Is the way the Krafts run this team holding back and limiting the overall success of the franchise?

Re: are the krafts, and they may they run the team, the problem?

Obv

 

Re: are the krafts, and they may they run the team, the problem?

People voting no, what is the problem if it isn't ownership/management?

Or do you not think that there's a problem with the way this franchise is performing?

Just curious.

 

Re: are the krafts, and they may they run the team, the problem?

All of us, even those who've drank the most Kool-Aid, know that some things could be (or could have been) done better, but are the Krafts "the" problem? I think not.

Which MLS clubs have that extra 'something special' in their local areas?
Seattle -- they're brand new, and there's little pro sports competition in the area.
Toronto -- new-ish, and little competition (outside of hockey season)
DC -- they've won 4 titles (or is it 5? I am sick of counting them.) And their other sports teams suck, aside from the Caps.

Do we consider Kraft cheap? In this market, how much money would he have to spend to make an impact on the sports fans of the area? And how few would care? This is an area where the Sox and Pats are kings, and the Celtics and Bruins are also popular. Three of these four teams have had great success in the last few years. There's LOTS of sports competition here. The ROI on extra spending would likely be incredibly small, possibly a loss. Kraft is a business man, and you don't get rich by losing money.

Is it the lack of a Designated Player? Maybe half of MLS DP's have performed well. Maybe half have helped ticket sales. Beckham and Blanco come to mind. So is a DP worth it? And last I checked the Revs aren't the only team without one.

The Revs have made it to four cup finals. Is it the Krafts' fault that the Revs have lost all of them? Did Bob or Jonathan play in those games? Did either of them miss a PK or make an errant pass? I would have remembered that.

What could motivate any of us to point the finger at the Krafts and say they are definitely 'the' problem?

 

Re: are the krafts, and they may they run the team, the problem?

This sums up the situation...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Criticisms_of_socialism

 

Re: are the krafts, and they may they run the team, the problem?

Problem? What problem? We are in the playoffs with a depleted roster. We are pretty much immune to debt, that is, if even we are losing money; which I'm not sure we are. We have a team. We have a coach who gets the most out of the team. We have a stadium for now and maybe a SSS for later.

What were those problems again?

Oh yeah, fan apathy. That's one I can think of. Well, from one fan to another, lets get off our asses and support this team.

 

Re: are the krafts, and they may they run the team, the problem?

Decrease in attendance, lack of public appeal, lack of media coverage, confused identity crisis (are we a family even or an adult event?), lack of a star player, and the general feeling that the FO just doesn't care.

This team could really use a re-branding of sorts sometime in the near future. But as some one stated before, it'll be best to re-brand once (if) we get an SSS. Kraft marketed this team the wrong way from 1996-2008, and while they seem to be making some progress is changing the way they market this team, it's looking like too little too late.

I would sure hope that if Kraft was able to start over, he would see the success of Seattle and TFC and try to imitate that. But now he is stuck with a "kiddy" image that he purposefully built up, and thus our current situation is his fault.

 

Re: are the krafts, and they may they run the team, the problem?

Because we got incredibly, mind-boggling lucky. We had to rely on RBNY. Read that again.

Yes, seeing as we're just piggybacking on the Mothership I guess we are. Problem is, if you only eat crumbs from the table you're not going to be very strong are you?

Didn't fly as a defense when the Pats had bad 1998 and 1999 seasons under Pete Carroll and doesn't fly now. "Well at least the team didn't move to St. Louis!" You would have been chased out of the tailgate with flaming BBQ tongs.

We do agree here.

We are the afterthought team playing in the Big Boys house. Gillette is as much "home" to the Revs as Fenway or Nickerson was "home" to the Pats back in the '60s. Maybe, potentially, one day, down the line, on paper we might sort of, they're thinking about it, the idea-had-crossed-someone's-mind, have an SSS in the future. Not talking to Somerville in a year doesn't bode well.

01.) Total unavailability of Revs gear in the city of Boston
02.) Miniscule media profile...in fact you yourself harped on this one, remember?

You don't think Kraft's low-budget/no-buzz operation of this team contributes to why the Globe ignores us?

03.) Openly hostile security staff
04.) Shrinking fanbase
05.) Minor-league, unprofessional gameday atmosphere

When you have the above problems, what exactly is the reason for people already not fans to support this team?

So uh yeah, problems.

 

Re: are the krafts, and they may they run the team, the problem?

I suspect it has to do with the wording of the question.

 

Re: are the krafts, and they may they run the team, the problem?

I am holding off on voting until I have finished trying to decipher the middle part of the question.

 

Re: are the krafts, and they may they run the team, the problem?

Good stuff here, Kapt.... BTW, my handle on boston.com is kraftownzrevs.... we were talking today, LOL

 

Re: are the krafts, and they may they run the team, the problem?

Ha, well unlike jokeefe80/Boston Red I'm not attacking you personally- just offering a different POV.

 

Re: are the krafts, and they may they run the team, the problem?

