http://espn.go.com/mlb/columns/caple_jim/1556661.html It begs the question as to whether new stadiums in MLS, in the long run, will be the key factor in sustaining financial stability. I think MLS is different from MLB in that although MLS loses money, it's business organization is better so it won't suffer from some of the problems noted in the column, i.e. payrolls going up to finance the new stadiums. MLS is also different in that right now, many of the teams don't have any stadiums, so obviously it's important they get them.
MLS is also different because it doesn't have to cost $400 to take your family to an MLS game. And here's the key statement: Notice it's the bad organizations who are suffering from the bloom-off-the-rose phenomenon. I don't think the Giants are struggling in their new park. Those organizations that realized that you have to work harder once you get in a new yard are going to do better than those who look at it as a panacea. Columbus, I think, learned this lesson the hard way as their attendance dropped after the first year at CCS.
While a drop in attendance is a concern for MLB - I dont think that their situation at all relates to MLS. I went Camden Yards last weekend for a game. It was a crappy Sunday afternoon - two bad teams playing. Probably about 12-15,000 people in the crowd. But what was the paid and announced attendance? 34,000. The season tix and corporate suites are constant revenue for many MLB teams.
Plus, though they may lose money (or show a loss), baseball teams don't usually have trouble finding a buyer.
I wouldn't be surprised if the Galaxy are forced to confront this as an issue as well in the near future. I think it will be hard to sustain a happy fan base at the current ticket prices once the novelty effect of a new stadium wears off. Not to mention a lot of other issues have taken a turn for the worse at the new stadium (i.e. no tailgating allowed at all and no alcohol allowed in the parking lot.) This will detract from the pleasure of attending MLS matches for some people. There is little I enjoyed more then barbequing some food with my friends while kicking the soccer ball around on the Rose bowl grounds and enjoying a beer. Oh well...
New stadiums can mean higher ticket prices. Good article, though. The Milwaukee Brewers drew 44,561 fans total for a three-game series with Cincinnati. Their attendance is down almost 4,000 fans from this time last year, which was down 10,000 fans from the previous season. Attendance has declined so much that the team is considering closing sections of the stadium's upper-deck. I can't help but take grim satisfaction in this. I have nothing against the Brewers or their fans, but Bud Selig has spent the past decade telling everyone that new stadiums are the answer to every baseball problem except organ music and Pete Rose's haircut. As recently as spring training, he said that the Athletics, who have averaged 96 victories a season since 1999, need a new stadium in order to compete. The Brewers definitely don't pack in the fans at Miller Park. Meanwhile, barely three seasons in their new stadium, his Brewers (or, I'm sorry, his "family's'' Brewers) are now drawing fewer fans than they did in all but three of their final 14 years at old "inadequate'' County Stadium.
yeah, that's why i questioned the increase in capacity from 22,000 to 27,000 so early... I wouldn't expand until the fanbase are committed for the long run.
I can't believe they've done this. I was told that the LA GM is working on it and it may be that they want to maximize their revenue from in stadium beer sales. I have to think that they would change that if it affected attendence. I'm not sure if it would affect attendence, as much as I enjoy the same activities at Spartan.
I heard it has to do more with the fact that the stadium is on the campus of California State University and the school does not want the drinking, BBQ-ing tailgaters.
Spartan Stadium is on the campus of San Jose State (also a California State University) yet we can drink and BBQ. I know this doesn't help the fans in LA right now but maybe they can ask the CSUDH management to check with SJSU and see if there have been any significant problems due to alcohol and charcoal consumption.
Is Spartan stadium actually "on-campus?" I thought the SJSU campus was further north, on Fernando & 10th street. Whereas, HDC is located on the campus of CSUDH. You don't have to walk very far to get from the stadium to the classrooms. Maybe that's the difference. Hopefully, Galaxy management can work something out. Tailgating is an American sporting tradition.
Absolutely. It may just be a posted rule that isn't enforced or it might be that they'll have campus police running around being Nazi's about it. A lot of positive or negative goodwill will be generated depending on the enforcement of the rule.
Fresno State (CSUF) wouldn't have a football program if it wasn't for money from beer sponsers. The campus is dry except around the stadium on game days (oh yeah, and in the campus bar) I think the tailgating rule as at the HDC as it currently stands is more to do with keeping the local stadium objectors happy rather than following any CSU guidelines.
Will the stadium seat 27k as of opening night? One could argue that addition could be the solution to some of the high price problem, as it allows for more cheap seats.
not to continue the digression of this thread (but to continue it), i sure hope they find a way around the no-alcohol, no-barbecue policy at Victoria Street. i mean, that's 1/2 the fun for a lot of people. maybe no alcohol AFTER the game, but before the game? come on...
Judging from the recent California Angels sale, the "lesser lights" of baseball ARE having trouble selling, at least at perceived market value. Heck, the Dodgers have problems in this regard. The same issue may cause MLB to hold off on moving the Expos given a belief that they could get $200 million or more in a better economy, not to mention the other issues involved. MLB is nowhere near as bad as NHL, however. MLS fans have no leg to stand on in feeling superior about this, of course
I think most baseball stadiums are used exclusively for baseball, so if the team is no good, attendance drops and so do revenues, so the new stadium really doesn't do the owner any good. With MLS, I think the plan is to use new stadiums for a bunch of things other than MLS games, i.e. high school and college sports, concerts, pro lacrosse etc. So even if MLS doesn't draw enough to turn a profit, AEG or HSG can still make money off the new stadium through these non-MLS events.
That's just the thing about baseball stadiums. With 81 dates, they're easier to justify on the merits of baseball alone. Thing is, name a single concert act that can consistently sell out a baseball stadium these days. Can they do it in winter, outside of baseball season? The baseball-specific stadia only host a couple bowl games (which generally don't do well) and not much else. Concert promoters who want amphitheaters these days don't build bigger than capacity for 20,000. The MLS stadia are the perfect size for that, maybe not too big for outdoor lacrosse, and probably can host several other events... which does make me wish for the floating field concept in order to preserve the grass our heroes play on. In short, there's a need for this size facility, and MLS may be the main catalyst for a trend building these if they play their cards right.
At least with respect to concerts, I agree that MLS stadiums might satisfy the need for that mid-size outdoor venue. Where I live, the only outdoor venues for concerts are Jones Beach, which probably seats about 10,000-15,000, or Giants Stadium at 75,000. A lot of bands are too big for the former but not big enough for the latter. I'm pretty sure Phil Anschutz has already thought about this.