Why is attendance so low at Tropical Park?

Discussion in 'Fort Lauderdale Strikers' started by Juan Luis Guerra, Sep 3, 2007.

  1. Juan Luis Guerra

    Juan Luis Guerra Red Card

    Jun 11, 2001
    New York City
    Even after having a pretty decent team and having lost a MLS team, attendance is not there yet?. I thought Tropicana Field was an easy access stadium. If you read my post, you will soon notice that I'm the # 1 promoter to bring back a MLS to Miami Dade. So just tell me what is going on with Miami FC.

    thanks.
     
  2. Timbers Green

    Timbers Green New Member

    Dec 21, 2006
    Re: Why is attendance so low at Tropicana Field?

    Uh, 'cause Tropicana Field is a three-hour drive, and it's in Tampa?

    If you're talking about Tropical Park, there's no way on earth an MLS team could play there. You're talking about a glorified highschool field with no stands at the goal ends, and a couple hotdog stands for concessions.

    Crazy idea - refurb the OB to SSS? The U doesn't play there any more...
     
  3. Fusion Logix

    Fusion Logix New Member

    Jun 23, 2005
    Miami,Fl
    Re: Why is attendance so low at Tropicana Field?

    not enough advertisment in the media. and the whole feel of the stadium gives off this bush league vibe. I feel so disconnected from the team...and u can blame that on managment. i dont go to alot of the games, but i dont feel the need to have to go to miami fc website in order to know theres a game. get people on the radio blaring "miami fc, will face off against _____ be there and support ur team"....an mls franchise would be a success in my eyes tho
     
  4. Newtbomb

    Newtbomb Member

    Mar 24, 2001
    South Florida
    Club:
    Ft Lauderdale Strikers
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Re: Why is attendance so low at Tropicana Field?

    As much as I hate to disagree with a former Fusion fan, I simply have to argue a couple points. I heard it from the general manager's own mouth. Their budget is mostly earmarked for operations...not advertisement. They do the best they can to hold youth clinics and events involving players (who are already paid).
    Local radio couldn't care less about soccer (unless it's global) and the international soccer fans of Miami have their own national/league teams to support.

    I agree the stadium is terribly inadequate for a pro team, but I suspect a SSS venue involving an MLS team wouldn't do much better. Either it's 1k out of 7k for USL OR 4k out of 21K for MLS. Either way is unacceptable.
     
  5. SoccerPrime

    SoccerPrime Moderator
    Staff Member

    All of them
    Apr 14, 2003
    Club:
    Real Salt Lake
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Re: Why is attendance so low at Tropicana Field?

    But wouldn't MFC do better to advertise more, get more involved with youth soccer via camps/clinics...wouldn't that kind of outreach help the club out more?

    BTW Unv of Miami is still playing at the OB. The contract runs out in 2008, so a little less than 2 more seasons of college ball in the OB.
     
  6. Juan Luis Guerra

    Juan Luis Guerra Red Card

    Jun 11, 2001
    New York City
    Re: Why is attendance so low at Tropicana Field?

    So, what's the real attendance at Tropicana Field for Miami FC?
     
  7. Intru

    Intru Member

    Mar 16, 2006
    Rochester, NY
    Club:
    Puerto Rico Islanders
    Re: Why is attendance so low at Tropicana Field?

    0 cause they have never played their
     
  8. wellington

    wellington Member

    Jun 4, 1999
    Charlotte, NC
    Club:
    Charlotte
    Nat'l Team:
    England
  9. SoccerPrime

    SoccerPrime Moderator
    Staff Member

    All of them
    Apr 14, 2003
    Club:
    Real Salt Lake
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Re: Why is attendance so low at Tropicana Field?

    Subject corrected.
     
  10. ChrisGreen

    ChrisGreen New Member

    Jun 5, 2007
    Homestead, Fl.
    I can tell you all this much...

    At my school, only those in my TV Academy and a few friends even know we have a pro team in S. Florida, let alone Miami. I do all that I can to promote the team at my school, including the highlights in my sports segments, posting copies of the schedule on teacher's doors, and word of mouth. They came there late last year to honor the mascot contest winner, but the only attention they got was either for free autographs and giveaways, or asking Eric Vaquez to the senior prom.... And even though they gave away a bunch of free tickets, I only saw 2 girls from my school there that next game... However, look at Montreal. A few years ago, they barely had a couple hundred fans at the games. Now, they are virtually sold out every game. So you have to give it time. And one last observation... the Miami Herald is crap at advertising results. I had met a writer at one of the games who was complaining about how much he had to write in such a small amount of time. The next day, there was LITERALLY one sentence about the game. That is it. I have only seen 2 actual articles... one on Nico and another player leaving school to pursue pro sports, and the other on the first Orange Bowl game.
     
  11. SoccerPrime

    SoccerPrime Moderator
    Staff Member

    All of them
    Apr 14, 2003
    Club:
    Real Salt Lake
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    So the secret is to give away free tickets to games? Who knew?!
     
  12. ChrisGreen

    ChrisGreen New Member

    Jun 5, 2007
    Homestead, Fl.
    But thats the big joke isn't it? Even free tickets can't get but only 2 people to go to a game! You would think that since there is an overtly HUGE hispanic population in Miami (over 51%!) that there would be huge turnout. But there isn't? They only want to watch "mexican" or "honduran" or whatever-country-they-are-from soccer. Very sad.... But give it time....
     
