the first to tell you that some of it is warranted. The delay on the TV contract, the fact that Steve and Shep called the game from a studio in MSG last night, the seeming indifference to conventional marketing all have created a lower profile, or at the very least a sense of amateurishness that doesn't serve the team well. But they did get me drunk. The team rented out the basement of a Manhattan bar and paid for drinks all Saturday night, and it wasn't open just for what was in the well. So while the general marketing sucks, they take care of their hardcore fanbase in a way the Metros never did, and judging from the turn-out (huge) and enthusiasm (mostly genuine), they'll have sold a few more season tickets and established the kind of Club/Supporter's Club level of trust we all hope for. There was also a Michael Mejido sighting, which is kind of like seeing the sasquatch. Of season tickets (this is the part of the blog that will be a big hit on the MLSN&A forum), a RB rep told me that they're at 4,000 for the season and hoping to get to 5,600. Seems a bit of a stretch to me, but here's the punchline: They're hoping to sell 20,000 full season equivalents next season. Even if they hit the 5,600 number that's still a 350% increase in one season. I'm guessing none of the other teams that opened SSS have seen a similar increase, and I'm wondering how RBFO is planning to hit that mark. Happy Easter, everyone.
What pissed me off was the game was on MSG2. We get MSG here in Western NY, but not MSG2. You'd think they'd try to attract fans in other parts of the state by putting their games on a channel we can all see. Oh well, maybe I'm the only one out here who seems to care. There seem to be a lot more DC fans out here than RBNY fans.
what pissed me off was that i went to work and has a miserable time instead of going to a bar and getting sloshed on free drinks.
Yes, but let's consider that the Knicks game was on MSG, and I'm pretty sure that Rangers- Penguins was on FSNY. So, the two other, larger channels they own were covered, and you'd be hard-pressed to justify kicking one of two games from the big 4 sports off the air from 2 teams fighting for the playoffs (one successfully, the other less so) for an April MLS game. Also, did you check the overflow guide? Most cable systems had MSG2 on some other random, usually blank channel, as MSG2 isn't a full-time channel the way ESPN2 is. It's possible that your system doesn't have it, but a lot of systems in eastern/southern NY did. For Directv, they put MSG2 on a channel listed as "NYa", but it was showing MSG2 programming. Back to RB, they paid something around 1.5k for that tab (let's assume). They had another in Hoboken as well (say $ 500), and they are doing a $ 2k bus trip gratis as well. So, around $ 4k in "preaching to the choir" money. Not bad. I think the Metro front office spent around $ 11k in marketing per home game, or so they hinted to us once. I don't know what RB currently spends. The general assumption is that they are waiting to get a second DP in the summer which will improve the team, and waiting for the stadium next year. We'll have to wait until then to see if they do step it up, but the assumption says that once the stadium is in place so that they can get a return on that investment and once the product is good enough to retain more customers, they will spend the marketing money. I don't know if they will or not, but anyway. The funny thing is that a lot of the people who complained about them losing $ 14m also complain about no marketing, which is kind of funny. But, back to the original point, they bought the boys a few rounds, and I think we can all drink to that.
1. supporters of this franchise, no matter the owner, are always waiting, waiting, waiting. The club has never had the team in place, practiced and ready to go on opening day. Waiting for the 2d DP? That in itself is a marketing disaster. 2. The idea of marketing, according to my high school business text book, is to earn the business more money than is spent on the marketing itself. It's kind of funny to imply that spending a dollar on marketing is a dollar lost. But it is terrific that red bull appears to be trying to cultivate a relationship with their most loyal fans.
How are they going to get 20,000 season ticket holders next year? They'd have to let go of Reyna and sign Zidane and Del Piero as DPs.
I was there. I have only been to a couple RBNY games, but have always intended to go to more. I tend to catch the games on TV. Great group of guys there...the open bar was a surprise. I am thinking of getting season tickets just to support the team despite the fact that I am guessing I won't make many games. I was impressed with the turnout, RB's support, and the friendliness of all the RBNY faithful. Great time.
What pisses me off is that I ordered my tickets for the opening game of the season months ago and never received them. Thanks T. Sinclair, on top of things I see. They shouldn't have sold tickets to the opener so early if they couldn't print them and send them out.
I for one think that is a scenario that could very well happen. Except not so much letting go of Reyna as restructuring his deal, because if I remember correctley he signed a 1 year deal with an option for the second. If we don't pick up the option, then couldn't we restructure his deal? It is early in the morning and I could be very wrong about all of this. But the likes of Del Piero and Zidane are two of the names I think Red Bull are going to want to bring in.
