July 3, 200818 yr By Karl Ravech, ESPN There's been a lot of buzz about the what the Rays are doing, but how about sharing some of that buzz with the Marlins? The same organization that moved Miguel Cabrera this winter finds itself quite close to first place in the National League East. (They currently stand in second, 1 1/2 games back of the Phillies). We talk a great deal about how the Rays have beaten teams with records better than .500, and their home-field advantage appears to be getting stronger by the win. Well, the Marlins have virtually no fan base even though they are four games above .500 in a very good division. I believe the Marlins are every bit the success story that the Rays are. Given the divisions the teams play in, is it that much of a reach to suggest Florida has a better chance to finish in first than the Rays do? The Marlins have handled their own division with as much success as the Rays have theirs. The Marlins are 19-14 against the East. They win close games, going 13-10 in one-run games. No team has been better at coming from behind. Be careful celebrating all that the Rays have accomplished, because it may be the other Florida team that sneaks in and walks off with a playoff date. Espn Article I'm glad to see someone at ESPN giving us some love.
July 3, 200818 yr They will always comment about the fan base until it gets better. Let them think it though, because you know most people there really hate the fact that we do well and win world series.
July 3, 200818 yr Why do they always have to make a comment about the "fan base"? :banghead Because it is an issue and until we start drawing the fans that other extremely competitive teams draw, it will continue to be an issue. Don't complain that writers mention the 800 lb. gorilla in the room. Attendance is an issue and, like I said, will continue to be mentioned as long as it is as such. I don't see it as a form of hating on the marlins. I see it as them stating an obvious and at this point, don't blame them for talking about it. I don't want to start the whole "difficulties getting to and from dolphins stadium" issue again but ultimately S. Fla. marlins fans that dont go to games have no one to blame but themselves for the mentioning of it repeatedly.
July 3, 200818 yr Why do they always have to make a comment about the "fan base"? :banghead Because it is an issue and until we start drawing the fans that other extremely competitive teams draw, it will continue to be an issue. Don't complain that writers mention the 800 lb. gorilla in the room. Attendance is an issue and, like I said, will continue to be mentioned as long as it is as such. The problem is that it's not an issue about the team. Why can't an article ever be about how good this team? About the way they play? Why is it that when something is written about the 25 guys who take the field everyday, the attendance needs to be mentioned, despite it having nothing to do with them?
July 3, 200818 yr As everyone is saying...as long as only 8,000 people show up to see a team that's as exciting as this team and is in the race for the division title then attendance will always come up. People just cant get there head around why people don't show up. If the Indians were as exciting as the Marlins have been people in Cleveland would sell out the stadium in a blizzard with a temperature of -9 degrees and would still sell out the stadium to see there team in a game with rain and 95 degrees. I know, I know...theirs other issues too..and I cant say too much since I only get to go to Marlins road games being in Cleveland..but there is very little excuses as to why less then 30,000 cant be there on weekends.
July 3, 200818 yr Why do they always have to make a comment about the "fan base"? :banghead Because it is an issue and until we start drawing the fans that other extremely competitive teams draw, it will continue to be an issue. Don't complain that writers mention the 800 lb. gorilla in the room. Attendance is an issue and, like I said, will continue to be mentioned as long as it is as such. The problem is that it's not an issue about the team. Why can't an article ever be about how good this team? About the way they play? Why is it that when something is written about the 25 guys who take the field everyday, the attendance needs to be mentioned, despite it having nothing to do with them? the comment about the fan base was more about the rays and how it I'd growing and having a big effect. Then they say the other team the fish don't have one but are still doing well
July 3, 200818 yr As everyone is saying...as long as only 8,000 people show up to see a team that's as exciting as this team and is in the race for the division title then attendance will always come up. People just cant get there head around why people don't show up. If the Indians were as exciting as the Marlins have been people in Cleveland would sell out the stadium in a blizzard with a temperature of -9 degrees and would still sell out the stadium to see there team in a game with rain and 95 degrees. I know, I know...theirs other issues too..and I cant say too much since I only get to go to Marlins road games being in Cleveland..but there is very little excuses as to why less then 30,000 cant be there on weekends. I've felt for the last few months that the reason the attendance isn't "growing with every win" is the local media. Has anyone turned on 790 the Ticket, the "Official Home" for Florida Marlins baseball? From morning to night, whenever the Marlins are mentioned, they only talk about how the pitching is bad, they can't keep the hitting up, and they will fall back to earth and not win the division. They have been saying that since mid-April and basically stuck with it.
