actually, in the real big picture, it is exactly the broadcast viewers they care about because that is where the true money is. They cant run the team by netting $100 per person over 20,000 people for 16 games....$32m aint anywhere near enough just to pay the nut on the stadium operating costs, construction cost, and players, staff, etc and have a decent return for the league and investors. The seats are only there to build demand for viewing on TV. Always has, always will, be the broadcast deal which is the financial foundation any league truly cares about. Butts in seats are just props. and we pay for the privilege. Stupid us, now we have to pay even more for the same mediocre american footy. (Come Rooney, please elevate us to where we once used to be....).
seeing where they charged us $10 to ship tickets I'd say they made out pretty well on that part of the deal. And considering how many years in a row my tickets were screwed up I'd guess they weren't paying the staff much either. But for sure Big Data access has to be at the top of the list of reasons.
I disagree. If you want to watch DCU, MLS on Sunday night or whatever, its not gonna matter. The TV deal is for showing DCU or MLS. Whether you have a kickin backdrop like Orlando, Portland or Atlanta vs a morgue at New England or San Jose, it doesn't really matter. The share of the TV deal is pretty much the same. There might be some bump for each time you're on prime time, but $10M a year in box and club revenue drives the boat. If it didn't they wouldn't have sold the rest of the STM base down the river.
TV revenue is the 'solution' if the 'problem' is how to become the NFL. But for MLS' real situation in 2018, matchday and stadium-related revenues remain both the largest piece of the puzzle and the easiest piece to grow in the short run.
I am not saying its not important, nothing or minimal - $10m is real money, especially for DCU and the league overall, - but game day revenue just pays for putting on the show. The real money to be made - and the real increase in investment value - comes from broadcast. Credit to the league for consistent with its long-term slow and steady growth (we no longer pay to have games broadcast; too bad USSF didnt have the wherewithal to do that with Klins, but I digress). Having a small stadium will (is expected to) drive viewership in the market - the 8th largest in the country and the wealthiest - which is a super important factor in driving up the costs of a local and national broadcast deal(s). Box and club revenue is vitally important - just like premium class on an airplane, the return on those seats is up to 10 times that of economy class seats so they are also super important for game day revenue. But that isnt driving the boat in the grand scheme of things.
Which explains the need for the app to download the ticket. If I am not logged onto the app, then there is no access to my data? Or by placing the ticket in my wallet, they are able to track me? Thanks for the info.
The whole TV deal is 90M a year, split 23 ways or $4M a year. The stadium deal is more than just putting on the show. $10M in lux seats revenue, the rest of us peons plus concessions and merch. There might be a bit more money for local TV, but its not like a big boy is paying a ton for it. There might be a tad more or less money for actually being on the national coverage, but it can't be that big of a delta. Long story short, the $4M they get for TV gets royally trumped by what they can generate in the stadium and thus they don't give an F about the viewer experience.
I figured it wasn't intended as an insult - there used to be a song, "Our house, in the middle of DC, Our house, where people come to get beat." But as somebody else said, someone should have realized that this would look like an insult.
WOW If the club really wanted to reduce their carbon footprint, they would have installed the solar panels they promised. asitis
I watch almost every game on TV for as long as I can stand it. I get an HD broadcast from CH 8 and it covers the field and most of the "action" that transpires. No shots of the stands? I really don't give a hoot nothing there to see for me. I think the whining and sniveling from the team's play by play crew is minor, and only a mute button away from becoming a non issue. If the play on the field is good the experience is good.
And this was my point on the complaints about the field box. Its the game on the field that matter when it comes to someone tuning in or what the networks are willing to pay for.
They weren't in the budget, even if they were in the plan, like a fully covered roof or a host of other items. Its really tough to be a millionaire living royalty check to royalty check.
Nope. Opening a new stadium and signing one of the biggest name players in the world doesn't translate to more eyeballs on DC United. All of a sudden, it’s pretty good being a Washington sports fan Thx, Jay!
Funny I have no faith in fake science, where they go as far as they can then extrapolate out from there. That is not science that is fortune telling. However we will bring this conversation back to what it should be about DC United. Beat the FAKE UNITED!!!!!!
I disagree strongly. The fan ambiance adds much to the TV viewing experience. For example, an empty stadium makes for depressing viewing.
You seriously don't enjoy watching the stadium fans, for example at the World Cup, going crazy for each side? I guess you must love watching training.