Btw...this is just a sh*tty sports town, in general.

Did anyone see all the empty seats at Dolphin Stadium today?

 

Considering the Dolphins were coming off an impressive road win against the Patriots, and a good Charger team was coming to town...that, too, was inexcusable.

 

The Dolphins are #1 in this town...and they don't sellout all the time, either, for a sport that is played once every other week, at home.

 

 

You couldn't be more wrong Erick. Miami is a great sports city. In fact, they are one of only 13 cities in the U.S. to have all four major sports teams.

 

The Dolphins always have been, and still are one of the most popular teams in the NFL. As for yesterday, it was pouring outside, which probably kept many people from going, even if they already had bought tickets. People that went on Saturday to the FSU-UM game and got soaked especially didn't want to go (like me), because they didn't want to go through the same thing all over again. As for recent games, the Dolphins haven't been to the playoffs for a while now, and have been predicted to finish with a horrible season for the past few years. That might explain their numbers.

 

The Marlins have dismal attendance, yet most of us know that their TV ratings are through the roof. They ranked 7th out of 30 in the MLB this past season, and weren't even all that great. I think that once they get their new stadium (which will save heat strokes, rain delays, neck problems, etc.), their attendance numbers will soar, and they will be near the middle of the pack in the MLB in terms of attendance. The Marlins have fans. Not all of them show up for the games (partially because the Marlins have many fans in North Florida), but they still have many of them.

 

I dont think I really need to discuss the Heat. Sure the Heat fans might be front runners, but they are always nationally televised, and they have been rankes in the Top 5 in attendance numbers the past three or four years.

 

The Pantehrs haven't been a great team for a long time, yet they still managed to finish 24th out of 30 in the NHL in attendance. If you add in the price of tickets combined with the average attendance, then the Panthers are in the Top 20. Not to mention, that they finished 18th out of 30 last season in TV ratings. These numbers aren't so bad, and the Panthers weren't even good last year. Think of what those numbers would be if they were a playoff caliber team for a few years in a row.

 

One more reason why you might think South Florida is a lousy sports town, is because three of the four franchises in Miami are relatively new. Besides the Dolphins, the oldest franchise in South Florida is the Miami Heat, and they weren't founded until 1988. Most of Miami's sports fans are still cheering for other teams (especially baseball).

 

Miami's teams might not be all that great, but this city is definitely a great sports city.

Btw...this is just a sh*tty sports town, in general.

Did anyone see all the empty seats at Dolphin Stadium today?

 

Considering the Dolphins were coming off an impressive road win against the Patriots, and a good Charger team was coming to town...that, too, was inexcusable.

 

The Dolphins are #1 in this town...and they don't sellout all the time, either, for a sport that is played once every other week, at home.

 

 

You couldn't be more wrong Erick. Miami is a great sports city. In fact, they are one of only 13 cities in the U.S. to have all four major sports teams.

 

The Dolphins always have been, and still are one of the most popular teams in the NFL. As for yesterday, it was pouring outside, which probably kept many people from going, even if they already had bought tickets. People that went on Saturday to the FSU-UM game and got soaked especially didn't want to go (like me), because they didn't want to go through the same thing all over again. As for recent games, the Dolphins haven't been to the playoffs for a while now, and have been predicted to finish with a horrible season for the past few years. That might explain their numbers.

 

The Marlins have dismal attendance, yet most of us know that their TV ratings are through the roof. They ranked 7th out of 30 in the MLB this past season, and weren't even all that great. I think that once they get their new stadium (which will save heat strokes, rain delays, neck problems, etc.), their attendance numbers will soar, and they will be near the middle of the pack in the MLB in terms of attendance. The Marlins have fans. Not all of them show up for the games (partially because the Marlins have many fans in North Florida), but they still have many of them.

 

I dont think I really need to discuss the Heat. Sure the Heat fans might be front runners, but they are always nationally televised, and they have been rankes in the Top 5 in attendance numbers the past three or four years.

 

The Pantehrs haven't been a great team for a long time, yet they still managed to finish 24th out of 30 in the NHL in attendance. If you add in the price of tickets combined with the average attendance, then the Panthers are in the Top 20. Not to mention, that they finished 18th out of 30 last season in TV ratings. These numbers aren't so bad, and the Panthers weren't even good last year. Think of what those numbers would be if they were a playoff caliber team for a few years in a row.

 

One more reason why you might think South Florida is a lousy sports town, is because three of the four franchises in Miami are relatively new. Besides the Dolphins, the oldest franchise in South Florida is the Miami Heat, and they weren't founded until 1988. Most of Miami's sports fans are still cheering for other teams (especially baseball).

 

Miami's teams might not be all that great, but this city is definitely a great sports city.

 

Excellent points!

 

The franchises here are young. The people that grew up with them are in their 20s. When those people start having kids, attendance will boom. A lot of us are in college right now and pretty much broke so we can't really afford the games. But trust me, we're coming, and we're gonna make noise. :cool

Btw...this is just a sh*tty sports town, in general.

Did anyone see all the empty seats at Dolphin Stadium today?

 

Considering the Dolphins were coming off an impressive road win against the Patriots, and a good Charger team was coming to town...that, too, was inexcusable.

 

The Dolphins are #1 in this town...and they don't sellout all the time, either, for a sport that is played once every other week, at home.

 

 

You couldn't be more wrong Erick. Miami is a great sports city. In fact, they are one of only 13 cities in the U.S. to have all four major sports teams.

 

The Dolphins always have been, and still are one of the most popular teams in the NFL. As for yesterday, it was pouring outside, which probably kept many people from going, even if they already had bought tickets. People that went on Saturday to the FSU-UM game and got soaked especially didn't want to go (like me), because they didn't want to go through the same thing all over again. As for recent games, the Dolphins haven't been to the playoffs for a while now, and have been predicted to finish with a horrible season for the past few years. That might explain their numbers.

 

The Marlins have dismal attendance, yet most of us know that their TV ratings are through the roof. They ranked 7th out of 30 in the MLB this past season, and weren't even all that great. I think that once they get their new stadium (which will save heat strokes, rain delays, neck problems, etc.), their attendance numbers will soar, and they will be near the middle of the pack in the MLB in terms of attendance. The Marlins have fans. Not all of them show up for the games (partially because the Marlins have many fans in North Florida), but they still have many of them.

 

I dont think I really need to discuss the Heat. Sure the Heat fans might be front runners, but they are always nationally televised, and they have been rankes in the Top 5 in attendance numbers the past three or four years.