July 3, 200818 yr Why do they always have to make a comment about the "fan base"? :banghead Because it is an issue and until we start drawing the fans that other extremely competitive teams draw, it will continue to be an issue. Don't complain that writers mention the 800 lb. gorilla in the room. Attendance is an issue and, like I said, will continue to be mentioned as long as it is as such. The problem is that it's not an issue about the team. Why can't an article ever be about how good this team? About the way they play? Why is it that when something is written about the 25 guys who take the field everyday, the attendance needs to be mentioned, despite it having nothing to do with them? Agreed. Even the local story about the games always has a sentence, randomly placed, about the lack of support. Watching the Rays game last night, they were raving about the the three day attendance of 100,000, but while they will see a residual benefit against KC this weekend and because it is a weekend, but good for them. They are an excellent team with exciting players and I find myself rooting for them. Ah, but ask the question, should they win the division, the world series and then right after, jettison all their players and win 54 games next year-what would happen? Now that is not possible because they have a cheap young team at the moment-although they are in the penthouse compared to our payroll. Yea, we know all the reasons, we know the national coverage, when we get it, will always make it a point to comment on, but locally, we do not need to see it in every article about the team, the game, the players. One other point, when tampa gets 30,000, its a "great crowd", almost full-but us, like Saturday night we had almost 30,000 and while it looked good on the lower level, it still looked empty given the upper deck, the outfield upper deck etc.-the place was still 60% empty-and until we get out of Dolphin stadium, it will be that way.
July 3, 200818 yr Also, for the record, would anyone like to know the average attendance last year when the Sox came down to see the Rays? 32,718. The Red Sox are always going to be a big draw down here. Here are the numbers when they came down here in 2006: Game 1 (Friday): 32,194 Game 2 (Saturday): 38,014 Game 3 (Sunday): 22,840 The only game that didn't draw huge was the Sunday day game. In addition, would anyone like to know the numbers for the Rays last home series before this one? Game 1 (Friday): 14,741 Game 2 (Saturday): 29,953 Game 3 (Sunday): 19,778 While their attendance is rising, to make it seem like they are getting huge crowds every night is a misrepresentation of reality.
July 3, 200818 yr Why do they always have to make a comment about the "fan base"? :banghead Because it is an issue and until we start drawing the fans that other extremely competitive teams draw, it will continue to be an issue. Don't complain that writers mention the 800 lb. gorilla in the room. Attendance is an issue and, like I said, will continue to be mentioned as long as it is as such. The problem is that it's not an issue about the team. Why can't an article ever be about how good this team? About the way they play? Why is it that when something is written about the 25 guys who take the field everyday, the attendance needs to be mentioned, despite it having nothing to do with them? That's my point exactly. What does it have to do with the game on the field? What they should be talking about is how a team playing in a pitchers park, with no pitching, no defense,leading the league in homers, is playing over .500 and just a game out of first.
July 3, 200818 yr Why do they always have to make a comment about the "fan base"? :banghead :banghead :banghead :banghead :banghead :banghead :banghead :banghead :banghead :banghead :banghead :banghead :banghead :banghead :banghead :banghead :banghead :banghead :banghead :banghead :banghead look. season ticket holders are factored into the attendance whether they show up or not.... the Mets announced attendance one night was 51,000... there was only 20,000 people there however... Lets face it, we dont have season ticket holders and that can tear apart an average... im just soooo sick of espn talking sh*t.
