Attendance issues

[bucksfan2]

I wonder how Bud will spin this article http://mlb.fanhouse.com/2010/04/27/i...usspor00000002

Two interesting comments

There are many clubs, however, where one big giveaway or new face isn't going to heal the early wounds. The Mets, the Marlins, the Padres, the White Sox, the Blue Jays and the A's are all down more than 4,000 fans per game over the first three weeks of the season and the Reds (3,977) and Indians (3,846) aren't far off.

The one place where new fans are storming the gates this season is in Minneapolis, where the new Target Field has seen the Twins' attendance soar by 14,222 per game. American League attendance is down only 35 fans per game thanks to the Twins. Take the Target Field numbers out of the equation, however, and the other 13 AL teams are off an average of just under 900 fans per game. The National League, with no new parks to introduce in 2010, is off 1,070 per game.

[TRF]

Actually, he doesn't need to spin it much. It's a tough economy.

The individual owners need to spin it in the form of "we feel your pain and are lowering ticket prices."

[macro]

I didn't see anywhere in the article where they compared this year's numbers to historical numbers. Where do they rank with the numbers from five years ago or ten years ago at this point in the season?

[Caveat Emperor]

Sad thing from the Reds POV -- anecdotally, it seems like this is the best early-season weather I can remember in quite some time.

[Captain Hook]

I wonder how much technology affects baseball attendance.I know that just about all the games this year are looking pretty good on my 45' HD TV.That and the ability to pause the game anytime I want, follow all other games and sporting events on my wireless laptop meanwhile still giving the wife and kids the impression that I'm paying a little attention to them makes staying home watching the games much more enjoyable.

I will still attend my usual handful of games but I'd imagine these things could keep some from attending as often.

[Always Red]

FWIW, Baseball-Reference.com has the Reds attendance slightly UP this year (I have learned to never question their numbers!):

http://www.baseball-reference.com/le...tendance.shtml

[Caveat Emperor]

Originally Posted by TRF

The individual owners need to spin it in the form of "we feel your pain and are lowering ticket prices."

I'm actually somewhat surprised that teams don't "paper the house" a little more, especially in the smaller markets, to get people in the door and spending money at the park. If I were running a team like the Reds, I'd charge half price for weeknight tickets.

Get 'em in, and see if you can't send them home with a $4 hotdog and $8 beer in their stomach on the way out.

[Captain Hook]

Originally Posted by Always Red

FWIW, Baseball-Reference.com has the Reds attendance slightly UP this year (I have learned to never question their numbers!):

http://www.baseball-reference.com/le...tendance.shtml

Just a guess but that probably has more to do with the decent weather in April then the product of the field.

[Chip R]

Originally Posted by Caveat Emperor

I'm actually somewhat surprised that teams don't "paper the house" a little more, especially in the smaller markets, to get people in the door and spending money at the park. If I were running a team like the Reds, I'd charge half price for weeknight tickets.

So you screw your season ticket holders who paid full price for 81 games?

Get 'em in, and see if you can't send them home with a $4 hotdog and $8 beer in their stomach on the way out.

Would it give the Reds more revenue if they sold more hot dogs and beer than if they kept the tickets the same price and drew fewer people? Do the Reds make $8 when they sell a beer or is that shared between the Reds, the concessionaire, the county, etc?

[Sea Ray]

I'm pretty sure the Reds get all the concession revenue except for taxes

[Ghosts of 1990]

Originally Posted by TRF

Actually, he doesn't need to spin it much. It's a tough economy.

The individual owners need to spin it in the form of "we feel your pain and are lowering ticket prices."

Couldn't agree more. Especially if you're not winning.

[westofyou]

http://www.ticketnews.com/MLB-averag...printview=true

This season, the average FCI for the league is $195.08, a decrease of nearly a dollar over last season. The Diamondbacks lead the League here again, with an FCI of $115.24. The Padres come in second at $120.60, having dropped $50 off their FCI of last season. The club accomplished this by making several changes to fan costs, including dropping the price of the smallest beer from $6.50 to $5.00, dropping soda from $4.25 to $4.00, selling a new cap at nearly half the price of the original, and eliminating the cost of programs. The Cincinnati Reds, with one of the lowest FCI’s at $151.26, are selling one dollar hot dogs and sodas for the second year in a row.

[Always Red]

Originally Posted by Captain Hook

Just a guess but that probably has more to do with the decent weather in April then the product of the field.

It's been a beautiful April here. The Reds? not so much.

[Cyclone792]

Originally Posted by Chip R

So you screw your season ticket holders who paid full price for 81 games?

I can't speak for CE, but I'd also cut the season ticket holder prices down low enough to account for the CE Discount.

Stuff like this should be decided in the offseason, priced into the upcoming season ticket packages and then priced into the individual games. It's not like the data isn't there; the Reds don't draw anybody on weeknights. Even against Manny Ramirez and the Dodgers last week with beautiful evenings, the seats were a barren wasteland.

[Sea Ray]

I don't think the Reds sell $1 hot dogs and soft drinks. Anyone who's been to a game this year notice $1 hot dogs? I know last year they had an occassional special date where they offered $1 hot dogs but that was not a regular price by a long shot