 

The Pantehrs haven't been a great team for a long time, yet they still managed to finish 24th out of 30 in the NHL in attendance. If you add in the price of tickets combined with the average attendance, then the Panthers are in the Top 20. Not to mention, that they finished 18th out of 30 last season in TV ratings. These numbers aren't so bad, and the Panthers weren't even good last year. Think of what those numbers would be if they were a playoff caliber team for a few years in a row.

 

One more reason why you might think South Florida is a lousy sports town, is because three of the four franchises in Miami are relatively new. Besides the Dolphins, the oldest franchise in South Florida is the Miami Heat, and they weren't founded until 1988. Most of Miami's sports fans are still cheering for other teams (especially baseball).

 

Miami's teams might not be all that great, but this city is definitely a great sports city.

 

Excellent points!

 

The franchises here are young. The people that grew up with them are in their 20s. When those people start having kids, attendance will boom. A lot of us are in college right now and pretty much broke so we can't really afford the games. But trust me, we're coming, and we're gonna make noise. :cool

 

Exactly... my first paycheck is going towards Marlins season tickets and then some Heat season tickets and then I'm set for life :cool

Btw...this is just a sh*tty sports town, in general.

Did anyone see all the empty seats at Dolphin Stadium today?

 

Considering the Dolphins were coming off an impressive road win against the Patriots, and a good Charger team was coming to town...that, too, was inexcusable.

 

The Dolphins are #1 in this town...and they don't sellout all the time, either, for a sport that is played once every other week, at home.

 

 

You couldn't be more wrong Erick. Miami is a great sports city. In fact, they are one of only 13 cities in the U.S. to have all four major sports teams.

 

The Dolphins always have been, and still are one of the most popular teams in the NFL. As for yesterday, it was pouring outside, which probably kept many people from going, even if they already had bought tickets. People that went on Saturday to the FSU-UM game and got soaked especially didn't want to go (like me), because they didn't want to go through the same thing all over again. As for recent games, the Dolphins haven't been to the playoffs for a while now, and have been predicted to finish with a horrible season for the past few years. That might explain their numbers.

 

The Marlins have dismal attendance, yet most of us know that their TV ratings are through the roof. They ranked 7th out of 30 in the MLB this past season, and weren't even all that great. I think that once they get their new stadium (which will save heat strokes, rain delays, neck problems, etc.), their attendance numbers will soar, and they will be near the middle of the pack in the MLB in terms of attendance. The Marlins have fans. Not all of them show up for the games (partially because the Marlins have many fans in North Florida), but they still have many of them.

 

I dont think I really need to discuss the Heat. Sure the Heat fans might be front runners, but they are always nationally televised, and they have been rankes in the Top 5 in attendance numbers the past three or four years.

 

The Pantehrs haven't been a great team for a long time, yet they still managed to finish 24th out of 30 in the NHL in attendance. If you add in the price of tickets combined with the average attendance, then the Panthers are in the Top 20. Not to mention, that they finished 18th out of 30 last season in TV ratings. These numbers aren't so bad, and the Panthers weren't even good last year. Think of what those numbers would be if they were a playoff caliber team for a few years in a row.

 

One more reason why you might think South Florida is a lousy sports town, is because three of the four franchises in Miami are relatively new. Besides the Dolphins, the oldest franchise in South Florida is the Miami Heat, and they weren't founded until 1988. Most of Miami's sports fans are still cheering for other teams (especially baseball).

 

Miami's teams might not be all that great, but this city is definitely a great sports city.

 

 

The fact that it has 4 major sports teams doesn't make it a good sports city.

And the rain always seems to be an excuse down here...for some reason, it's not an excuse in other cities. When it rains in a football game...or it snows, other cities pack the house.

 

The only argument you really have is that 3 of the 4 major sports teams down here, are pretty new.

Btw...this is just a sh*tty sports town, in general.

Did anyone see all the empty seats at Dolphin Stadium today?

 

Considering the Dolphins were coming off an impressive road win against the Patriots, and a good Charger team was coming to town...that, too, was inexcusable.

 

The Dolphins are #1 in this town...and they don't sellout all the time, either, for a sport that is played once every other week, at home.

 

 

You couldn't be more wrong Erick. Miami is a great sports city. In fact, they are one of only 13 cities in the U.S. to have all four major sports teams.

 

The Dolphins always have been, and still are one of the most popular teams in the NFL. As for yesterday, it was pouring outside, which probably kept many people from going, even if they already had bought tickets. People that went on Saturday to the FSU-UM game and got soaked especially didn't want to go (like me), because they didn't want to go through the same thing all over again. As for recent games, the Dolphins haven't been to the playoffs for a while now, and have been predicted to finish with a horrible season for the past few years. That might explain their numbers.

 

The Marlins have dismal attendance, yet most of us know that their TV ratings are through the roof. They ranked 7th out of 30 in the MLB this past season, and weren't even all that great. I think that once they get their new stadium (which will save heat strokes, rain delays, neck problems, etc.), their attendance numbers will soar, and they will be near the middle of the pack in the MLB in terms of attendance. The Marlins have fans. Not all of them show up for the games (partially because the Marlins have many fans in North Florida), but they still have many of them.

 

I dont think I really need to discuss the Heat. Sure the Heat fans might be front runners, but they are always nationally televised, and they have been rankes in the Top 5 in attendance numbers the past three or four years.

 

The Pantehrs haven't been a great team for a long time, yet they still managed to finish 24th out of 30 in the NHL in attendance. If you add in the price of tickets combined with the average attendance, then the Panthers are in the Top 20. Not to mention, that they finished 18th out of 30 last season in TV ratings. These numbers aren't so bad, and the Panthers weren't even good last year. Think of what those numbers would be if they were a playoff caliber team for a few years in a row.

 

One more reason why you might think South Florida is a lousy sports town, is because three of the four franchises in Miami are relatively new. Besides the Dolphins, the oldest franchise in South Florida is the Miami Heat, and they weren't founded until 1988. Most of Miami's sports fans are still cheering for other teams (especially baseball).

 

Miami's teams might not be all that great, but this city is definitely a great sports city.

 

 

The fact that it has 4 major sports teams doesn't make it a good sports city.

And the rain always seems to be an excuse down here...for some reason, it's not an excuse in other cities. When it rains in a football game...or it snows, other cities pack the house.

 

The only argument you really have is that 3 of the 4 major sports teams down here, are pretty new.

I need to get in here.

 

The Dolphins were 7th in attendance last year.

 

I wish I could go farther back but there is something wrong with ESPN's attendance database.

Btw...this is just a sh*tty sports town, in general.

Did anyone see all the empty seats at Dolphin Stadium today?

 

Considering the Dolphins were coming off an impressive road win against the Patriots, and a good Charger team was coming to town...that, too, was inexcusable.

