7th added to all-star game
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| Al Yevoli |
Yevoli, who is in his third season with the Wild Things, has a 2-2 record and 2.58 ERA in a team-high 24 appearances. Zeller's other selections were Florence corner infielder Sam Eberle and Lake Erie pitcher Jordan McCoy.
Previously, Washington outfielders C.J. Beatty, Danny Poma and Stewart Ijames, third baseman Carter Bell, starting pitcher Shawn Blackwell and closer Jonathan Kountis were named to the East all-stars.
posted by Chris Dugan at
1:17 PM
10 Comments:
Chris, how much longer do you think the Wild Things will remain in Washington? There seems to be very little interest.
Can't help but notice how many times the attendance figures are missing from the box scores. The only time Bill DiFabio announces the attendance is when the crowd is greater than usual. On most nights that's not the case.
In your opinion just what is the problem causing such lack of interest? Even many of the employees are dis-heartened at the managements failure to make any effort create any interest.
In the earliest years, soft drinks were served in novelty plastic cups, taco salads served in plastic baseball helmets, there were more give-away items, etc.
Now, most items are served in a plastic foam cup - nothing at all to make a kid feel as if he is anyplace special. Going to a Wild Things game is almost like entering a morgue. There are times it is so still at CEP that you can actually here a players footsteps as he runs the bases. Many season ticket holders, the few that are left, only attend games occasionally. In short, a game at CEP has become boring as it can be. How is Mr. Williams able to meet his payroll? Many times there are almost as many employees and interns as there is fans.
The future sure looks bleak. How long can any team survive with such poor attendance, and with a lack of interest? I thought for sure that if the team improved, the attendance would also. Such is not the case.
My personal opinion is the problem is in the attitude of the upper management. Other than Chris Blaine, most of these people have NO idea of how to make people feel welcome. Mr. Williams projects such arrogance that most people I speak with just want to avoid him. I don't have any problem with him but a lot of fans do.
Anyway, could you please give me your analysis on just what you think is happening and, can the franchise be saved? I'd hate to see the team leave Washington.
Thanks
First let's start with the attendance in the boxscore thing. The attendance is always in the boxscore unless a doubleheader is being played. Because of time and deadline issues, we run only one boxscore on DH nights and the attendance is not given until late in the second game. If there is a "NA" in the attendance line of the boxscore from a single game, that simply means ole Chris dropped the ball and forgot to get the attendance.
As for the team's future, it will be in Washington as long as Stu Williams wants it to be in Washington. He owns the stadium. What else is he going to do with it? Hold pro wrestling in it every night?
The attendance isn't as bad as you might think. You're comparing it to what was here 10 years ago. But compare it to places like Rockford, Windy City, Florence and some other spots in the league on certain nights and it compares favorably. For example, there is a reason why Evansville refused to play home games on Mondays and Tuesdays last year - nobody showed up on Monday or Tuesday.
Let's face facts in Washington's situation:
* The novelty has worn off of going to CEP and a Wild Things game. People take a been-there, done-that attitude. This is the biggest reason for the falloff in attendance. It happens everywhere, from Southern Illinois to Traverse City.
* Plastic cups will not draw fans. By the way, I've been to the concession stand a few times and my drinks have always come in the regular Pepsi cups, not foam. But I get your point. The giveaway nights are few and far between this year and seem to always be on the weekend, when the crowds are bigger. That tells me there might be a minimum of the items the Wild Things need to buy to have a giveaway night.
* Another major reason for the drop in attendance is this region doesn't support sports like it used to, unless it's the Steelers, Penguins or, to some extent, the Pirates. Go to a high school football or basketball game in the local area and look around. It doesn't matter where you go, attendance will be be less than it was 10, 20, 30, 40 years ago. Go to a Pony League World Series game on a night when the Washington team isn't playing and see how many fans from the local area are there just to watch the game. Then compare it to 40 years ago. The difference is shocking. Look at the drop in attendance over the last 30 years at Pitt football games.
This is not an area in which people will support teams just because they're here. You have to win big or have a new stadium to show off. People would rather sit at home and watch a Pirates game for free on TV than go to a Wild Things game. And if the Wild Things continue to win this season, it's not going to show at the gate because late in the season the kids will be back in school.
* One target market the Wild Things have lost almost totally is the high school kids. I've written this before and I'll do so again. The joke in the pressbox used to be that if you were a teenager and you didn't have a boyfriend or girlfriend, then the place to hang out, be seen and let everyone know you were available was CEP. Now, the teenagers are gone. Have been for years. The crowds at CEP are the season-ticket holders, plus the moms and dads who brought their youth league-aged kids, who are in the 6-to-12 age group. The place lacks people in the 13-to-25 age group. Many of those people have been priced out of the place.
* I don't know the background of everybody in the Wild Things' front office, but I do know there were people in the early days of the franchise who had backgrounds in minor league baseball. Probably more than they have now. I'm sure that made a difference. I know it sure didn't hurt when it came to figuring out ways to get butts in the seats.
I'd like to write more on this subject but, hey, it's my wife's birthday. It's probably a good idea to step away from the computer.
Once again Chris, thanks for the informative and insightful look at our Wild Things. Can we build a better mousetrap? A winning season has got to be a good start. And, a Happy Birthday to Mrs Dugan!
There was a similar question about this a short while back. Chris's answer was a bit different from the one he gave today.
Here is the question and answer.
Q-How long do you think the Wild Things will remain in Washington?
Disa Pointed-Although they average 1913/game, the actual attendence is closer to 1000. Even if the ticket sales revenue is 1913, they are only getting half the total revenue including parking, concessions and other sales which makes it easier to conclude they may only be in Washington another year or two.
Chris said..
Look at the drop in attendance over the last 30 years at Pitt football games.
Well, look at the lack of quality in the Pitt football program.
Garbage in - garbage out. It's the failure of Pitt that they have such a lousy program. I know, football is slightly OT, sorry.
Somebody will have to show me where I wrote "to conclude they may only be in Washington another year or two." I don't recall ever writing that.
Found it. That wasn't me wrote the team would be here for another year or two. It was Disa Pointed who wrote that:
Disa Pointed said...
Disa Pointed talking to himself.
Q-How long do you think the Wild Things will remain in Washington?
Disa Pointed-Although they average 1913/game, the actual attendence is closer to 1000. Even if the ticket sales revenue is 1913, they are only getting half the total revenue including parking, concessions and other sales which makes it easier to conclude they may only be in Washington another year or two.
Q-What has lead to the attendence decline of over 50% over the first 4 or 5 years in the league.
Disa Pointed-The newer management (Mr. and Mrs. Stew and Steve) are not nearly visible and interact with the fans like John and Ross did. Also the winning by the Pirates has led to the decline.
Q-Isn't the price of attending a Wild Things game much more economical than a Pirates game?
Disa Pointed-Yes it is cheaper to attend a Wild Things game, but if you compare the quality of play, the price of attending a Pirates game is a bargain compared to attending a Wild Things game.
I just read that and it sure looks to me as though Chris had written that but, what difference, at this point, does it make?
The WT are here until they are gone. That's the long and the short of it. There no use even speculating about it.
Apparently, some people can't comprehend what they have just read.
I am honored that someone would mix up my writing with a pro like you Chris.
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