He's implying tickets sold will be the metric, so all STH will be counted whether in attendance it not. Hence the eyeroll dude.
There is only one person to blame for the lack of attendance, the lack of people caring about soccer in Columbus; it is this person's only job. . . Frankie Hejduk well and S.C.
Always been that way. It's rather amazing all those season and half season tickets purchased that go unused all every game. With the new trade in system and the 48-hour lockout, they resell some and use others for paid upgrades.
Mrs KG notes that if they want exact change, they can get the government to issue a $15 bill. But we usually walk in from N. Fourth. That way we feel comfortable with patronizing the food options at the stadium.
A buddy of mine sent me the text of the article. As it was relayed to me: "After 19 weeks of play, Columbus Crew SC is dead last in Major League Soccer'sattendance rankings, averaging 14,139 fans a match this season. That's nearly 70 percent less than Atlanta United FC’s 46,482 per-game average, which is first in the league. The last time the Crew was in the top spot was in 1999, when the stadium first opened. However, this is the first time the Crew has sat at the bottom of the rankings. Andy Loughnane, President of Business Operations for Columbus Crew SC, said the number of season ticket holders also is down. “Season ticket base has dropped 15 percent year over year,” Loughnane said. “We set attendance records, both sellouts and overall season tickets and overall season attendance records, 2014, ‘15 and ‘16. However in 2017, the season ticket base has dropped by 15 percent year over year.” There was a moderate increase in ticket prices this season, but Loughnane said that's likely not a factor in the attendance drop at Mapfre Stadium. “Our stated objective and business priority is to increase year-over-year attendance until we sell out all regular season and playoff matches, " he said. "We’ve said that good business leads to good soccer and good soccer leads to good business.” Loughnane said he and Head Coach Gregg Berhalter are working together every day with a common vision and purpose for the soccer club. “We want to win championships on the field and we want to continue keeping pace with the rest of Major League Soccer’s explosive growth off the field,” Loughnane said. The average attendance at MLS games has skyrocketed over the past 10 seasons, averaging nearly 40 percent higher compared to a decade ago. In 2011, MLS surpassed both the NBA and the NHL in average attendance per game. “So, on a relative basis, we’re down compared to Major League Soccer’s overall league attendance averages,” Loughnane said. “Average league attendance is closer to 21,000. We’re averaging 14,139 for our first 10 games, which is down 14 percent from 2016’s first 10 games.” Loughnane said the team wants to exceed league averages. “There’s pressure from the league and from 21 owners to improve our financial picture and we take that responsibility very seriously,” he said. The question everyone's asking is whether the team will leave Mapfre Stadium. “So, every market is unique and Columbus has its own set of circumstances,” Loughnane said. “But, league studies and recent data have shown that downtown stadiums become a critical ingredient to long-term success.” Mapfre Stadium is nearly 4 miles from downtown Columbus. Loughnane said improving the fan experience and overall atmosphere of the 18-year-old stadium remains a primary objective. “So, what’s more in my control at the moment is creating a home field advantage for our team at Mapfre Stadium.” A business standpoint poses the question regarding attendance and what the numbers need to look like in order for the team to remain profitable. “There is a direct correlation between attendance and revenues,” Loughnane said. “I’m not going to address profitability, but attendance and revenues are directly correlated.” Columbus currently is in sixth place in the Eastern Conference with a 9-1-10 record."
I still maintain that it had a lot to do with the weather delays last season and how they were handled. I think that turned off a lot of folks. It's not like the team play has been that much different over the last 3-4 years--and the stadium experience has improved (better food for one).
I'm sure that's had a impact on a lot of casual fans for sure. I'm resilient with the rain but the Mrs. is a very casual fan and won't tolerate dealing with the weather, especially with my young daughter. What should/can the Crew do better with weather delays?
Is it easier to acquire a weather machine so we don't have inclement weather or to acquire a mind control machine so people don't care that sometimes there are storms?
That's easy: WiFi. I've been saying for a while now that the stadium needs WiFi that the fans can use at the games -- that doesn't suck when a whole bunch of people try to use it at once. If that happened, a lot of people with MLS Live could at least check out some of the other games during delays. And the casuals would at least have something to occupy themselves with as well.
That's not good. Maybe prioritising sellouts with promotions and group sales annoys season ticket holders.......
Ticket sales down after one of the worst seasons in Crew history...hmmm maybe nothing to do with weather...not much has changed for the better since last year...Very odd player aquisitions..Mensah, Abu...Jukka is hardley MLS material..and Martinez who does have attacking skill can't find the pitch...yep fans can figure this out
“We want to win championships on the field and we want to continue keeping pace with the rest of Major League Soccer’s explosive growth off the field,” Loughnane said. Judging by their actions, it's hard to believe this. Twentyone other teams want to win championships too and the Crew aren't doing anything exceptional. Except maybe for making a subpar defender the highest paid in the league at his position. But the Crew do less marketing today than in years past and have little buzz in Columbus.
Let people know what is going on. The info was very, very sparse. Sure they made an announcement once or twice over the loudspeakers--which were almost impossible to hear under the stands. You can use the monitors with crawling updates. Show the radar on them. Give an estimate of time to return. Offer some kind of discount for those affected--especially groups that came from a long distance. Some had to leave due to young kids. The bad one was when they stopped the game just before it started--and almost 40-50 minutes went by before the storm hit. Could have gotten in at least 30-35 min. Maybe the whole half.
