Does the unbalanced schedule hurt the Marlins in trying to build a fan base ?

 

I was thinking this morning, when you had the balanced schedule, that meant that Chicago, New York & Atlanta were coming to town just once a year......3 or 4 games.

 

That was it. If you were a baseball fan, and you wanted to see baseball, then you had only 3 or 4 chances to see your favorite team. However now, if you are a transplant, why change to another team like the Marlins ? If you are a Mets or Braves fan, now you get to see your team 8 or 9 games a season, and that's probably about as many as the average "regular" fan attends in a year.

 

Does this make any sense as to why we still have so many people that are loyal to out of town teams, and can't seem to build a local fan base ? Maybe I am pulling at straws, but its gotta be something.....it makes no sense how so many people have just stopped going to games.

Spring training, and the proximity of the "big" teams like the Red Sox, Mets, Cardinals, Dodgers and (formerly) Yankees to the counties the Marlins intend to draw from hurts them more.

 

Much like the Dolphins it's easier for a 'fan' of the Mets or Dodgers to make a 3 time a year trip to Pro Player to see their teams, and there's motivation to do it. For the Marlins fan(s) in those areas, there needs to be a clearer impetus to go, which is why I think super-saturday helps. Maybe they like the (obscure) band playing after. Maybe they like the notion that they can go on a Sunday and not have to drive home in the dark.

 

You just never know what makes a fan who opts to attend 4 games a year, as a distant fan of the home-team...sometimes it's even the fact that we are playing the Mets, and giving the St. Lucie Marlin fan 9 dates to choose from may actually work to our benefit.

Without looking at any actual data, my best guess is that the unbalanced schedule has helped the Marlins. I'm pretty confident the Braves and Mets are the number one and two all-time in average attendance. Besides the Cubs no other NL team is really a huge draw down here. Twenty years ago the Dodgers may have been a decent draw, but more and more of those who followed the Brooklyn Dodgers are dying (thus one reason why the Dodgers are leaving Dodgertown).

Festa, you're definitely right that it helps us at the gate but I think the spirit of question was in the spirit of is it detrimental to developing new fans.

Festa, you're definitely right that it helps us at the gate but I think the spirit of question was in the spirit of is it detrimental to developing new fans.

 

Exactly.....I'm talking about growing the MARLINS fanbase in South Florida. I think the unbalanced schedule hurts rather than helps us.

I dont think you would have many fans of other teams that rival the Marlins suddenly become Marlins fans because their teams dont come to town as often.

Twenty years ago the Dodgers may have been a decent draw, but more and more of those who followed the Brooklyn Dodgers are dying (thus one reason why the Dodgers are leaving Dodgertown).

 

No it's not. Evidently you have never been to Dodger Town. Or you were there blindfolded and ear muffed. That whole area bleeds Dodger Blue and are sick that their team is leaving. They are leaving because of simple economics. It's sad, but they are right.

Does the unbalanced schedule hurt the Marlins in trying to build a fan base ?

 

I was thinking this morning, when you had the balanced schedule, that meant that Chicago, New York & Atlanta were coming to town just once a year......3 or 4 games.

 

That was it. If you were a baseball fan, and you wanted to see baseball, then you had only 3 or 4 chances to see your favorite team. However now, if you are a transplant, why change to another team like the Marlins ? If you are a Mets or Braves fan, now you get to see your team 8 or 9 games a season, and that's probably about as many as the average "regular" fan attends in a year.

 

Does this make any sense as to why we still have so many people that are loyal to out of town teams, and can't seem to build a local fan base ? Maybe I am pulling at straws, but its gotta be something.....it makes no sense how so many people have just stopped going to games.

 

what do u mean the marlins have an unbalanced schedule. they play as many games as everyone else in baseball, and play the divisional opponents more than other teams...just like everyone else. i dont think you are, but if you are saying something like the NL EAST is hard...your very wrong.

 

are you suggesting a shorter mlb season? cause thats what i get from this...

 

i dont know who would want to see the yankees here for 3 and red sox for 3, rather than the braves for 9. at least with the braves here, we have a chance to win a game or two.

Does the unbalanced schedule hurt the Marlins in trying to build a fan base ?

 

I was thinking this morning, when you had the balanced schedule, that meant that Chicago, New York & Atlanta were coming to town just once a year......3 or 4 games.

 

That was it. If you were a baseball fan, and you wanted to see baseball, then you had only 3 or 4 chances to see your favorite team. However now, if you are a transplant, why change to another team like the Marlins ? If you are a Mets or Braves fan, now you get to see your team 8 or 9 games a season, and that's probably about as many as the average "regular" fan attends in a year.

 

Does this make any sense as to why we still have so many people that are loyal to out of town teams, and can't seem to build a local fan base ? Maybe I am pulling at straws, but its gotta be something.....it makes no sense how so many people have just stopped going to games.

 

what do u mean the marlins have an unbalanced schedule. they play as many games as everyone else in baseball, and play the divisional opponents more than other teams...just like everyone else. i dont think you are, but if you are saying something like the NL EAST is hard...your very wrong.

 

are you suggesting a shorter mlb season? cause thats what i get from this...

 

i dont know who would want to see the yankees here for 3 and red sox for 3, rather than the braves for 9. at least with the braves here, we have a chance to win a game or two.

 

Up until a few years ago you played every team just about the same number of times but several years ago it was changed so that now you play division rivals 18 or 19 times and the teams in the other divisions only 6 or 7 times. This is what the unbalanced schedule is.

 

I don't think the unbalanced schedule has much of an impact on the fan base. The fan base has been killed by firesales and by threats of contraction and relocation.

