Phil Castellini surprised that Opening Day tickets still unsold

Deadspin had an article too (Caution - NSFW language):

https://deadspin.com/actually-dude-w...ere-1848788898


I can’t believe The Reds are allowing Phil’s half-baked non-apology to stand as some sort of “closure” on this. All sorts of national media outlets have picked it up, it’s become a really big deal. And they remain silent.

Just an awful look.

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Originally Posted by fearofpopvol1

The saddest (worst) part is that I thought originally that Phil actually verbalized the apology that would have been written. No, instead, he just put out a statement. What a coward.

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That was the smart part. Do NOT put this guy in front of a microphone again. No talking for that guy.

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Originally Posted by The Operator

Deadspin had an article too (Caution - NSFW language):

https://deadspin.com/actually-dude-w...ere-1848788898


I can’t believe The Reds are allowing Phil’s half-baked non-apology to stand as some sort of “closure” on this. All sorts of national media outlets have picked it up, it’s become a really big deal. And they remain silent.

Just an awful look.

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Sorry, but bad take. You can't make what he did better by saying more things. Then only closure is for them to stop talking about it and ride out the storm of anger.

At some point minimize the damage - the more they say, the worse they keep looking, so at some point simply shutting up might not be a bad idea.

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Originally Posted by The Operator

Deadspin had an article too (Caution - NSFW language):

https://deadspin.com/actually-dude-w...ere-1848788898


I can’t believe The Reds are allowing Phil’s half-baked non-apology to stand as some sort of “closure” on this. All sorts of national media outlets have picked it up, it’s become a really big deal. And they remain silent.

Just an awful look.

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Originally Posted by M2

Sorry, but bad take. You can't make what he did better by saying more things. Then only closure is for them to stop talking about it and ride out the storm of anger.

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Oh I’m not saying put Phil in front of a mic again. Just something more than what they did from someone who has some clue how to some sincere when talking to the public.

Pure speculation here, but sometimes the "why" someone says something off the cuff or rude is very simplistic. How do we not know Phil was sauced or on something when he spoke like that? Not giving him a pass at all, but I doubt he comes out the next homestand and says "Sorry, I had a couple bourbons before I got on air."

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Originally Posted by The Operator

Deadspin had an article too (Caution - NSFW language):

https://deadspin.com/actually-dude-w...ere-1848788898


I can’t believe The Reds are allowing Phil’s half-baked non-apology to stand as some sort of “closure” on this. All sorts of national media outlets have picked it up, it’s become a really big deal. And they remain silent.

Just an awful look.

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at this point, even the best PR person in the world would tell them the best thing to do is STFU and hope this somewhat blows over.

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Originally Posted by The Operator

Oh I’m not saying put Phil in front of a mic again. Just something more than what they did from someone who has some clue how to some sincere when talking to the public.

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Nope, duck and cover. No one from the Reds has managed anything like sincerity since the start of the offseason. No changing that now. Do not even engage the question of why the fans are angry when it gets asked. Just market the ever-loving hell out of the kids. The only answer they should be giving is "how 'bout dem kids?"

We need to figure out a way to get this guy to buy the Reds:

https://www.axios.com/arizona-iced-t...7e9b78320.html

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Originally Posted by forfreelin04

Pure speculation here, but sometimes the "why" someone says something off the cuff or rude is very simplistic. How do we not know Phil was sauced or on something when he spoke like that? Not giving him a pass at all, but I doubt he comes out the next homestand and says "Sorry, I had a couple bourbons before I got on air."

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He doubled down at something like 11 AM. I'm not a teetotaler by any means but that would just make me want to punt him to the curb even harder.

I try to do my part with the TV ratings by using VPN and MLB.TV and watching the game with the road announcers.

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Originally Posted by George Anderson

I rarely post anymore simply because this franchise just doesn’t matter to me that much anymore. Phil’s comments simply reinforce my belief that the Reds care more about the dollar than winning.

