http://www.hispanicbusiness.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=2214 Interesting article that touches on what is, to me at least, a very interesting subect: namely, what will be the response (in terms of attendance) within the hispanic community to the new stadium? Recently, Alexi Lalas waxed philosophical (sorta) about the environment that should be expected at MLS matches, and I found it interesting to hear him warning against the dangers of creating a "Barney-friendly experience." It is encouraging to me that the Dallas FO seem to appreciate the benefits of a strong SG (Inferno) and a multi-cultural fanbase. At least they seem to be saying that they care about such things. I suppose time will tell if their methods are effective.
Bold = from article MAKING INROADS FC Dallas has taken a few steps to attract Hispanic fans to its new stadium, Pizza Hut Park. Among the initiatives: •The team has scheduled a Hispanic Heritage Night at the new stadium for Aug. 27. Eh. Good footie will turn heads. •FC Dallas also plans to bring Latino bands to Frisco to give fans a feel for the new stadium. Good idea. Also hosting a Mexico Mens National Team match could help in this department. •On game days, the team will work along with Carnival Food Stores to offer a free shuttle service to the matches. Tight! btw any info on this Carnival Food Store... Chain or Independent? Does it caters to Latino consumers?
Carnival is, I believe, a local chain. They actually own supermarkets with several different names Minyards, Carnival and Sack N Save. Carnival caters to the Latino consumer and are located in mostly Latino neighborhoods. It is from these stores, I think, that they plan on running the shuttles. Here is the press release on the partnership: http://pizzahutpark.birdsallstudios.com/pr_062705.html
Just an FYI, the chain is Minyard's which owns Sack N Save and Carnival. I believe the owner of Minyard's once owned the Dallas Sidekicks of indoor fame.
They have one of the more marketable players in the CONCACAF region, and have not used him at all for any promotional stuff. Carlos Ruiz was all over the place in the hispanic community in LA doing promotional stuff. In Dallas, nothing not a single add or promo. In the past, it was not uncommon to spot Hugo Sanchez, Leonel Alvarez, Graziani, and even Antonio Martinez pushing cars, dentists, furniture, DART on the hispanic TV and Radio stations. Cross promotional advertsing raised the visibility and the profile of the franchise in the community and consequently more from that community attended matches. BTW, the issues apply to EJ in the mainstream market.
Does anyone have an inkling of which Carnival stores they'll be shuttling from? I drove by one on Henderson on Saturday that seemed to be in a thriving Latino community near downtown - is that one of the areas a lot of the Latinos we've lost over the past few years came from? Forgive my Dallas ignorance - until recently I was a Tarrant County boy.
Yeah that's right in my old East Dallas neighborhood. I see they've also opened up the new In-n-Out beer barn thing, where you go through the drive thru and scantily clad chicas take your order...only a few blocks away from the Beer 2 Go, which works the same way... Anyway. Oh, the Carnival. Yes, that location was the first one I thought of when this deal got mentioned. It's the kind of place where people sorta "tailgate" in the parking lot on weekends. And it's not far from the Cotton Bowl. I would definitely say you're right about it being a prime area for the Hispanic futbol fanbase, and for the shuttles to the new stadium.
So.......are they going to have shuttles here in McAllen, Texas? As long as they don't bring us in El Piporro Vans...everything is cool.