Does the unbalanced schedule hurt the Marlins in trying to build a fan base ?

 

I was thinking this morning, when you had the balanced schedule, that meant that Chicago, New York & Atlanta were coming to town just once a year......3 or 4 games.

 

That was it. If you were a baseball fan, and you wanted to see baseball, then you had only 3 or 4 chances to see your favorite team. However now, if you are a transplant, why change to another team like the Marlins ? If you are a Mets or Braves fan, now you get to see your team 8 or 9 games a season, and that's probably about as many as the average "regular" fan attends in a year.

 

Does this make any sense as to why we still have so many people that are loyal to out of town teams, and can't seem to build a local fan base ? Maybe I am pulling at straws, but its gotta be something.....it makes no sense how so many people have just stopped going to games.

 

what do u mean the marlins have an unbalanced schedule. they play as many games as everyone else in baseball, and play the divisional opponents more than other teams...just like everyone else. i dont think you are, but if you are saying something like the NL EAST is hard...your very wrong.

 

are you suggesting a shorter mlb season? cause thats what i get from this...

 

i dont know who would want to see the yankees here for 3 and red sox for 3, rather than the braves for 9. at least with the braves here, we have a chance to win a game or two.

 

Wow.

 

Just wow.

 

What we have now is called an unbalanced schedule. It's not some slang he came up with.

Twenty years ago the Dodgers may have been a decent draw, but more and more of those who followed the Brooklyn Dodgers are dying (thus one reason why the Dodgers are leaving Dodgertown).

 

No it's not. Evidently you have never been to Dodger Town. Or you were there blindfolded and ear muffed. That whole area bleeds Dodger Blue and are sick that their team is leaving. They are leaving because of simple economics. It's sad, but they are right.

 

One of the reasons the Dodgers are leaving Dodgertown is because of attendance. They can easily draw 7,8 or 9k a game in Arizona because their fan base is nearby. Their once great fan base on the East Coast is dwindling because they are dying out.

 

But nice try!

Does the unbalanced schedule hurt the Marlins in trying to build a fan base ?

 

I was thinking this morning, when you had the balanced schedule, that meant that Chicago, New York & Atlanta were coming to town just once a year......3 or 4 games.

 

That was it. If you were a baseball fan, and you wanted to see baseball, then you had only 3 or 4 chances to see your favorite team. However now, if you are a transplant, why change to another team like the Marlins ? If you are a Mets or Braves fan, now you get to see your team 8 or 9 games a season, and that's probably about as many as the average "regular" fan attends in a year.

 

Does this make any sense as to why we still have so many people that are loyal to out of town teams, and can't seem to build a local fan base ? Maybe I am pulling at straws, but its gotta be something.....it makes no sense how so many people have just stopped going to games.

 

what do u mean the marlins have an unbalanced schedule. they play as many games as everyone else in baseball, and play the divisional opponents more than other teams...just like everyone else. i dont think you are, but if you are saying something like the NL EAST is hard...your very wrong.

 

are you suggesting a shorter mlb season? cause thats what i get from this...

 

i dont know who would want to see the yankees here for 3 and red sox for 3, rather than the braves for 9. at least with the braves here, we have a chance to win a game or two.

 

 

Whoa. no way!

Let's not forget this unbalanced schedule has been in effect when we won in 2003 so, not sure this even worth discussing. It's all about the W.

Let's not forget this unbalanced schedule has been in effect when we won in 2003 so, not sure this even worth discussing. It's all about the W.

 

I'm talking longterm, growing a fanbase of true tealgreen Marlins fans. There are so few of us, and it needs to change. Playing the Mets so many times, if someone from NY lives here, they can see there team probably as many times as if they lived in NY, as most fans are what you would call casual fans.....not season ticket holders, but fans that attend just a few games a year.

Maybe I should explain....I am talking about people born & raised in South Florida. I am 4th generation from Miami, as my Great-Grandfather brought his young wife and oldest child to Miami in 1898, and then in 1906 my Grandfather was born here. So my family has roots here in South Fla, and I used to root for Atlanta because it was the closest team to Miami.

 

There have to be others out there like me, that are born and raised here, that the Marlins can cultivate for the future generation of fans. That is what will make this a viable enterprise here even more than a new stadium. You need fannies in the seats whether its Dolphin Stadium or a new park.

Im first generation Miami. My kids will be 2nd generation Miami (atleast I hope) and their kids and so on and so on. I believe as this fan base gets older and is able to be passed down through generations I think that is when this area will be known as a "baseball" town. Even if Im not living in Miami I will definately raise my child a "Marlins" fan by taking them on trips to watch games and watching them on TV and buying them Marlins gear. I dont really think the unbiased schedule matters. No "Braves" fan or "Mets" fan will change who they root for because they are in town 9 games or 3 games a year.

 

I think an unbalanced schedule is better for baseball. It allows for teams in a division to comeback later in the year and get back in a playoff race.

Im first generation Miami. My kids will be 2nd generation Miami (atleast I hope) and their kids and so on and so on. I believe as this fan base gets older and is able to be passed down through generations I think that is when this area will be known as a "baseball" town. Even if Im not living in Miami I will definately raise my child a "Marlins" fan by taking them on trips to watch games and watching them on TV and buying them Marlins gear. I dont really think the unbiased schedule matters. No "Braves" fan or "Mets" fan will change who they root for because they are in town 9 games or 3 games a year.

 

I think an unbalanced schedule is better for baseball. It allows for teams in a division to comeback later in the year and get back in a playoff race.

 

 

Not only that but it gives meaning to the division races themselves.