Chicago NPR Station Story On Sox Runs Friday

[WLL1855]

Originally Posted by WhiteSox5187

It's on now and I am listening to it, Michael Puente mentioned how on a "sun kissed Tuesday afternoon while fighting for first place the Sox barely drew 13,000 in a stadium that holds 40,000" was that the game was played on a Tuesday afternoon and originally scheduled for Tuesday night.

The part I bolded is either pure ignorance or a cub fan writer taking a cheap shot at the team, or both.

The Sox have played less than ten Tuesday matinee games at home in the history of the franchise. There's a good reason for that. People work and their kids are in school. Not to mention the game time was changed on short notice to accommodate Yom Kippur.

Someone should call the station and put this clown in his place. Yellow journalism.

[DSpivack]

Originally Posted by WLL1855

The part I bolded is either pure ignorance or a cub fan writer taking a cheap shot at the team, or both.

The Sox have played less than ten Tuesday matinee games at home in the history of the franchise. There's a good reason for that. People work and their kids are in school. Not to mention the game time was changed on short notice to accommodate Yom Kippur.

Someone should call the station and put this clown in his place. Yellow journalism.

That's a bit much. If you listened to the story he did mention that he was a Sox fan, I think he was trying to add a little bit of color to it.

As for Brooks, if he thinks that neither price nor product are the reason for poor attendance, what is left?

[WhiteSox5187]

Originally Posted by DSpivack

That's a bit much. If you listened to the story he did mention that he was a Sox fan, I think he was trying to add a little bit of color to it.

As for Brooks, if he thinks that neither price nor product are the reason for poor attendance, what is left?

He honestly must know that those are key factors but he is not going to come out and say so publicly. No one is going to say "Well our product isn't very good and it is also over priced."

[DSpivack]

Originally Posted by WhiteSox5187

He honestly must know that those are key factors but he is not going to come out and say so publicly. No one is going to say "Well our product isn't very good and it is also over priced."

That's true, and reading it again I noticed that he said "It isn't necessarily..." price or product. That qualifier changes things, makes his statement more vague and meaningless; typical corporate-speak.

[Nellie_Fox]

How about the fact that the Chicago media are heavily biased towards the Cubs? Don't you think that pretty much all the news people fawning over the Cubs and treating the Sox like an afterthought has some affect on the public believing that going to Cubs games is the "cool" and "in" thing to do?

[BigKlu59]

Originally Posted by Nellie_Fox

How about the fact that the Chicago media are heavily biased towards the Cubs? Don't you think that pretty much all the news people fawning over the Cubs and treating the Sox like an afterthought has some affect on the public believing that going to Cubs games is the "cool" and "in" thing to do?

Agree..Been that way for years.. Hell, they dont have to pay for the "Cubbie Koolaide". Its force fed and handed out for free to anyone who will drink the swill..

BK59

[DSpivack]

Originally Posted by Nellie_Fox

How about the fact that the Chicago media are heavily biased towards the Cubs? Don't you think that pretty much all the news people fawning over the Cubs and treating the Sox like an afterthought has some affect on the public believing that going to Cubs games is the "cool" and "in" thing to do?

That explains why Wrigley draws well, but not fully why the Sox don't. I also don't think that explains why attendance has fallen each year 2006; part of that is a World Series hangover, but I also don't see why the Sox couldn't have developed some form of sustained success at the gate because of that. Of course, having a consistent winning team would help there, too.

[Nellie_Fox]

Originally Posted by DSpivack

That explains why Wrigley draws well, but not fully why the Sox don't.

Oh, I agree, it's only part of the picture. We all know about the Sox losing a generation of fans with the ill-considered Sportsvision pay-TV venture, etc. That generation now has children of their own that are being raised as Cubs fans as well.

However, it's part of the picture that needs to be pointed out to the media when they ask. Their role in it should be shown to them.

[24thStFan]

IMHO, I believe the Sox organization missed a golden opportunity by NOT keeping the nucleus of the 2005 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP team together in 2006 and beyond. In addition, the Sox organization should have invested in bringing in more talent in the years immediately following the 2005 championship. We had momentum but squandered it away.

I truly believe that if the Sox would have gone to another world series in any year between 2006 - 2010, we would not be having this attendance conversation. Just my 2 cents.

