You might create more excitement and maybe more attention but the Quakes don't get the concession or parking revenue. If you give away 5000 tickets a game what incentive would there be to buy tickets? Until the Quakes have their own stadium I don't see this as a good alternative.
In all honesty, I had no idea that the Quakes didn't share in parking or concessions. And in no way would I give away tickets to a playoff game.... But, I'll admit that I'm not a big baseball fan. However, I have taken advantage of some free ticket things with the SJ Giants, which has prompted me to go to more games and actually pay for tickets because I had a great time. Regarding the media being cynical. Won't they always? Heck, they were giving the Shark's a hard time for a few years because there was a few empty seats, but they were still saying it was a sell-out. But, I do see all of your points. Like you, I don't mind the long drawn out process of building up the "paying" fan base. Like so many, I have seen the fans come and go for many years. But, we also have to keep in mind that our complaints regarding the media won't do any good until we are packing the house each week, along with having a winning team. Hugs and Kisses, Quakes Board Poster In Training
I wrote all this while Spart was typing/posting, so pls forgive any reps. Thanks A couple of points 1)Does more people at Spartan automatically mean more revenue for the Quakes? Since Spartan Shops runs Spartan Stadium, how much, if any, of parking and food concessions do the Quakes get? Do the Quakes keep all the money from their concessions booth (ie, if I buy a jersey online will the Quakes get more money from it?). I think this emphasizes the need for AEG/Quakes to take over Spartan. 2)It seems to be MLS' policy that you don't paper the crowd (well since the Krafts left town). I think if you read other boards, posters such as Kenntomasch and others (sp? forgive me Kenn if I have taken your argument and made a mess) make the point that when you give tix away, what you create is people continuing to want it for free, not necessarily people who become customers. 3)TonyH, I'm stretching your NASL point here, but are you suggesting that the NASL should be the business model of record? I don't think you are btw 4)The SaberCats/AFL point made earlier seems a valid one. The AFL is on a network, there are now two leagues (AFL and afl2), but I don't see any increase in coverage. The Sabercats would probably kill for the coverage the Quakes get in all the Bay Area newspapers. 5)Media coverage? How do we know that those Quakes got more coverage? Did the Chronicle/Trib/CC Times also cover them to the extent they are covered today? I'm asking, I don't know. Were the Quakes on tv back then? TV is an important tool to build new fans. In this regard, getting every game on tv was one of two things Lynne M did right (changing the name/colors being the other). Go Quakes Tony
Surprised nobody mentioned this yet, but the Mercury illustrated Johnny's point to a tee last weekend, a front page story either Saturday or Sunday about how San Jose is the 11th largest city in the country now, and will probably pass Detroit as #10 eventually. So they did a "side-by-side" comparison table about cultural and other issues (ie, for "Celebrity" they listed Eminem for Detroit, Smashmouth for San Jose ). For sports teams, they listed "Red Wings, Pistons, Lions, Tigers" for Detroit. For San Jose, they listed "Sharks." That shows where we stand with the Merc. Another thing about Ann Killion. She (like Brandi) actually fueled some of the divisiveness between the Quakes and the Rays in the year leading up to WUSA's launch. For example, she repeatedly nagged that WUSA was "world class" as opposed to MLS. Now she's concerned about the Quakes. Whatever.
That's simply because soccer is not yet universally recognized as a "major" sport in this country. The comparison only listed the "Big 4" professional sports. Doesn't Detroit also have a minor league hockey team as well (the Vipers)? Gee, why weren't the SJ Giants listed under "sports teams", they're a professional baseball team with an MLB affilliation...we could go on for days with this argument.
I used to do that for you my friend. I was the toe head that used to be the runner for you and Dave (can't remember his last name) back in the day. I sat next to you in the press box for a few years. Also, I wasn't really thinking along the lines of a promotion to give away tickets. Just send people out and give them to whoever. No publicity.....just hand them out in the community, etc.....
'Tis true. Peter Bridgwater wouldn't run a press box without at least two runners available...though I don't think I ever sent Tony to the banger stand...at least I don't remember doing it. Though if you want to do it for old times sake I won't complain. By the way, Dave Brady does show up at an occasional match...though I think the last match he came to was C-Rays (as the father of a PTH).
There is no way I would suggest using the NASL model, but there were things that were done back in the 70's that made sense. Perhaps it was because it was a different time, and certain things are looked at differently now. All I know is that giving away tickets back then worked. They didn't always do it because the need to was deminished over time. But then again, the stadium was A LOT smaller back then as well. However, the excitement that was generated from a packed stadium turned into ticket sales. NASL decided to screw up the rest on there own. Regarding the media coverage...keep in mind I was a kid, but it seemed like there was always articles in the paper. I used to spend hours cutting them out. I still have them tucked away in a box some place. Unfortunately, I only cut the articles out so the dates aren't there. But, I have the articles about Julie Vee, when he busted his ankle and kept playing, the "mysterious flood", Johnny Moore's fashionable headgear, articles about the nasty games between the Portland Timbers and the Quakes, the fight between Popovich and Brian Holmes, the Hewitt trade.....the list goes on and on. I guess what I am trying to say is, the articles back then were much better, and more frequent then they are now. But, that's just my perception.
