Wild Things: biggest losers
The impact of the economic recession can be found everywhere in the sports world. From the NFL - where last week four teams requested last-minute extensions of the league's television blackout rules because their home openers were not yet sold out – to the minor leagues, attendance has become a major problem. Sports is no longer recession-proof.Several independent baseball leagues have teams who were hit hard by the recession. In the Can-Am League, the American Defenders of New Hampshire, based in Nashua, were locked out of Holman Stadium for failure to pay some $45,000 in back rent and fees to local police officers and firemen. The Brockton Rox were unable to make their monthly lease payment of $30,000. The Rox have been rocked by slumping attendance and advertising for two years, this after setting the league attendance record in 2004.
In affiliated ball, only two Class AAA, two Class AA and five Class A teams exceeded their 2008 attendance figures. One of the Class A teams with a bump in attendance was the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers, managed by former Wild Things manager Jeff Isom.
Of the 10 Frontier League teams that played in the same ballaprk this year as they did in 2008 (Midwest was a traveling team in 2008 and Lake Erie was a new franchise this season), three showed an increase in attendance. However, almost all of the teams saw their attendance hold steady.
The biggest gain was found in Marion, Ill., where the Southern Illinois Miners led the league in attendance at 4,554 per game, up 276 from last year. The Miners might have been helped by being in the playoff race until the final hours of the regular season.
The biggest loss in attendance was in Washington. The Wild Things drew an average of 2,789 fans to Consol Energy Park, which was the smallest figure in franchise history. It was a drop of 181 per game.
The Wild Things' attendance seemed to hold steady on weekends, especially on Fireworks Fridays. But weekday games saw significant dropoffs. A Wednesday night game against the Gateway Grizzlies in early June drew an announced crowd of only 1,340, the smallest in Wild Things history.
In the coming weeks, I'll attempt to analyze the Wild Things' attendance problems and provide some ideas on how to reverse the trend of declining attendance.
Change in attendance (per game) for Frontier League teams in 2009:
+276 Southern Illinois
+243 Windy City
+243 Florence
-38 Traverse City
-63 Evansville
-68 Rockford
-79 Gateway
-162 Kalamazoo
-170 River City
-181 Washington
Labels: Attendance
posted by Chris Dugan at
12:34 PM
33 Comments:
At an attendence loss of almost 8700 for the season:
Lost ticket revenue at average ticket price of $8.00/ticket=$69,600.
Lost revenue of concessions souveniers at $10.00 per person =$87,000.
Lost parking revenue of say $1.50 per person assuming 2 persons per car =$13050.
Total lost revenue =$169,650 which is almost totally lost profit.
It looks like natural grass is safe for a while.
I would hate to have taxpayer turf installed if the team goes bankrupt.
Also most of the financial surveys say Mylan is on of the top 30 traded companies likely to go bankrupt. I doubt if the Mylan stockholders would like to see their stock being deluted to front the money for taxpayer turf.
Unless the average life expectancy of people falls to about 40, Mylan isn't going bankrupt.
If the 2,800 avg number were really true, I'll bend over and kiss my own behind! Chris you were there, you've seen the crowds for every season. The numbers were way down this year, season tickets were way down and the attendance totals were bumped by about 300-400 every night. It was really about 2,400 but they can't tell the big wigs that, or EVERYONE would be restructured.
Even though many season ticket holders do not show up at the games they are still counted in the attendance totals
^ we all know that, I'm talking about ticket numbers, not in house numbers.
Whoever the guy is that is trashing Swisscheda for his comments must have a screw loose.
Swiss’s remarks are usually on-topic and informative for guys that are too busy doing other
things to keep up with what is going on in the League. What the heck is wrong with that?
Keep on posting Swiss because it’s fun to read what you have to say. As I well know, there are ALWAYS
detractors on this blog – pay them no mind.
