A major stadium deal is completed last night and the largest newspaper in the region did not cover it. Let them know that they dropped the ball. http://www.dallasnews.com/cgi-bin/lettertoed.cgi
Just in case anyone else is just as pissed as I am that not only do the Dallas Morning Spews not bother to show up for the biggest story in Texas soccer in 7 years but they don't even have a mention in the next morning's paper. Again Tobias proved the Star Telegram to be superior http://www.dfw.com/mld/dfw/sports/5548196.htm I encourage everyone who has bitched about local soccer coverage in the past to vent heartily to & mention your subscription (if you still have one) Bob Yates Sports Editor 214-977-8260 byates@dallasnews.com Rick Alonzo Sports Reporter 214-977-8074 ralonzo@dallasnews.com Steve Davis Sports Reporter 214-977-8030 stevedavis@dallasnews.com Or write a letter to the editor, http://www.dallasnews.com/cgi-bin/lettertoed.cgi Inaction will do nothing to help your local coverage. Thanks, Jonno.
Maybe they didn't notice. Mention it to them, as it could be the first they are hearing about it. ToLo can only work for one paper at a time.
Dear Sirs, Yet again the Dallas Morning News has failed to provide even the most basic soccer coverage by not reporting the biggest soccer story in Texas for seven years. Last night Frisco ISD voted unanimously for the jointly funded future home of the Dallas Burn completing a trio of unanimous decisions within a week and thus giving the final go-ahead to the stadium. Where was DMN? Nowhere to be seen. This mornings paper...nothing. As a local soccer fan not only do I find this massively frustrating but also confusing. The Burn have consistently drawn good crowds to a non-ideal stadium despite the appalling local media coverage but also the new complex will prove to be a hotbed of youth soccer in what is probably the hottest youth soccer area in the US! With 220,000 people involved in soccer in some way in the Metroplex you would think this kind of story might interest a few people. Now where did I put that Star Telegram? Sincerely, Mark Johnson President, Inferno Supporters Group www.the-inferno.net
There's a war going on. Maybe they didn't get the word till late. Course you know T-Lo would get it right.
This is what Rick emailed me. "Thanks for your e-mail. FYI... I no longer cover the Burn. But I understand your concern. I'm not sure what happened within our department or the Metro department, which had been handling much of the coverage with the stadium. Sorry I can't comment. Rick" That is sad.
Got a response: My name is Leona Allen. I am the editor of the Collin County edition of The Dallas Morning News. Thank you so much for writing. We absolutely know how important this stadium complex for the Dallas Burn is to Collin County and to this area. We have written eight stories about this complex in the last month, including the first story that any media outlet wrote about the plans the first of March. The school board vote last night was the last of several steps to make the stadium happen. We decided to write a short news item on the live vote last night. We are producing a story for tomorrow's Metro cover that tells readers where the plans go from here. It should help explain what has to happen with the bonds, etc. Again, thank your for your note and your interest in making sure we're covering stories that most interest you. Please phone or write me any time you have concerns or ideas. Leona Allen Deputy Metro Editor/Collin County The Dallas Morning News ldallen@dallasnews.com 469-330-5610
The DMN puts in a picture and covers every game that the Burn plays. While this stadium is important, I frankly could care less about any of the voting. I frankly am only going to care when it gets built. The DMN does alright by me. Just hope you guys send them a positive note when they have a particularly good story, or good photo. I think energy is better spent responding when articles are written than when they aren't. Call the Ticket when they have Chad Deering on. Don't call them when they say something stupid about soccer. Okay, so you never call the Ticket, but you get my drift....
He's mostly right, you know. While the DaMN did fall down on this one, and while it is extremely important to the team, I think people are forgetting that the DaMN has always been the best source of news about the Burn in the area. (Well, outside of 3rd Degree.) And while ToLo is a great, great writer, the Startlegram has shown throughout its history that they are not going to devote as much editorially to soccer or the Burn. If you ask me, if the DaMN doesn't deserve any sort of organized e-mail campaign when they're consistently one of the best sources of soccer news in the US, then they don't deserve one when they have their occasional screwup.
Good for you guys. These kind of reactions (Fans showing they care) will only help the team, league and the media coverage.
Sorry this is BS, I know they screwed up big but at least give them one more day for maybe a more detailed story. I think we should all be lucky to have such great soccer coverage from a newspaper whereas most other cities don't get half the reslults/coverage we do. Can it for one more day people, we should all be happy for the stadium anyways.
Well, they're a day late but at least the DMN got around to writing an article. Unfortunately, it's not exactly detailed, but it does contain a few new quotes. http://www.dallasnews.com/localnews/city/collin/stories/040403dnmetburndeal.a7efa.html
What exactly does 'Regional coverage" mean? I wrote to the DMN Sports Editor, who forwarded it to the Collin County Edition Editor. This accomplishment is heralded as a major move in North Texas soccer, and, indeed, will be recognized as a model for similar future developments across the US. Collin County is 'very local' coverage of this event. This event deserved "Regional coverage" by DMN. If DMN carries "a picture and article" of every game, then this event should have warranted exponentially more coverage than it got. This story carried a myriad of 'players', not the least of which is Mark Cuban. HDnet's involvement with broadcasting MLS's first games in HDTV format is a landmark occurence. The tie-in of the Mavs and Mark Cuban ALONE would have given huge props to the Burn's 'elevation' in North Texas status as a viable, enjoyable, worthwhile dollar-spent in this region. This kind of publicity is invaluable, and it's this kind of 'nonchalant non-coverage' of the local press that hurts MLS. DMN dropped the ball, and the Burn will have to work 'that-much-harder' to get the coverage they deserve.
I sent my letter in. Told them thanks for their soccer coverage being better than it was 20 years ago. However, I would PLEASE like some info regarding the new stadium as this is BIG NEWS. Said thanks again for improved coverage but considering the growing popularity of soccer please continue improving coverage for soccer.
I think the only stadium they were concerned with was the baseball stadium, opening that night. Maybe there were confused, or maybe they dropped the ball. We can be certain that the Damn will cover the games at Dragon Stadium, and at the new place as well.