This is a myth. If the Krafts were really committed til 2006, they would have invested in SUM. They specifically chose not to join Hunt and St Phil in that venture and that speaks louder to me than any "verbal" commitment. Andy
with all due respect....do you ever, ever see respect for our own identity happening as long as the krafts own the revs? if so, i'd love to hear what kind of pressure i can put on the revs, that i haven't already, that will make this happen.
Where's Sunil on that layoff list? That guy hasn't done a positive thing for the Revs since....since.... drawing a blank here.
Just an interesting tid-bit that might shine some light one the reduction of ticket sales staff. I just got my MLScup tickets via E-mail. They have a bar code on them that will be scanned at the gate. My point is, how many people does it take to sell tickets when they are sold via the internet?
It's sad, really... The Revs staff has been cut apart like a Thanksgiving Turkey since the start of the 2001 season. Sure, the nation's economy, the league's financial troubles, and the Kraft's lack of knowledge about what it takes to runa soccer team has had alot to do with those decisions. The sad thing here is that IF the Krafty family does decide to stick with MLS, the decisions they've made to put football people in charge of a soccer team seems to mirror the way the Wizards are run by the Chiefs...and we all know how many people go to Wizards games. The thing about MLS and soccer in this country is the phone isn't ringing off the hook...you have to go out and make people want to spend money on the Revs, and at so many levels through ticketing, grassroots marketing, publicity efforts, etc., etc....they're just not banging the doors down, but the interest is there, if you can find it. I don't know if the people left with the Revs will have the power to control anything, or if the people from the Pats marketing and sales departments care enough about the Revs to do the necessary leg work that is required. Supposedly, there were also three Pats people let go, so its not like the Revs were all that was hit, but they were hit hardest, and I'm sure morale with both the offices staff and the team is in the gutter right now. Perfect timing, hmm? In any case, since the start of the 2001 season, counting people who were let go, and the folks who left and were not replaced, a mindboggling SIXTEEN REVOLUTION STAFF POSITIONS have been completely eliminated. I hope the people that the Powers that Be are slamming with all that work don't drown under it. How can any business, let alone a pro sports team, be expected to reach profitablity under such conditions, and how can a team keep focus and play well consistently when they know the organization they work for doesn't care about them. The question is...was this really the end of "restructuring"...or is it just the beginning of the end? It should be an interesting off-season, no?
well, just called over there to get some mls cup tix info and got the old answering machine, "no one is available to take your call right now...." really!? i'm shocked.
It's funny, in a way... I just got my Revs newsletter emailed to me the other day and the sender was none other than the now-released Eric Slack... Just weird. It's sad that the Revs have absolutely had no positive press generated by their actions this year (and don't include the stadium opening) - Jon
ticketbastard will have no idea on issues related to the opening of currently closed sections for purchase by season ticket holders. and contrary to your last post, jd2084, the sales staff doesn't just sit around waiting for phone calls like some public tv fund drive. they do have other responsibilities that your precious www's just can't facilitate.
Re: It's sad, really... A little knowledge is a dangerous thing. Yes, the Chiefs and Wizards have *something* of a centralized operation. Not much, though. There's overlap at the very top (same VP for Sales and Marketing), (I think) corporate sales, and they share ticketing equipment and the initial phone line. That's about it, though. The vast majority of Wizards decisions are made by Curt Johnson, the GM, and carried out by the staff under him. The Wizards' sales staff, with the exception of corporate sales, is completely independent of the Chiefs. There are specialists in youth soccer, the whole bit, who have absolutely nothing to do with the Chiefs other than that they get their paycheck from Hunt Sports (or maybe it's Arrowhead Sports Marketing). Further, since the reorganization, Wizards ticket sales have increased every year, and that will continue this year with an increase of about 1000 per game.
....obviously b/c hunt cares about soccer and is willing to find a way to organizationally foster this philosophy. i don't think we'll be seeing the robert kraft open cup anytime soon.
this move might make a lot of sense - websales and tickemaster lower costs. - break even for soccer is probably easier. besides, if haveing a direct sales force increased the net they would have kept it. maybe the channel approach works better w/lower cost of sale.
Just me thinking out loud, but... You'll probably being reading more from one Sunil 'Alexander Haig' Gulati. Plus, I wouldn't surprised if there's one more significant announcement in the coming days/weeks.
OK, sure "A little knowledge is a dangerous thing." - SamPierron Yes, it is, and so is not reading, which is where you would have seen that I said "SEEMS to mirror the way the Wizards are run by the Chiefs". Nowhere did I imply that I know everything that goes on in KC. "KC's attendance has steadily risen since they combined operations."-Andy "Further, since the reorganization, Wizards ticket sales have increased every year, and that will continue this year with an increase of about 1000 per game."-Sam Pierron OK, so what's great here? KC's six year average is still less than 10,000 per game, the team averaged over 12,000 in 1996, and even with an increase of 1,000 this year its average is less 12,000 fans. MLS also shaved it's schedule down from 32 to 28 games, and last year KC only played 13 at home because of 9/11. You'll also notice that the steady rising of attendance happened to begin in 2000. What did the Wizards do in that year, hmmm, I wonder... I was just trying to make a minor comparison and if you guys are trying to tell me that the Wizards is the model for the perfect MLS organization, I think you must be crazier than the Kraft's, because the Revs staff has managed to keep a pathetic on-field product averaging over 17,000 fans during the 7-year existence of the league, despite being in Foxboro, and with crap for public transportation. I applaud what the KC GM has managed to do there to keep the Wizards afloat, and maybe the fact that Lamar Hunt actually cares about soccer (as opposed to the Krafts, who really don't) has a little something to do with it, and I hope that the Wizards attendance keeps rising steadily...kudos to them. The Pats organization has always had a hand in what the Revs are doing, but now they will be completely calling all the shots, and will be responsible for creating the ideas to put butts in the seats and generate all needed publicity. Sure, call me bitter because my "inside source" was sent walking this week, but taking seven people (who actually care about soccer, have played the game at varying levels, inc. up to college and pro, and have in-depth knowledge about the sport) out of an already reduced office staff was a piss poor long term business decision...bottom line.