July 3, 200818 yr As everyone is saying...as long as only 8,000 people show up to see a team that's as exciting as this team and is in the race for the division title then attendance will always come up. People just cant get there head around why people don't show up. If the Indians were as exciting as the Marlins have been people in Cleveland would sell out the stadium in a blizzard with a temperature of -9 degrees and would still sell out the stadium to see there team in a game with rain and 95 degrees. I know, I know...theirs other issues too..and I cant say too much since I only get to go to Marlins road games being in Cleveland..but there is very little excuses as to why less then 30,000 cant be there on weekends. I've felt for the last few months that the reason the attendance isn't "growing with every win" is the local media. Has anyone turned on 790 the Ticket, the "Official Home" for Florida Marlins baseball? From morning to night, whenever the Marlins are mentioned, they only talk about how the pitching is bad, they can't keep the hitting up, and they will fall back to earth and not win the division. They have been saying that since mid-April and basically stuck with it. Don't you just love Dan Le BaStard?! Local media is obsessed with that other team owned by that prick of a man... Seriosly, is it really necessary to speculate on the draft for 3 weeks while totally disregarding what's actually happening on the field? The other day they were talkin football again after the Willingham walk-off so I sent them my usual "F the dolphins and F the NFL" text message... I must've pissed em off pretty good because they texted me back twice... I got a good laugh out of it all
July 3, 200818 yr As everyone is saying...as long as only 8,000 people show up to see a team that's as exciting as this team and is in the race for the division title then attendance will always come up. People just cant get there head around why people don't show up. If the Indians were as exciting as the Marlins have been people in Cleveland would sell out the stadium in a blizzard with a temperature of -9 degrees and would still sell out the stadium to see there team in a game with rain and 95 degrees. I know, I know...theirs other issues too..and I cant say too much since I only get to go to Marlins road games being in Cleveland..but there is very little excuses as to why less then 30,000 cant be there on weekends. I've felt for the last few months that the reason the attendance isn't "growing with every win" is the local media. Has anyone turned on 790 the Ticket, the "Official Home" for Florida Marlins baseball? From morning to night, whenever the Marlins are mentioned, they only talk about how the pitching is bad, they can't keep the hitting up, and they will fall back to earth and not win the division. They have been saying that since mid-April and basically stuck with it. you have a point and I agree. The Marlins don't get the same buzz in there own hometown as the other teams do and they definitely deserve more. I for one am all for a Miami radio/television show hosted by Tommy Hutton. At least a newspaper column every few days written by him..I think that's something this team could use to get attendance up. Put out truthful and for the moment at least positive vibes to the public. Either way, lets hope come August the "middle of the road/bandwagon" Marlins fans start looking at the standings and coming out, because we know the real fans will always be there. As much as we hate the bandwagon fans they make the place loud and put money into the team. by the by...a nice article written by Karl...I wish he would take his own advice and talk about the marlins a bit more on baseball tonight
July 3, 200818 yr it doesn't have anything to do with the product on the field, despite the moronic columnists & tv comments about "OMG don't the small crowds make you not want to try hard??" But it'll always be the 900 lb gorilla in the room 'til we change it.
July 3, 200818 yr Also, for the record, would anyone like to know the average attendance last year when the Sox came down to see the Rays? 32,718. The Red Sox are always going to be a big draw down here. Here are the numbers when they came down here in 2006: Game 1 (Friday): 32,194 Game 2 (Saturday): 38,014 Game 3 (Sunday): 22,840 The only game that didn't draw huge was the Sunday day game. In addition, would anyone like to know the numbers for the Rays last home series before this one? Game 1 (Friday): 14,741 Game 2 (Saturday): 29,953 Game 3 (Sunday): 19,778 While their attendance is rising, to make it seem like they are getting huge crowds every night is a misrepresentation of reality. the Rays also play the Red Sox quite a few times EVERY year, the marlins don't.
