Patriots and the Revs

Neither.

 

This is probably a useless thread (and in "News and Analysis"? c'mon...) , but if anything, it'll make the Krafts think that by neglecting the Revolution and treating its fans like non-entities, they're doing everything exactly right.

 

Re: thought it was a good spot...

So you're saying this thread is useful because we are analyzing how much of an idiot you are?

 

Re: Re: thought it was a good spot...

I dont think that is an idiotic question. I am very happy that the Patriots won the Super Bowl but... I am not a season ticket holder for the Patriots. I am a season ticket holder for the Revolution. Why??? Because I love soccer. I am grateful for all that the Krafts have done so we can have a soccer team to watch at Gillette Stadium. I would also be grateful to them if they would spend more TIME!!!!!!!!! on the Revolution as far as merchandising,better benifits for season ticket holders, ect.

 

Football, soccer it's all the same to Krafts

I think the Krafts seem pretty comitted to both teams by this article. I'm still not sure they KNOW how to sell soccer yet. However, naming Craig Tornberg General Manager is a step in the right direction for the Krafts as he has a long history in soccer marketing.

 

The patriots winning a specific football game has nothing to do with the revs. If the patriots moved or went belly up, then it would have an effect on the revs.

 

Well - as an outside but interested observer - I don't think its 100% accurate that the Krafts treat the Patriots and the Revs equally even on a relative scale.

I was at MLS Cup 2002 so I didn't see any TV shots of the Krafts but I would be SHOCKED if they were hugging or holding hands or jumping up and down in their suite over the Revs.

That is emotion and not just ownership. You can tell that Robert Kraft is a Patriots fan first and owner second. As for the Revs, they are owners first and the Revs are treated that way - as a business.

Look at the Panthers owner - he looked like a stoic Ted Kennedy. A statue. He is an owner, I am sure he's a Panther fan too but he didn't grow up a Panther fan. How could he?

Kraft grew up a Pats fan and that is evident. I think it will take a long time for the Krafts to ever feel about the Revs the way they do the Pats. I would just like them to try a bit harder at it.

 

Well, the outcome of the Patriots winning the Superbowl would have to be positive towards the Revolution, its not going to be negative at all. I mean, at the bare minumum, Mr Kraft I'm sure is satisfied sexually now. If not by his wife then by some stripper or hooker that was paid to pleasure him. That I would think should carry over into the MLS season and at least loosen him up alittle, or at least his pulp. That should then improve his attitude towards all of his business adventures.

 

I have to think that the Patriots' success has made things more difficult for the Revs. Since the Revs founding there have been two big changes in the NE sports scene. One is the rise of the Pats, from mediocrity to the best team in football, and the biggest fall-winter sports story in town. The other is new ownership which has tranformed the Red Sox from a team that was successful and popular, into a cultural phenomenom that sells out a good part of the season. Between these two there's not a lot of room left in the local sports conversation.

Case in point: Friday night I flipped on the late news to see how the Celtics had done. Each of the three network affiliates had their news anchors in Houston covering the pre-pre-pre game for the Pats. No one showed 2" worth of Celtics footage. The legendary Celts! (True, they're miserable, but still...)

Hardcore soccer fans will support the Revs regardless of what's happening in other sports, but right now it's a tough environment for growing a "secondary" sport.

 

From the guidelines of news and analysis:


2)The majority of the time, each thread should contain an article or news clipping in the first post, on what the thread is based on. Such as "Washington Post: Gazza doesn't sign with MLS" or something to that accord.

 

As long as the Pats keep making Kraft money, and he keeps being owner of the Revs, then I think it can only be good. Until that day when the Revs start making money for the Kraft family.

 

They WERE jumping up in their suite at the 2002 MLS Cup Finals. I remember an especially enthusiastic reaction from Johnathan Kraft after Adin Brown made a big stop on Carlos Ruiz in the 2nd OT.

Listen, Johnathan Kraft is the REAL owner of the Revs, and he DOES care. He's at just about every game, and most of the time, you can catch him around the Revs' locker room after the game with his kids. He knows every player on the team on a first name basis.

 

I've been a Revolution supporter since year one, making the 45-minute trek down to Foxboro pretty much every weekend.

The Krafts are committed to both the Patriots and the Revolution: but the basis and extent of their commitment varies from one sport to the other.

What works for the Pats does not necessarily work for the Revolution, and the long-standing fault of the Krafts has been their demonstrated inability to recognize this; you can't fit a square peg in a round hole. An example of this is the consolidation of staff over a year ago where a good number of the "soccer" people were let go, their responsibilities absorbed by the Patriots' front office. Since this shift took place, Revolution ticket numbers have plummeted, and the rumor is they haven't hit botom yet. In the meantime, operating costs continue to be cut, with staff being asked to do more for less and at times, with less. There's been some suggestion the recent staff moves out of Foxboro (1st Asst. Coach, 2nd Asst. Coach, Equipment Manager, and perhaps the Dir. of Soccer Operations) may to some degree be motivated by this.

So will the Patriots victory pay dividends for the Revs?

No, and if anything, it could make life for the soccer side of things that much more difficult.

The Magpie

 

You know, I'd really love to sit down with Jonathon and even Papa Kraft and ask him issues on the Revs, like merchandise, ticket benefits, new stadium, and other stuff. Point is the Krafts like to win. I think they would much rather like to win two championships then just one. Unfortunately I don't think the Krafts would go far to help the Revs win.

 

Consider me pleasantly shocked then.

But it would be nice if some of that enthusiasm would translate into increased funding of Revs activities as Magpie laments.

 

Somehow this strikes me as hilarious.



One could answer this question by asking how the Revs' 2002 Super Bowl victory helped or hindered their "commitment" to the Revs.

It's seemed to have gotten worse since then, at least in many areas.

 

"You know, I'd really love to sit down with Jonathan and even Papa Kraft and ask him issues on the Revs, like merchandise..."

Well, that may be one source of postive news. Word coming down the pike is that a variety of new retail items (thanks Reebok) might be available, and sooner than people think.

The Magpie

 

I've heard that before. If it's before October I'll be pleasantly surprised.

 

"I've heard that before. If it's before October I'll be pleasantly surprised..."

Try seven months before then. Pleased enough?

The Magpie

 

Thats this month! Best news I've heard in awhile.

 

"Thats this month! Best news I've heard in awhile."

Um, you really need to recount. Include October, then count backwards.

The Magpie