Revs In First, my sentiments about KC used to be similar, but then I realized the market's a lot smaller. I'm not saying they are the model front office, nor would I have any idea, but their small but steady attendance growth looks good to me. Also, you'd figure a larger market size should draw better, and NE did draw really well for a long time. However, Too much crap to put up with = drop. If all the people who have threatened to actually stop going to Gillette regularly, KC may pass NE in attendance very soon.
Poor Darius. I know Darius Shirzadi & His family. They live in Westchester County, NY. He got started working with the Rhode Island Stingrays of the D3 before they went to the PDL. Then he was with this Fuxito.com company. They were trying to get a soccer website going, but they were undermanned. Then he went to work for the Revs. It's a real shame that it had to happen to Darius. He worked his butt off to do well for the Revs. And he just had his first child too. His wife is a wonderful person. Well the Krafts just lost a great worker.
Jeff, you asked about my opinion that season ticket sales will drop next year... I have no idea how many season ticket holders we have now, is it about 6000? I wouldn't say half of them won't renew, but I'd bet there will be hundreds, and new STs may be a hard sell, especially without good promotion. Lots of people re-upped last year because there was the new stadium and the offer to keep ST prices the same for long time ST holders. OK, now we've seen the stadium. Nice, but not a draw any longer. Other people renewed because we saw an excellent team on paper. What we saw in person was less than entertaining. Many of the die-hards that you remember from the old days no longer attend. Several ST holders who used to attend every game only show up now and then. Tailgate numbers are down. It's just not as enjoyable any more and for many it's not worth the trip. Add to that the dismal promotional efforts and negative press and you've got a lot of people who simply won't care to part with the cash. Remember the days when a pair of STs was a great Christmas gift? Amy
there's a difference between die-hards and die-nevers. i'm a die-hard and i have just about enough of this organization. die-nevers are the type of fans the krafts want. the ones that spend their money year after year regardless of on and off field product. it was when that seating manifest came out for cmgi that i down graded from die-never. 1. the team is horrible 2. everything about kraft soccer is going the wrong direction from what other mls teams are striving for. 3. the atmosphere at gillette has got to be the most sanitized and sterile soccer atmospheres in the country if not the world....and they are responsible for beating it into that direction. not one other team in mls has taken 9/11 to the extreme that our team has. so really craig....don't hide behind it as an excuse. wusa works thru it, a-league teams work thru it, minor and major league baseball teams work thru it, for god sakes....the world cup managed to work thru it too. 4. they have actually told me, to my face, that i am not the demographic that they are trying to reach/keep (meaning non-suburban family that doesn't pay real attention to the team's performance and the organization's gameday presentation). we all want mls and soccer to succeed. i market this team a million different ways to people i know and some i don't. i've organized about 400 people to come see games over the past 2 years (and i don't belong to some youth soccer organization or anything). when will we feel that the organization is at least matching the effort, that we the fans, have put forth? our commitment and enthusiasm towards the game seems pathetically out of scale in light of how this organization has ignored and mishandled the revs product...especially when compared to the on and off field endeavors that are put forth in other mls cities. i'm 20/80 on re-upping for next year and 50/50 on taking my money and getting 'quakes season tix even though i'll never get to go. (i'm from ca originally...and they would be my club team there). i'd say paper bags, not showing up for games anymore, etc....none of that will get you anywhere with an organization that truely does not care if one single person that writes on these boards ever comes to another match. instead of 16k....they figure they'll just get 15,900...maybe they have a point.
Thanks for the opinions. I hear you about being frustrated and that it isn't worth the trip anymore, especially since I was one that didn't attend as regularly in 2001 as before. What's frustrating is the Revs used to be right at the top as far as the fan base is concerned. It's now eroded to where they're closer to SJ numbers than the top. Given all that's gone on, picture this scenario. Wednesday night match in late April / early May 2003. 45 degrees, a bit of rain. Without a lot of the hardcore diehards that used to go, how many people actually show up, 200? Sad but no use hiding it. It's the diehards that show up in circumstances like I proposed, I wish the org. as a whole realizes it.
Jeff, I know you're in Colorado these days, but that isn't too far off from what already happened earlier this year: Picture this scenario. Wednesday night match in mid June 2002. Unseasonably cool, 65 degrees, a bit of rain. Middle of the World Cup, so many serious fans have been getting their fix watching tapes or getting up early for live games. Without a lot of the hardcore diehards that used to go, how many people actually show up? And here is your answer: June 12, vs Columbus (the famous "third extra-time" game) The "official" attendance was 7,000+, but anyone who was there would have estimated that maybe half that many were actually there (and no, they weren't all watching the game from the concourse). The "official" number only means that there are (soon to be were) about 6,000-6,500 season tickets sold, and maybe 500-1,000 individual game tickets sold that day. Fine if the Revs only care about the revenue, not how many people were actually there. The demographics question is as old as MLS is, and what I don't understand is why the Revs can't cater to attract both the "soccer mom" and the "hard core" types. Sure, they may want different things from their day out, but it isn't a zero-sum game. If each group gets 80% of what they want, everyone is reasonably happy. But if you give one group 100% and the other group 35%, you get people who will feel it isn't worth it. Unfortunately, that is exactly what the Revs have done. Tom