July 3, 200818 yr Also, for the record, would anyone like to know the average attendance last year when the Sox came down to see the Rays? 32,718. The Red Sox are always going to be a big draw down here. Here are the numbers when they came down here in 2006: Game 1 (Friday): 32,194 Game 2 (Saturday): 38,014 Game 3 (Sunday): 22,840 The only game that didn't draw huge was the Sunday day game. In addition, would anyone like to know the numbers for the Rays last home series before this one? Game 1 (Friday): 14,741 Game 2 (Saturday): 29,953 Game 3 (Sunday): 19,778 While their attendance is rising, to make it seem like they are getting huge crowds every night is a misrepresentation of reality. the Rays also play the Red Sox quite a few times EVERY year, the marlins don't. Yes they do, and that drives up their average attendance. Look at it last year. They were in last place, playing terrible baseball, and their games vs the Red Sox still brought in over 30,000. Their average attendance for non-Red Sox games was 15,202. Their attendance doubled whenever the Sox came in to town.
July 3, 200818 yr As everyone is saying...as long as only 8,000 people show up to see a team that's as exciting as this team and is in the race for the division title then attendance will always come up. People just cant get there head around why people don't show up. If the Indians were as exciting as the Marlins have been people in Cleveland would sell out the stadium in a blizzard with a temperature of -9 degrees and would still sell out the stadium to see there team in a game with rain and 95 degrees. I know, I know...theirs other issues too..and I cant say too much since I only get to go to Marlins road games being in Cleveland..but there is very little excuses as to why less then 30,000 cant be there on weekends. As far as cleveland, nope, cant agree. I am old enough to remember 800 people in an 80000 seat stadium. Also, only when the Jake opened did they get attendance for a good number of years and while they had consistent high payroll teams. But what has happened since, like Baltimore. Just a few years ago, 2005, I recall seeing that Clev. was in the wild card race until the last weekend, while the marlins were in it almost until then. Still all the talk was about marlin attendance. Well, the exciting young Indians of 2005 average attendance for that year was only about 1,000 more than the fish. (edit-actually 22,700 vs 24600 but point is the same) Nope, they were not selling out, they were the same as the Fish-just the media didn't focus on it.
July 3, 200818 yr I've felt for the last few months that the reason the attendance isn't "growing with every win" is the local media. Has anyone turned on 790 the Ticket, the "Official Home" for Florida Marlins baseball? From morning to night, whenever the Marlins are mentioned, they only talk about how the pitching is bad, they can't keep the hitting up, and they will fall back to earth and not win the division. They have been saying that since mid-April and basically stuck with it. Praise the Lord ! It drives me nuts there isn't one either knowledgable baseball first talent on the station or even someone who is a fan of the Marlins first. Zaslow literally had to learn the sport to be handed the post game show, his understanding of either the game or the players on the Marlins is so shallow as to be embarrassing. Sedano is a joke, Kevin Rogers and his sidekick worse, the worst, all three of whom pledge their undieing allegiance to New York teams. Even Dos Amigos who try to give the Fish a fair shake admit their hearts are elsewhere (NY). Josh Freidman (one of the biggest know-it-all, thin-skinned SOBS a**holes I've ever come across and that's the best I can think to say about him) is a Cubs fan first. Mish is another guy for whom the Marlins are a distant second in fan worship. I could go down the line but to what end? Frankly my hope is that the Marlins exit 790 after this year and having a season of ad sales practice under their belts goes the way of the Heat and go independent, preferably on a station that wants to build their programming around them. MLB is about to explode with MLB TV on cable and is building a radio network to provide 365 baseball talk and it would be perfect for the Fish. And as a by-product, watching either 560 or 790 go down the drain is just the cherry on top. For years I've railed here about the media, they have been and continue to this day to be one of the major obstacles for the Marlins in trying to win the hearts and minds of South Florida. When confronted their answer is always the same (just as their answer to the Preston Wilson thing was the same which was they collectively agreed to ignore it) "we are not paid to be cheerleaders...we are 'journalists' ".