Ron Wilson
--
Chris,
I have a lot of thoughts about what the Wild Things could, and should do to improve things i.e.; start treating customers as their lifeblood not just a bunch of idiots. Lord knows they don’t do that now, they have a “if you don’t like it then don’t come to the games” attitude. A lot of people are doing just that.
The Wild Things have told me several times they don’t read the blog or anything you write about them.
So, what is the point to even try to make suggestions to improve things. Our comments as fans mean absolutely nothing to them.
THEY SIMPLY DON’T CARE – PERIOD!
Franni Williams just has to be the biggest disaster to ever happen to the Wild Things. As far as I’m concerned “Frantic Franni”, as some of her employees call her, just doesn’t seem to have the slightest clue!
We pesky old customers are just a pain the ass to the Wild Things UNLESS,of course, there is something we can do for them – like be a ‘host family’. If you do that you suddenly become the “greatest fans in all of baseball” – how disingenuous can these Wild Things management folks be? We should all take note of the so-called “above board” manner that the funds for the phony grass were arranged. There was NOTHING strange about that was there? Never mind the fans did not want it they found a way to not only ignore us, but also arraigned for US to pay for IT! IT’S ALL ABOUT THEM – the HELL WITH THE FANS! Great people that at CEP, eh? The Wild Things excel in only two areas and they are; slinging the BS and “lip service”!
On a scale of 1-10, with 10 being best, I’ll give the Wild Things management a minus 8, and that’s only on their good days, which they never have any of!
Ron Wilson
"Never mind the fans did not want it"
Speak for yourself Ron, not for me. I, for one, would rather see CEP with fieldturf than the burnt-brown grass, soup-like muck in the outfield and the gravel warning track. That park is a joke. Worst in the Frontier League and very dangerous, especially if your an outfielder. It's getting worse every year. If they don't make a change, somebody is going to get hurt badly because of the field conditions (then the lawyers are really going to get rich with the lawsuits that are sure to follow). I know if I were a high school coach I wouldn't want my kids playing on that field. It's too dangerous to have 15-year-old kids playing on it. Whoever built that field either had no idea what they were doing or were so lacking in funds that they could make only make a hazardous playing field. Either way, it has to go. Now.
It's party time in Avon, Ohio as the visiting Lake Erie Crushers have defeated the River City Rascals 13-10, to capture the 2009 Frontier League Championship in O'Fallon, Missouri. The Crushers battled back from a 2 games to 0 deficit in an ironic twist of fate for manager John Massarelli, whose Washington Wild Things won the first 2 games of the 2007 Championship Series, only to be swept in the final 3 by the Windy City Thunderbolts.
River City took an early 3-1 lead, courtesy of homers by Chad Maddox and Ernie Banks. Starting pitcher Josh Lowey and reliever Tony Marsala opened the flood gates, however, by surrendering 5 hits and 4 walks in a 7-run 5th inning.
The Rascals rallied in the 6th and 7th, scoring 5 runs on home runs by Danny Sawyer and Chris Colton, and a RBI double by Banks. However, Lake Erie tallied 2 times in the 7th, and 3 more in the 8th to put the game away. Tyler Johnson, Arden McWilliams, and Todd Balduf each had 3 RBI to lead the Crushers. River City pitchers issued 9 walks and 2 hit batsmen, with 6 of the free passes coming around to score.
Banks finished the game 3/4 with a homer, double, single, 2 RBIs, and 3 runs scored.
Congrats mazz!!! we miss you here and it shows. Way to
prove your critics wrong!
Screw Maz. Glad he's long gone. Biggest ego this side of Donald Trump. If he was any good, he'd be in affiliated ball but he crapped out there just like he did in Washington. Good riddance. Now if we can just get rid of Mark Mason, the master of the losing season.
Does anyone here believe mason can ever lead the wild things to a championship?
“Speak for yourself Ron, not for me. I, for one, would rather see CEP with fieldturf than the burnt-brown grass, soup-like muck in the outfield and the gravel warning track.”
.........................