 

The Dolphins are #1 in this town...and they don't sellout all the time, either, for a sport that is played once every other week, at home.

 

 

You couldn't be more wrong Erick. Miami is a great sports city. In fact, they are one of only 13 cities in the U.S. to have all four major sports teams.

 

The Dolphins always have been, and still are one of the most popular teams in the NFL. As for yesterday, it was pouring outside, which probably kept many people from going, even if they already had bought tickets. People that went on Saturday to the FSU-UM game and got soaked especially didn't want to go (like me), because they didn't want to go through the same thing all over again. As for recent games, the Dolphins haven't been to the playoffs for a while now, and have been predicted to finish with a horrible season for the past few years. That might explain their numbers.

 

The Marlins have dismal attendance, yet most of us know that their TV ratings are through the roof. They ranked 7th out of 30 in the MLB this past season, and weren't even all that great. I think that once they get their new stadium (which will save heat strokes, rain delays, neck problems, etc.), their attendance numbers will soar, and they will be near the middle of the pack in the MLB in terms of attendance. The Marlins have fans. Not all of them show up for the games (partially because the Marlins have many fans in North Florida), but they still have many of them.

 

I dont think I really need to discuss the Heat. Sure the Heat fans might be front runners, but they are always nationally televised, and they have been rankes in the Top 5 in attendance numbers the past three or four years.

 

The Pantehrs haven't been a great team for a long time, yet they still managed to finish 24th out of 30 in the NHL in attendance. If you add in the price of tickets combined with the average attendance, then the Panthers are in the Top 20. Not to mention, that they finished 18th out of 30 last season in TV ratings. These numbers aren't so bad, and the Panthers weren't even good last year. Think of what those numbers would be if they were a playoff caliber team for a few years in a row.

 

One more reason why you might think South Florida is a lousy sports town, is because three of the four franchises in Miami are relatively new. Besides the Dolphins, the oldest franchise in South Florida is the Miami Heat, and they weren't founded until 1988. Most of Miami's sports fans are still cheering for other teams (especially baseball).

 

Miami's teams might not be all that great, but this city is definitely a great sports city.

 

 

The fact that it has 4 major sports teams doesn't make it a good sports city.

And the rain always seems to be an excuse down here...for some reason, it's not an excuse in other cities. When it rains in a football game...or it snows, other cities pack the house.

 

The only argument you really have is that 3 of the 4 major sports teams down here, are pretty new.

 

You have got to be kidding me. Obviously, you didn't read my entire post. I must have stated at least 20 reasons in my reply. In case you care to negate them, I'm guessing that you agree with me.

 

The only times where I used rain as an excuse were when I mentioned that the Marlins face difficulties with too many rain delays, which is why they need a new stadium, and when I said there was a lot of rain during the Dolphins game yesterday. You want to know why people show up to other football games even when its raining? Its because they have a somewhat decent football team.

 

Maybe I also mentioned rain because South Florida is one of the areas that has the most rain in the U.S., if not the most rain.

 

If you want to say that Miami is not a great sports city because all four teams have been playing pretty bad lately, then I agree, Miami is probably the worst sports city. If you want to say Miami is a bad sports city because no one cares, then you are flat out wrong.

Btw...this is just a sh*tty sports town, in general.

Did anyone see all the empty seats at Dolphin Stadium today?

 

Considering the Dolphins were coming off an impressive road win against the Patriots, and a good Charger team was coming to town...that, too, was inexcusable.

 

The Dolphins are #1 in this town...and they don't sellout all the time, either, for a sport that is played once every other week, at home.

 

 

You couldn't be more wrong Erick. Miami is a great sports city. In fact, they are one of only 13 cities in the U.S. to have all four major sports teams.

 

The Dolphins always have been, and still are one of the most popular teams in the NFL. As for yesterday, it was pouring outside, which probably kept many people from going, even if they already had bought tickets. People that went on Saturday to the FSU-UM game and got soaked especially didn't want to go (like me), because they didn't want to go through the same thing all over again. As for recent games, the Dolphins haven't been to the playoffs for a while now, and have been predicted to finish with a horrible season for the past few years. That might explain their numbers.

 

The Marlins have dismal attendance, yet most of us know that their TV ratings are through the roof. They ranked 7th out of 30 in the MLB this past season, and weren't even all that great. I think that once they get their new stadium (which will save heat strokes, rain delays, neck problems, etc.), their attendance numbers will soar, and they will be near the middle of the pack in the MLB in terms of attendance. The Marlins have fans. Not all of them show up for the games (partially because the Marlins have many fans in North Florida), but they still have many of them.

 

I dont think I really need to discuss the Heat. Sure the Heat fans might be front runners, but they are always nationally televised, and they have been rankes in the Top 5 in attendance numbers the past three or four years.

 

The Pantehrs haven't been a great team for a long time, yet they still managed to finish 24th out of 30 in the NHL in attendance. If you add in the price of tickets combined with the average attendance, then the Panthers are in the Top 20. Not to mention, that they finished 18th out of 30 last season in TV ratings. These numbers aren't so bad, and the Panthers weren't even good last year. Think of what those numbers would be if they were a playoff caliber team for a few years in a row.

 

One more reason why you might think South Florida is a lousy sports town, is because three of the four franchises in Miami are relatively new. Besides the Dolphins, the oldest franchise in South Florida is the Miami Heat, and they weren't founded until 1988. Most of Miami's sports fans are still cheering for other teams (especially baseball).

 

Miami's teams might not be all that great, but this city is definitely a great sports city.

 

 

The fact that it has 4 major sports teams doesn't make it a good sports city.

And the rain always seems to be an excuse down here...for some reason, it's not an excuse in other cities. When it rains in a football game...or it snows, other cities pack the house.

 

The only argument you really have is that 3 of the 4 major sports teams down here, are pretty new.

 

You have got to be kidding me. Obviously, you didn't read my entire post. I must have stated at least 20 reasons in my reply. In case you care to negate them, I'm guessing that you agree with me.

 

The only times where I used rain as an excuse were when I mentioned that the Marlins face difficulties with too many rain delays, which is why they need a new stadium, and when I said there was a lot of rain during the Dolphins game yesterday. You want to know why people show up to other football games even when its raining? Its because they have a somewhat decent football team.

 

Maybe I also mentioned rain because South Florida is one of the areas that has the most rain in the U.S., if not the most rain.

 

If you want to say that Miami is not a great sports city because all four teams have been playing pretty bad lately, then I agree, Miami is probably the worst sports city. If you want to say Miami is a bad sports city because no one cares, then you are flat out wrong.

Hey hey HEY. Marlins had a good season.

Btw...this is just a sh*tty sports town, in general.