Oh I know. Loved your POV. Hard to figure out that jokeefe80/BostonRed. I seem to hit some nerve with him. He calls me stupid. It's mean but he's right.

I guess it's because I have an obtuse mind and have less than normal intelligence, that he gets upset with me. I do wish I were a smarter person -really. I wish I were a bit more sophisticated; but I can't help who I am. He can't seem to tolerate my lack of vocabulary and my inability to construct coherent, well organized thoughts. It's not my fault that I only made it to the sixth grade.

I really wish he would cut me some slack and consider my limitations and lack of skills with regard to my struggles, in expressing myself.

 

Re: are the krafts, and they may they run the team, the problem?

The problem is that some people choose to take the failings of Revs management as a personal affront when poor to middling management is an unavoidable fact of life in the modern world.

As sure as the sun rises in east, the front office will make mistakes, some tactical and some strategic, some unavoidable and some beyond understanding.

Whether you allow those mistakes to define your experience as a fan is entirely up to you. Having been emotionally involved in New England sports since the early 70s, I choose to focus on what pleasures I can get out of it. I've seen the improv comedy of the Sullivan owned patriots, the rigidity and willfull blindness of the JRY Redsox, the enduring penny pinching of Jeremy Jacobs and the Sidam touch of the Rick Pitino Celtics. The Revs don't really stand out in that crowd.

 

Re: are the krafts, and they may they run the team, the problem?

The problem isn't fan apathy. The problem is that there aren't a lot of fans. If you can't see that, then may god have mercy on your soul.

 

Re: are the krafts, and they may they run the team, the problem?

I'm not a complicated man. You think I'm picking on you, when in reality, I hate everyone in here. So don't take it personally, jackoff. (MODS that was a joke, no need freak out and ban me for a month. Minutmanii and I are bff's even though I hate his guts, and wish evil things to happen to him (ok joking again, but srsly, he is an easy target)).

tootles xoxo

 

Re: are the krafts, and they may they run the team, the problem?

Is it possible to edit the question in the thread header so it reflects what you intended to say?

Mods?

 

Re: Is the way the Krafts run this team holding back and limiting the overall success of the franchi

The problem is ... too many rivets and not enough shield.

 

Re: are the krafts, and they may they run the team, the problem?

lolololololol d:

 

Re: are the krafts, and they may they run the team, the problem?

I don't think the issue I had with the question is the wording, but rather requiring a black and white answer to a topic that is pretty much gray. I mentally reworded the question to "Are the Krafts the *biggest* reason for the problem?" then defined the problem as attendance/popularity and answered yes based on that.

There are probably 50 reasons affecting the attendance at Revs games and the top 2 in my mind have to be the economy and the FO/marketing/game day experience. I answered yes, but with qualifications. But it also comes down to things like:

How popular is MLS?
What days and times are the matches and what was the weather?
Do I have the disposable income to attend?

and lots of other factors that the FO has little or no control over.

 

Re: Is the way the Krafts run this team holding back and limiting the overall success of the franchi

Here's the way the question should be worded:

Is the way the Krafts RUN THIS TEAM INTO THE GROUND holding back and limiting the overall success of the franchise?



Seriously... yes, the Krafts' stewardship of the New England Revolution has been - and continues to be - an exercise in mediocre management practices that threatens to "salt the earth" when it comes to the future of professional soccer in New England. Period.

Any good will I might once have shown them for bringing a Major League Soccer franchise to the region in the first place has long since been eradicated by the utter disregard that they've shown for the team since.

 

Re: Is the way the Krafts run this team holding back and limiting the overall success of the franchi

I think the question is very simple and the answer is also simple.

As most know I there's no love lost between me and the ownership of this team. I for one don't believe that just because an organization is successful in one business it's a given that they will be successful in another.

That being said, and I won't attack this ownership personally but only state my opinion on the way I believe they've run this team.

First and foremost I feel this ownership has no real LOVE for the game..first foul. Can someone with money market a product that they don't understand or really feel passionate about and still come out ahead? Yes, in some cases..no in others.

You don't have to like McDonald's..but if you've got enough money to plunk down on a franchise..you'll pretty much succeed if you run it the way Hamburger University wants you too..

(I know..I reference food a lot..I'm Italian and food is the i ching..LOL )

Well..the beautiful game isn't McDonald's..but I think you get my point. If you're trying to sell New England clam chowder to a chicken gumbo loving crowd..You had better love the recipe you have of that chowder!!

So..just having the money doesn't equate to success. And though I'd like to believe that the Kraft's have this team just as a tax right off..I can't constantly use that as an excuse. No one wants to LOSE money..no matter how much you have.

And sometimes, even Ebeneezer needs a wake up call..!

But, I do feel strongly that this franchise is being held back by the fact that this owner probably believes that this game is for young girls and his other team is for real men..! And most of the people that voted no..did so because they're fans of Kraft, the owner of the pats, who just happens to be the owner of the Revs..my opinion!