Anon, sorry about that! I did not intend to speak for you. If you had the guts to use your name I would apologize to you by name. The field could be repaired with a lot fewer dollars. Most of the fans I've talked to would prefer natural grass. Also, the plastic grass will need to be replaced on a periodic basis. I suppose you are more than willing to continue buying new phony grass for the Wild Things on a continuing basis, right? I doubt if the Wild Things management has the integrity to pay for their own expenses. Why should they when there as so many lemmings, such as you, willing to follow them into the abyss of continual government subsidy? Speaking for myself ONLY, I object to that.
Sorry if I offended you. One really has to be very careful about how they word things on this blog due to all the "intellectuals” that nit-pick every word. Probably just aspiring attorneys!
Ron Wilson
That's right Ron Wilson. Tell it like it is. Such a big deal over fake grass it's funny ! The organization sucks, the team sucks why on earth shouldn't the field suck !! I could see if it was a big league team, but were talking second rate college players slightly above the high school level. Do you know who the most noteable player to play in that stadium was. Wasn't a Frontier League player. Pittsburgh Pirate Neil Walker who played a High School playoff game there. I can't wait to see how season tickets sell (don't sell) this year. the Wild Things are in a nosedive and don't know how to control it.
"Why should they when there as so many lemmings, such as you, willing to follow them into the abyss of continual government subsidy?"
why is it, ron, that when you've reached your conclusion on any topic, anyone who thinks differently is either a lemming, a lunatic, or a lawyer (wannabe)?
it is possible that you have the wrong viewpoint, or less than all the facts, or are flying by the seat of your pants, or facts be damned!
it is possible that you are wrong and these 'lemmings, lunatics and lawyers' are right. entirely possible.
it is entirely possible that the installation of the artificial surface at the ballpark at north franklin will make the facility better for all concerned. perfect for those fans who long for the golden age of baseball (finely manicured natural grass that nobody walks on outside of playing the games)? no, certainly not. but i don't remember ever seeing you sitting in the crowd, wearing your white shirt and tie, the way all those 'real' fans in the golden age did.
i'm looking forward to the days and seasons ahead at the ballpark. i enjoy the wildthings' games, the high school games, the collegiate games, the playoff games, the concerts (some), and even took in a soccer match (or three). if the room tax monies help all of us enjoy a few more nights this close to home, bring it on.
go ahead, now you can call me a lemming, a lunatic, even a lawyer. too bad you'll be wrong on each account...
"Do you know who the most noteable player to play in that stadium was. Wasn't a Frontier League player. Pittsburgh Pirate Neil Walker who played a High School playoff game there."
sorry, the USA Olympic Softball team has already accomplished so much more than neil walker ever will. therefore, the most notable player to play in that stadium wearing a red, white & blue softball uniform, not pine-richland green.
and, by the way, a number of better-known baseball players have played on that field too. danny almonte (little league fame), for instance. millions more people have heard of him vs. neil walker.
go ahead, now you can call me a lemming, a lunatic,
---------------------------
Nobody needs to call you anything, you said it all yourself!
Will Mike Mason ever win ANYTHING?
Sure, when pigs fly.
Look at all he has accomplished so far. He has nowhere else to go but up!
Maybe he should try selling taxpayer turf, or some other real job.
Gee, I see we have a luntic that thinks fake grass would be a good thing. Where do all these nut jobs come from? If it is such a good idea why did they sneak around to get it?
luntic, eh? you're right. anybody with a different opinion is wrong. surely, with that much knowledge, you can make pigs fly, and manage the team at the same time, and not even get out of bed in the morning. luntic? perhaps i am a luntic. but i think i'll stay a luntic instead of being you.
Two cents worth from a casual Wild Things fan who does get a kick out of reading comments on this blog:
The most noteable person to play at the ballpark is Bob Dylan. The most noteable athlete to play at the ballaprk is Jenny Finch. The most noteable baseball player to play at the ballpark is in no way Neil Walker (.180 batting average, no RBIs) but rather Clay Zavada (3-3 record, 50 Ks in 47 IP with Arizona).