Did anyone see all the empty seats at Dolphin Stadium today?

 

Considering the Dolphins were coming off an impressive road win against the Patriots, and a good Charger team was coming to town...that, too, was inexcusable.

 

The Dolphins are #1 in this town...and they don't sellout all the time, either, for a sport that is played once every other week, at home.

 

 

You couldn't be more wrong Erick. Miami is a great sports city. In fact, they are one of only 13 cities in the U.S. to have all four major sports teams.

 

The Dolphins always have been, and still are one of the most popular teams in the NFL. As for yesterday, it was pouring outside, which probably kept many people from going, even if they already had bought tickets. People that went on Saturday to the FSU-UM game and got soaked especially didn't want to go (like me), because they didn't want to go through the same thing all over again. As for recent games, the Dolphins haven't been to the playoffs for a while now, and have been predicted to finish with a horrible season for the past few years. That might explain their numbers.

 

The Marlins have dismal attendance, yet most of us know that their TV ratings are through the roof. They ranked 7th out of 30 in the MLB this past season, and weren't even all that great. I think that once they get their new stadium (which will save heat strokes, rain delays, neck problems, etc.), their attendance numbers will soar, and they will be near the middle of the pack in the MLB in terms of attendance. The Marlins have fans. Not all of them show up for the games (partially because the Marlins have many fans in North Florida), but they still have many of them.

 

I dont think I really need to discuss the Heat. Sure the Heat fans might be front runners, but they are always nationally televised, and they have been rankes in the Top 5 in attendance numbers the past three or four years.

 

The Pantehrs haven't been a great team for a long time, yet they still managed to finish 24th out of 30 in the NHL in attendance. If you add in the price of tickets combined with the average attendance, then the Panthers are in the Top 20. Not to mention, that they finished 18th out of 30 last season in TV ratings. These numbers aren't so bad, and the Panthers weren't even good last year. Think of what those numbers would be if they were a playoff caliber team for a few years in a row.

 

One more reason why you might think South Florida is a lousy sports town, is because three of the four franchises in Miami are relatively new. Besides the Dolphins, the oldest franchise in South Florida is the Miami Heat, and they weren't founded until 1988. Most of Miami's sports fans are still cheering for other teams (especially baseball).

 

Miami's teams might not be all that great, but this city is definitely a great sports city.

 

 

The fact that it has 4 major sports teams doesn't make it a good sports city.

And the rain always seems to be an excuse down here...for some reason, it's not an excuse in other cities. When it rains in a football game...or it snows, other cities pack the house.

 

The only argument you really have is that 3 of the 4 major sports teams down here, are pretty new.

 

You have got to be kidding me. Obviously, you didn't read my entire post. I must have stated at least 20 reasons in my reply. In case you care to negate them, I'm guessing that you agree with me.

 

The only times where I used rain as an excuse were when I mentioned that the Marlins face difficulties with too many rain delays, which is why they need a new stadium, and when I said there was a lot of rain during the Dolphins game yesterday. You want to know why people show up to other football games even when its raining? Its because they have a somewhat decent football team.

 

Maybe I also mentioned rain because South Florida is one of the areas that has the most rain in the U.S., if not the most rain.

 

If you want to say that Miami is not a great sports city because all four teams have been playing pretty bad lately, then I agree, Miami is probably the worst sports city. If you want to say Miami is a bad sports city because no one cares, then you are flat out wrong.

Hey hey HEY. Marlins had a good season.

 

 

The Marlins were horrible two years ago, but were decent this past season. The Heat and the Dolphins both finished with the worst records in their leagues last year, and the Panthers failed to make the playoffs yet again. I wouldn't call that a "great" group of sports teams. I wont even go into the Hurricanes...

Yeah, those teams have been horrible, but you mentioned the Marlins as a team that has been "horrible lately".

 

Just look at it by year.

 

2003: WS

2004: In the race until September.

2005: In the race until September.

2006: In the race until September.

2007: sh*tty

2008: In the race until September.

 

I wouldn't say we have been horrible.

Yeah, those teams have been horrible, but you mentioned the Marlins as a team that has been "horrible lately".

 

Just look at it by year.

 

2003: WS

2004: In the race until September.

2005: In the race until September.

2006: In the race until September.

2007: sh*tty

2008: In the race until September.

 

I wouldn't say we have been horrible.

 

 

By "lately" though, I just meant thast one or two years. If I went back any more than that, I would have ran into the Heat's Championship, the Marlins World Series title, and when the Dolphins and the Panthers were average. The Marlins specifically haven't been too bad lately, but all four teams as a whole have been.

Btw...this is just a sh*tty sports town, in general.

Did anyone see all the empty seats at Dolphin Stadium today?

 

Considering the Dolphins were coming off an impressive road win against the Patriots, and a good Charger team was coming to town...that, too, was inexcusable.

 

The Dolphins are #1 in this town...and they don't sellout all the time, either, for a sport that is played once every other week, at home.

 

 

You couldn't be more wrong Erick. Miami is a great sports city. In fact, they are one of only 13 cities in the U.S. to have all four major sports teams.

 

The Dolphins always have been, and still are one of the most popular teams in the NFL. As for yesterday, it was pouring outside, which probably kept many people from going, even if they already had bought tickets. People that went on Saturday to the FSU-UM game and got soaked especially didn't want to go (like me), because they didn't want to go through the same thing all over again. As for recent games, the Dolphins haven't been to the playoffs for a while now, and have been predicted to finish with a horrible season for the past few years. That might explain their numbers.

 

The Marlins have dismal attendance, yet most of us know that their TV ratings are through the roof. They ranked 7th out of 30 in the MLB this past season, and weren't even all that great. I think that once they get their new stadium (which will save heat strokes, rain delays, neck problems, etc.), their attendance numbers will soar, and they will be near the middle of the pack in the MLB in terms of attendance. The Marlins have fans. Not all of them show up for the games (partially because the Marlins have many fans in North Florida), but they still have many of them.

 

I dont think I really need to discuss the Heat. Sure the Heat fans might be front runners, but they are always nationally televised, and they have been rankes in the Top 5 in attendance numbers the past three or four years.

 

The Pantehrs haven't been a great team for a long time, yet they still managed to finish 24th out of 30 in the NHL in attendance. If you add in the price of tickets combined with the average attendance, then the Panthers are in the Top 20. Not to mention, that they finished 18th out of 30 last season in TV ratings. These numbers aren't so bad, and the Panthers weren't even good last year. Think of what those numbers would be if they were a playoff caliber team for a few years in a row.

 

One more reason why you might think South Florida is a lousy sports town, is because three of the four franchises in Miami are relatively new. Besides the Dolphins, the oldest franchise in South Florida is the Miami Heat, and they weren't founded until 1988. Most of Miami's sports fans are still cheering for other teams (especially baseball).

