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Originally Posted by Johnny Footstool
I doubt those 5 wins will make Joe Fan decide to splurge on a significant number of additional tickets.
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In the long run, 5 wins is the difference between finishing at 77-85 vs. 72-90, but in the course of a season, 5 wins is the difference (potentially) between being 3 games back from the Wild Card in July (and still, theoretically, in contention) and being 8 games back from the Wild Card in July and firmly in the losers bracket.
Joe Fan will show up for a ballclub he percieves to be in "striking distance" of postseason play. Joe Fan spends his money elsewhere when the team is playing the game for pride only. There's a lot of money to be made from keeping a club just barely in contention before fading hard as opposed to a club that falls flat on it's face out of the gate and leaves no doubt where the train ride is going.