I don't think he's lying. I think they are talking about median, which in my view, is the much more important statistic to look at. This is mainly because the mean is much more easily skewed by inflated double-header attendance figures (and really low bad days).
The MFO sais that Metrostars merchandise sales are up..... how about the 2003 home jersey? Has the sales of that particular item increased? Especially since you can buy them everywhere now... and of course they actually fit most people...
Folks, you've got to distance yourself from your "fan-ness" when you are talking about a business surviving. If my job is to sell tickets, I'll take 20000 per match vs 15000 per match anyday. I don't care if they came in to watch the birds migrate over the swamps. Butts in the seats = $$. More butts in the seats = more $$. Whatever gets them to come to the stadium is good. Read Bill Veeck's book. When you've got a bulging bank account and are making money hand over fist then you can be selective about your customers and their motivations. But until then, bring 'em on, whoever, whatever, however.
They said average. If they don't know the difference between the median and the mean, they should find someone in the office who does (assuming that there is someone, of course). Then again, maybe there isn't anyone, which might go a long way to helping explain their apparent ineptitude.
Cause if it's a double header, half of that money has to go to the first two teams playing anyway. Plus if the idea is to try and measure your fanbase, doubleheaders give you a skewed version of what that fan base is.
This is an unverified assumption. So we quit doing doubleheaders and giving up the income that they provide just so that we can get a "good" measure of what the fanbase is? (You don't work for the MFO do you? It sounds like you'd fit right in.)
I think voros' point is fair and his breakdown of the attendance a good point. The one point where I would be a little skeptical re: the DH's is on the issue of FieldTurf. Did they actually want to have more DH's but ran into trouble with teams not wanting to play in GS, and then decide to use this as a way to measure the fanbase, or was it a point from the get-go?
Oh my god! I just listened to the Metal Mike thing. That is seriously the most embarassing, dumbest thing I have ever heard. Of course, the concept is ridiculous and non-sensical, but the song took 10 seconds to write. C'mon, at least do something a little bit more fun and original.
Hmmmm. 10211 on a nice 71 degree day. (That's even less than the quakes average.) Should we conclude that MPF was not an unqualified success?
Re: Re: Metros Business 2003 & MPF I don't like MPF either, but, as for the TV ratings... In all honesty, the Devils and Nets have downright poor TV ratings (hockey has poor ratings in general right now). Everyone in NY/North Jersey is a Rangers or Islanders Fan, and nobody watches them on MSG and ESPN2. Speaking of the Nets, most of their games last year were almost empty too, so complaining about our attendance figures or our empty stands is nothing. Look at how empty Nets games are. If we get 10,000 it must be almost triple their attendance.
So I said I would withhold judgment until after seeing the attendance, and I did. Now, I feel comfortable saying that the MFO is a bunch of talentless hacks, who probably couldn't sell free sex to a convict finishing a 20-year sentence. What a f'ing joke. 10,000 on a night like that. What will it take for Nick to get fired? This is the biggest market in the bloody world, and he wants to be congratulated for a 15k median. Piss off, Nick. PISS OFF!
Re: Re: Re: Metros Business 2003 & MPF THe Nets and Devils also play a heck of alot more games than Metro so expecting fans to make the trek out there everynight on schoolnights is a stretch. They also dont get 10000 fans for a Playoff.
Re: Re: Re: Metros Business 2003 & MPF Not a fair comparison because the Nets play 41 home games, compared to the Metros 14. Also, the cheapest lower tier seat at Nets game is $70, while it's $18 for the Metros. They averaged about 12K last year in a 20K stadium, which is woeful, but I wouldn't exactly call that "almost empty".
Sadly, this is what I've been talking about for a couple of years. I'm sure that if we had access to TicketMaster's tallies, we would learn that the MFO has been padding the stats. I judge the attendance from what I have been seeing on TV- I would never be able to buy Section 110 or 111, or 112, rows 1- 8 in previous years. And that was when my guy was there in sales. He would definitely tell you why a person should support American soccer. What has been the difference between this MFO and the previous regime- NOTHING! When all the great tales came up for Nick: "Exec of the Year" (despite Tampa's folding) I pretty much saw the fate of the MLS and its #1 market. The recent attendance articles showed me the proof. And it seems the lesson was not understood by the WUSA. The lesson starts with the same premise- if you want to build soccer, start by using those who have built and continue to build from the grassroots of soccer- not pinstriped yuckleheads. If I were to open a fruit stand, I'd go get a guy who cleaned the fruit at my local supermarket- Not someone who took sales classes at college.