 

Miami's teams might not be all that great, but this city is definitely a great sports city.

 

 

The fact that it has 4 major sports teams doesn't make it a good sports city.

And the rain always seems to be an excuse down here...for some reason, it's not an excuse in other cities. When it rains in a football game...or it snows, other cities pack the house.

 

The only argument you really have is that 3 of the 4 major sports teams down here, are pretty new.

 

You have got to be kidding me. Obviously, you didn't read my entire post. I must have stated at least 20 reasons in my reply. In case you care to negate them, I'm guessing that you agree with me.

 

The only times where I used rain as an excuse were when I mentioned that the Marlins face difficulties with too many rain delays, which is why they need a new stadium, and when I said there was a lot of rain during the Dolphins game yesterday. You want to know why people show up to other football games even when its raining? Its because they have a somewhat decent football team.

 

Maybe I also mentioned rain because South Florida is one of the areas that has the most rain in the U.S., if not the most rain.

 

If you want to say that Miami is not a great sports city because all four teams have been playing pretty bad lately, then I agree, Miami is probably the worst sports city. If you want to say Miami is a bad sports city because no one cares, then you are flat out wrong.

 

The Marlins attendance is crap, unless if the team makes the playoffs. The attendance has been crap for years, and the Marlins haven't exactly been a cellar franchise.

 

The Heat...they began to really show when Shaq came to town. The little "White Hot" fever died really quickly last year. As much as they say they sold out...b/c of the amount they sold before the season...the Heat arena last year was, practically, dead all year.

 

TRUE fans support their team, no matter what. If I had a job, I'd support the Marlins whether they win 100, or lose 100.

 

South Florida is not a real sports city.

It's a bandwagon sports city, in general.

 

EDIT: Hockey doesn't even exist down here to most people, so I won't even mention it. Aside from some diehard Panther fans on the floridapanthers.com message boards...the Panthers have been irrelevant in this town for a long time.

Btw...this is just a sh*tty sports town, in general.

Did anyone see all the empty seats at Dolphin Stadium today?

 

Considering the Dolphins were coming off an impressive road win against the Patriots, and a good Charger team was coming to town...that, too, was inexcusable.

 

The Dolphins are #1 in this town...and they don't sellout all the time, either, for a sport that is played once every other week, at home.

 

 

You couldn't be more wrong Erick. Miami is a great sports city. In fact, they are one of only 13 cities in the U.S. to have all four major sports teams.

 

The Dolphins always have been, and still are one of the most popular teams in the NFL. As for yesterday, it was pouring outside, which probably kept many people from going, even if they already had bought tickets. People that went on Saturday to the FSU-UM game and got soaked especially didn't want to go (like me), because they didn't want to go through the same thing all over again. As for recent games, the Dolphins haven't been to the playoffs for a while now, and have been predicted to finish with a horrible season for the past few years. That might explain their numbers.

 

The Marlins have dismal attendance, yet most of us know that their TV ratings are through the roof. They ranked 7th out of 30 in the MLB this past season, and weren't even all that great. I think that once they get their new stadium (which will save heat strokes, rain delays, neck problems, etc.), their attendance numbers will soar, and they will be near the middle of the pack in the MLB in terms of attendance. The Marlins have fans. Not all of them show up for the games (partially because the Marlins have many fans in North Florida), but they still have many of them.

 

I dont think I really need to discuss the Heat. Sure the Heat fans might be front runners, but they are always nationally televised, and they have been rankes in the Top 5 in attendance numbers the past three or four years.

 

The Pantehrs haven't been a great team for a long time, yet they still managed to finish 24th out of 30 in the NHL in attendance. If you add in the price of tickets combined with the average attendance, then the Panthers are in the Top 20. Not to mention, that they finished 18th out of 30 last season in TV ratings. These numbers aren't so bad, and the Panthers weren't even good last year. Think of what those numbers would be if they were a playoff caliber team for a few years in a row.

 

One more reason why you might think South Florida is a lousy sports town, is because three of the four franchises in Miami are relatively new. Besides the Dolphins, the oldest franchise in South Florida is the Miami Heat, and they weren't founded until 1988. Most of Miami's sports fans are still cheering for other teams (especially baseball).

 

Miami's teams might not be all that great, but this city is definitely a great sports city.

 

 

The fact that it has 4 major sports teams doesn't make it a good sports city.

And the rain always seems to be an excuse down here...for some reason, it's not an excuse in other cities. When it rains in a football game...or it snows, other cities pack the house.

 

The only argument you really have is that 3 of the 4 major sports teams down here, are pretty new.

 

You have got to be kidding me. Obviously, you didn't read my entire post. I must have stated at least 20 reasons in my reply. In case you care to negate them, I'm guessing that you agree with me.

 

The only times where I used rain as an excuse were when I mentioned that the Marlins face difficulties with too many rain delays, which is why they need a new stadium, and when I said there was a lot of rain during the Dolphins game yesterday. You want to know why people show up to other football games even when its raining? Its because they have a somewhat decent football team.

 

Maybe I also mentioned rain because South Florida is one of the areas that has the most rain in the U.S., if not the most rain.

 

If you want to say that Miami is not a great sports city because all four teams have been playing pretty bad lately, then I agree, Miami is probably the worst sports city. If you want to say Miami is a bad sports city because no one cares, then you are flat out wrong.

 

The Marlins attendance is crap, unless if the team makes the playoffs. The attendance has been crap for years, and the Marlins haven't exactly been a cellar franchise.

 

The Heat...they began to really show when Shaq came to town. The little "White Hot" fever died really quickly last year. As much as they say they sold out...b/c of the amount they sold before the season...the Heat arena last year was, practically, dead all year.

 

TRUE fans support their team, no matter what. If I had a job, I'd support the Marlins whether they win 100, or lose 100.

 

South Florida is not a real sports city.

It's a bandwagon sports city, in general.

 

EDIT: Hockey doesn't even exist down here to most people, so I won't even mention it. Aside from some diehard Panther fans on the floridapanthers.com message boards...the Panthers have been irrelevant in this town for a long time.

 

 

I gave you many reasons as to why the Marlins attendance is terrible.

 

Why do you think not many people care about the Panthers down here though? I dont think its just because they are a hockey team, and hockey is becoming unpopular down here. I think its because they haven't done anything for a long time now. Watch. If the Panthers, suddenly start winning, people will show up fast.

 

The Heat's arena wasn't dead last year until pobably the last quarter of the season. They still had sell-outs (meaning actual attendance, not just tickets sold), for at least half of their games.