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If they cared so much about the dollar then why spend $10mill on a sore shouldered pitcher? Why are they the only team that thinks Tommy Pham is worth $7.5mill? This is incompetence not frugality. I won't even get into Mike Moustakas

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Originally Posted by Sea Ray

If they cared so much about the dollar then why spend $10mill on a sore shouldered pitcher? Why are they the only team that thinks Tommy Pham is worth $7.5mill? This is incompetence not frugality. I won't even get into Mike Moustakas

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Pham and Minor are reactionary transactions to try and polish up the turd known is a fire sale after they realized fans weren’t buying it.


Slash payroll…. fans get mad… gee we didn’t expect that, here’s a couple players we found…


Bob’s entire tenure has been largely reactionary moves with no long term planning.

Anyway, the Reds fans should do everything possible to stick it to ownership. They don’t care about the fans? Then the fans need to find other interests till this ownership group is gone.

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Originally Posted by The Operator

Pham and Minor are reactionary transactions to try and polish up the turd known is a fire sale after they realized fans weren’t buying it.


Slash payroll…. fans get mad… gee we didn’t expect that, here’s a couple players we found…


Bob’s entire tenure has been largely reactionary moves with no long term planning.

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In other words, double down on your mistakes. Can't disagree there

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Originally Posted by Sea Ray

If they cared so much about the dollar then why spend $10mill on a sore shouldered pitcher? Why are they the only team that thinks Tommy Pham is worth $7.5mill? This is incompetence not frugality. I won't even get into Mike Moustakas

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Again, it's both.

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Originally Posted by Bob Sheed

Again, it's both.

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If they were concerned about the dollar they would have said no to MM. That was a stupid move financially

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Originally Posted by The Operator

Bob’s entire tenure has been largely reactionary moves with no long term planning.

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After I take my ad down this could be my next signature.

Brilliant.

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Originally Posted by Sea Ray

If they were concerned about the dollar they would have said no to MM. That was a stupid move financially

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Sigh. Again, it's both. Sometimes one contradicts the other.

Cheapasses prone to rash and foolish decisions?

Or rash and foolish cheapasses.

Pick one...

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Originally Posted by kaldaniels

After I take my ad down this could be my next signature.

Brilliant.

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Immortalize me! I love it haha

Only 154 more of these great experiences to go. Where else would we go indeed

Where am I going to go Bob and Phil? Somewhere that I can buy more than 1 beer with a $20 bill for starters.

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Originally Posted by Bob Sheed

Sigh. Again, it's both. Sometimes one contradicts the other.

Cheapasses prone to rash and foolish decisions?

Or rash and foolish cheapasses.

Pick one...

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If I'm say Mike Brown, I tell the Royals, "no way I'm taking on MM's salary. Give me a minor leaguer and you can have Garrett."

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Originally Posted by UKWhoDey

Where am I going to go Bob and Phil? Somewhere that I can buy more than 1 beer with a $20 bill for starters.

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It's not Phil's words as much as his product. I'd tolerate a brash owner if his team was 5-2 rather than 2-5. It's his team's performance that's the biggest problem

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Originally Posted by The Operator

Oh I’m not saying put Phil in front of a mic again. Just something more than what they did from someone who has some clue how to some sincere when talking to the public.

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Like Nick Krall. :D

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Originally Posted by M2

I suppose the trick is to thread the needle and insist you think you've got a pack of kids - India, Greene, Stephenson, Lodolo, Barrero - who are going to be stars and Reds fans have the chance to watch them as they ascend. Right? You sell people on this being a golden generation.

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Just to watch them get traded when they start to get expensive? Like Winker?

If they want to sell tickets they should have a Phil Castallini punching bag night or dart board or have him in a dunk tank filled with sewer water

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Originally Posted by Slyder

Just to watch them get traded when they start to get expensive? Like Winker?

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Then restock yes. Maybe pull a cornerstone or 2 out if they prove they are that. Or bring one in another way. Find studs to keep longer term and churn everyone else to backfill.

Attachment 18208

This map shows a very different picture of market potential than what a lot of people state about the Reds. This map shows the the areas and corresponding population to the ballpark that is closest to them. The Reds have the 6th largest population in this category.

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Originally Posted by InsaneinthBrame

If they want to sell tickets they should have a Phil Castallini punching bag night or dart board or have him in a dunk tank filled with sewer water

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I am fully against the dunk tank idea. The Reds braintrust would use that as a way to scout and sign next year's opening day starter.