I think in regards to the season tix, it will be much, much, much easier to have NYC folks head to Red Bull Park than it is to get to Giants Stadium. Ever try to get a bus back from Giants Stadium? Much like sitting in a Jet Blue airline on the tarmac at JFK. The path train will be much, much easier, and will drop you off right on 33rd street. Depending upon pricing, I have at least 5 friends that will be getting season tickets along with me, and as many as 9 if the prices are reasonable. I could see them selling out the place.
Actually, I always thought you guys are in a very unique situation. I don't think the goal for ownership is really profit in any way. Much like the RB racing team, or RB Salzburg, the sole reason to spend more and more on the team is to increase the profile of the Red Bull brand name. A winning team sells more Red Bull. No soccer profits neccessary!
First: Don't modify the word unique. Second: I totally agree with your point on RB's philosphy towards the team's profits. I actually wrote a blog about this last month when it came out that RBNY lost $14 million last year (a figure they dispute), with the whole point being "Who cares?" Any New York team that doesn't have huge sponsorships is going to take a bath and RB went out of its way to cut sponsors because they basically want their brand to stand alone. So of course the team's going to lose money; the real interest is in the company's profits as a whole. Which were up 27% in the US last year. While soft drink companies saw profits drop for the first time. Ever. RB is doing something right in a general sense even though it won't look like it this weekend when there are only 10k fans there for the home opener.
I don't know the exact terms of the deal but there are a few hindrances: 1) DC has been told you can't structure a guys contract such that he is a DP one year but not in later years - they asked in regards to Gomez 2) If it is a 1+1 deal - then RBNY would have to decline the option, place Reyna on waivers, and risk another team taking him. While it is a long-shot given his salary - I could certainly see it happening if he has a good year.
Since our transfer windows aren't in synch with most foreign leagues, wouldn't it be wise to wait until summer to get the best possible choices for DP? Then the market will be wide open, as opposed to the limited number of choices now. Of course, we could have the pick of the litter from the Hyundai A-League, or raid the Swedish league.
I think you might not understand how season tickets work. This is common. I ordered Yankee tickets in late Jan/early Feb, and got them a week before the MLB season started. I ordered Red Bull tickets in November/December, and got them a week before the MLS season started. They sent all of the tickets out by Saturday, so you should have your tickets via Fedex by Wednesday at the latest. One guy ordered season tickets on Friday, and they brought them to the bar the next day. So, maybe they aren't the greatest front office in the history of sports, I'm not saying they are, but they do actually mail out the tickets according to a plan, and the plan is to get them to you the week before the season starts. I know some people who ordered season tickets in late September...they have to wait until April too. So, there you go. They do this so that they can mail out all of the tickets in one (relatively large) shot, instead of sending 100 tickets a week for 6 months of the off-season. Upside of that is also that you don't get 500 calls the week before the season from people who lost the tickets you sent them 4 months ago. Also keep in mind that with each season ticket sold, they sent out a $ 70 warm up jersey, free. Maybe it only cost them $ 35, but that's not nothing. And, they need to wait for that shipment to arrive as well, don't forget.
And they had to collect sizes from everyone - I didn't respond to the email so they called me and asked me what size I wanted. They got the size right - and they alerted me to the fact that they tend to run a little large so picked the right one. I guess I don't really understand this complaint - if for some reason I didn't have my tickets by Friday, I feel like I could pick up the phone and they'd have a ticket waiting for me at will call.
No, I did not explain. I have dealt with countless reps since 1996 and have never had a year without a problem. I ordered the package of four tickets for the home opener (I am not around the New York area most of the season) and they had a package of four tickets with a shirt and scarf. After paying for the package months ahead of the opener, they sent out the scarf and shirt right away and said that I would receive the tickets at a later date. They never ended up sending out the tickets after. Very unprofessional IMO, and I do find it annoying to be charged in full and only to receive my product/receipt half a year later.
I ordered the same package - the shirt and scarf made great Christmas gifts, and I got my tickets about 3 weeks ago. Now if you want to complain about seat location, then I'm right with you . . . .
Really? MLS can't purchase a player from a european or SA team in January? I also didn't know that the swedish league has a different transfer window from other foreign leagues. We could purchase players in January from swedish teams, but not english sides? I had no idea.