 

Obviously, you are different from the casual sports fan. A casual fan wouldn't go to a low level stadium to support a non-playoff team that had no expectations at the beginning of the season and just traded away their two top players.

 

Also, there is no such thing as a bandwagon city, unless you want to call every city in the United States a bandwagon city. Every city backs up their team more when they are winning. There may be some bandwagon fans, and some non-bandwagon fans, but there is no such thing as a non-bandwagon city.

I have to agree with those that list rain as an issue, especially for the Marlins. Let's throw all the back and forth out of this one and deal with the facts ... the Marlins play during a little thing meteorologists like to call "THE RAINY SEASON!" Heck, the height of their season falls at the height of the hurricane season. So rain IS an issue. It's not an excuse ... it's a real issue. No one likes to sit around and get rained on.

 

I was at Sunday's Dolphins game. I got rained on. It sucked. But I stayed in my seat like a lot of other people. And the fans that were there stayed until the very end because there are a lot of good fans in this town. And we were soaking wet by the final whistle. One of the biggest differences for me in attending a Marlins game in the rain and a Dolphins game in the rain is frequency. I'll skip a Marlins game in the rain because I know I have more chances to go to a game. With football, you've only got like what ... 8 home games or something? Not to beat a dead horse :banghead but that's one of the major reasons I think the new stadium will make a difference in attendance. A roof means I don't have to choose between watching on TV and staying dry or sitting in the stands and getting drenched. But that's another conversation. That's not to say I don't love the Marlins. But I can't go to every game, so I'd rather go to ones where I can stay dry and not have to get idled by a rain delay.

 

Look, Miami has great athletes, great teams, great traditions (even the young teams) and great fans. Sure, fans may be frustrated in all sports but the Marlins showed some real promise this year and I have high hopes for 2009. The Dolphins are showing some real moxie. And hey ... as of right now, the Heat are undefeated so we have reason to be excited. I can't really speak on the Panthers because I'm not a hockey fan, but I've got friends who are and they think they're great so I say Go Panthers! This is South Florida. We love our sports teams!!! :wave

I gave you many reasons as to why the Marlins attendance is terrible.

 

Why do you think not many people care about the Panthers down here though? I dont think its just because they are a hockey team, and hockey is becoming unpopular down here. I think its because they haven't done anything for a long time now. Watch. If the Panthers, suddenly start winning, people will show up fast.

 

The Heat's arena wasn't dead last year until pobably the last quarter of the season. They still had sell-outs (meaning actual attendance, not just tickets sold), for at least half of their games.

 

Obviously, you are different from the casual sports fan. A casual fan wouldn't go to a low level stadium to support a non-playoff team that had no expectations at the beginning of the season and just traded away their two top players.

 

Also, there is no such thing as a bandwagon city, unless you want to call every city in the United States a bandwagon city. Every city backs up their team more when they are winning. There may be some bandwagon fans, and some non-bandwagon fans, but there is no such thing as a non-bandwagon city.

That's actually true. When they were making that run toward the end of last season the BAC started getting PACKED. They started actually selling the place out.

The Marlins attendance is crap, unless if the team makes the playoffs. The attendance has been crap for years, and the Marlins haven't exactly been a cellar franchise.

 

The Heat...they began to really show when Shaq came to town. The little "White Hot" fever died really quickly last year. As much as they say they sold out...b/c of the amount they sold before the season...the Heat arena last year was, practically, dead all year.

 

TRUE fans support their team, no matter what. If I had a job, I'd support the Marlins whether they win 100, or lose 100.

 

South Florida is not a real sports city.

It's a bandwagon sports city, in general.

 

EDIT: Hockey doesn't even exist down here to most people, so I won't even mention it. Aside from some diehard Panther fans on the floridapanthers.com message boards...the Panthers have been irrelevant in this town for a long time.

South Florida is not any kind of city, or a city at all.

 

The reasons why attendance is what it is have been beaten to death on this board, and again, I'd like to reiterate my opinion that saying "Miami fans suck" really doesn't seem like an effective pitch that will bring more fans to the stadium(s)/arena(s).

 

#1 - Very few people are actually from Miami (or Broward if you want to get on about the Panthers). Most folks think of their home team as being some other team (like all those NY transplants)

#2 - Even among those of us who are born and raised down here, most of those people who are die-hard fans of any pro-sport were fans of those sports BEFORE we had a team down here. If it's not yet clear what that means, it means that all those die-hard fans of the respective sports already had favorite teams that are/were not the newer home teams. This is of course with the exception of the Dolphins. And each of the teams have theior own unique problems...

#3 - No matter what you think of the decisions made at that time (although I don't know ANYONE who approved of what Huizenga did after 97), the history of the Marlins going back to that infamous firesale is hardly one to be proud of. Even though I agree that it's justifiable, the fact that we've had the league's lowest payroll for a few years now with every apparent intention of keeping also doesn't outwardly reflect on the team in a way that draws fans. Nevermind even the lame promotional campaigns that the team has been putting out for years. I have no doubt that people on this board could do a better job selling this team without being as insanely cheesy as the Marlins' advertising.

#4 - The Heat don't have any special problem (besides last year's record I guess), just it's been the lack of a real star player on the level of many other NBA teams. Until Wade came into the picture, there really wasn't that kind of exciting player on the team. And I feel like every (successful) big market NBA team needs an Allen Iverson or a Kobe or a someone like that who can perform like that, even if not all the time. And say what you will about "real fans", I'm not gonna hold it against folks for not being masochistic enough to just go and watch their team go out seemingly assured of a loss game in and game out. A fan, like anyone, goes to a game to have a good time, and watching that team wasn't my idea of a good time. We'll see how things go with a healthy Dwyane Wade this season (assuming he holds up and gets some support).

#5 - As much as I may want to support the Panthers just on the basis of them being our team so to speak, lets be honest about the comical element of pro Hockey team in south Florida. Hockey is not a part of the culture down here. Kids growing up don't really play much Hockey. I don't ever remember there being ice hockey teams in our high schools when I went (and taught) there, and rightfully so as well. Of all the issues that sports have drawing crowds in South Florida, the reason why the Panthers don't draw big should be obvious.

Btw...this is just a sh*tty sports town, in general.

Did anyone see all the empty seats at Dolphin Stadium today?

 

Considering the Dolphins were coming off an impressive road win against the Patriots, and a good Charger team was coming to town...that, too, was inexcusable.

 

The Dolphins are #1 in this town...and they don't sellout all the time, either, for a sport that is played once every other week, at home.

 

 

You couldn't be more wrong Erick. Miami is a great sports city. In fact, they are one of only 13 cities in the U.S. to have all four major sports teams.

