I was optimistic & said 21%-30%. I rate our chances at around 1 in 4. Which, for me, is an uptick from October when I would have said 1%.
I went with 71-80. I still ultimately think we’re going to lose the team, but given the complete lack of ability of all these incompetents to get their shit together, I don’t see how it happens quickly enough to happen for next season.
By Guillermo's Golden Goals, y'all need to step out from the shadows. This ain't no time for no fatalism, realism, or any other -ism, unless it be sunshineism.
Okay. I know we are supposed yo have our big boy pants on. I know that this will likely get me scolded by Archer or others here, and even worse it may provoke a response from Chelsey akin in style and feel to a term paper or business email. I said some of this on twitter already, but here it goes. When I pulled into the parking lot my heart sank a little. It was 2 hours before kickoff, granted but you could tell even then that attendance wasn't gonna meet expectations. Inside the stadium it looked even worse. I can't wrap my head around those who thought there were 15k there. If you were able to walk into the stadium, look at the crowd and suppress the thought of "Oh shit, this is really over isn't it?" please invite me to your tailgate next. I'll take two of what you are drinking. I'm one of those who thinks long term that the team is definitely gone. I want very very badly to be wrong. (Frankly, it's exhausting being right as often as I have been. Heavy is the head that wears the crown). Our best hope still remains Precourt's complete incompetence. There is a chance that this falls through still. But you can't tell me that MLS suits and Precourt didn't look at that crowd and breathe a small sigh of relief. With this they are envisioning smaller crowds as the weeks and months go on. Sure we'll have a few games with great attendance, and if we make the playoffs there will be noise. But look at the schedule and how these games are clustered. You are gonna have a hard time getting the casual fan out for multiple games a month. It's dreary. This isn't to knock the Save The Crew folk or anyone who busted their ass to spread the word and try to get people to the games. It's just very much an uphill battle. And while there is a chance of us playing in Columbus in 2019, you can bet your ass Precourt and Garber would much rather even be in a temporary stadium in Austin than back here again.
Oh quit being such a ********ing pansy. Just had to say it. ;-) Painfully, I was about 4 miles away but was attending to some unfortunate family business and so while I had 2 tix I did not contribute to the drop count which is suddenly an MLS thing but only for one game every 22 years. But hang knew this and so I'm surprised he didn't recognize that what he felt was actually just MY absence. That said, while the (lack of) crowd was disappointing, it won't have one goddam thing to do with whether the Crew stays or goes. If the attendance was literally zero, it STILL wouldn't be a factor. And frankly, I think it's time to do just that - campaign for an empty stadium. Everybody gather in the parking lot, we'll bring in generators and big screens. You want to talk about getting attention? You want to talk about national sports reporters galore? Hell, I'd bet 1000 bucks right now that if you had this going during the obscene,fraudulent 2008 reunion that EVERY SINGLE PLAYER would stay with us in the parking lot. Where do you think Schelotto would be? Marshall? The Pirate? Run down the list. Make Loughnane look ridiculous. Have a large grill with and active fire and ceremonially burn your tickets. Music, food, celebration. I bet we could cheer loud enough for the players to hear us. This Fill the Fre thing was always doomed. Let's go in the opposite direction. Thus endeth the lesson.
I voted 100% chance Crew stays in Columbus in 2019. Precourt is too inexperienced, incompetent and tone deaf to successfully engineer a "move to" environment in Austin before 2019 (if ever), despite all the money he is throwing at it. Garber, however is competent in this area, so the move only happens if someone else does the hard work so Precourt could inherit it Having said that, as an MLS fan and 23 season league supporter - I still 100% support and applaud all the #SavetheCrew initiatives. It makes me proud to see an MLS founding franchise fanbase showing such integrity and strength. It makes Precourt look even sillier by comparison.
Along this line. This fight is not going to be won in the stadium seats. It's going to be one in the courts. Let Precourt eat the lost revenue, drive down the value of the franchise further so that, when the court case is won, he sells at less money than he could have gotten before.
I would have loved a ********ing memo before you and Archer went off the goddamn rails about crowning yourself and burning tickets.
Of course, I missed your presence Bill. On boycotting the games, I'm in 100% agreement with you about that being a more successful tactic. That said, when looking around the stadium I think you are already seeing that to an extent. If you are guessing the percentage of those in attendance, I think you had about 75% hardcore fans and maybe 25% causal or curious. That's what months of this saga has done. The problem with an empty stadium is that #SaveTheCrew has already put all their eggs in the influence through positivity mindset. Sure there were a few FU Precourt chants, but that's not what I'm talking about. Their entire message, how they have reached out to allies in the community, and how they have created enough momentum to be on DeWine's radar is all based out of positivity. I've said here and elsewhere multiple times I wish there would be more anger, more vitriol, what have you. But to ask this of that movement you are asking for a complete 180. I just don't see it happening. At this point, I don't know what the answer is. But, I definitely do not begrudge anyone for choosing not to go after being shit on repeatedly here. Likewise, I don't begrudge people for going if they believe that this is their last chances to save the team. Just don't tell me the only way to Save the Crew is through sunshine and rainbows. People are gonna have to get dirty. As for the 2008 recognition event, I was speaking with a friend at the tailgate who was at the Save The Crew movie premiere. He had the opportunity to speak with one of the players from that 2008 team. The tribute night came up. The player said he hadn't heard a thing about it. Nobody from the Crew had reached out about the event yet. Can anyone really be surprised?
I'm just saying if there is an actual ticket burning event let me know ahead of time so I can book a flight.
I am going to need you to get your ass back to Ohio because I need a hug after that one-two punch to my heart.
I agree that the STC people have gone all in on selling out the place 17 times in 2018, and that's it's a healthy, positive goal. But I think it's obvious - to everyone - that there's too much anger, to much pride and, frankly too much of not wanting tohand money to that asshole in San Francisco so he can keep hiring PR firms and lobbyists and scarves to pass out since, as we all know, Precourt doesn't spend his own money. For anything. So while the plan was a good hearted one,two problems: 1) It obviously ain't gonna work, and 2) If Saturday is any indication, it will likely get worse - we could easily have some sub-10,000 games - which will further depress everybody and may very well kill off a lot of stc support base don the "hopelessness" which we're already seeing after just one game. SO: if your strategy is not working and, in fact, will almost certainly end up harming you then YOU HAVE TO CHANGE IT. You don't just keep on with a nonworking,counterproductive plan because, gosh darn it, it's the plan. That's what idiots do Rather, you change. Quickly. Before anyone notices your previous bad plan. When life gives you lemons and all that. What choice do we have?
Okay. I took a walk around campus. I needed a breather. In truth, I wanted to scream so loudly at the both of you for an extended period of time and with a whole assortment of choice words. So how do we strike? With what sort of force? What is your recipe for lemonade?