Yes, it's very true..... Ahhh...Peter Bridgewater and Dave Brady. Take about a real need for an On Call Hypertension nurse. I still want to know who's blood pressure was higher. No, I never ran to get a banger for you, but I do remember making a few sandwich's out of all the left overs in the press box since we were lucky if 2 or 3 showed up. Have you heard from Jill Francisco (I think that was her name)?
But also keep in mind how the Bay Area's sporting landscape has changed. Let's take a brief snapshot of the mid-'70's... GIANTS - were absolutely moribund and within hours of being sold to the Labatt Brewing Co. and moved to Toronto in 1976. Played before crowds as small as 875 at Candlestick Park. A's - Coming off World Series championships in '72, '73, and '74, one of the great teams of its era failed to draw a million fans. Owner Charles O. Finley saw the big-money free agent writing on the wall, and was preparing to dismantle one of the great teams of its era. 49ers - After successive playoff appearances in '70, '71, and '72 (losing to Dallas each time), the 49ers would undergo a roller-coaster of change through the rest of the decade...bottoming out in '77 when the club was purchased by the DeBartolo family. The upheaval they endured in the '70's was a far cry from the franchise we know today. RAIDERS - One of the dominant teams of its era, it didn't command the sweeping media attention it could have gotten because the NFL still had not yet become the all-omniscient entity we know today. WARRIORS - One championship club in '74-'75, but a team without star power (in spite of our friend, Rick Barry). A team in search of a personality that never caught on with the public. SEALS - Yes, Virginia, there was hockey before the Sharks. Largely viewed as a novelty act owned by the A's Charles O. Finley before becoming wards of the NHL and eventually moving to Cleveland. Now, into this breach stepped the original Earthquakes. San Jose's only team (save the Bees). It was new. It was percieved as "big time". And Johnny and the boys did everything they could to build that perception. They were the media darlings (when the media still had darlings...and the San Jose papers were still "local"). Cynicism was not a part of our daily lives. Welcome to Pleasantville...
Typical press box scenario under Dave Brady: "OK, the Mexican fans are starting to throw beer? Play "La Bamba"!" It usually worked, too. She used to fly me down to LA to work "important" matches for her promotion company...but now I think she's a high muckety-muck in CONCACAF. Haven't heard from her in years.
Those were some fun times back then. Lots of laughs.....It was a great learning experience for me as well...considering I was only 14 or 15 when I first started.
      I remember those times... times we'll never see again.       GO EARTHQUAKES!!! -G
      Didn't the reportedly-tyranical rule of GM Joe Thomas in 1977-78 almost drive the 49ers organization into the ground (much like how the 1999-2000 reign of the Krafts here almost drove the Earthquakes organization into the ground)? The team even went through three head coaches in '78!       The bottoming-out, though, was in 1978 and 1979, when the Niners went 2-14 each season. However, at least Bill Walsh (hired from Stanford in '79) was able to draft two guys named Joe Montana and Dwight Clark in his first year, even if they only started seeing significant playing time the next year.       GO EARTHQUAKES!!! -G
Absolutely. Reportedly, Thomas took all the 49ers "history" from the club's offices and burned it in the Candlestick car park, stating "the future begins now". The damage Thomas did lasted well into the late-70's...it took Walsh 3 years (and the 1981 college draft) to correct the problem.
      I seem to remember reading somewhere that Thomas had previously damaged one or two other NFL teams in the same manner, although I can't remember which teams at the moment.       Is what I read true?       GO EARTHQUAKES!!! -G
Baltimore Colts for certain. Before joining the 49ers, Thomas gained infamy as the man who traded John Unitas (among others) away from Baltimore, though he was more successful in rebuilding the Colts with his "future is now" philosophy. I don't remember if he managed (or mis-managed) any other clubs.
the thing I take from all of this is that the Merc can and should do a better job BUT when they do do something good people here need to cut them some slack. people are always talking about organizing mass complaints (emails, calls ... whatever) but don't you think a mass 'thank you for a job well done' will do more in the long run? Final comment: Nice to have Mr. General Manager in here, but he should get off BigSoccer and sell some more tickets!!! good luck tomorrow, WeeMan!!!
Back a few years (not as far as Pleasantville), the SJ Arena Guest Services staff would hand count all the ticket stubs during the game. That changed to ticket stub weighing. Today they use the scanners. Once the tickets are counted, they are compared to "tickets sold." They also look at the tickets that were given to staff and players, and comps. Games that were "sell outs" were games that the available tickets for sale were gone. Often those empty seats were sold or spoken for, but the holder didn't show.