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Originally Posted by InsaneinthBrame

Attachment 18208

This map shows a very different picture of market potential than what a lot of people state about the Reds. This map shows the the areas and corresponding population to the ballpark that is closest to them. The Reds have the 6th largest population in this category.

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They also have a HUGE amount of of other pro sports to compete against too

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Originally Posted by westofyou

They also have a HUGE amount of of other pro sports to compete against too

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Having lived in Louisville, I ran across way more Cubs and Cards fans than Reds fans.

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Originally Posted by Old school 1983

Having lived in Louisville, I ran across way more Cubs and Cards fans than Reds fans.

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If I live in Columbus and have kids who like Pro sports I have Cavs/Pacers, Hockey Pens/BJ's/ 4 teams in NFL a couple hours away, then college, just a LOT of options.

The Reds used to make hay in the weekend, that's the surrounding area crowd, trains, weekends in the city... now aside from the myriad of options is the fact that the areas that used to "Go to the city" have almost all the features of the city. So the thing the Reds need to do is draw more local fans, fill up Thursday and Tuesday dates.


And that is why the best thing they could do to start that is part ways with Phil, he's poisoned the well, he's the guy who peed on the campfire.

See ya pal

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Originally Posted by Old school 1983

Having lived in Louisville, I ran across way more Cubs and Cards fans than Reds fans.

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Nope.

It's not close.

There are more Atlanta fans than either Chicago or St. Louis, but Cincinnati is far and away the most popular team in Louisville.

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Originally Posted by westofyou

They also have a HUGE amount of of other pro sports to compete against too

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Think this is true of much of the country's population though. I know Oregon and a lot of the west is different, but Cincinnati is pretty standard for the midwest and northeast.

I've also always found it really odd that people excuse low attendance with the Reds by pointing to things like high school football and the school year, as if other markets don't have competition for entertainment dollars or uh, kids going to school.

Most of the things we've heard since Marge Schott from ownership and local media are just nonsense.

The Reds are a small market in a lot of ways, but they also have advantages that don't get brought up enough outside of places like this. The tv viewership is massive, the fan loyalty has been higher than many markets for decades. They have a ton of fans outside the Cincinnati metro area. They have a long history to draw on that the majority of North American professional sports franchises do not have.

Think about Tampa's ownership - think they'd enjoy having a team as deeply embedded in the local collective consciousness as the Reds are in Cincinnati?

The Reds have just gone backwards so much in the last 20 years, it's wild how much they've squandered here. There are going to be a lot of days this summer where tickets sold is going to basically be the season ticket base. Should never happen in a market that loves baseball the way Cincinnati does. It's taken so much incompetence and outright malice towards the fans to create this state of affairs, and I don't see how the Castellinis ever dig themselves out at this point.

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Originally Posted by Bourgeois Zee

Nope.

It's not close.

There are more Atlanta fans than either Chicago or St. Louis, but Cincinnati is far and away the most popular team in Louisville.

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I lived there in part of 2018 and 2019. Maybe I just ran into a non-representative group of people.

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Originally Posted by Bourgeois Zee

Nope.

It's not close.

There are more Atlanta fans than either Chicago or St. Louis, but Cincinnati is far and away the most popular team in Louisville.

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But that's largely because other than the Walt era, the Reds have been completely irrelevant since 1999.

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Originally Posted by Old school 1983

I lived there in part of 2018 and 2019. Maybe I just ran into a non-representative group of people.

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When I lived there, back around 2016-17, it was a huge Reds area, probably because of the Bats being there. YMMV.


Best way I've found to tell is to go into a Mejier's and see what team sport gear they have on display. Indy, for example, has a big batch of Cubs gear and Reds gear, which makes sense to me.

Muncie has mostly Reds stuff, with a little Cubs.

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Originally Posted by LeatherPants

When I lived there, back around 2016-17, it was a huge Reds area, probably because of the Bats being there. YMMV.


Best way I've found to tell is to go into a Mejier's and see what team sport gear they have on display. Indy, for example, has a big batch of Cubs gear and Reds gear, which makes sense to me.

Muncie has mostly Reds stuff, with a little Cubs.

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Makes sense to me. I likely got a non-representative sample. That was the busiest work period of my life. I didn’t get out much.