 

The Dolphins always have been, and still are one of the most popular teams in the NFL. As for yesterday, it was pouring outside, which probably kept many people from going, even if they already had bought tickets. People that went on Saturday to the FSU-UM game and got soaked especially didn't want to go (like me), because they didn't want to go through the same thing all over again. As for recent games, the Dolphins haven't been to the playoffs for a while now, and have been predicted to finish with a horrible season for the past few years. That might explain their numbers.

 

The Marlins have dismal attendance, yet most of us know that their TV ratings are through the roof. They ranked 7th out of 30 in the MLB this past season, and weren't even all that great. I think that once they get their new stadium (which will save heat strokes, rain delays, neck problems, etc.), their attendance numbers will soar, and they will be near the middle of the pack in the MLB in terms of attendance. The Marlins have fans. Not all of them show up for the games (partially because the Marlins have many fans in North Florida), but they still have many of them.

 

I dont think I really need to discuss the Heat. Sure the Heat fans might be front runners, but they are always nationally televised, and they have been rankes in the Top 5 in attendance numbers the past three or four years.

 

The Pantehrs haven't been a great team for a long time, yet they still managed to finish 24th out of 30 in the NHL in attendance. If you add in the price of tickets combined with the average attendance, then the Panthers are in the Top 20. Not to mention, that they finished 18th out of 30 last season in TV ratings. These numbers aren't so bad, and the Panthers weren't even good last year. Think of what those numbers would be if they were a playoff caliber team for a few years in a row.

 

One more reason why you might think South Florida is a lousy sports town, is because three of the four franchises in Miami are relatively new. Besides the Dolphins, the oldest franchise in South Florida is the Miami Heat, and they weren't founded until 1988. Most of Miami's sports fans are still cheering for other teams (especially baseball).

 

Miami's teams might not be all that great, but this city is definitely a great sports city.

 

 

The fact that it has 4 major sports teams doesn't make it a good sports city.

And the rain always seems to be an excuse down here...for some reason, it's not an excuse in other cities. When it rains in a football game...or it snows, other cities pack the house.

 

The only argument you really have is that 3 of the 4 major sports teams down here, are pretty new.

I need to get in here.

 

The Dolphins were 7th in attendance last year.

 

I wish I could go farther back but there is something wrong with ESPN's attendance database.

 

They also play in the 5th or 6th biggest stadium in the NFL. In the NFL you cant really go by total numbers, you need to go by %. The patriots sell out every week but their stadium only holds 68,700, therefore it is rare that they would beat the dolphins. If I am not mistaken, the nfl does tickets sold and not actual attendance. I've seen games at dolphins stadium that are half full but report 72,000. To be fair I have been to Jets game and Patriots games that have been vacant but also report big crowds. The local tv stations regularly buy up 2,000-3,000 tickets for the dolphins. This year the dolphins are averaging just over 65,000 fans and have the lowest % of capacity in the NFL.

 

However, I did notice how espn's stats page is messed up, we'll have to wait for them to fix it to go further back.

 

 

Besides the dolphins, I am a fan of all the south florida teams (panthers, canes, heat and marlins). However, there is no way I am calling miami a great sports city because its not.

Yeah, to say this is a great sports town...That's just showing that you don't really know about the way other cities care about their sports.

Alright, back to the original topic. All of the baseball "experts" say that the Fish are going to have another fire sale just because they don't really have anything else to talk about. If they actually used their brains, they would be able to tell that our team is full of prospects, and we have prospects in our system that our even better to replace them. Trading away our crappy players and a couple of good ones to replace them with even better players should not be considered a "fire sale." Just look at the St. Louis Cardinals: they traded Scott Rolen and Jim Edmonds, and let David Eckstein leave, which were the heart and soul of that team, and who do they replace them with? Skip Schumaker, a prospect, Troy Glaus, who is not as good as Scott Rolen, and they just let Edmonds and Eckstein go and replaced them with worse players. They don't call that a firesale, but if we would trade Olsen, Uggla, and Jacobs and replace them with Gaby Sanchez, Andrew Miller, and Coghlan or a free agent, they would immediantly call that a "firesale" just because they love talking sh*t about the Marlins, and it is totally believeable, but they say it about any other team, and nobody buys into it. This whole "firesale talk" is just bulls**t. :thumbdown

Alright, back to the original topic. All of the baseball "experts" say that the Fish are going to have another fire sale just because they don't really have anything else to talk about. If they actually used their brains, they would be able to tell that our team is full of prospects, and we have prospects in our system that our even better to replace them. Trading away our crappy players and a couple of good ones to replace them with even better players should not be considered a "fire sale." Just look at the St. Louis Cardinals: they traded Scott Rolen and Jim Edmonds, and let David Eckstein leave, which were the heart and soul of that team, and who do they replace them with? Skip Schumaker, a prospect, Troy Glaus, who is not as good as Scott Rolen, and they just let Edmonds and Eckstein go and replaced them with worse players. They don't call that a firesale, but if we would trade Olsen, Uggla, and Jacobs and replace them with Gaby Sanchez, Andrew Miller, and Coghlan or a free agent, they would immediantly call that a "firesale" just because they love talking sh*t about the Marlins, and it is totally believeable, but they say it about any other team, and nobody buys into it. This whole "firesale talk" is just bulls**t. :thumbdown

 

If these prospects are already better... THEN WHY ARENT THEY PLAYING NOW?

 

There is no guarantee that prospects turn out to be good. In fact most prospects do not pan out. Look at all the minor league teams and minor league players. How many turn out to be regulars?

Yeah, to say this is a great sports town...That's just showing that you don't really know about the way other cities care about their sports.

 

 

Trust me, I do. I lived in Philly until I was 13, and I travel up to the northeast at least once a year to visit family. I usually go to at least one Sox/Yankees/Phillies game per year, a football game, etc. If you go up to NYC or Boston, obviously they care more about their sports because they have great tradition, and they have a much bigger population. I never said that Miami is one of the best sports cities, but they have not been given a chance to be one. If the Marlins/Heat/Panthers would have been around for just as long as the Red Sox/Celtics/Bruins, and would have had as much tradition of winning, then Miami would be just as good of a sports town as Boston, in this case. Miami probably will take many years to become a "great sports city".

Yeah, to say this is a great sports town...That's just showing that you don't really know about the way other cities care about their sports.

 

 

Trust me, I do. I lived in Philly until I was 13, and I travel up to the northeast at least once a year to visit family. I usually go to at least one Sox/Yankees/Phillies game per year, a football game, etc. If you go up to NYC or Boston, obviously they care more about their sports because they have great tradition, and they have a much bigger population. I never said that Miami is one of the best sports cities, but they have not been given a chance to be one. If the Marlins/Heat/Panthers would have been around for just as long as the Red Sox/Celtics/Bruins, and would have had as much tradition of winning, then Miami would be just as good of a sports town as Boston, in this case. Miami probably will take many years to become a "great sports city".