July 3, 200818 yr I've felt for the last few months that the reason the attendance isn't "growing with every win" is the local media. Has anyone turned on 790 the Ticket, the "Official Home" for Florida Marlins baseball? From morning to night, whenever the Marlins are mentioned, they only talk about how the pitching is bad, they can't keep the hitting up, and they will fall back to earth and not win the division. They have been saying that since mid-April and basically stuck with it. Praise the Lord ! It drives me nuts there isn't one either knowledgable baseball first talent on the station or even someone who is a fan of the Marlins first. Zaslow literally had to learn the sport to be handed the post game show, his understanding of either the game or the players on the Marlins is so shallow as to be embarrassing. Sedano is a joke, Kevin Rogers and his sidekick worse, the worst, all three of whom pledge their undieing allegiance to New York teams. Even Dos Amigos who try to give the Fish a fair shake admit their hearts are elsewhere (NY). Josh Freidman (one of the biggest know-it-all, thin-skinned SOBS a**holes I've ever come across and that's the best I can think to say about him) is a Cubs fan first. Mish is another guy for whom the Marlins are a distant second in fan worship. I could go down the line but to what end? Frankly my hope is that the Marlins exit 790 after this year and having a season of ad sales practice under their belts goes the way of the Heat and go independent, preferably on a station that wants to build their programming around them. MLB is about to explode with MLB TV on cable and is building a radio network to provide 365 baseball talk and it would be perfect for the Fish. And as a by-product, watching either 560 or 790 go down the drain is just the cherry on top. For years I've railed here about the media, they have been and continue to this day to be one of the major obstacles for the Marlins in trying to win the hearts and minds of South Florida. When confronted their answer is always the same (just as their answer to the Preston Wilson thing was the same which was they collectively agreed to ignore it) "we are not paid to be cheerleaders...we are 'journalists' ". Funnily enough, I've actually heard the guys on 790 claim that they are NOT journalist, therefor don't need to adhere to journalistic integrity.
July 3, 200818 yr I was actually thinking of the print media when I wrote that. Ah...well...okay then!
July 3, 200818 yr I've felt for the last few months that the reason the attendance isn't "growing with every win" is the local media. Has anyone turned on 790 the Ticket, the "Official Home" for Florida Marlins baseball? From morning to night, whenever the Marlins are mentioned, they only talk about how the pitching is bad, they can't keep the hitting up, and they will fall back to earth and not win the division. They have been saying that since mid-April and basically stuck with it. Praise the Lord ! It drives me nuts there isn't one either knowledgable baseball first talent on the station or even someone who is a fan of the Marlins first. Zaslow literally had to learn the sport to be handed the post game show, his understanding of either the game or the players on the Marlins is so shallow as to be embarrassing. Sedano is a joke, Kevin Rogers and his sidekick worse, the worst, all three of whom pledge their undieing allegiance to New York teams. Even Dos Amigos who try to give the Fish a fair shake admit their hearts are elsewhere (NY). Josh Freidman (one of the biggest know-it-all, thin-skinned SOBS a**holes I've ever come across and that's the best I can think to say about him) is a Cubs fan first. Mish is another guy for whom the Marlins are a distant second in fan worship. I could go down the line but to what end? Frankly my hope is that the Marlins exit 790 after this year and having a season of ad sales practice under their belts goes the way of the Heat and go independent, preferably on a station that wants to build their programming around them. MLB is about to explode with MLB TV on cable and is building a radio network to provide 365 baseball talk and it would be perfect for the Fish. And as a by-product, watching either 560 or 790 go down the drain is just the cherry on top. For years I've railed here about the media, they have been and continue to this day to be one of the major obstacles for the Marlins in trying to win the hearts and minds of South Florida. When confronted their answer is always the same (just as their answer to the Preston Wilson thing was the same which was they collectively agreed to ignore it) "we are not paid to be cheerleaders...we are 'journalists' ". Funnily enough, I've actually heard the guys on 790 claim that they are NOT journalist, therefor don't need to adhere to journalistic integrity. I am biased towards Zas, personal friends with him and family, so I am not objective. I do enjoy listening to him, good energy and I have had lots of conversations with him and I feel he does know his stuff-but he is still young and learning. The others-totally agree with you. Wierd though, I could never stomach Sid, but now I listen and I can't figure out if his "like" for the marlins is real or he knows how to suck up to who he thinks he needs to. But at least you get baseball talk in the morning.