  13. SoccerPrime

    SoccerPrime Moderator
    Staff Member

    All of them
    Apr 14, 2003
    Club:
    Real Salt Lake
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Its not me you need to convince. At this point, you need to convince Traffic Sports its worth it.
     
  14. WhiteStar Warriors

    Mar 25, 2007
    St.Pete/Krakow
    Club:
    FC Tampa Bay Rowdies
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Bring a team to Tampa and see what the attendance is?...wrong marketing move by USL to have a team in Miami..most of the population is interested in Baseball....Cubans,Puerto Ricans, Dominicans etc...
     
  15. canesfan00

    canesfan00 New Member

    Apr 1, 2007
    Miami
    Lol, not only didn't free tickets bring out fans, neither did free beer. At best this is a work in progress, but if you look at all professional/college teams here attendance in this city is below par. Excluding the Heat who just won the title 2 yrs ago, this city jumps on the band-wagon on teams only when their winning.

    When MFC were in the playoffs last yr they had a surge in attendance and also when Romario was here to try and reach his 1000 goal. Management thought it would transfer over to this season and even went out to reserve the OB for a weekend and got the team cheerleaders, it never had a chance to work out for reasons mentioned by others in previous posts. As much as we would like MFC to be big here, it won't happen until the team wins a chip. They are a long way from that, but lets give this management team some time to make the necessary decisions to make this team a better product in the USL and this city. Maybe one day we will have the attendance like in Montreal.
     
  16. wellington

    wellington Member

    Jun 4, 1999
    Charlotte, NC
    Club:
    Charlotte
    Nat'l Team:
    England
    Would they be better off in Ft. Lauderdale? Did they finally tear down Lockhart?
     
  17. JuniorTuPapa

    JuniorTuPapa New Member

    Oct 7, 2007
    There are several reasons why attendance is so poor for the Miami FC; for one, South Florida is one of the worse sport fans in the whole country, but the Miami FC's management negligence doesn't help either.

    I coach 4-6 year old kids, and I try and instill love for the game as much as I can. The league where I coach has kids from 4-12 years old, and last year I had contacted the Miami FC management to see if we could get free tickets for about 20-30 kids (parents would pay), and also some time with the players before the game (before or after warm-ups), maybe give away a couple of signed jerseys or something. Nothing out of the ordinary I thought, but something where we could bring the kids and have them experience a "pro" level game. Well no one answered me for a few weeks, and after my 4th or 5th email, I got a simple email basically saying they have nothing and could care less if the kids went or not (I'm bitterly paraphrasing).

    I'm not sure what is Miami FC's management long-term plan is, but not jumping at opportunities like that to help the club build a fan base and identity, is just simply moronic.

    I'd gone to a couple of game and realize the quality is sub-par to say the least, but if we want MLS-level in Miami, we need to show there's a fan base hungry for some real soccer, and not the occasional friendly or copa de oro.
     
  18. SoccerPrime

    SoccerPrime Moderator
    Staff Member

    All of them
    Apr 14, 2003
    Club:
    Real Salt Lake
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Lockhart is still there. 2008 will be its last year.
     
  19. jimmyco

    jimmyco Member

    Jan 17, 2003
    Aurora, CO
    Club:
    Colorado Rapids
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Does anyone know what the secret was that Montreal tapped into to turn it around? Ownership? Financial backing? Dumb luck? Combination(s) thereof?
     
  20. bomp

    bomp New Member

    Dec 22, 1999
    Baltimore, MD.
    Government subsidy. They buy tix and give them to people who attend. Lots of discount tickets as well. Saputo who owns Le Impact is a billionaire,
     
  21. SoccerPrime

    SoccerPrime Moderator
    Staff Member

    All of them
    Apr 14, 2003
    Club:
    Real Salt Lake
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    AKA cheating. LOL
     
  22. river

    river Member

    Aug 12, 2001
    Cooper City
    Club:
    Philadelphia Union
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Re: Why is attendance so low at Tropicana Field?


    Development league?
    Absolutely!

    It will happen! It's been Traffics goal right from their very first press conference.

    Also, for you MLS fans out there. I don't believe that MLS or joining MLS is anywhere in Traffic's scope.

    I do have to agree that the USL has a very short season!


    :cool:
     
  23. river

    river Member

    Aug 12, 2001
    Cooper City
    Club:
    Philadelphia Union
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Re: Why is attendance so low at Tropicana Field?

    I belive FAU will have a new stadium ready by next season.

    Regardless, I've said this before. South Florida needs a domed stadium.

    Am I the only one that thinks this? Why don't don't these people that design and re-design stadiums down here realize that?
     
  24. Fusion Logix

    Fusion Logix New Member

    Jun 23, 2005
    Miami,Fl
    Re: Why is attendance so low at Tropicana Field?

    actually the canes are leaving after this season...so the OB is not in use when 2008 rolls around

    my idea is hopefully FIU can work out some sort of deal with MLS and bring a team into that stadium. Obviously i believe the stadium should be structured with the idea of having soccer matches in the first place tho(international friendlies and crap)
     
  25. kenntomasch

    kenntomasch Member+

    Sep 2, 1999
    Out West
    Club:
    FC Tampa Bay Rowdies
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    And yet...that doesn't make people re-think their beliefs. Maybe it takes more than just a perceived soccer-friendly population by demographic.

    USL is a lower level of the game. It's inevitable that USL attendances are, by and large, going to be lower than MLS attendances. USL teams have much smaller marketing budgets.

    And Traffic doesn't seem to have a clue about what they're doing.
     

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