Well, that's kind of different than what you said. To say it will become a great sports town is one thing. To say it is a great sports town is a completely different thing.

Yeah, to say this is a great sports town...That's just showing that you don't really know about the way other cities care about their sports.

 

 

Trust me, I do. I lived in Philly until I was 13, and I travel up to the northeast at least once a year to visit family. I usually go to at least one Sox/Yankees/Phillies game per year, a football game, etc. If you go up to NYC or Boston, obviously they care more about their sports because they have great tradition, and they have a much bigger population. I never said that Miami is one of the best sports cities, but they have not been given a chance to be one. If the Marlins/Heat/Panthers would have been around for just as long as the Red Sox/Celtics/Bruins, and would have had as much tradition of winning, then Miami would be just as good of a sports town as Boston, in this case. Miami probably will take many years to become a "great sports city".

 

You kinda said it (Miami) was a great sports town already.

The Marlins marketing has been pretty bad, IMO. Now, I don't know what kind of budget they have, but there are some things that I can definitely say they have underperformed in. One is the website. Have you been to the Marlins' website? It's a sprawling mess with a soup of colors from silver to orange to black to teal to white. That is unattractive. Go look at the websites of the Miami Heat and Miami Dolphins. Those people know how to cater to an evolving fan base, namely an online one. The articles are good, Joe Fisaro is a knowledgeable person, so I give him the quality tag. But just like winning isn't the only ingredient to a successful franchise, good articles aren't the only pieces of a good website. I can write great literature and slap it on Blogspot, but if I basically use the default layout that Blogspot gives me, I'm not gonna get a lot of readers.

 

The second thing is the colors. They are pretty cliche (white with thin pin stripes?). And I know that they integrated orange into the mix, but my goodness, do these people have any artistic sense? You've gotta build identity, and having a million different colors isn't the way to go. Teal was a great color, it's an identity-builder because no other team in MLB used it. You saw teal, you saw the Marlins. Also, change up the logo for once. It's grown stale. You live in a fashion town, give the people fashionable items.

 

I wanted to mention something else, but I forgot what it was.

 

So people don't go to the games because the Marlins have a terrible web site and their uniforms are ugly. Because the list is so long I'm going to have to double check, but I do believe you have just added two new excuses. Congratulations. They are lame and easily torn to shreds, but that's why they are excuses and not reasons.

 

And when you remember that other thing please pass it along. You may get a hat trick.

 

First off, if I've said anything to offend you please let me know. I just don't understand the reason for the sarcastic tone you've assumed in your reply to my post.

 

Second, these are my opinions and are far from legitimacy. These are extremely generalized ideas. I like to present solutions to problems rather than bicker about the problem itself or shoot down others attempts at solutions without presenting a solution myself. So if you have any ideas I'd like to read them. I'm very interested in this topic.

 

You haven't offended me at all. I just find those excuses funny, and ones I don't think I have heard. And I really don't think they were well thought out. Changing the uniforms is going to increase attendance?? Or...teams that have pinstriped uniforms don't pull well?? Changing the web page is going to increase attendance?

 

I have no solution for the poor attendance. Putting a winning team on the field didn't work. Putting an exciting team on the field didn't work. Putting high priced FAs on the field didn't work. Playing in meaningful games didn't work. Playing what were historically important games didn't work. BUT...start the playoffs and all of a sudden the seats are full of people that say they go to games all the time. Talk around after the playoffs and you would have to be amazed at how, every game, they get 300K people into a stadium built for 75K. Want 25K to 35K for a game? Throw an after game concert and fireworks show.

 

Bottom line...The tri county area is not a "sports town". It's an "events town". When it is the place to be seen, people will make sure they are seen there. Or at least say they were there.

People in the U.S. misuse the word 'excuse.' This word does not mean that it is a pure justification which puts to rest a debate. Excuse seems to imply illegitimacy to some people, when in reality finding causes for problems or the excuses why people don;t go to games, is the only way to remedy the problem.

 

Saying miami fans suck does absolutely nothing positive. Furthermore, I continue to find it interesting how everyone who is a local completely understands the attendance situation, but people from other states seem to constantly berate So Fla fans and just seem to keep missing the point year after year. To understand attendance patterns, you have to understand the democgraphic and the culture in So. Fla. Once you understand that and the reasons for low attendance, then we cna begin to solve problems.

Building a relationship with fans doesn't happen overnight. The organization has to have credibility, which the Marlins do not, given their history of breaking up teams, and though they may have a 'plan' right now, the fruits of it need come about before people feel safe trusting this organization (and even then, the people will still hesitate with good reason). No matter what valid points and fine rhetoric we spew out here on this message board, the reality is that the market the Marlins are dealing with needs familiar faces in order to feel a connection, and those faces become the image of the franchise in the minds of the people. That's just how it works, guys. The whole 'cheer for the team not for the player' is not something the Marlins are in position to do right now. That's not gonna sell tickets. Consistency will. Winning is not the only ingredient when it comes to ticket sales (we saw that this year); you need to have a group that people have become familiar with, to build an emotional bond with customers. The Marlins have done a terrible job in building this emotional bond; heck, I might say they haven't tried. The marketing has also been pretty sloppy over the years.

 

Well at least YOU get it.....but many on this board never will I am afraid.

 

When I talk to friends about the Marlins, they laugh, and then say something like "who is playing for them" ? Or "I'll go when so-and-so is in town to play them" because they have ZERO connection with the present team.

 

The community interaction by the Marlins with South Fla is next to nil, especially now that it is the off-season. Most of the players split from So Fla, the minute the season is over and don't return until opening day. Consequently you have no interaction in the off-season that helps to build that bond between team, players and community. Also, when was the last time the Marlins held any kind of an event in South Miami-Dade county ? Like in the Pinecrest, Perrine, Deering or Cutler Bay areas ? There are plenty of people of wealth in that area (Mike Lowell has a multimillion $ home in Pinecrest) who are a potential source of fanbase, but yet the team has ignored them for 16 years. Yet holds community events in Boca Raton, which is farther in the opposite direction. That is just plain stupid marketing. :banghead Pinecrest is about 35 miles from Dolphin Stadium, and Boca is about 50 miles.....what makes more sense ? Both would, but for whatever reason, the Marlins have ignored a good chunk of South Fla, yet b*tch and moan about low attendance.

 

WELL GET YOUR ACT TOGETHER IN THE PROMOTIONS DEPT ! :banghead