July 3, 200818 yr I've felt for the last few months that the reason the attendance isn't "growing with every win" is the local media. Has anyone turned on 790 the Ticket, the "Official Home" for Florida Marlins baseball? From morning to night, whenever the Marlins are mentioned, they only talk about how the pitching is bad, they can't keep the hitting up, and they will fall back to earth and not win the division. They have been saying that since mid-April and basically stuck with it. Praise the Lord ! It drives me nuts there isn't one either knowledgable baseball first talent on the station or even someone who is a fan of the Marlins first. Zaslow literally had to learn the sport to be handed the post game show, his understanding of either the game or the players on the Marlins is so shallow as to be embarrassing. Sedano is a joke, Kevin Rogers and his sidekick worse, the worst, all three of whom pledge their undieing allegiance to New York teams. Even Dos Amigos who try to give the Fish a fair shake admit their hearts are elsewhere (NY). Josh Freidman (one of the biggest know-it-all, thin-skinned SOBS a**holes I've ever come across and that's the best I can think to say about him) is a Cubs fan first. Mish is another guy for whom the Marlins are a distant second in fan worship. I could go down the line but to what end? Frankly my hope is that the Marlins exit 790 after this year and having a season of ad sales practice under their belts goes the way of the Heat and go independent, preferably on a station that wants to build their programming around them. MLB is about to explode with MLB TV on cable and is building a radio network to provide 365 baseball talk and it would be perfect for the Fish. And as a by-product, watching either 560 or 790 go down the drain is just the cherry on top. For years I've railed here about the media, they have been and continue to this day to be one of the major obstacles for the Marlins in trying to win the hearts and minds of South Florida. When confronted their answer is always the same (just as their answer to the Preston Wilson thing was the same which was they collectively agreed to ignore it) "we are not paid to be cheerleaders...we are 'journalists' ". Funnily enough, I've actually heard the guys on 790 claim that they are NOT journalist, therefor don't need to adhere to journalistic integrity. I am biased towards Zas, personal friends with him and family, so I am not objective. I do enjoy listening to him, good energy and I have had lots of conversations with him and I feel he does know his stuff-but he is still young and learning. The others-totally agree with you. Wierd though, I could never stomach Sid, but now I listen and I can't figure out if his "like" for the marlins is real or he knows how to suck up to who he thinks he needs to. But at least you get baseball talk in the morning. My biggest problem with Zaslow is that he runs his show like a dictator. God forbid you have a differing opinion and are backed up by facts, because he'll hang up on you depending on his mood. Well, that was back when he first got his show, I don't know now because I gave up on him. Also, I am the Founder of the Cody Ross Fan Club, thank you very much.
July 3, 200818 yr None of this has anything to do with the fact that the Marlins are winning ballgames inspite of the fact that the entire world predicted they would suck. The point of the article was to say "Hey look, the Marlins are doing well too" but they can't just leave it at that. They have to mention attendance, always. I care about attendance. I know the future of the club hinges on it getting better in the new stadium. I see the 800 lb. gorilla. But every time they pat the team on the back they've got to kick it in the a$$ at the same time. It's aggravating. No fan base?! WE ARE THE F*CKING FAN BASE! And all we want is the team to get some respect.
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