GO SOX!

[Frater Perdurabo]

Unless you are referring to Rowand and Everett as the "nucleus" of the 2005 team, the Sox went "all in" with the largely the same nucleus, plus Thome (MLB's premier LH slugger) and Vazquez (a largely reliable #3 starter). The only question mark was CF, where they had a top prospect they felt was ready for the show, who would bat ninth. KW upgraded the bench with two players who had started elsewhere: Cintron and Mackowiak. And KW's two bullpen acquisitions - Thornton and MacDougal - pitched better than most of the returning relievers. Those were all the right moves, and they were poised to repeat until the starters and relievers tanked in the second half (compounded by Ozzie often weakening the defense by putting Mackowiak in CF), and the hitters went cold in September.

[Lip Man 1]

Frater:

"The hitters went cold in September..."

Where have we seen that before! LOL.

Seriously Michael the reporter in the story sent me this request last night which I post here:

Can you ask your contacts to leave comments on the WBEZ website on the story, positive or negative. The station likes to see comments.

Also, I would encourage visitors to the web site to listen to the story, not read it. It's meant to be heard.

Also, I am going to send you a link to an on-air conversation our station did on the subject of Sox attendance on Thursday afternoon, if you care to post it.

Thanks again.

Mike

[Lip Man 1]

And here is the link to WBEZ's 'afternoon shift' and the discussion that had on Sox attendance issues Thursday.

The podcast runs about 18 minutes.

You'll have to scroll down about halfway to find the area on the topic. It's right below the section on the Ryder Cup. 4th topic overall on the page.

http://storify.com/WBEZ/afternoon-shift-155

Lip

[Lip Man 1]

Dr. David Fletcher, the head of the Chicago Baseball Museum weighs in on this subject:

-------------------------------------------

There was a very good crowd last night at the Cell and also it featured the most diverse demographics I had seen at the Cell in a long time.


I like to leave the press box for a couple innings and just circle the 1st level and sit in different seats for a half inning or so and get a sense of the fan base and the mood of the crowd. I also like look at the demographics of the fans.


I counted more than 200 African-American fans (about 150 more than I usually see there at the Cell in the lower deck and about 190 more black fans that I usually see at Wrigley) which I found encouraging for the Sox who need to pull in the diverse fan base that exists in Chicago to build a new generation of fans.


It was a very joyous night at 35th and Shields—the most excitement and fun in a long time. Outfield seats were 90% full and fans were having fun.


The crowd brought a lot of energy to the players last night especially when the Twins took the lead 2-0 and later won 4-2. It was late September playoff drive baseball atmosphere at its best.


After the game which featured a great fireworks show (last of the season since today's game was moved up to 3PM) , the crowd stayed around the park and lots of people were tailgating still or at Barcardi's at the Park. The other local Bridgeport spots were also hopping.


Nancy Faust had a great idea about giving up one or two commercials a game and using that television time to show how much fun the fans are having at the ball park. Having a roving camera go out through the crowd and shoot shots of people being entertained and having fun. Have shots of fans enjoying the diverse food selections that US Cellular offers the fan base. I tried a stuffed burger last night that was outstanding and I felt was worth the $10 bucks.

Mark Liptak's comments and observations were right on.

Have several upper deck sections that are priced $10 and all year (even so called premium dates) and get a new generation of fans hooked on the Sox and the experience of coming to the Cell. Continue to develop around the park and offer reasons for people to come to the Cell even on non-game days even to mingle with fellow baseball fans when the Sox are on the road or it is the off season.


Chicago has the fan base to draw nearly 6 million. A winning product helps sell as the Cubs are now learning that lesson as I attended a couple afternoon weekday games there this month where there were less 15, 000 fans actually in the seats and they could have closed the upper deck like they used to.


Good job Lip!!


David Fletcher

[Lip Man 1]

Nancy Faust with a comment:

YES, I DO BELIEVE THAT, LlVE SPONTANEOUS SHOTS OF FANS DURING THE STRETCH (ALA NORTH SIDE), COULD PROVE MORE VALUABLE THAN A PRE- MADE SOX COMMERCIAL.

THANKS, NANCY

[Dan H]

I think that one reason the White Sox ownership struggle with answers to the attendance problem is that they don't understand the question.