The Wild Things didn't "sneak around" to get turf. Everything was on the radio and in the newspaper. Apparently some people weren't paying attention.
What I can't understand is why the people responsible for putting in such an inadequate playing field aren't being named and held responsible. The Wild Things didn't cause the field problems yet they get all the heat.
No Mark Mason won't lead the Wild Things to a championshipp. His in-game stretegy and use of relief pitchers is as maddening as it is baffling.
I suggest Thriftyone being the owner and Ron Wilson being the general manager. They seem to have all the answers.
If the Wild Things didn't seem to screw up at every turn this blog sure would be boring to read.
Lets tell it like it is!
Would you rather have Leo grass with poor drainage or taxpayer turf?
The outfield drainage has to be fixed either way.
The ideal answer would be to take the $500,000 Soloby grant and use to fix the outfield drainage. There would probably be some money left over to make several permanent booths for the parking lot attentendants to collect the parking fee and also put in new "natural grass".
Thank goodness the tourism payments are spread over 10 years.
Perhaps Bob Gregg could have the tourism board grant the $50,000 per year to be used for other stadium improvements requested by Baseball Scholarships, and not the Wild Things management.
Remember the history of the Frontier League. Teams stay in a city until it gets old and then move one to another city with fresh interest. I wonder how much longer before the Things move to another city further west?
i also say do the turf. the field needs it
Actually, the history of the Frontier League is teams move to larger markets (with the exception of Canton and Springfield, Ill.) with new stadiums. Or in Rockford's case, to a league with a larger salary cap and no age restrictions. The Wild Things will stay in Washington as long as they continue drawing fans to the stadium. If people stop showing up, then you can justify that Washington doesn't deserve the team and it will move.
This comment has been removed by the author.
I just wanted to give a personal thanks to Ron Wilson, and the people from the previous topic for the compliments. I truly do appreciate that. You can agree or disagree with Ron's views, but you can't deny he has the most guts of anybody on the blog. He not only writes his real name, he even listed his SEAT NUMBER at one point...ha ha. Honestly, why are so many critics reluctant to use a simple, joke nickname (like mine) on the internet? What are you afraid of? I personally am not bothered by the attacks, they amuse me. It's a fun stress reliever after a bad day at work. It does get boring, though, because most of the critics write like a 4th grader texting from a cell phone. For the record, I have never met Ron, but I do know who he is to see him.
On the turf topic....I'm not a county resident, so I don't feel the rage that most of you do. As a voting citizen, however, my views generally are there are better things to spend tax money on. Are all of the bridges and roads fixed? And why do voluneer fireman need to stand in an intersection with a boot to fund their department? Shouldn't we help them first? Are there enough police patrolling the interstates to catch the kamikaze drivers who endanger my life while driving to a Wild Things game? I would still attend the games no matter what surface they play on, however, as I just love passionate baseball with a SALARY CAP.
Back to the current topic....I attended 16 games this season and bought a total of 32 tickets. Every person who attended a game with me had a great time, we will most certainly be back. However, I will say the number of empty seats this year was alarming. Suggestions? (1) Call me crazy, but the biggest star the Wild Things ever had WAS Jason Dilly (do I have his last name correct?) This guy was a superstar. I understand 3 different guys were the mascot this year, the best one was the guy who did the "Cotton Eyed Joe" dance. Find a permanent, enthusiastic replacement. And pay him what he's worth!
(2) More fireworks nights. Hey, if that's all people want, give it to them. Have fireworks every single game if that's what it takes. I find it pointless, but hey, it seems to work. Most people are not passionate fans, as evidenced by the number of people who leave before the game's conclusion.
(3) How about valet parking for handicapped people? This does not affect me, but would it be such a terrible idea?
(4) I recall filling out a fan survey in 2006, the first year I came to a game. I didn't see a survey this year. If you want to know how to improve the game experience, ask the people who pay to see it!