2013 wasn't much better. Nor were the early Sigi years. So it's not just a bad team. I'll also note that in the early years, there just weren't that many teams--easier to make playoffs. Now? So many teams that a championship is that much tougher. And Columbus seems to expect championships (the Buckeye effect). I'm still not sure Columbus is a major league market. Lots of factors.
I know that within my circle the stadium experience has turned people away. Usually the top thing I hear is that someone was stuck in a rain delay (we were stuck in a few of those)....and that it was the worst experience ever. I dont remember delays like this in all the prior years....I remember a game where they played in a crazy storm back in 03 or 04. Im going on 2 seasons without attending a game...I went from being a season ticket holder to not going. The first thing that made me stop was their change to the exchange policy especially since I have 2 young kids. (Promos were better deals with more perks than the season tickets) The second thing was the raising of the parking fees, yet somehow it takes longer to get out of the parking lot with less people at the stadium. The third thing was the poor handling of rain delays. Finally its the product on the field, I dont feel like paying money to be pissed off (I either get to watch a bad team or get stuck under the bleachers because its raining with lightning strikes 40miles away) So I bought a MLS live package and watch from where ever I am. If they made some changes Id be back...and now that my youngest is 5. Im looking for a reason to go to games again. I went from being a person who missed a handful of games from 96-13 to attending a few games and then finally none. I should also add that I evolved from bringing kegs to tailgates to forgetting my six pack because I needed to grab the goldfish snacks before heading out.
I wonder if ever since the firefighter got struck that the FO hasn't been just a bit more cautious/paranoid about lightning. I believe the rule is that if there's a lightning strike within 15 miles, the game gets delayed for 15 minutes. A strike with one minute left means the clock gets reset to 15 minutes. The FO has also done their darndest to shoo everyone out 30 minutes after the game ends. Especially with minimal traffic attendants, you cannot do that. Put a live band or DJ in the tent and do a post-game happy hour to pay for it. Something, anything. They used to invite fans to stay late and watch the press conference from their seats or the tent. The tent is a ghost town now after games. Invite the fans to stay late and that mad rush of postgame traffic turns into a trickle. The exchange policy and lack of youth/student pricing is terrible. I wonder if some of that is league edict. Someone higher up needs to realize that the small-town midwest mentality of "day of game youth pricing to Buck-a-Brat night" may be laughed at in NYC, but it's loved in Ohio. The key with the promos is that you need balance. I remember STHs being mad that they couldn't get the blanket or autographed mini-ball that came with the four tickets, but instead STHs got a renewal gift, a media guide and a few other items. Besides discounted parking/tickets and the same seat, I'm not sure what STH get today.
From what I gather (and I asked, last year) weather policy is now a league rule. It's probably a good idea, but I'll bet you are correct about the FO being a little more paranoid due to the firefighter who was struck (and later died). Also, in this area, we have (or had--I have no idea if it is still going) the Jarosi Memorial Tournament--memorial because the honoree was killed by lightning during a game. That said, I've been told their camera policy was a league rule--and FC Dallas for one allows all camera and video. So it may just be that they trot out "league rule" as a general excuse. As far as season ticket holders go, we do get a gift each season. In recent years, it's been a stadium blanket and a Crew beer glass (of the ones I remember)--plus some special events. Youth pricing? I can see the arguments either way. The Jackets do not have it. That said, family packs can be a good idea. But major league sports are expensive. When you have guys making the salaries they do, the money has to come from somewhere. It's not as bad in MLS, of course, as salaries are lower--but a greater percentage of revenue has to come from ticket sales in MLS as opposed to, say, the NFL, who still would make money playing in empty stadiums. Other markets are willing to pay--perhaps all this means is that we are not really a major league market--though folks can and do pay a lot more for Ohio State football (basketball--not so much). There's no crime in that. Entertainment after the game is a good idea. But I wonder if there's been issues with alcohol sales post-game on the part of the fairgrounds folks. The setup that allows the Crew to play there is a real kludge in terms of who runs what. On the plus side, I like to come early now because of the food options. That's a big improvement.
The only way we could know for sure is to contact other team's FOs and good luck with that. The mini-stadium was a good gift. This year's gift went to the first 96 renewals. I was too late. Hopefully they include everyone next year. I don't even begin to think about renewing until December. Renewals for 2018 will probably start within 1-2 home games. But... if $5 off on gameday means 20 more tickets sold means more concessions and maybe even merchandise sold plus more cars in the lot. They could easily make that money back. A lot of families just don't know if they're free until that day. Heck, south end tickets only. That's what I was going for. OSU football is a different beast, as you know. Some people don't mind taking their u-10s to games and paying $100 for tickets. Others?? That's why the spring game has a family-friendly approach. Tickets are $5 and if you're six, do you really care if it's a real game or not? I doubt the fairgrounds has much say in the postgame stuff. It's the FO/CSC who shoos the "unwashed masses" out so that the players/FO/others can have their VIP soiree in the Upper 90. Not coincidentially, it probably takes about 30 minutes for the players to take their showers, do their media things and get ice/wraps/whatever. Regarding the food, I was talking to someone about that the other day. People didn't seem to have an issue with non-local food/beer in 08/09 when the team was winning. The "expressly Columbus" or whatever it's called is a nice touch, but winning cures all.
Again soccer fans and casuals are two very different fans. Causals don't care about who was bought or for how much or DP's. They don't know Manneh from Mensah from Meram. Hell I heard a couple STH around me ask if Artur was from Ghana and they come almost every week. They thought he was Abu. Casuals care about is it worth their time and money to go see a game. And winning and the stadium are the two biggest factors to that.