Revs-Sporting: Pregame

Sporting looked pretty sharp against the StingRays - I only saw the 1st half but they were already up 3-0. They attack well down the flanks and are very good at crossing and finishing, at least against lesser competition, we'll see how the Revs stack up...

My pictures from Saturday night's game in Providence are now online:

StingRays vs. Sporting May 15, 2004

 

I WAS looking forward to this game when it was announced but now I'm dreading it. It couldn't come at a worse time for the Revs. Also, with no reason to risk his few healthy players why would Stevie Nics send out our best? More than likely the Revs will not look so hot and I'll have to listen to crap from my fellow Portuguese about how bad the Revs are. The Revs have stunk out the joint for most of the friendies they've played. This one is different and I can't blame Nicol if he trots out Singer, Vercolone, Dorman and Brilliant.

Roger

 

I'm not so certain about the Revs "stinking out the joint" in their friendlies. Yes, they were poor v. Santa Clara here but v. Ajax and Benfica they did OK and actually the games were fun.

In this case we actually have an opportunity to try new blood and a possible new formation against very good opposition who know how to avoid injury, as opposed to hot-blooded college kids, out to make an impression.

As a public relations outreach this doesn't cut the mustard. Chances are the Revs won't look so great v. Sporting but if the 3-5-2 gets a good runout and/or Baker/Brilliant/Dorman look good, who cares? It is, after all, a friendly and a chance to bow at the feet of Joao Pinto, etc.

JIM DOW

 

I don't think Nicol will clear his bench, but I do think he'll use the game to get playing time for some of the bench players (Baker, Dorman), rest Brown (Reis), get Kante playing time, ditto John if he's finalized and not over-tax Twellman (Brilliant?) and Cancela (Vercollone).

I wonder how Brown feels about this game? If his groin is good enough to go, he might want this game as a showcase (not that I expect Nicol to be influenced by such thinking).

 

Any word on TV coverage?

RTPI?

CN8?

 

I'm not expecting much of a result either, but if San Jose can beat them 4-1, why can't we pull off a win too? Granted, they basically got off the plane and played SJ without much rest after an intercontinental flight, but hey... I say this is just the sort of thingTwellman needs to cure the snakebite. He'll get his chance, and he'll place it smartly in the corner instead of blasting it straight at the keeper.

 

this i don't mind.

however, i'm going to be more than a little ticked if i show up to see a lineup littered with pioneers, crusaders, and bulldogs (a'la revs v santa clara '99?).

revs' pj's reserved for revs only!!
arrgghhh

 

I'm actually looking forward to seeing (hopefully) Brilliant, Vercollone, Dorman, et al. I mean, as close as I follow the team, I really know next to nothing about these guys. Realizing that one, or more, of them may be pressed into significant action later in the season, I'm looking forward to seeing what they're all about.

Also, out of curiosity, does anyone have an inkling about ticket sales for this one?

 

Re: Revs-Sporting: Really?

The Revos are hosting Sporting. Really?

This match might go down as the worst promoted game in franchise history. And that is really saying something.

I was talking with some Sporting fans, who don't go to Revos games, and they had no idea they were playing New England. One knew they were playing the Stingrays, but they had no idea they were playing the Revos.

So the great Revos marketing machine continues to operate in high gear.

Another missed opportunity to liven up the Foxborough Mausoleum.

 

Frank,

I don't know this for certain, but I believe the official marketing rights to this exhibition are not retained by the Revolution (or something to that effect), in which case, "blame" for the perceived lack of promotion should be assigned to the group handling those responsibilities.

Not that it makes any difference, but I did see flyers advertising this match in East Cambridge (large Portuguese population) earlier in the week, posted in any number of shop windows, so who knows how many will turn out for this match?

The Magpie

 

Whomever is responsible, be it the Revos or some Portuguese travel agency, has done a truly horrible job getting the word out that this game is being played.

How typical, though, if a MLS team is involved in an international match and doesn't have the right to promote their own game. Amazing this kind of thing continues to go on.

 

What I find much more amazing is the Krafts organization "doesn't have the desire to promote their own game" (or the leverage with the local media despite having them in their pocket when it comes to the Pats.)

It's their stadium, their investment in the soccer industry. Go figure.

I heard a radio commercial on WBZ radio yesterday afternoon, with some segment "being promoted by Sporting Club of Portugal."

But, do you think the WBZ sports dept. might even mention that this game is happening, on their daily news coverage?

Ya, right...

 

There were similar complaints all over the SJ board before their game. Assurances were made by several poster that that the game WAS being promoted, but just in the Portuguese community(hence the low-profile in the Quakes community), and that the promotion would result in a big turnout. Apparently that didn't happen though, as I think I saw attendence #'s that didn't even hit 5 figures.

 

5,254.

http://www.sjearthquakes.com/press_box/051204review.htm

 

this game is part of the season ticket package, correct?

 

You've hit the nail right on the head!

As long as the organisation is unwilling to spend any money to market and promote their product, they will not grow and will continue to shrink.

The team improved over the past two seasons and fewer people attended games. So a better team meant less interest.

Now the team is struggling and the chances of eroding even more of the base of support becomes even greater.

It is possible that the front office has its hands tied on spending money on marketing and promotion.
It is possible that they don't have enough staff, or enough specialised talent on staff, to do the job.
It is possible that the current staff couldn't organise a p*ss up in a brewery.
Any, or all, of those things are possible.

The bottom line is that the Krafts could push and promote this team to a much greater degree if they wanted to.It appears they are not willing to do this, because they are certainly able to do it.

They are smart business people, but in this case they are not getting it right.

 

BigFrank that is one of the most reasonable criticisms I've ever read you make of the Revs. It was suprising to me when Craig said, "We are not promoting this game." I don't know what the particulars of the agreement between the group promoting Sporting and the Revs. It's quite possiable that they're contractually obligated not to promote this game, or that it's none of their concern due to whatever finacial arrangements between Sporting, the group promoting the game and the Revs. I could imagine a situation where by Sporting or the promoters are paying the Revs to have Sporting play them in return for a large cut of ticket sales etc. That circumstance may be a bit of a stretch but in fairness it is odd and unfortunate that the Revs are consciously not promoting this game, perhaps that's one possiable reason.

 

It is bizarre that there has been hardly any mention of this in the mainstream media. Not even a game preview article by Frank D in the Globe, which would have been an excellent opportunity for him to wax eloquently on the differences between choirizo and linguica, and the wonderful lyrics and haunting melodies of Cesarea Evoria, and even throw in a couple of soccer references for good measure.

Leaving it to someone else to promote this only in the Portuguese community is only half the story. Why not get them as well as the normal Revs community who will pay good money to see the Columbus Crew, not to mention the Euro-snob crowd. Of course, having a big club come over is the same as the Chivas dilemma. I play with a couple of Portuguese guys, but they are Benfica fans (as I would guess most of the local community is), so they aren't all that thrilled about seeing their main rival play (and likely beat up on) the Revs.

If done correctly, these international friendlies can have the air of an ethnic festival, and at the same time, exposing people from outside that community to the culture. Local food, music, folk dancing, whatever... these are the natural tie-ins that can bring people out, even if they are not particularly interested in the main event. I doubt the grandmother at the El Salvador Nats game could name two players on the team, but that didn't stop her from enjoying the day.

This is a huge missed opportunity, and as much as I like to see these kinds of extra games, part of me says that there's no point in doing these if it's not going to be done right.

Tom