(5) How's this for a new, between-innings game for next season? A dunk tank above the hot tub, and lucky fans throw baseballs at the target to dunk whichever blogger they are most angry at (me, Ron, etc.) Or instead of "Dance With The Wild Thing", how about the Swisscheda spelling bee? Relax folks, just a joke.
On a serious note, how about the job John Massarelli did this season with Lake Erie? He kept only 1 player from the Chillicothe roster (good move, of course), assembled a good team, and got hot at the right moment. And isn't it appropriate that the season's climatic game was decided by horrendous pitching? 11 free passes....ouch. You can't help but wonder if some of those guys will be in the Wild Things bullpen next season...ha ha.
Sorry for the extra long post. (I deleted the original post because I forgot something.)
Noticed on the Frontier League site that several players have been dropped from the Wild Things roster the most noteable being Chris Kupillas. Mark Mason still listed as manager.
"I recall filling out a fan survey in 2006"
.......
Swiss,
There was a survey e-mailed today to all on their Wild Things) mailing list. Actually it matters not because they really don't give a darn what we think. Its all just part of their little ‘dog and pony’ show.
Just as our "leaders" in the government, at ALL levels, they make a big show of pretending to care what we think. Then, as usual, they disregard anything we say! Tea Parties are a waste of time, but that’s another issue altogether.
It’s interesting that we are dealing with the “Washington” Wild Things. The noun Washington seems to be very ironic since the Washington D.C. politicians and the Washington Wild Things management have the same ‘screw you” attitude!
Remember, the Wild Things management, as well as the politicians never do anything FOR you – they do it TO you! Sometimes they work in concert to give you the middle finger – case in point, the turf.
Ron Wilson
I drove past the stadium on rt 70 this afternoon.
The grass is green, kept cut, and looks good.
Who pays for the taxpayer turf when it needs replaced?
Improve the drainage and keep the natural grass.
Further to anonymous' post about the roster, the other players who finished the season who are not on the roster now are Josh Blackstock, Aaron Guinn, and Michael Darrah. None of them were impact players, of course. Grant Psomas is still listed, however he will not be on the team next year (age).
Ron Wilson, I did indeed receive the fan survey and filled it out. The only option I saw for fans' comments were about promotion ideas (I suggested "Joe from Gabby Bobblehead Night"....guaranteed to pack 'em in!). I honestly have had no bad experiences at Wild Things games. They screwed up the date on my tickets at call waiting once, but they promptly gave me other seats. My only 2 complaints would be trading away the most dominant hitter in the league, Ernie Banks, and letting Greg Thompson go. I don't doubt the many posts that claim how greedy they are, because quite simply MOST American companies are. Greed is our middle name. My policy is to boycott a company that I am unhappy with. There is a retail chain I refuse to patronize, you have this store in the Washington area (name not important). Just out of curiosity, do you plan to attend Wild Things games next season, even if they keep the grass field intact? Also, what are your thoughts on Major League baseball?
By the way, on the next topic....beware of imitation cheese! ha ha
I also got the Wild Things survey.
One of the questions was where do you go after the games.
I said to church to pray for a win!
I wonder what was the real reason for letting "Dutch" go. I thought the guy did a first class job.
Dutch was let go because he's black.
All the attendance numbers are lies. Traverse City reported over 4000 one night and there may have been 700 in attendance.
I doubt there were over 3000 no shows.
Baseball guru's comment about neil walker being the greatest player at the park ... wow, even though he is a nice kid, without CONNECTIONS, he would not have even been given a chance. A lot of kids high school stats were as good but no CONNECTIONS. Why didn't Pine-Richland play ball at their field when he played? As for the college kids, maybe eeeing them play would be a draw for the Things since they weren't worried about winning in as much as Neil is for the Pirates. Wish him all the luck in the world, but, as said earlier, there are others just as good who didn't get the chance. There were several catchers of his caliber when he played!
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