1. How freakin' awful is that in Reading!! Not even drawing 1,000 people. My high school team drew nearly that many people, I don't understand how Reading isn't drawing better. Is there anyone at all here with any kind of inside information on the Roar? Is this simply a interest thing? or does it go deeper to the organization not doing it's end of the job marketing the product? or both? I can't imagine that there is that much going on in Reading they can't draw over 1K. I know Philly's close but come on.. this is a shame for the players, specifically a great like Pappa's to play in front of a empty arena for such a poor team too. 2. The bright side, Rochester!!! I really hope they get their team on the right track now for that fan base because those numbers are very impressive. Rochester seems like a perfect city of Pro Indoor Soccer, they always supported the Amerks of the AHL, so not surprised one bit that community would rally behind the Lancers. Here's to the hope of Rochester becoming a team on the same talent level of the Comets, Wave and Blast in the near future!
One of Reading's co-owners (Andrew Haines) is allegedly notorious for starting minor league sports organizations, allegedly not paying people money that he owes, allegedly spending as little as possible on the organization, allegedly attempting to sell the organization to a sucker new owner at a profit, and allegedly shutting the thing down after a year if he doesn't find a sucker buyer. Info: http://www.mlive.com/sports/saginaw/index.ssf/2010/12/cloud_hangs_over_new_saginaw_s.html So he's pretty much doing what he does. Allegedly. The startling thing isn't that the Roar organization is doing so poorly, it's that he's actually running the Ambush like an honest-to-God pro sports team that has a future.
The above statement I can agree with. Andrew is a funny guy, he is more a creative genius type. I mean tha seriously. The guy has this great idea, then expands on it and broadens it to include others (investors). Then sells/pitches it to others. Andrews downfall (in my opinion) is the actual nuts and bolts of the whole thing. Like many creative types he can dream up a fantastic invention but is worried little about the mechanics of the thing. I like Andrew and he never cheated, tricked or BS'ed me. But if Andrew was a playwright, he'd come up with an incredible story, the thing would sound like its on par with 'Miss Saigon', it would have a splashy poster and he would promote it like the second coming. In opening night many would be excited to watch, the opening act might even be incredible, however it would soon become apparent that the props were rickety, the lights didn't work, the stage was covered in water, the lead actor storms off shouting about something, the playhouse accused the play of not paying the bills and the whole thing would ground to a halt and fold at the intermission. And by the intermission Andrew would be across town selling his next movie, which sounds like a real blockbuster............ Repeat storyline
Lets get this corrected their was 4,129 ticket sold if 1500 people were at that game I would be shocked
I stayed home and turned down free tickets. Nobody gives a rats ass seeing the Blast beat semi pro college kids ( and a few old timers) For Kelly to stay " they always compete when we play them" Really? 29-0 is a competitive game right? PS- anyone see Cleveland's minor league team score 27 goals the other day? John Ball have 20 goals?
There were people out side of the arena trying to give tickets away its was sad , I have prime seats and no one wanted them . I game them to a friend of mine who sits in the cheap seats and his son .
The Lancers average is higher. There is currently one game in there that is counting as 0. There are also two Roar games in there counting as 0 as well. Though those figures might not be too far off.
A future that includes busing 900 miles to Syracuse. I'm sorry, if you make guys bus 900 miles to Syracuse and back, maybe you shouldn't own a team.
Well, yeah, I can't argue with that. I was just marveling that the Ambush are attempting to sell tickets and largely succeeding. Haines started at least two minor league pro sports teams in my hometown, and their annual promotional budgets were approximately equal to my monthly Nutella budget.
I'm sorry Kenn but you sound like an old grumpy man. Complaining about everything. So the owners of the Missouri Mavericks CHL team in KC that regularly draws 4,000+ for 5 years straight. Must have bad ownership? The 1,200 miles they bus to Prescott Valley, AZ (your home state of residence) or the 900 mile trip to Brampton, ON Canada must qualify them as bad owners too? If you can get a good deal on bus/train/flights that includes trade. So it reduces your overall travel expense that is just a good business decision. http://www.centralhockeyleague.com/teams/chlteammap/
And by "everything," you mean "this one thing." I will have to bear the cross that people who choose to remain anonymous online and whose fanboy bullshit biases color their thinking don't like me. CHL teams do it. They have always done it. At least when they come to Prescott they play two ********ing games and it's part of a multi-city road trip. We did it in Indiana in the CISL, busing from Indianapolis to Landover, but that was like 600 miles. And that was shitty, too. It's shitty. It's low-rent. You should not own an MISL team if you are going to make your team bus 900 miles to Syracuse. I don't really give a shit what the Mavericks do.
There is absolutely no need for name calling nor using profanity. I have name called and really only towards you and I apologize for it and it will never happen again. But you sir just need to relax and get off your high horse. Again there is no need to use profanity to get your point across. And you do complain and throw in a sour note on just about "everything" not just 1 thing. You are not an expert on any of this otherwise you would be a millionaire owning a much larger team say like the NFL or MLB or even MLS. But yet you are here on this website side by side with the rest of us fans who actually enjoy this sport and enjoy discussing it. And what is the point of using so much proganity. You are an adult not a teenager. I know teens love to swear and throw those words in there but come on grow up. We are discussing soccer not who made out with who in the locker room of the school gym. Unless you think it makes you "cool" to swear like that
You need to learn to just ignore some of the things he posts. He has a lot of relevant knowledge and insight (and probably has a point in this certain scenario). But he's also a complete asshole most of the time.
I appreciate the language. Way to sound professional. You shouldn't get upset because you make statements and another individual has facts & would like discuss those statements. Nothing personal here.
Again, it looked like the crowd was larger than reported. Maybe Sue hasn't learned the art of attendance inflation, as must have been perfected by Messers. Krause and Lindenberg.
I agree 100%...The first 3 years of going to games we saw attendance figures around 5K where there were no fans in the upper sections and very little in the corners. These crowds the last two games have been pretty great. It's my opinion, take it for what it's worth, that they may actually be reporting attendance now as opposed to the old trick of tickets printed. The crowds, along with the Wave finally getting a cut of the concessions, really seem to be making it possible the team is going to break even or even turn a profit.